Do GPUs with a 4-pin IDE need the 5v rail?

The ETHOS IRC expert suggested I’d get more power stability using the 8-pin express connectors to my GPUs. My Zotac 1050ti’s have 4-pin IDE connectors. But there doesn’t to be such a a thing as an 8-pin express to 4-pin ide connector.All the connectors like that I see are missing the 5v (red wire) IDE connector. Which I guess makes sense, since the VGA 8-pin EXPRESS spec looks like it has only 12v and gnd.

So I thought well, perhaps the GPU only requires 12v, and tried it. The fans don’t even spin up , so I assume 5v is also needed?

Some of the GPU’s have a 6-pin express, which are connected to the 8-pin express directly on the PSU, and those work.

Others go from the express on the PSU to a SATA connector then to 4-pin IDE with a red wire. Which seems odd because I don’t see 5v offered on the VGAS or CPU specs for the PSU specs. So how does SATA get its 5v? Voltage divider?

There should be no stability concern using a 4 pin molex minimate versus the 8 or 6 pin connector. The connector and the power supply rail connected to it are rated for the current that the card would consume. (unless they are exceeding the spec, which they shouldn’t)

SATA and “IDE” conenctors get +12V and +5V from the PSU from a regulated supply rail. SATA also gets 3.3V.

Assuming you aren’t exceeding the max that the supply is rated for on any of those rails you should be fine.

So do the math. Check the card spec for current on the 12V and 5V on the IDE connector, multiply times the number of cards you have connected to the supply, and see if it exceeds the rated capacity. If it’s below the number with some margin (80% or less is a rule of thumb for extended operation) thenyou shouldn’t see any benefit from changing THE CONNECTOR. For many power supplies the +12V rail on you IDE connector is the exact same one as that on the PCIe aux power connectors. The difference is just the wire and the connector.