Photo credit: www.theverge.com

Nvidia RTX 5090 GPU Faces Power Connector Issues

Concerns are rising among users of Nvidia’s new RTX 5090 Founders Edition graphics cards, as two individual owners reported severe damage to their power connectors and power supply units (PSUs). This situation echoes previous incidents involving RTX 4090 models, where power cables were observed to melt or catch fire.

One user, who shared their experience on Reddit, upgraded from an RTX 4090 to the RTX 5090 and noticed a burning smell while playing Battlefield 5. Upon inspecting their system after powering down, the user discovered melted plastic at both ends of the power connector—the PSU end and where it connects to the GPU. The cable in question was from MODDIY, a well-regarded manufacturer, and the user emphasized that it had been securely attached on both sides.

While it may be easy to blame the MODDIY cable, a Spanish YouTuber named Toro Tocho reported similar issues with a power cable provided by PSU manufacturer FSP. In his case, the damage was evident at both connection points as well, including melted plastic within the PCIe 5.0 power connector.

Nvidia first introduced the 12VHPWR power connector with its RTX 40-series GPUs. The RTX 4090 could draw up to 450 watts through this connector, while the RTX 5090 is capable of utilizing up to 575 watts, a significant increase designed to meet the needs of modern gaming systems. After lingering issues with the RTX 4090 connectors, PCI-SIG, the organization overseeing the 12VHPWR standard, has since developed an updated version known as the 12V-2×6 connector, which has been integrated into the GPU and sometimes the PSU.

The revised 12V-2×6 connector features modified sensing pins and conductor terminals intended to enhance reliability when connecting power sources to the graphics card. This refinement, while seemingly minor, contributes to the effectiveness of ensuring a snug power connection, as articulated by Corsair.

Though Nvidia has transitioned its new GPU lineup to use the 12V-2×6 connectors, users can still utilize existing 12VHPWR cables. Corsair has introduced a visual cue on their cables, such as colored pins, allowing users to identify poor connections if the pins are still visible after plugging them in.

Interestingly, while companies like Intel and AMD are part of the PCI-SIG group that developed this power connector, only Nvidia has fully embraced the 12VHPWR standard at this time. AMD’s forthcoming Radeon RX 9070-series GPUs continue to rely on the traditional 8-pin PCIe connections. Last year, AMD even implied that the 12VHPWR connector posed fire risks, as expressed by marketing director Sasa Marinkovic, who tweeted a warning alongside an image of 8-pin connectors.

The 12VHPWR system has drawn criticism, with some referring to it as a “dumpster fire” due to design flaws that may lead to users not properly securing their connections. Additionally, Cablemod faced a recall of their 12VHPWR GPU power adapters last year following reports of similar issues.

Nvidia has been approached for a statement regarding these latest claims about the RTX 5090’s power connector problems, yet no response was available prior to publication.

Source
www.theverge.com