Yeah let’s use half the amount of wires and connecting pins for an increased power draw, durhh.
Gxgear
At this point I think it’s just an eventuality for any card that uses 12vhpwr. You can undervolt baby it and treat it with kid gloves, but the individual pins can still draw the incorrect amount of current killing themselves.
chicostick13
I used an expensive corsair PSU like a platinum rated one and it came with the 12vpwr cable, no bends in my build either so maybe could be quality and bends
I think it is user error. They just forgot to clarify that user error means buying this GPU.
MHWGamer
why would melt one connector line when you can melt all?
ALMOSTDEAD37
The balls on nvidia to still be silent on this matter and blame it on “user error ” still there are fucks who buy a 5090 and complain abt it a few months later abt the melted cables they have ( talking mostly abt people who buy for FOMO , not the people who actually use it for work / serious applications , or guys who waited 5-7 years to buy a a new gpu and this happened to be it )
Eagle_eye_Online
Of course it will fail because those dicks at Nvidia want to push 9001 Gigawatts through a wire as thick as a hair.
palindromedev
Feature, not issue.
ValenDrax
Because 12 is less than 16 (2×6 vs 2x2x4).
And to think they did it to save PCB space…
Oni_K
“I never thought it would be me dying in a fireball.”
– Man who bought Ford Pinto.
VerledenVale
Big oof. Can you try to get a better close up pic of the pins, where they are in focus? Wanna see which pin design this cable has.
SnooPeripherals5519
Is this really the life of a 4090 owner? Feeling like you subscribed to the best gpu on the market with no way of knowing when your subscription is gonna get revoked? You guys must be always on edge about this lol
PmMeYourMug
Love my 7900xtx with the 3×8 pin PCIE
pereira2088
nobody expects this to happen to them, yet here we are.
Is_that_even_a_thing
Hey so what are the lessons here? What can be done by the user to make sure this is unlikely to happen?
santathe1
Why did you think it wouldn’t happen to you?
Lachimanus
Just out of interest: if it happened to quite a lot others, why should it not be happening to you?
namezam
Ahh the ol “wishful thinking” strategy, my old friend.
SkitzTheFritz
It’s well past the point I distrust the 12vhpwr connector. It doesn’t even look like the 2×6 is any better.
I refuse to buy any card that uses it. The risk profile is way higher than it should be, especially at the price point of these cards. For a $2,000 GPU, you shouldn’t have to pray your power cable doesn’t set it on fire. We’re seeing failures not just from cheap cables but from flagship PSU brands, on the PSU side. That’s negligent engineering. Aluminum foil crimped over twine.
“But it’s safe!”
Technically? Yes, if:
You’re using native PSU cables (generally).
With a high-quality ATX 3.0 power supply (mostly).
And you never bend the cable within 35mm of the connector.
And it’s fully clicked in (sometimes).
And you’re not drawing full 600W+ continuously.
And you check it regularly (but not too much).
And the GPU gods smile upon you.
Which is a lot of damn “ifs.”
It’s time to admit this one’s a lemon. Either increase pin spacing, wire gauge, or return to multiple 8-pins. PCI-SIG needs to start treating compliance like a requirement, not a suggestion.
JkAllDay2
did your cable go above or under?
SDsolegame619
Rip another one
South_Bit1764
OP: “I’m special” 😁
Also OP: “I’m special” 😧
yuliageo
Everyone thinks they’re the exception
Skysr70
Clearly that belief is unfounded
Super_Needleworker79
At this point I’m pretty sure this was just intended by nVidia – if you can afford 4090, then you can afford another top card in the future. It just started happening too soon
Ok_Solid_Copy
Why would you think you’d get exempted?
Isair81
I went with a 4080, didn’t think the extra cost for a 4090 was worth it, and in retrospect.. I was right.
Zhaek
Can this also happen with the 4070?
lIlITrashIlIl
What causes this issue? Is it preventable at all?
Temporary-Beat1940
I’ve had this theory. So for communicating DC systems I work on, everything is ran in stranded, slightly over sized wire because DC voltage tends to run more on the outside surface of the wire and not much on the inside (there’s a science for it). So more surface area the better. So with the old standard having more surface area but less clamping was probably better for DC current transfer then the new cable. Probably would actually have better performance with AC.
Trollfacebruh
what type of connector is this? 12VHPWR to 12VHPWR or 12VHPWR to 2, 3 or 4 PCI-E 8 pin?
MusicMedical6231
How long have you had the gpu for
Hololujah
I’m just not surprised. They were becoming horrible in the 30 series, now their qc is horrific.
synbios128
This is what is keeping me from taking the plunge. I would love to have a top of the line card but not at this risk level.
I power limit my 4090 to max out my monitor specs and don’t use ray tracing. 4k 155hz GPU at 70% PL. Don’t ever have to stress about it
SplitBoots99
I’ve had my 4090 rig turned off for 2 months. Built a 7900XTX Linux build and never looked back.
NecroLyght
Man do I feel good about my new 3090
kingy10005
dang full top row 😳
SkeletronPrime
Every time I wonder if I was being overly cautious when I sold my 4090 to get away from this connector before it happened to me, someone makes a post like this and I feel good about my decision all over again. Thanks, OP.
auridas330
Hence I’m never unplugging my 4090 for no reason.
You only get 15 plug cycles before the whole thing becomes unreliable
HellFireNT
Adapter or psu connector?
StarLord509
Looks like the top pins might’ve been slightly pulled out creating a bad connection which would’ve caused them to melt. How much of a bend was on the cable?
advester
At least your current was balanced, all six melted. Were you pulling 800 watts?
