ATX12VO: Future Power Supplies will not have 24-pins ATX connector anymore, but 10-pins
Over the years to come there might be an interesting move in the power supply industry. Intel is hard at work on a new PSU standard, purely based on 12 Volts. That would mean a power supply with just a 10-pin ATX connector and a primary voltage of 12Volts.
Admittedly, we'd not be opposed to the idea as it could help with efficiency but also cheaper power supplies. Currently, power supplies have 3.3 5 and 12 Volts, but most of your PC is consuming at that 12 Volt feed, your graphics card and processor for example. Then typically two rails are added to provide 3.3 volts and 5 Volts towards a USB drives, HDD or SSDs.
A new standard is developed by Intel, it is called ATX12VO and as you have guessed by now, it will only offer a 12 volts connection. So doesn't that pose a big issue with the compatibility of 5V devices like your SSD? Well no, because future motherboards will then become responsible for converting 12 volts to other required voltages through DC-DC conversion. How that would work out cables wise remains a bit of a question though.
Such a power supply would need much fewer wires on that ATX motherboard connector, and as such ATX12VO only has 10 cables at that specific connector. Of course, there will be PEG connectors, etc for say your graphics card leading from the PSUs, but really all cables coming from that PSU would be 12v based.
The new standard will be implemented in the industry first, and it might take many years before it'll hit the consumer market. Intel will release the ATX12VO specification this year. At CES the prototypes already have been shown. You can read up on the new spec right here.
Senior Member
Posts: 13522
Joined: 2010-05-22
things are so low power these days, lighting, screens, computers of all sizes except rtx monsters, its hard to find stuff using more than 100w
big outliers like HVAC and kitchen-laundry appliances already run separately anyway, other than an exception for the bathroom wall plug for the hairdryer, the rest of plugs around the house can easily run on dc, bypassing the AC-DC psu present on 99% of things using them
also have to point out that newer power hungry appliances called "inverter" units are just internally DC, like hvac units and fridges, usually 48v~ and running off much more efficient tech than what would normally run on AC directly
A few common appliances use more.
Microwave oven 1KW.
Kettle 3KW
Samsung HDR TV is well over 200W
My PC idles at more than 100W, over 300W under load (6700K + 1080ti, no RTX)
AV amp more than 100W.
Power amp more than 100W
Vacuum over 800W
Carpet cleaner much more
I have gas central heating but that will be outlawed in the not so distant future.
I'm not looking forward to an electric car.
Senior Member
Posts: 2727
Joined: 2010-01-03
A few common appliances use more.
Microwave oven 1KW.
Kettle 3KW
Samsung HDR TV is well over 200W
My PC idles at more than 100W, over 300W under load (6700K + 1080ti, no RTX)
AV amp more than 100W.
Power amp more than 100W
Vacuum over 800W
Carpet cleaner much more
I have gas central heating but that will be outlawed in the not so distant future.
I'm not looking forward to an electric car.
fair enough, kitchen remains on AC, and my room would need specially thick wiring, but rest of the house is using phones/tablets and battery powered vacuums, speakers, and so on, they already seem fine with usb wall outlets instead of normal plugs : P
and hey you better avoid test driving an EV, its pretty hard to go back
Senior Member
Posts: 2727
Joined: 2010-01-03
things are so low power these days, lighting, screens, computers of all sizes except rtx monsters, its hard to find stuff using more than 100w
big outliers like HVAC and kitchen-laundry appliances already run separately anyway, other than an exception for the bathroom wall plug for the hairdryer, the rest of plugs around the house can easily run on dc, bypassing the AC-DC psu present on 99% of things using them
also have to point out that newer power hungry appliances called "inverter" units are just internally DC, like hvac units and fridges, usually 48v~ and running off much more efficient tech than what would normally run on AC directly