Power supply gtx 980: Choosing the Best PSU for Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 980 GPU

Choosing the Best PSU for Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 980 GPU

Learn how to choose a power supply for Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 980 GPU based on power consumption and other factors.

In this article, I’ll go over the things you should consider when choosing a power supply for your computer with an Nvidia GeForce GTX 980 graphics card.

Check out my Recommended Power Supplies for GTX 980 GPUs below.

Best 650–1000 Watt PSU

EVGA SuperNOVA G5 Series Fully Modular Power Supply (220-G5-0650-X1)

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How to Choose a Power Supply for the GTX 980 GPU

The main job of a power supply is to convert the alternating current (AC) from your wall outlet into the direct current (DC) needed by the components inside your computer.

Power Output

An important factor when buying a PSU is the supported wattage.

You will need to add up the power consumption of each computer component to determine the total output power requirements for your power supply.

The peak power consumption of Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 980 GPU is 165 W.

You can estimate your power requirements by using the following chart.

Component Peak Power Usage
GTX 980 GPU 165 W
Top-Tier CPU (e.g., Intel Core i9 13900K) 253 W
Mid-Tier CPU (e.g., Intel Core i5 13600K) 181 W
Motherboard 80 W
Optical Drive 30 W
3.5″ Hard Drive 9 W
M.2 or 2.5″ SSD 9 W
140 mm Case/CPU Fan 6 W
120 mm Case/CPU Fan 6 W
80 mm Case/CPU Fan 3 W

By adding up these numbers, you can estimate peak power usage. Check out the top-tier and mid-tier example builds below.

It’s generally a good idea to add a 100–150 W buffer to your expected usage. This buffer will give you some flexibility in case of miscalculations and will allow you to add more drives, fans, or add-in cards in the future.

In most cases, buying a little more wattage than you need is a safer choice for ensuring system stability.

Don’t forget to account for the additional power required for overclocking if you intend to overclock your CPU or GPU. Overclocking could require roughly an extra 50–100 W, depending on how much you overclock these devices.

Check another Nvidia GPU:

GeForce RTX 4090 GeForce RTX 4080 GeForce RTX 3090 Ti GeForce RTX 3090 GeForce RTX 3080 Ti GeForce RTX 3080 GeForce RTX 3070 Ti GeForce RTX 3070 GeForce RTX 3060 Ti GeForce RTX 3060 GeForce RTX 3050 TITAN RTX GeForce RTX 2080 Ti GeForce RTX 2080 Super GeForce RTX 2080 GeForce RTX 2070 Super GeForce RTX 2070 GeForce RTX 2060 Super GeForce RTX 2060 GeForce GTX 1660 Ti GeForce GTX 1660 Super GeForce GTX 1650 Super GeForce GTX 1650 TITAN X Pascal TITAN Xp GeForce GTX 1080 Ti GeForce GTX 1080 GeForce GTX 1070 Ti GeForce GTX 1070 GeForce GTX 1060 GeForce GTX 1050 Ti GeForce GTX 1050 GeForce GT 1030 GeForce GTX TITAN X GeForce GTX 980 Ti GeForce GTX 980 GeForce GTX 970 GeForce GTX 960 GeForce GTX 950 GeForce GTX TITAN Z GeForce GTX TITAN Black GeForce GTX TITAN GeForce GTX 780 Ti GeForce GTX 780 GeForce GTX 770 GeForce GTX 760 Ti GeForce GTX 760 GeForce GTX 760 192-bit GeForce GTX 750 Ti GeForce GTX 750

Top-Tier Estimate:

Top-Tier Components Peak Power Consumption
GTX 980 GPU 165 watts
Top-Tier CPU (e. g., Intel Core i9 13900K) 253 watts
Motherboard 80 watts
4 M.2 or 2.5″ SSDs 36 watts
3 Case Fans (120 mm) 18 watts
2 CPU Fans (120 mm) 12 watts
Total Estimate: 564 watts
Recommended Power Supply Wattage: 700 watts

Check the latest price of the 450–750 watt Corsair SF Power Supplies on Amazon (affiliate link).

