NVIDIA’s mid-to-high-end GeForce RTX 40 series graphics cards, which are based on the Ada Lovelace architecture, come equipped with a 16-pin 12VHPWR connector. Since late 2022, users have reported frequent overheating and melting at the power supply connection point of these cards, which has also damaged the cable plugs. This problem is most noticeable in high-end, high-power consumption graphics cards such as the RTX 4090.
In 2023, in response to these issues, PCI-SIG developed an improved connector design, known as “12V-2×6.” This design, featured in the CEM 5.1 specification, aims to reduce such incidents.
Recently, GPU repair organization NorthridgeFix released a video stating that the overheating and melting issue with the RTX 4090 power supply interface is still severe. They revealed that they repair about 200 RTX 4090 graphics cards per month and showed a box full of burnt 12VHPWR connectors.
NorthridgeFix also disclosed that many of the RTX 4090 graphics cards used a custom 12VHPWR adapter from CableMod. They believe that while the design is good, it is unfortunately based on an imperfect standard. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a notice two months ago, urging consumers to stop using these custom 12VHPWR adapters from Cablemod and contact the company for a recall.
However, not all RTX 4090 graphics cards experience these issues. The occurrence can depend on various factors such as the power supply, connectors, and workload levels, and may happen at different times. Some cards may only last a few months, while others may only show damage after over a year. NorthridgeFix did not specify how many problematic RTX 4090 graphics cards were using connectors based on the old or new standards. The video concluded with a demonstration of the connector replacement process.
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