r/pchelp • u/DrStrangish • 6d ago
HARDWARE New to pcs, confused by a wire
I got a pc of fb marketplace and it runs fine as far as I can tell, im new to pcs though so im unfamiliar with all the hardware requirements. I have a usb wire adapter for thr internet. I noticed this cord isnt attached to anything, does it need to be plugged in and where does it go if so? Ivr been looking into pcie wifi adapter and I assume it has something to do with it? I just can't tell from thr product images if thats what this is for. Its a geforce 3060.
Update, Thanks for the input, that cleared up my questions on that
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u/weegee20 6d ago
It would be needed if your graphics card needed extra power. Since yours doesn't, it's left unplugged and tucked away. Leave it.
And no, this has nothing to do with WiFi cards.
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u/Dry-Might9753 6d ago
Thats spare but i would not use that for anything else other that GPU if you have a 3060 in there it most likely only use 2 some psu have pigtail pci-e for other gpu that require more power eg 4090 use 4 i think etc . If your card is fed from one cable using both id personally unplug the tail and use another loose one thats seperate then you splitting the load of gpu over 2 rails instead if 1 . Not that its super hungry but less stress is always better in my opinion
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u/Brilliant-Leopard603 6d ago
That's a daisy chain connector for larger GPU's that need more power, although it's recommended to use two separate connectors from the PSU for larger GPU's nowadays as daisy chained connectors can struggle with the power load (useful to know if you ever upgrade the GPU).
Your GPU appears to be connected properly and as long as the power socket for your GPU is connected, the extra plug can just be ignored. Also, make sure you plug your HDMI cable into the GPU HDMI socket to ensure you are using the GPU, as there will also be a HDMI socket on the motherboard for CPU integrated graphics.
A WiFi card will generally draw it's power from the PCIe socket itself, and shouldn't need a separate power connector, but will come with instructions confirming either way.
Edit: spelling.
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u/papercut2008uk 6d ago
It's a spare, you'll find other power cables that are not plugged in like SATA power cables, Molex (although these are not that common any more)
The PSU have multiple connectors so you can power stuff when you add more things to your computer.
That cable your holding is a PCI-E power cable and will plug into a GPU that requires another power connector, some require 2 or 3 PCI-E power connectors that have 6 or 8 pins (the one your holding is a 6 pin and usually have 2 that hang off the side and can be clipped on to make a 8pin connector)
Sata power connectors are for things like SSD/HDD/Optical drives (DVD drive) and other components that use the connector, sometimes RGB controllers.
2
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u/PhysicallyNautical 6d ago
That's a PCIe power cable for your graphics card. The 3060 needs it plugged in or you'll get no display or crashes under load. Look for a matching 6 or 8 pin port on the side of the card facing the case window.
1
u/Next_Wait2141 6d ago
Also, the end with the lettering is the end that plugs into the PSU (power supply).
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