Best power supplies for RTX 4090 in 2024 (2024)

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 is the most powerful consumer graphics card on the planet. With all that power under the hood, it needs a similarly powerful power supply unit (PSU) for smooth operation, whatever task it’s set to. That means picking an ATX 3.0 compatible PSU with a dedicated 12VHPWR connector, so you don’t have to worry about adapter quality. This guide will review some of the best PSUs that will power the RTX 4090 and the CPU you decide to pair it with.

Our picks for the best PSUs to use with the GeForce RTX 4090

Corsair RM1000e

Editor's choice

Plenty of power with a great price

The Corsair RM1000e (2023) is a fully-modular PSU with 1000W of capacity. It's been reduced in size from previous versions, so it's only slightly larger than the cooling fan inside and will fit in more cases. It also has a 12VHPWR cable which is powered by two PCIe sockets on the PSU side.

Pros

• Fully modular
• Capacity of 1000W
• Quiet operation

Cons

• 12VHPWR cable isn't using native connector on PSU side

$140 at Amazon$180 at Newegg

For builds using high-end components like the RTX 4090, you want at least 1000W of power capacity to ensure that there is some headroom over the base requirements of your hardware. The Corsair RM1000e (2023) is one of the better choices for 1000W power supplies, partly because it's now only 140mm in length, making it smaller than many PSUs with smaller power capacities. That makes it not much bigger than the 120mm rifle bearing fan that keeps the power supply cool under load. It's also fully modular, so you can keep cable clutter to a minimum by only using the cables you need. A single 24-pin ATX cable, two EPS 12V (both 4+4) cables, a single 12VHPWR cable that is powered by two PCIe sockets on the PSU side, and four PCIe (two 6+2, two 6+2 6+2) cables, are included with the PSU.

That's plenty for most PC builds, even those with high-end components, and the cables you don't use can be kept in the box for later use. With that many PCIe cables, this PSU can even support multiple GPUs, although all you need is the 12VHPWR cable for the RTX 4090. There's also SATA power cables in straight or right-handed connectors, depending on the orientation inside your PC chassis, and a PATA cable in case you have any Molex-needing components like waterpumps. And with full support for the ATX 3.0 standard, you know your RTX 4090 isn't going to cause issues with transient spikes.

ASUS ROG Strix 1000W Aura Edition

Best for gamers

For when you want that RGB glow

The ASUS ROG Strix 1000W Aura Edition will match perfectly with ROG-themed builds. It's got 1000W of power capacity, a native 12VHPWR cable for up to 600W of power to the graphics card, and adjustable RGB glow.

Pros

• RGB lighting for esthetics
• Fully-modular cables
• Native 12VHPWR cable

Cons

• Expensive
• Long at 180mm

$209 at Amazon$230 at Newegg

The ASUS ROG branding is highly popular among gamers, as the name has become synonymous with the power needed for high-end components to perform at their peak. Why not extend that to the power supply as well, with the ROG Strix 1000W Aura Edition? You get RGB glow from the Strix logo, which can be set to reflect the GPU temperature, if you have a compatible ASUS or ROG RTX 4090. The unit also uses oversize ROG aluminum heatsinks to keep the temperature of the internal components under control and extend the 0 dB operation of the unit. That means the axial fan might not even kick on, making your gaming PC even more silent.

This power unit has 80 Plus Gold certification for efficient operation, and Lambda A+ certification that reflects the average noise emissions of less than 20 dB. Inside the box are a single 24-pin ATX cable, two EPS (4+4) cables, four PCIe 8-pin cables, a 12VHPWR 16-pin cable, two SATA cables, and a peripheral Molex cable. They're all modular as well, so you can plug in only the ones you need for your hardware, making for a tidier build.

MSI MEG Ai1300P

Premium pick

For when performance is the main consideration

The MSI MEG Ai1300P was the first PSU on the market to fully support the ATX 3.0 standard, with a dedicated 12VHPWR cable and transient spike handling. It's fully-digital with real-time monitoring capacity, smaller than comparable 1300W units, and has fully modular sleeved cables.

Pros

• 1300W of power capacity
• Platinum rated efficiency
• Relatively short at 160mm

Cons

• Expensive
• Aesthetics might not be to everyone's taste

$360 at Amazon$349 at Newegg

Chances are, if you're building a PC with the GeForce RTX 4090 inside, you're already looking for the best components you can find. If so, look no further because you've found the power supply that you should get. The MSI MEG Ai1300P isn't the cheapest unit on the market, but what it brings to your build is worth every penny. This was the first ATX 3.0 compliant power supply on the market, and hasn't been surpassed yet. It has 1300W of power supply in an 80 Plus Platinum rated unit that is positively tiny. It's 160mm long, able to fit into even smaller cases with plenty of room for cable management. And that cable management is made easier by the fully modular construction, with individually sleeved cables for a better appearance. You get two 12VHPWR cables here, one native and one 12VHPWR to two PCIe 6+2, and six other PCIe 6+2 cables in case you want to run more graphics cards. You also get one 24-pin ATX, two EPS 12V (4+4 and 8), four SATA power cables and one Molex cable.