Check out my Recommended Power Supplies for GTX 980 GPUs below.

Featured 750 Watt PSUs ›

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Corsair RMX Series (2021), RM750x, 750 Watt, Gold, Fully Modular Power Supply

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Thermaltake Toughpower 750W 80 Plus Gold Semi Modular PSU ATX 12V or EPS 12V Ultra Quiet Power Supply PS-TPD-0750MPCGUS-1

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Mid-Tier Estimate:

Mid-Tier Components Peak Power Consumption
GTX 980 GPU 165 watts
Mid-Tier CPU (e. g., Intel Core i5 13600K) 181 watts
Motherboard 80 watts
2 M.2 or 2.5″ SSDs 18 watts
2 Case Fans (120 mm) 12 watts
2 CPU Fans (120 mm) 12 watts
Total Estimate: 468 watts
Recommended Power Supply Wattage: 600 watts

Check the latest price of the 450–750 watt Corsair SF Power Supplies on Amazon (affiliate link).

Check out my Recommended Power Supplies for GTX 980 GPUs below.

Power Efficiency

PSUs with higher efficiency ratings use less energy and produce less heat, improving their reliability and reducing noise.

The 80 PLUS certification program for power supplies helps to promote energy efficiency by indicating its efficiency rating.

Higher efficiency power supplies may have a higher upfront cost. However, they could potentially save you money on electricity in the long run.

Lower wattage PSUs will be more power-efficient even when idle. For this reason, you may be able to save more on electricity by getting the correct wattage of PSU than by getting the one with the best 80 PLUS rating.

PSU Efficiency Levels (115 V)
Certification Level 10% Load 20% Load 50% Load 100% Load
80 Plus 80% 80% 80%
80 Plus Bronze 82% 85% 82%
80 Plus Silver 85% 88% 85%
80 Plus Gold 87% 90% 87%
80 Plus Platinum 90% 92% 89%
80 Plus Titanium 90% 92% 94% 90%

Cables

Connectors

Make sure your PSU has the correct connectors to support the hardware in your system. Cheaper PSUs may cut costs on connectors and cables by offering fewer options and shorter lengths.

Check with your motherboard and graphics card documentation to determine which connector types are needed. Buy a popular, recently-released PSU; it will likely have the necessary connectors for a new PC build. However, if you use old components or an old power supply, you may find some incompatibilities.

Here are some common connector types that power supplies support:

  • 24-pin connector for the motherboard
  • 4/8-pin connector for the CPU
  • 6/8/16-pin connectors for graphics cards
  • SATA Power connector for each SATA HDD or SDD storage device

The latest graphics cards and ATX 3.0 PSUs support a new 16-pin PCIe 5.0 connector that replaces multiple 8-pin connectors.

Modular Cables

Typical power supplies come with various cables to connect your components. However, extra unused power cables can work against you by interrupting airflow.

In comparison, modular and semi-modular power supplies allow for attaching only the cables you need. As the name implies, semi-modular power supplies have some wires soldered on, while you can optionally connect others.

Cable Lengths

Most power supplies will have cables long enough to support mid-sized towers comfortably. If you have a full-size tower, you may want to check reviews and documentation to ensure that the cables are long enough to allow good cable management.

Power Supply Form Factors

Various form factors are available for power supplies. However, a standard-size desktop PC build will use an ATX power supply.

Small form factor PSUs allow for usage in many computer case shapes, including mini-PCs.

Power Supply Features

Overvoltage protection and short circuit protection can help to save your components in the case of a surge or accident.

LED lighting is another feature you might consider, depending on your PC goals.

Choosing a Cost-Effective Power Supply for the GTX 980

Perhaps you live in a dorm or a family member’s house and don’t pay the power bill. Or maybe you don’t expect the computer to have heavy daily usage. In those cases, the lower upfront cost of a less efficient PSU may be the better choice.

