- Nvidia RTX 5090 GPUs are facing melting power connector issues for different cables.
- A Reddit user reports a 3rd party cable caused burnt cables on their RTX 5090 FE.
- YouTuber Toro Tocho shares a similar incident while he was using the cable supplied by PSU manufacturer FSP.
As if the NVIDIA 5090 series getting bricked wasn’t enough, they’re not melting away, literally! Yes, you heard it right. The Nvidia RTX 5090 power connectors are melting and damaging the PSUs.
Reddit user ivan6953 first said that he recently upgraded from the 4090FE to 5090FE. He further mentioned that the PSU he uses is an Asus Loki SFX-L and that he knows how PC building works.
He continues the post by saying, “I noticed the burning smell playing Battlefield 5. The power draw was 500-520W. Instantly turned off my PC – and see for yourself…” before you see an image of RTX 5090FE Molten 12VHPWR.
The key part of this incident is that the user used a cable from MODDIY and knew the plugs were tight enough. It was right then and there that people blamed the third-party connector. The poster states, “Loki’s 12VHPWR pins are much thinner than in the 12VHPWR slot on 5090FE.” But that might not be the only reason behind this massive melting issue.
A Spanish YouTuber, Toro Tocho, experienced a melted 12VHPWR cable with his RTX 5090 Founders Edition, mirroring previous RTX 4090 issues. His cable, supplied by FSP, melted at both the GPU and PSU ends, damaging the PSU’s PCIe 5.0 connector. The RTX 5090 draws more power (up to 575 watts) than the RTX 4090 over this connector.
Following earlier melting incidents with the RTX 4090, the PCI-SIG updated the 12VHPWR connector to the 12V-2×6 version. This updated version features shorter sensing pins and longer conductor terminals for improved reliability. Nvidia uses the 12V-2×6 on its RTX 50-series, maintaining backward compatibility with older 12VHPWR cables.
Corsair clarifies that the 12V-2×6 is not a new cable but an updated socket design. PSU manufacturers like Corsair and MSI use colored pins on their cables to indicate proper connection. While Intel and AMD are part of PCI-SIG, only Nvidia uses 12VHPWR for consumer GPUs.
With the reports already regarding the performance of the Nvidia 50-series GPUs and now the connector issues, the RTX 5090 is under the spotlight. What do you think about the RTX 5090 melting issues? Do tell us in the comments below.
