MSI MAG Tomahawk power connectors

[Styxx]

I'm looking at building a system and I've chosen the MSI MAG X570 Tomahawk WIFI as a motherboard. I've put it together in pcpartpicker.com and it's flagged up a compatibility issue with the board and the PSU:

 

Quote

Note:The MSI MAG X570 TOMAHAWK WIFI ATX AM4 Motherboard has an additional 4-pin ATX power connector but the Corsair RMx 650 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply does not. This connector is used to supply additional 12V current to the motherboard. While the system will likely still run without it, higher current demands such as extreme overclocking or large video card current draws may require it.

I've had a look at the manual (https://download.msi.com/archive/mnu_exe/mb/E7C84v1.1.pdf) and it looks to be the CPU_PWR2 connector. I've looked up the power supply and there's no mention of a 4 pin connector. No problem, I figure I'll just choose another. But I've been through the whole Corsair website and I can't see anything PSUs that have the 4 pin connector. Have I missed something here? This is my first build so I'm not that knowledgeable, but if it's a non-standard connection then it seems weird that MSI would use it, and if it is a standard connection then it seems weird that Corsair wouldn't have it on any of their products. I'm open to other suggestions on PSU, but if possible I would like to stick with Corsair as I trust them.

[Bartholomew]

Just now, Styxx said:

I'm looking at building a system and I've chosen the MSI MAG X570 Tomahawk WIFI as a motherboard. I've put it together in pcpartpicker.com and it's flagged up a compatibility issue with the board and the PSU:

 

I've had a look at the manual (https://download.msi.com/archive/mnu_exe/mb/E7C84v1.1.pdf) and it looks to be the CPU_PWR2 connector. I've looked up the power supply and there's no mention of a 4 pin connector. No problem, I figure I'll just choose another. But I've been through the whole Corsair website and I can't see anything PSUs that have the 4 pin connector. Have I missed something here? This is my first build so I'm not that knowledgeable, but if it's a non-standard connection then it seems weird that MSI would use it, and if it is a standard connection then it seems weird that Corsair wouldn't have it on any of their products. I'm open to other suggestions on PSU, but if possible I would like to stick with Corsair as I trust them.

You dont need it, the board will run fine without, even with a oced 3950x.

 

Only when going sub zero using liquid nitrogen youd mit need it.

 

 

[Haro]

You only need the 8 pin. The extra 4 pin is used for heavy overclocking like ln2. Which with Ambient cooling you won't really be able to do. 

Also the single 8 pin can provide 384w of power easily. Which with then a hammered 3950x. You won't really reach..

[Styxx]

@Bartholomew, @TofuHaroto, thanks very much, I really appreciate the help! I couldn't find any info at all on what the connector was for. So is that a standard thing then? How come Corsair don't support it at all?

[Haro]

10 hours ago, Styxx said:

How come Corsair don't support it at all?

some of there psus have the extra eps connector, the rmx just does not.

 

10 hours ago, Styxx said:

. So is that a standard thing

nope, some boards add the extra eps connector. 

[Bartholomew]

28 minutes ago, Styxx said:

@Bartholomew, @TofuHaroto, thanks very much, I really appreciate the help! I couldn't find any info at all on what the connector was for. So is that a standard thing then? How come Corsair don't support it at all?

A lot of boards have the connector for marketing reasons (so kids can say they have a board that has it, after they have watched channels like gamers nexus that do show-boating overclocking labratory style with barrels of liquid nitrogen).

 

A lot of times though, its really there for nothing as even if connected and used with ln2 many boards vrms would fry when shoving that much power (tomahawk x570 vrm could do it though, these are extremely strong, but even then it would not be used for ln2 most likely as it lacks other features required for doing extreme overclocks).

 

Its such a rare use case that consumer psus dont really have a need for the extra cable as it would only increase cost significantly (compared to the extra 4 pin connector thats likely just a 5ct part addition for the board). Those who spend the extra on barrels of ln2, monitoring equipment etc, theyll have the resources to feed that 4pin using either a 2nd powersupply, or some lab setup stuff thats over the top beyond normal psu power delivery.

 

For the average consumer its like RGB "ooooohhh coooooooolllll" but any board could live without it  (but hey, why not put 10cts worth of components on a board if by doing so you can raise its price by 10 bucks ).

 

To see this marketing work in "the wild" do a forum search on "motherboard" and "looks poor", and find those who think the amount of components on a pcb or their "look" represents "quality". 

 

 

 

 

[Styxx]

45 minutes ago, Bartholomew said:

A lot of boards have the connector for marketing reasons (so kids can say they have a board that has it, after they have watched channels like gamers nexus that do show-boating overclocking labratory style with barrels of liquid nitrogen).

 

A lot of times though, its really there for nothing as even if connected and used with ln2 many boards vrms would fry when shoving that much power (tomahawk x570 vrm could do it though, these are extremely strong, but even then it would not be used for ln2 most likely as it lacks other features required for doing extreme overclocks).

 

Its such a rare use case that consumer psus dont really have a need for the extra cable as it would only increase cost significantly (compared to the extra 4 pin connector thats likely just a 5ct part addition for the board). Those who spend the extra on barrels of ln2, monitoring equipment etc, theyll have the resources to feed that 4pin using either a 2nd powersupply, or some lab setup stuff thats over the top beyond normal psu power delivery.

 

For the average consumer its like RGB "ooooohhh coooooooolllll" but any board could live without it  (but hey, why not put 10cts worth of components on a board if by doing so you can raise its price by 10 bucks ).

 

To see this marketing work in "the wild" do a forum search on "motherboard" and "looks poor", and find those who think the amount of components on a pcb or their "look" represents "quality". 

 

 

 

 

 

Without even googling that, I know exactly what you mean!  I've completely avoided RGB, it does look cool when it's done well but I'd rather look at my screen. 

 

Thanks both of you for the explanation, really helped me to understand it.