As a slightly more powerful version of the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 graphics card, the RTX 2060 Super does a fantastic job of playing the very latest games in good quality and is capable of VR gaming too.
Sure, you won’t get the same performance as a 30-series graphics card, but this budget-friendly option is more than enough for most gamers.
If you’re struggling with a GTX 1660 or earlier, an RTX 2060 Super will definitely give you a good performance boost. But, before you upgrade you’ll need to make sure your power supply can handle it, otherwise, you may end up with a PC that refuses to work properly.
To help you decide whether you need to upgrade your PSU at the same time as your graphics card, let’s take a look at just how much power an RTX 2060 Super uses.
How Many Watts Does An RTX 2060 Super Use?
An RTX 2060 Super graphics card uses around 180 watts when gaming on your PC. When you aren’t gaming, the card is considered idle, even when the rest of the PC is being used – in this state it only draws around 8 watts.
If you have a second monitor connected to your PC through the graphics card then it will use slightly more power, at around 13 watts. It also draws more watts if you want to watch videos on your PC, again at around 13 watts. This makes it actually more efficient for watching videos than its less powerful RTX 2060 model.
The RTX 2060 Super’s maximum consistent power draw is around 180 watts, but that’s not the absolute maximum that it will ever draw. Sometimes it may have a spike, where for a few milliseconds it uses a burst of extra power. The RTX 2060 Super has been recorded at spikes of 195 watts. [Source]
How Many Watts Does An RTX 2060 Super Use Per Hour?
An RTX 2060 Super graphics card uses 180 watt-hours per hour when you’re using it to play games, which is the same as 0.18 kilowatt-hours per hour. Considering the average weekly gaming time of 8.5 hours, that means it will use around 1.53 kilowatt-hours per week.
Remember though that this is just for the graphics card. Your PC is made up of a number of components, all of which need to draw power to work. The graphics card is normally the highest power draw unless you’ve bought a super-high powered processor and matched it with a mid-range graphics card.
Read more: How Many Watts Does A Gaming PC Use?
Also if you’re calculating how much power your graphics card uses, don’t forget that it draws power even when you aren’t gaming. Yes, it’s a lot lower than when at full stretch, but if you’re carefully monitoring the total power your PC uses then you do need to factor in those 8 watt-hours per hour when the graphics card is ‘idle’.
What Is The Difference Between An RTX 2060 And An RTX 2060 Super?
The RTX 2060 Super is a slightly more powerful version of the RTX 2060. It has a faster clock speed, more shader processors and more ray-tracing cores. The difference is noticeable but not massive, and if you can find an RTX 2070 for a similar price then it’s a bigger jump from the RTX 2060.
| Graphics Card | Idle | Idle (multi-monitor) | Streaming video | Gaming | Max-rated | Spikes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RTX 2060 | 8 watts | 13 watts | 15 watts | 160-165 watts | 165watts | 180 watts |
| RTX 2060 Super | 8 watts | 13 watts | 13 watts | 175-180 watts | 180 watts | 195 watts |
You can check the current price of the RTX 2060 Super and compare it against the price of the RTX 2060.
What Power Supply Do I Need For An RTX 2060 Super?
Nvidia recommends a power supply of at least 550 watts if you’re using a GeForce RTX 2060 Super graphics card. Ideally, you should aim a little higher than this minimum – 650 watts or more is enough to cope with power spikes and give you room to upgrade.
Nvidia will tend to recommend the absolute minimum power supply that ‘should’ work for the graphics card, but they’re working with averages for the rest of your PC spec. They don’t know what your processor, motherboard and so on are drawing, and if you have a decent PC then it’s likely to need more than the 550-watt minimum.
If you use a 550-watt power supply, it could work for a while, but any spikes will cause the PC to restart and can, over time, damage both the PSU and your other components when they can’t operate properly.
So instead, it’s better to aim for a 650-watt power supply. This will ensure your PC can handle an RTX 2060 Super and any other powerful hardware easily, even if there are any spikes in the power.
The Best Power Supply For An RTX 2060 Super
The best power supply for an RTX 2060 Super graphics card is one that can provide 650 watts of power. Ideally, you’ll want one that’s 80+ Gold rated for efficiency too since that means you’re not wasting loads of power.
This EVGA Supernova power supply is a really good choice. It’s 650 watts and it’s 80+ Gold rated for efficiency so you won’t draw too much power from the mains in order to keep the PC running.
Read more: Power Supply Ratings Explained
It’s also a respected brand, giving you a huge 7-year warranty, and it’s fully modular which means you only need to install the cables your PC requires, and any spares don’t need to be tucked away in the tower.
What RTX 2060 Super Power Cable Do I Need?
Depending on which model of RTX 2060 Super you buy, it may need just a single 8-pin PCIe cable or you may also require an additional 6-pin cable from your power supply. It’s always recommended to connect up all the pins the GPU needs so that it isn’t left underpowered.
RTX 2060 Super Power FAQs
A 400 watt PSU is not enough for an RTX 2060 Super. You’ll be very likely to overload it, which will damage the PSU and the parts. Your PC may also restart intermittently. But a PSU with a wattage of 650 or more for the best performance.
A 500 watt PSU is not enough for an RTX 2060 Super. It might seem to work OK but you’ll be likely to overload it, which will damage the PSU and the parts. Your PC may also restart intermittently. Aim for 650 watts or more for peace of mind.
The minimum recommended power supply for an RTX 2060 is 550 watts. However, the exact power consumption depends on the spec of the rest of your PC and most people should use a PSU with a wattage of at least 650.
While the minimum recommended power supply for an RTX 2060 is 550 watts, in reality, you should be aiming for at least 650 watts. A 600-watt power supply may be sufficient but if your processor is powerful then you risk putting too much strain on your power supply.
A 650-watt power supply is ideal for an RTX 2060 Super. This will ensure that you have enough power to cope with any spikes, so your machine won’t crash or do any damage.
If you’re interested in crypto mining then a PC with an RTX 2060 Super will do the job, but only mining Ethereum. Bitcoin mining requires more power. You’ll need to check how much power your PC uses to mine crypto, as you may spend more than you actually earn.