You also get two cables with this PSU that aren't found in many, a USB cable for an internal header and one for an external. These are used to connect the PSU to the MSI Center software package, and enables real-time monitoring of power use and other statistics. Yes, it's probably overkill, but you're already planning on using an overkill graphics card. This is the PSU that has powered several of my personal builds, including the current incarnation, using an AMD Ryzen 7900X and AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT without so much as a hiccup. When you're using top-flight components, any minor issues with power supply quality come to the fore, and you won't have to worry if you pick up this unit.

Thermaltake Toughpower GF A3 850W

Budget pick

For the bare minimum requirements

The Thermaltake Toughpower GF A3 850W comes with many of the features of the more expensive units on this list, including a native 12VHPWR connector for 450W of power to your RTX 4090, ATX 3.0 compatibility, and a ten-year warranty.

Pros

• Native 450W 12VHPWR cable
• Gold 80 Plus efficiency
• Fully modular cables

Cons

• Cramped power sockets

$130 at Amazon$130 at Newegg

Budget isn't a word we'd normally associate with while talking about the RTX 4090, unless it's the last part of the sentence "How big is your", but the fact is that even low-cost power supply units are decent enough to power high-enc components. The Thermaltake Toughpower GF A3 850W is enough for the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 FE sold directly from Nvidia, or for AIB models from MSI. You could possibly get away with using it with other models, but most of the board partners caution that you should allow for 1000W with their GPUs. If you're pairing the RTX 4090 with a mid-tier Intel Core i5 or a Ryzen 5, 850W should be more than enough.

This PSU is fully modular, as we really prefer to recommend these days, as it makes the build process easier while keeping cable clutter to a minimum. In the box, you get a 24-pin ATX cable, two EPS 12V (4+4 and 8) cables, two PCIe 6+2 cables, and a 16-pin 12VHPWR cable. This PSU is fully compliant with the ATX 3.0 specification and is PCIe 5.0 ready for whenever GPUs needing that specification hit the market. It's about as future-proof as any PSU can be at this stage, and with a ten-year warranty, will likely last you through multiple builds.

Cooler Master V1100 SFX Platinum

Best for SFF

Tons of power in a tiny package

The Cooler Master V1100 SFX Platinum is an ATX 3.0 compliant, PCIe 5.0 ready power supply with a tiny footprint, perfect for powering the highest-end PC components inside small form factor cases.

Pros

• 12VHPWR cable rated to 600W
• Tiny space-saving design
• Cool operation

Cons

• Flat cables are hard to route
• Cables only suitable for small cases

$280 at Amazon$280 at Newegg

While most small form factor users aim for mid-range components to minimize thermals inside their smaller cases, some like the challenge of putting high-end components like the RTX 4090 into essentially something the size of a shoebox. To do that successfully, you'll need a small PSU with plenty of power, and the Cooler Master V1100 SFX fits the bill. Now, while it is a true SFX power supply in that it'll fit the smallest mounting areas, the sockets for the power cables do extend slightly from the housing, making it slightly longer in that dimension. It hasn't been an issue in the cases I've used it in yet, but some boutique SFF cases might have issues. In most consumer chassis, I don't think you'll run into problems.

This PSU comes with a 12VHPWR cable rated to 600W of power delivery, perfect for the RTX 4090 and quite possibly whatever its successor is called. You also get a 24-pin ATX cable, two EPS 12V (4+4 and 8) cables, three PCIe 6+2 cables, two SATA and one 4-pin Molex. Every cable is modular, and when every millimeter of space counts in an SFF case, being able to leave out cables matters even more. The 92mm fan is perfectly capable of keeping the thermals in check, even with higher loads, as I've used it with an RTX 4070 Ti and a RX 7900 XT without issues. The only bad points I can say about this capable PSU are that there's no physical power switch to disconnect power, the flat PSU cables can be challenging to bend and route, and it's pretty expensive. Then again, you get what you pay for and there aren't many PSU units of this size capable of 1100W of power capacity.

be quiet! BN517 Straight Power 12-1200W

Best for workstations

Plenty of PCIe for multi-GPU use

The be quiet! BN517 Straight Power 12-1200W is an 80 Plus Platinum rated power supply with tons of cables for the most demanding workstations. It has not one but two 12VHPWR cables for the RTX 4090 or similar graphics cards, perfect for machine learning and AI use.

Pros

• Two 12VHPWR cables and four more PCIe cables
• 1200W of power delivery
• Near silent operation

Cons

• Large
• Expensive

$280 at Amazon$250 at Newegg

While most users will be more than happy with one RTX 4090, data scientists or AI engineers might want multiple graphics cards in their workstation for number crunching. To do so, you'll need a power supply unit that's up to the task, and the be quiet! BN517 Straight Power 12-1200W is one such unit. It has not one, but two 12VHPWR cables for dual RTX 4090's, but that's not all it can support. In the box you also get four more PCIe 6+2 cables, two EPS 12V (4+4 and 8) cables, three SATA cables and a 24-pin ATX cable. All the cables are modular and sleeved, and are nicely spaced on the PSU side for ease of installation.

