ATX 3.0 PSU or ATX 3.1 PSU
Prefer a well-built ATX 3.1 unit for a new high-power GPU build because it adopts the revised connector system. A good ATX 3.0 unit remains usable when its native cable, wattage, and tested behavior fit the hardware.
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The comparison
What differs
3 of 6 fields differ. Both sides of every row come from a published manufacturer document, cited on the row itself, with what the difference does once the parts are in a case.
| Field | ATX 3.0 PSU | ATX 3.1 PSU | What the difference does |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard scope | Desktop power-supply design standard introduced in 2022knowledge.seasonic.com, read 26 July 2026 | Updated desktop power-supply design standard introduced in 2023knowledge.seasonic.com, read 26 July 2026 | ATX 3.1 is a revision of the power-delivery standard rather than an efficiency tier, so it cannot replace an 80 PLUS comparison. |
| Gpu power connector | 12VHPWR required above the cited 450W thresholdknowledge.seasonic.com, read 26 July 2026 | 12V-2x6 required above the cited 450W threshold, with longer conductor terminals and shorter sense pins on the device-side socketknowledge.seasonic.com, read 26 July 2026 | ATX 3.1's revised 12V-2x6 socket improves connection sequencing, which is the clearest reason to prefer it for a fresh high-power GPU build. |
| Hold up time | 17ms at full loadknowledge.seasonic.com, read 26 July 2026 | 12ms at full load, with 17ms at 80 percent load recommendedknowledge.seasonic.com, read 26 July 2026 | ATX 3.1 relaxes the mandatory full-load hold-up time, so the newer version is not automatically better at surviving every short input drop. |
What is identical: 3 of 6 fields
This comparison comes from published specifications, not from testing. We do not test hardware, and we never present a judgment as though we had. No price appears here, because no retail price is published on this site yet.
In full
The comparison in detail
Prefer a well-built ATX 3.1 unit for a new high-power GPU build because it adopts the revised connector system. A good ATX 3.0 unit remains usable when its native cable, wattage, and tested behavior fit the hardware.
ATX 3.1 is not a blanket upgrade in every row. It revises the device-side high-power connector and relaxes the mandatory full-load hold-up time, while the cited transient and extremely-light-load efficiency requirements remain the same.
Price boundary: our manufacturer specification list identifies ATX 3.0 and 3.1 models but records no reusable current price. Check the official Thermaltake ATX 3.0 family and be quiet! ATX 3.1 catalog, retrieved 26 July 2026, and hold wattage and efficiency tier constant.
| Property | ATX 3.0 PSU | ATX 3.1 PSU | What it changes | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard scope | Desktop power-supply design standard introduced in 2022 | Updated desktop power-supply design standard introduced in 2023 | ATX 3.1 is a revision of the power-delivery standard rather than an efficiency tier, so it cannot replace an 80 PLUS comparison. | ATX 3.0, ATX 3.1, retrieved 26 July 2026 |
| Efficiency | At 10W or 2 percent load: at least 60 percent required and at least 70 percent recommended | At 10W or 2 percent load: at least 60 percent required and at least 70 percent recommended | ATX 3.0 and 3.1 retain the same cited extremely-light-load efficiency rule, so version 3.1 does not automatically cut the power bill. | ATX 3.0, ATX 3.1, retrieved 26 July 2026 |
| GPU power connector | 12VHPWR required above the cited 450W threshold | 12V-2x6 required above the cited 450W threshold, with longer conductor terminals and shorter sense pins on the device-side socket | ATX 3.1's revised 12V-2x6 socket improves connection sequencing, which is the clearest reason to prefer it for a fresh high-power GPU build. | ATX 3.0, ATX 3.1, retrieved 26 July 2026 |
| Transient load | 200 percent instantaneous peak power for 100 microseconds | 200 percent instantaneous peak power for 100 microseconds | Both standards carry the cited 200 percent short peak requirement, so ATX 3.1 does not double transient capability over ATX 3.0. | ATX 3.0, ATX 3.1, retrieved 26 July 2026 |
| Hold-up time | 17ms at full load | 12ms at full load, with 17ms at 80 percent load recommended | ATX 3.1 relaxes the mandatory full-load hold-up time, so the newer version is not automatically better at surviving every short input drop. | ATX 3.0, ATX 3.1, retrieved 26 July 2026 |
| Product quality | Internal design, protections, noise, warranty, and cable quality remain model-specific | Internal design, protections, noise, warranty, and cable quality remain model-specific | A standards revision cannot rank two actual PSUs, so finish the choice with independent model testing, connector count, and warranty. | ATX 3.0, ATX 3.1, retrieved 26 July 2026 |
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