Power connectors on Radeon HD3870x2

[Pascal]

The card needs to be connected with two PCI-E power cords.
The two female connectors on the card are different: one has 6 pins and one
has 8 pins.
The PCI-E cords of my power unit all they have 6+2 pins, i.e. every
connector may be "assembled" to become an 8 pins plug.
The question is about the 8 pins connector: may I use the 6+2 pins cord for
that?
What is the purpose of the additional 2 pins plug?

Tnx in advance.

PS: The documentation in the box of this card is..... inconsistent.

 

[Augustus]

The card needs to be connected with two PCI-E power cords.
The two female connectors on the card are different: one has 6 pins and
one has 8 pins.
The PCI-E cords of my power unit all they have 6+2 pins, i.e. every
connector may be "assembled" to become an 8 pins plug.
The question is about the 8 pins connector: may I use the 6+2 pins cord
for that?
What is the purpose of the additional 2 pins plug?

Tnx in advance.

PS: The documentation in the box of this card is..... inconsistent.

More juice....
http://www.theinquirer.net/en/inquirer/news/2007/01/16/new-pcie-gpu-power-connector-coming

 

[First of One]

The card needs to be connected with two PCI-E power cords.
The two female connectors on the card are different: one has 6 pins and
one has 8 pins.
The PCI-E cords of my power unit all they have 6+2 pins, i.e. every
connector may be "assembled" to become an 8 pins plug.
The question is about the 8 pins connector: may I use the 6+2 pins cord
for that?

Yes. That was the intent of the 6+2 pin cord.

What is the purpose of the additional 2 pins plug?

As Augustus said, more juice. The current draw of the card exceeds the
[conservatively rated] per-pin capacity of the 6-pin connector, so 2 extra
pins were added.

 

[KlausK]

The card needs to be connected with two PCI-E power cords.
The two female connectors on the card are different: one has 6 pins and
one has 8 pins.
The PCI-E cords of my power unit all they have 6+2 pins, i.e. every
connector may be "assembled" to become an 8 pins plug.
The question is about the 8 pins connector: may I use the 6+2 pins cord
for that?
What is the purpose of the additional 2 pins plug?

Tnx in advance.

PS: The documentation in the box of this card is..... inconsistent.

If you want to OC it, you need an 8 pin connector + a 6 pin connector.
Otherwise, you need two 6 pin connectors.

 

[Pascal]

Tnx EVERYONE