The larger size of this PSU is partly because of the 135mm Silent Wings case fan, which shifts tons of air to keep the components cool. The 12V rail is ATX 3.0 compliant, which means it can handle short bursts of double the normal power draw without problems. It uses premium components like Japanese capacitors rated to 105 degrees Celsius, so they will keep giving smooth, efficient power for years. This is the perfect PSU for desktop workstations, and should handle the next generation of graphics cards as well as it handles the current one.

Corsair RM1200x Shift

Best for cable management

The cables all come out from the side for easy access

The Corsair RM1200x Shift puts a new spin on PC building by changing where the cables come out. By putting them on the long side instead of the end, it makes them more accessible while building, making it easier for the builder.

Pros

• Cables come from the side for easy building
• 1200W of power delivery
• Native 12VHPWR connector

Cons

• Thinner cases might struggle with the cable placement
• Expensive

$230 at Amazon$230 at Newegg

The normal design for power supply units has the power cables for the internal components directly opposite the side with the cable going to the wall. That buries the cable sockets underneath the shroud of most PC chassis, making it difficult to add another cable or remove one that's not necessary. The RM1200x Shift changes that by putting the sockets for the modular power cables on the side of the PSU, so they face out towards the builder while the side panel is removed. This makes building and maintenance easier, and can also improve airflow as the cable clutter doesn't stop it from circulating. Corsair also uses Type 5 Gen 1 micro-fit connectors on the PSU side, which are significantly smaller than those used by other brands, giving you more space around them to work with.

In the box, you get one 24-pin ATX cable, two EPS 12V (4+4) cables, one 12VHPWR cable, four PCIe 6+2 cables, two PCIe 6+2 6+2 cables with two connectors on each, four SATA cables and two Molex cables. The semi-passive cooling system on this PSU means the 140mm fan won't spin until a certain thermal threshold is met, making it silent under most operating conditions. All of that power results in a longer than usual PSU of 180mm, so it can have issues with some mid-tower cases. The length is slightly helped by the cables coming from the side, meaning all you need to worry about is the 180mm length.

MSI MPG A850G

Best 850W

Reliable power at an affordable price

The MSI MPG A850G is an 80 Plus Gold rated PSU with fully modular cables, native 12VHPWR cable, and a compact size. It will provide stable, smooth power for years to come and has a ten-year warranty to back it up.

Pros

• 12VHPWR connector and ATX 3.0 supported
• 80 Plus Gold efficiency rating
• Good value

Cons

• 850W is on the low side for many RTX 4090s

$150 at Amazon$150 at Newegg

With 850W being the bare minimum for some RTX 4090 models, it pays to buy a quality PSU that won't cause issues. The MSI MPG A850G is 80 Plus Gold rated for efficiency, uses high quality components, and has a full modular build, so you can use only the cables you need. It's fully ATX 3.0 compatible, and has a dedicated 12VHPWR cable for your RTX 4090 to draw power from. In the box you also get one 24-pin ATX cable, two EPS 12V (4+4) cables, one 12VHPWR to two PCIe 6+2 cables, and two PCIe 6+2 cables with two plugs on each.

That's plenty of connectors for almost any build, and the 12VHPWR cables are rated to 600W of power delivery, so realistically, this should be fine with any RTX 4090 model. You won't want to pair this with the highest power CPUs, but it will suffice for many builds. If you want to run an Intel Core i9 or Ryzen 9, you could look at the 1000W version of this PSU, which would give you enough headroom to not worry about power concerns.

What you need to know when choosing a power supply for the RTX 4090

With such a powerful graphics card, picking a power supply for the best RTX 4090s means you'll need to add a little more to your budget. That said, you can get the 1000W of recommended power at a pretty great price with the Corsair RM1000e (2023). It's fully ATX 3.0 compliant, with the ability to handle short bursts of 200% of the rated power, and has the requisite 12VHPWR cable support, although this is supplied from two sockets on the PSU instead of 12-pins plus sense wires on both ends.

That doesn't really make much of a difference to how you use your PC once plugged in, so it's not really a concern, though. If you want a premium PSU to go with your top-tier GPU, the MSI MEG Ai1300P is where you should be looking. It's powering my personal PC and I can tell you it's been rock-solid since the day I installed it. And some models of RTX 4090 from MSI or the FE directly from Nvidia can get away with a 850W power supply, so the Thermaltake Toughpower GF A3 850W or MSI MPG A850G are worth looking at.

Corsair RM1000e

Editor's Choice

Plenty of power and a great price

The Corsair RM1000e (2023) is a fully-modular PSU with 1000W of capacity. It's been reduced in size from previous versions, so it's only slightly larger than the cooling fan inside and will fit in more cases. It also has a 12VHPWR cable which is powered by two PCIe sockets on the PSU side.

$140 at Amazon$180 at Newegg