Final Video on the Power Consumption and Heat Output of 4-Way SLI GTX 480 Linus Tech Tips

This final Linus Tech Tips video documents the power draw and thermal behavior of a four-way GTX 480 SLI setup in a relatively warm room. The host establishes a baseline by noting idle temperatures across all four cards before running a mixed workload consisting of 3D Mark Vantage and multiple Prime95 instances in the background. The power draw from the wall rises into the 900 to 1100 watt range during testing, with one configuration peaking near 1300 watts depending on the test scene, and the speaker highlights a notable moment where Calico testing pushes the system to higher consumption. Heat generation is discussed in real time as the cards rapidly raise room temperatures, with the host pointing out that even with the case back completely ventilated, heat is clearly being expelled and radiated from the components. Temperature readings peak around the high 80s to 90 degrees Celsius on the top cards, while a lower-ventilation card runs slightly cooler but still demonstrates the impact of thermal load. The video then shifts to practical considerations, noting that a high-wattage power supply (around 1500 watts) provides a comfortable margin and that the system, while capable, is best operated in a well-ventilated environment. Finally, the host deconstructs the setup and discusses how the experience influenced recommendations, including the value of a high-capacity PSU and the constraints of keeping such power-hungry hardware in a domestic space. The overall takeaway is that four GTX 480 GPUs in 4‑way SLI consume substantial wall power and generate significant heat, yet with appropriate cooling and power, the system can be managed effectively, albeit with a caveat about room temperature and noise in typical environments.

Topics · hardware · power-consumption · thermal-performance · pc-build