The power connector for the GeForce RTX 5090 Founders Edition, a reference version of NVIDIA’s new flagship GPU for gamers, creators, and developers based on the “Blackwell” architecture that is said to start at $1,999, may melt when certain third-party cables are used to power the 575-watt TGP GPU with 32 GB of GDDR7 memory, according to an incident that has been submitted to the r/NVIDIA subreddit.
“I guess it was a matter of time. I lucked out on 5090FE – and my luck has just run out,” reads a portion of a post from ivan6953, an early adopter who shared photos of the damaged connector on their Founders Edition model yesterday and the cable that was used—one that vendor moddiy.com says works for RTX 50 Series GPUs and “is compatible with all PSU brands and models with a 16-Pin 12VHPWR modular port on the PSU.”
ivan6953 noted the following in their post, which is dated February 9:
- The cable was securely fastened and clicked.
- The PSU and cable haven’t changed from 4090FE (which was used for 2 years). Here is the previous build: https://pcpartpicker.com/b/RdMv6h
- Noticed a melting smell, turned off the PC – and just see the photos. The problem seems to have originated from the PSU side.
- Loki’s 12VHPWR pins are MUCH thinner than in the 12VHPWR slot on 5090FE.
- Current build: https://pcpartpicker.com/b/VRfPxr
“I am not distant from the PC-building world and know what I’m doing. The cable was securely fastened and clicked on both sides (GPU and PSU),” they added, stating that they immediately turned off their PC after noticing a burning smell while playing Battlefield V, DICE’s 2018 first-person military shooter.
“I dunno what to do really. I will try to submit warranty claims to Nvidia and Asus. But I’m afraid I will simply be shut down on the ‘3rd party cable’ part. Fuck, man,” ivan6953 continued.
“And so it begins. They need to ditch the 12VHPWR and 12V-2×6 cable design completely,” one poster said, giving their condolences.
At least one additional report of the GeForce RTX 5090 and the possibility of burnt cables/connectors comes by way of YouTuber Toro Tocho, which can be found in the video below.
Discussion (10 replies)
Join Discussion →Soo the unmeltable, unerrorable , foolproof , solidly connected, cant connect half way cable melted. Interesting. Typically these things hapen when you want to Steve Jobs everything including connectors, as opposed to admit this is a utilitarian matter, and theres no shame in thicker plugs, thicker wires and such.
I guess it doubles as a fuse, just not a good one.
So did he use an extension cable, or is that the native cable from the PSU? It isn't clear in either the article or his PC Parts Picker list
Really looks like a cable failure there, and those happen on occasion, so I wouldn't go jumping to this being a wide spread issue just yet.
If he was using an extension cable, well...
why would anyone use a 3rd party cable?
dogballs
Well was this a 12VHPWR connector and cable, or 12V-2x6? Cuz it's the latter that is supposed to be safer and more foolproof.
The problem is inherent to the design: Wire quality, pin size, connector housing, and lower tolerances than the previous design, all equate to a bad, inherent, design of the whole thing. The whole thing needs to be scrapped, go back to PCI-SIG, and completely re-design a new connector type.
I put this on PCI-SIG for OK'ing this design, certifying it, and pushing it forward. I'm sure it had some hands helping to push it along quicker, but ultimately somebody OK'd this, and that was a mistake.
So jokes aside, with the 4090 supposedly the melting stopped, but why? Could it be that they did a driver update cutting off cable melting power spikes or something... I mean in the end the 4090 ended up with a great many installations, presumably all kinds of cables of all kinds of quality and yet, supposedly, the melt was no more.
Doesn't help that 5090 has a higher stock thermal envelope
Guy reused a cable.
Appears to be capable of jacking into the psu directly. Doesnt look like an extension, male plugs on both ends.
5090 pulls more than 4090, no doubt.
My money is on a bad cable.
I hope nvidia cuts the guy a break. If not 2k just literally went up in smoke.