PRACTICAL - 117 :- IDENTIFY THE TYPES OF OUTPUT CONNECTORS OF SMPS

 AIM :- IDENTIFY THE TYPES OF OUTPUT CONNECTORS OF SMPS

SMPS or PSU is the component that supplies power to your major computer components. the different types of connectors or cables of an SMPS that supply power to various computer components and devices..

 

20 + 4 Pin ATX / Motherboard Connector

 

This is the main ATX connector that supplies power to your motherboard and other components like RAM, Low-end graphics card, PCI cards that are connected to your motherboard. Earlier motherboards have 20 pin sockets only but now modern-day motherboards require 24-pin power connectors. Therefore nowadays all the SMPS comes with 24 pin detachable connector (20 + 4) that can be split into 20 pin and 4 pin cables.

 

CPU 4 + 4 Pin Connector

 

This is the 12 Volt connector that supplies power to your CPU or Processor. Some motherboards have 4 pins 12V CPU socket and some have 8 pins 12V socket, therefore most of the good power supplies come with 8-pin (4 + 4) detachable connectors which can be split into two 4 pin connectors.

 

SATA Power Connector

 

This power connector is used to power up SATA devices that mostly include Hard Disks, DVD Writers / Drives.

 

Floppy 4 Pin Connector

 

This 4 pin power connector is used to power floppy drives. Floppy Drives are not being used commonly, but in some cases they can prove very useful.

 

Peripheral 4 Pin Molex Connector

 

Peripheral 4 Pin Molex Connector is used to provide power to IDE devices and other peripherals like Fans, case lights etc. You can also use this Molex 4 pin connector to power other devices like SATA devices, Graphics cards etc. by the use of converters or adapters e.g. Molex to SATA power connector etc.

 

PCI-e 6 Pin / PCI-e 8 Pin Connector

 

PCI-e 6 Pin or PCI-e 6+2 Pin are 12 Volt Connectors that are used to provide power to mid to high range graphics cards that require extra amount of power for their working. Budget and low-end graphics cards do not need them as they draw their power from the motherboard PCI-Express x16 slot only. Older mid to high-end graphics card comes with PCI-e 6 Pin slot while the newer high-end graphics comes with PCI-e 8 Pin slot. The new PCI Express 8 Pin cable can provide a maximum of 150 Watts power which is double that of the PCI Express 6 Pin cable i.e. 75 Watts.