On the other hand, if you care more about the electric bill or the environment and plan to maintain higher CPU or GPU usage, then a more efficient PSU may be better.

Don’t go too far over 150 W above your expected power needs. Rightsizing your power supply will keep electricity costs to a minimum, as higher wattage PSUs will consume some additional power, even when idle.

Recommended 750-1650 Watt ATX 3.0 PSU

  • The Thermaltake Toughpower GF3 ATX 3.0 Power Supply on Amazon (affiliate link) is our recommended 750-1650 watt ATX 3.0 PSU.
  • GOLD 80 PLUS efficiency ratings.
  • ATX 3.0 standard for supporting newer graphics cards.
  • Fully modular cabling allows you to optimize airflow and minimize clutter.
  • Ultra quiet design.
  • 10-year warranty.
  • This series of power supplies comes in power outputs including 750, 850, 1000, 1200, 1350 and 1650 watts.

    Thermaltake Toughpower GF3 Series 80+ Gold Full Modular ATX 3.0 PCIe Gen 5 Power Supply

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    Amazon Affiliate Link

Recommended 650–1000 Watt PSU

  • The Corsair SF Series Power Supply on Amazon (affiliate link) is our recommended 650–1000 watt PSU.
  • Gold 80 PLUS efficiency ratings.
  • Fully modular cabling allows you to optimize airflow and minimize clutter.
  • Near silent during low usage.
  • 10-year warranty.
  • This series of power supplies comes in power outputs including 650, 750, 850, and 1000 watts.

    EVGA SuperNOVA G5 Series Fully Modular Power Supply (220-G5-0650-X1)

    Check Price on Amazon

    Amazon Affiliate Link

Other Considerations When Building a PC

Want to brush up on other new technologies to consider when building a computer? Check out these articles:

  • Cases:
    • How to Choose the Best PC Case
  • CPUs:
    • The Best CPUs for Gaming
    • Which Intel and AMD CPUs Support PCIe 5. 0?
    • Which Intel and AMD CPUs Support PCIe 4.0?
    • LGA 1700 CPU List
    • LGA 1200 CPU List
    • Look up an Intel or AMD CPU on TechReviewer for related recommendations:
  • CPU Coolers:
    • What is the Best Type of CPU cooler for a Gaming PC?
    • How to Choose a CPU Cooler for Your PC
    • Best LGA 1700 CPU Cooler for Intel’s 12th Gen Core Processors
    • Best AM4 CPU Cooler for AMD Processors
  • Storage:
    • Can an SSD Improve PC Gaming Performance? and Does an SSD Increase FPS for PC Gaming?
    • Storage Type Comparison: M.2, U.2, NVMe, SATA, SSDs, HDDs
  • Memory:
    • How to Choose the Best RAM for Your PC
    • How Much RAM Do You Need for Gaming? and Is 32 GB of RAM Worth It for Gaming?
    • DDR4 vs. DDR5? Which You Should Buy
    • Is DDR5 Worth It? The Benefits of DDR5 and What Is DDR5?
    • Which Intel and AMD CPUs Support DDR5?
  • PCI-Express:
    • Is PCIe 5. 0 Worth It?
  • Motherboards:
    • Which Motherboards Support PCIe 5.0?
    • Which Motherboards Support PCIe 4.0?
    • Which Motherboard Should You Buy for Intel’s 13th Gen CPUs?
    • Which Motherboard Should You Buy for Intel’s 12th Gen CPUs?
  • Graphics Cards:
    • Which Graphics Cards Support PCIe 4.0?
  • Power Supplies:
    • How to Choose the Best Power Supply for a Gaming PC
    • How to Choose a PC Power Supply
  • Keyboards:
    • Best Mechanical Keyboard for Gaming
  • Monitors:
    • How to Choose a Gaming Monitor

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