NVIDIA’s latest flagship GPU, the RTX 5090, has already sparked controversy due to an issue with its 12VHPWR power connector. Reports of melting connectors have emerged, echoing the problems seen with the RTX 4090 two years ago. Despite NVIDIA’s attempts to improve the design, concerns remain about the reliability and safety of this power standard.
Melting Connectors: A Persistent Issue?
The 12VHPWR connector, first introduced with NVIDIA’s RTX 40-series GPUs, was designed to deliver up to 600 watts of power in a compact form. However, multiple reports suggest that the GeForce RTX 5090 is still experiencing connector failures, even when using the updated 12V-2×6 standard, which was meant to reduce stress on cables and improve contact reliability.
One of the most notable reports comes from Roman Hartung (Der8auer), a well-known PC enthusiast, engineer, and overclocker, who recently highlighted melting and failure issues with both custom cables from MODDIY and standard PSU cables from FSP. His findings suggest that the problem isn’t just limited to poor cable insertion (as NVIDIA originally claimed with the RTX 4090), but could be a deeper issue with the design itself.
On another update, Overclock3D uncovered significant issues with the 12VHPWR power connectors with the ASUS ROG Astral RTX 5090 LC. Its ‘Power Detector’ feature revealed uneven power distribution across the voltage pins, even when the 16-pin GPU power cable was fully inserted. This uneven distribution was traced back to wear and tear on cables that had been used extensively over several years. Replacing the old cable with a new one resolved the issue, indicating that cable degradation can compromise power delivery and potentially lead to hardware failures.
Industry Response
MODDIY is advising GeForce RTX 50 Series owners to ditch older 12VHPWR cables in favor of its newly designed 12V-2X6 cables, which comply with the latest industry standards introduced in 2025. With the RTX50 series launching under the 12V-2X6 standard, MODDIY stresses that cables made before 2025 were designed for RTX 40 GPUs and may not meet the latest safety and performance requirements. To ensure full compatibility and avoid potential issues, gamers are encouraged to upgrade to the latest cables.
In a tweet, Falcon Northwest acknowledged der8auer’s expertise but reported no similar issues in its own testing. “HUGE respect for @der8auer’s testing, but we’re not seeing anything like his setup’s results,” the company stated, sharing thermal images that showed normal temperatures across multiple power supply and cable configurations.
Falcon Northwest emphasized that it had stress-tested numerous RTX 5090 systems, with no overheating observed. “No issues found on any setup. Multiple PSU types, multiple cable types, huge variety of system builds, and far too much imaging data to post here,” the company added.
What Should RTX 5090 Users Do?
While NVIDIA has not yet issued an official statement about these issues, gamers are advised to:
- Use the latest 12V-2X6 over 12VHPWR power connector
- Ensure power connectors are fully and securely inserted
- Monitor cables for any signs of overheating or damage
- Use high-quality adapters and power supplies from reputable brands
- Use a new cable if possible as wear and degradation may occur
With NVIDIA pushing higher power limits and increased performance in its next-gen GPUs, ensuring safe and reliable power delivery is crucial. If the 12VHPWR connector continues to cause problems, NVIDIA may have to rethink its power delivery approach with power-hungry graphics cards.
For a more in-depth breakdown, watch the full analysis from Der8auer and other experts in the original video: 12VHPWR on RTX 5090 is Extremely Concerning
