As a lot as NVIDIA technically downsized the RTX 5090, it is nonetheless consuming lots of energy. It has a loopy 575W TDP, nearly as a lot as an entire laptop might devour a decade in the past. Nobody might’ve seen this coming: energy cables are melting once more this technology.
A number of consumer reviews have popped up of NVIDIA’s RTX 5090 playing cards (from the few customers who have managed to purchase one, at the least) apparently melting up their 12VHPWR energy connectors whereas in use. In a single case, a Reddit consumer reported a burning scent whereas gaming, discovering melted plastic on each the GPU and PSU ends of a customized cable from MODDIY. The consumer insisted the cable was securely related. Equally, a YouTuber skilled the identical situation with a cable equipped by PSU producer FSP, with harm evident on each the GPU and PSU connectors.
The 12VHPWR connector, which was truly first launched again in 2020 with the RTX 3000 collection (again then it was solely used on some Founders Version playing cards), is rated for 600 watts. With this connector, NVIDIA tried to handle the continually rising energy wants of our GPUs and the nonsense of getting to plug in a number of PCIe energy connectors to feed the cardboard with the facility it wants. Only one cable and that is it, proper? The corporate does present an adapter for this connector since it isn’t precisely widespread but, however to energy an RTX 5090, you want a whopping 4 8-pin connectors which then go into the one 12-pin connector within the card.
That is truly not the primary time this connector has been the supply of bother for NVIDIA. Again in 2022, when the RTX 4000 collection was launched, the RTX 4090 was additionally having bother with these connectors melting up. Contemplating that the cardboard had a TDP of 450W and the connector was rated for 600W, this spoke awfully of the brand new connector design.
Following the RTX 4090’s personal melting issues, the design of the connector was barely up to date—the brand new design options shorter sensing pins and longer conductor terminals to make sure a safer connection. In idea, these are fail-safes to guarantee that individuals are correctly connecting the cables to their GPUs and energy provides. PSU makers like Corsair and MSI even went one step forward and added coloured indicators to their 12VHPWR cables to assist customers visually verify a correct connection.
These adjustments may’ve been sufficient to maintain many of the RTX 4090’s issues at bay (and to not hear about them for a few years). However the RTX 5090’s 575W TDP will get manner nearer to the cable’s 600W ranking, so it makes for a stronger take a look at to see if these adjustments have been truly any good to lastly repair the problems. It would not appear like that is the case proper now, sadly.
Additionally it is telling that even though this isn’t an NVIDIA-only connector (it was developed by PCI-SIG, of which NVIDIA, AMD, and Intel are all half), solely NVIDIA is utilizing it. AMD’s upcoming GPUs use common, run-of-the-mill PCIe energy connectors, and so do Intel’s Arc B-series playing cards. They have been round for years, they’re as established as a normal could be, they usually do not are inclined to trigger points. So if it ain’t broke and there is no want to repair it, why repair it?
NVIDIA might need extra particular wants because of the excessive energy draw of their playing cards. I do not suppose we’ll see a GPU from one other producer anytime quickly that consumes a whopping 575W, in any case. However I am positive lots of customers would gladly take having to plug in 4 8-pin connectors as a substitute of 1 12-pin connector that would probably make your room catch on fireplace.
Supply: The Verge