PCI-SIG has sent out a statement warning members that manufacture, market, or sell products with the new 16-pin 12VHPWR power connector that they should take all appropriate and prudent measures to ensure end user safety:
PCI-SIG wishes to impress upon all Members that manufacture, market or sell PCI-SIG technologies (including 12VHPWR connections) of the need to take all appropriate and prudent measures to ensure end user safety, including testing for the reported problem cases involving consumers […].
Members are reminded that PCI-SIG specifications provide necessary technical information for interoperability and do not attempt to address proper design, manufacturing methods, materials, safety testing, safety tolerances or workmanship. When implementing a PCI-SIG specification, Members are responsible for the design, manufacturing, and testing, including safety testing, of their products.
The statement was prompted by Genova v. Nvidia Corporation, a new class action lawsuit led by a GeForce RTX 40 Series user who has accused NVIDIA of marketing and selling its latest flagship graphics card for gamers with a “defective and dangerous” power cable plug and socket, rendering consumers’ cards inoperable and creating a “serious electrical and fire hazard” for each and every purchaser.
The statement was forwarded to the press by the group’s PR department, an uncommon practice that would suggest the organization is keen on absolving itself from blame and trying to prevent further trouble, according to some publications.
NVIDIA hasn’t addressed the controversy on its GeForce portal yet, but it did suggest to Gamers Nexus last month that the issue can likely be blamed on user error, with GeForce RTX 40 Series owners failing to plug in their connectors correctly (i.e., fully).
On top of ensuring an expedited RMA process, NVIDIA mentioned that it is investigating ways of ensuring that the new connector is secure.
AMD continues to note that its Radeon RX 7000 Series graphics cards do not feature the new 16-pin 12VHPWR power connector.
Discussion (7 replies)
Join Discussion →Well-well! It appears that PCI-SIG, and the law, agrees with me. Who knew?! /s ?
Now, let's bait these so-called "experts" out their shilling corners with FACTUAL ENGINEERED THOROUGH TESTED data next!
I called it from the beginning on the user error part and not plugging the cable in properly. It's amazing once GN came out with their video pointing out it was the consumer end of it causing the issues that the problems went away. Not sure why PCI-SIG just didn't let this die like everyone else since it's basically an non issue now.
I'd expect that they used GN, which has a favorable (or more so) public presence, to neatly clean up the mess people were making.
The biggest problem was the unknown nature - no way for end users to be reasonably certain that they'd not suffer the same fate, while reviewers / other professionals couldn't replicate the issue.
Have you ever imagined that trolling might actually not be the answer?
This is not false, but I'd still argue that it's a bad design if that many people are having issues with it.
Just like the Ford Pinto... Perfectly safe, so long as you don't let yourself get rear-ended. They only blew up on people who brake checked the sucker behind them, right?
I mean, it boils down to the same thing, just a matter of where you want to point the finger.
I agree - nVidia put out a statement, let it go through GN, and as far as they are concerned, it's a done deal. We might see some re-engineered plugs in the future as a result, but it won't be like that is announced with trumpets and fanfare.
I agree that it's a bad design, and with a lot of new people building PC's that haven't done so in their life mainly due to the pandemic then it needed to be fool proof. Unfortunately in this day and age it's near impossible to make something fool proof because some person will find a way to blow a "defect" out of proportion.
A few vocal people - so it sounds like 'many', but really isn't. Worse, this relative handful of folks have been outed as 'installing it wrong'.
I feel for them, and realize that I could easily have made this mistake too; but it's not the real scandal that it's being made out to be.
that's why these exist