ConfusedIlluminati
Companies will release crap till monkeys are buying it. Simple as that. YOU are the reason Nvidia is pulling this shit.
46 Comments
Can’t believe Nvidia cheaped out like this.
Yeah let’s use half the amount of wires and connecting pins for an increased power draw, durhh.
At this point I think it’s just an eventuality for any card that uses 12vhpwr. You can undervolt baby it and treat it with kid gloves, but the individual pins can still draw the incorrect amount of current killing themselves.
I used an expensive corsair PSU like a platinum rated one and it came with the 12vpwr cable, no bends in my build either so maybe could be quality and bends
https://preview.redd.it/zol1laaj4lue1.jpeg?width=640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=062be9b4a786eb09bf86ba676a26ce90286628b7
4090*
I think it is user error. They just forgot to clarify that user error means buying this GPU.
why would melt one connector line when you can melt all?
The balls on nvidia to still be silent on this matter and blame it on “user error ” still there are fucks who buy a 5090 and complain abt it a few months later abt the melted cables they have ( talking mostly abt people who buy for FOMO , not the people who actually use it for work / serious applications , or guys who waited 5-7 years to buy a a new gpu and this happened to be it )
Of course it will fail because those dicks at Nvidia want to push 9001 Gigawatts through a wire as thick as a hair.
Feature, not issue.
Because 12 is less than 16 (2×6 vs 2x2x4).
And to think they did it to save PCB space…
“I never thought it would be me dying in a fireball.”
– Man who bought Ford Pinto.
Big oof. Can you try to get a better close up pic of the pins, where they are in focus? Wanna see which pin design this cable has.
Is this really the life of a 4090 owner? Feeling like you subscribed to the best gpu on the market with no way of knowing when your subscription is gonna get revoked? You guys must be always on edge about this lol
Love my 7900xtx with the 3×8 pin PCIE
nobody expects this to happen to them, yet here we are.
Hey so what are the lessons here? What can be done by the user to make sure this is unlikely to happen?
Why did you think it wouldn’t happen to you?
Just out of interest: if it happened to quite a lot others, why should it not be happening to you?
Ahh the ol “wishful thinking” strategy, my old friend.
It’s well past the point I distrust the 12vhpwr connector. It doesn’t even look like the 2×6 is any better.
I refuse to buy any card that uses it. The risk profile is way higher than it should be, especially at the price point of these cards. For a $2,000 GPU, you shouldn’t have to pray your power cable doesn’t set it on fire. We’re seeing failures not just from cheap cables but from flagship PSU brands, on the PSU side. That’s negligent engineering. Aluminum foil crimped over twine.
“But it’s safe!”
Technically? Yes, if:
You’re using native PSU cables (generally).
With a high-quality ATX 3.0 power supply (mostly).
And you never bend the cable within 35mm of the connector.
And it’s fully clicked in (sometimes).
And you’re not drawing full 600W+ continuously.
And you check it regularly (but not too much).
And the GPU gods smile upon you.
Which is a lot of damn “ifs.”
It’s time to admit this one’s a lemon. Either increase pin spacing, wire gauge, or return to multiple 8-pins. PCI-SIG needs to start treating compliance like a requirement, not a suggestion.
did your cable go above or under?
Rip another one
OP: “I’m special” 😁
Also OP: “I’m special” 😧
Everyone thinks they’re the exception
Clearly that belief is unfounded
At this point I’m pretty sure this was just intended by nVidia – if you can afford 4090, then you can afford another top card in the future. It just started happening too soon
Why would you think you’d get exempted?
I went with a 4080, didn’t think the extra cost for a 4090 was worth it, and in retrospect.. I was right.
Can this also happen with the 4070?
What causes this issue? Is it preventable at all?
I’ve had this theory. So for communicating DC systems I work on, everything is ran in stranded, slightly over sized wire because DC voltage tends to run more on the outside surface of the wire and not much on the inside (there’s a science for it). So more surface area the better. So with the old standard having more surface area but less clamping was probably better for DC current transfer then the new cable. Probably would actually have better performance with AC.
what type of connector is this? 12VHPWR to 12VHPWR or 12VHPWR to 2, 3 or 4 PCI-E 8 pin?
How long have you had the gpu for
I’m just not surprised. They were becoming horrible in the 30 series, now their qc is horrific.
This is what is keeping me from taking the plunge. I would love to have a top of the line card but not at this risk level.
https://preview.redd.it/vli6ippislue1.png?width=1080&format=png&auto=webp&s=b726ff23fa031136dee9b640d18c0901031a38a7
Found the same yesterday.
I power limit my 4090 to max out my monitor specs and don’t use ray tracing. 4k 155hz GPU at 70% PL. Don’t ever have to stress about it
I’ve had my 4090 rig turned off for 2 months. Built a 7900XTX Linux build and never looked back.
Man do I feel good about my new 3090
dang full top row 😳
Every time I wonder if I was being overly cautious when I sold my 4090 to get away from this connector before it happened to me, someone makes a post like this and I feel good about my decision all over again. Thanks, OP.
Hence I’m never unplugging my 4090 for no reason.
You only get 15 plug cycles before the whole thing becomes unreliable
Adapter or psu connector?
Looks like the top pins might’ve been slightly pulled out creating a bad connection which would’ve caused them to melt. How much of a bend was on the cable?
At least your current was balanced, all six melted. Were you pulling 800 watts?
Companies will release crap till monkeys are buying it. Simple as that. YOU are the reason Nvidia is pulling this shit.