Melting GeForce RTX 4090 power cables: A timeline of events

Nvidia’s fine GeForce RTX 4090 wowed reviewers and space a brand recent bar for right how stupidly like a flash a graphics card will seemingly be. Unfortunately, the originate of the $1,600 GPU has been marred by extra than one reports of melting 12VHPWR connectors frail within the playing cards destructive both the connector and the GPUs at cases.

The recent 12VHPWR connector is a compact energy connector that mixes the aptitude of extra than one older 6- and eight-pin connectors into one runt rush. It used to be at the origin adopted with the GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Founders Edition and is now frail within the GeForce RTX 4090 Founders Edition moreover as personalized versions of the RTX 4090 built by the likes of Asus, MSI, et cetera. The 12VHPWR connector used to be also frail in more recent RTX 40-sequence graphics playing cards love the RTX 4080 and RTX 4070 Ti, even supposing no longer in AMD’s Radeon RX 7000-sequence GPUs.

Updates:
Experiences of melting connectors had largely subsided nonetheless a spate of melted adapters the employ of third-birthday celebration CableMod has cropped with the firm announcing it has purchased 20 reports with the vast majority of the venture seemingly being improperly inserted adapters.
The GeForce owner who sued Nvidia claiming the playing cards are defective has requested the court to brush aside his suit with prejudice.
Whereas most melted connectors private took place on the GPU, one Reddit poster is reporting a melted PSU this time.

With this like a flash-transferring, complex, and likewise very excessive venture, PCWorld has determined to spherical up the info you private to know to support separate truth from fiction. Nvidia officers private declined to comment while it investigates, nonetheless the most modern boost seem to display nefarious 12VHPWR adapter cables. There’s also the possibility that no longer fully inserting the cable can also cause increased resistance and ample warmth to melt the connectors. We’ll replace this story as recent facts is released.

• Sept. 10 Hassan Mujtaba of WCCFTech reports of an alert issued from PCI-SIG to members of a “thermal variance, which might perchance perchance consequence in issues of security below sure security conditions.” The member alert advises distributors to “work carefully with their connector distributors and teach due diligence within the employ of high-energy connections”

• Sept. 14 The chubby electronic mail and extra particulars from the PCI-SIG are reported by Stephen Burke of Gamers Nexus and notes that “disasters were observed in sure cable routing conditions from PSUs and check boards that generate facet load on the interface.” Burke stated the sage—it appears to be like created by Nvidia—from PCI-SIG confirmed three assorted producers were examined with 10 pattern assemblies with disasters manifesting from 10 hours to 30 hours with melting. It’s worth declaring that the inside of sage appears to be like to consult the connection on the PSU facet—no longer the GPU facet. Normally, then all once more, ATX 3.0 energy affords PCWorld private seen display the cables to be identical on both ends.

Brad Chacos/IDG

• Sept. 22 VideoCardz’s editor WhyCry reports that GPU maker Zotac’s steerage on the recent 12VHPWR connector is rated for 30-insertion cycles which raises alarms as to the lifespan and durability of the recent connector. VideoCardz later amends its sage to remark that while 30 cycles appears to be like very low, many Molex connectors launched over the last Two decades private had identical mating cycles.

• Oct. 24 The main sage of a melted 12HPWR connector is posted on the Nvidia sub-reddit. The GPU looks to be a Gigabyte 4090 Gaming OC the employ of an Nvidia-branded 12VHPWR adapter cable. Each and every Nvidia and Gigabyte reach out to the owner who reports a replace card has been purchased. A second sage of a melted dongle is purchased moreover on that day with injure to the adapter cable and an Asus RTX 4090 TUF Gaming OC Edition going down. The Reddit post straight away goes viral on the high-profile graphics card with many assuming the recent connector to be at fault.

• Oct. 24 Just a few hours after the preliminary melting sage on Reddit, well-known energy present reviewer and the precept behind PSU certification firm Cybenetics, Aristeidis Bitziopoulos, makes an strive to repeat the melting 12VHPWR connector by subjecting it to 600 watt masses for extra than 90 minutes. He is unable to injure the cable while seeing only a puny thermal variance. It will also mute be favorite that the check frail a native 12VHPWR cable on an ATX 3.0 energy present in tell of Nvidia’s adapter. Bitziopoulos concludes the 12VHPWR connector doesn’t seem to be an argument in his testing.

• Oct. 24 Overclocker Buildzoid of In actuality Hardware Overclocking, posts a video criticizing the recent 12VHPWR connector noting that the recent connector greatly reduces the sequence of pins and wires carrying energy.

• Oct. 25. With disasters now reported at three,  Nvidia officers expose the Verge’s Tom Warren that “we’re investigating the reports” and are in contact with the homeowners of the impacted playing cards. 

• Oct. 25 Aged HardOCP editor Kyle Bennett reports AMD’s upcoming RDNA3 GPUs will no longer employ the 12VHWPR connector in its reference designs. Neither Bennett, nor his sources at AMD display when the create resolution used to be made to skip 12VHPWR.

• Oct. 25 Showing what a distraction the 12VHPWR has change into, AMD’s Scott Herkelman publicly confirms the recent Radeon playing cards will skip 12VHPWR and receives responses comparable to “That is a HUGE relief, happy with that news.”

• Oct. 26 The legit Reddit megathread checklist exhibiting documented disasters now numbers 5 damaged 12VHWPR connectors.

• Oct. 26 Jason Langiven, aka JayzTwoCents, who has prolonged been excessive of the connector being “hazardous,” makes an strive to repeat the failure on a native 12VHWPR cable and is unable to induce a failure on the cable below heavy masses.

Brad Chacos/IDG

• Oct. 27 Igor Wallossek of IgorsLab.de conducts a streak down and failure check of a 12VHPWR energy adapter and concludes that the problem doesn’t appear as if the 12VHPWR create itself nor the unprecedented-touted insertion cycle pain raised beforehand. As a replace, Wallossek concludes it is miles the create of Nvidia’s adapter itself, which he describes as “unsuitable quality (and) can lead to disasters and has already resulted in injure in single cases.” Wallossek stated he believes bending and kinking of the adapter might perchance cause pale solder joints and bridges to atomize and amplify the resistance inflicting the melting.

• Oct. 28 Ronaldo Buassali of TecLab.discover.br posts his score failure assessments, along with swinging a energy present the employ of right the connector and subjecting to a stress check of 1,532—well previous its rated sustained wattage of 600 watts.

• Oct. 29 The sequence of confirmed damaged connectors on Reddit now numbers 15.

• Oct. 30 Stephen Burke of Gamers Nexus makes an strive to repeat the melting failure by intentionally destructive a 12VHPWR adapter fair like what IgorsLab.de had reported and subjected it to a 99 percent load for 8 hours and not using a melting observed. Burke also notes that his 5 adapters all appear as if constructed the same—and but in every other case than the adapter IgorsLab had. Burke stated his 5 12VHWPR adapters employ wires labeled for 300 volts versus the 150 volts the adapter Wallossek had. Burke concludes that we right don’t know what the problem is, nonetheless it is an true venture on some adapters—nonetheless no longer all of them. He also mentions a thought being floated that the smaller connector can also no longer simply seat moreover because the better extinct energy connectors. He also facets out that contrary to what many buyers imagine, a native connector that plugs straight into a energy present might perchance perchance also fail the same formulation if the native cable is constructed connected to the failed adapters. Burke also asks homeowners of RTX 4090 playing cards to sage which cable adapters they’ve.

• Oct. 30 With news that there appear as if assorted 12VHPWR adapters being supplied, Stephen Burke of Gamer’s Nexus reports via Twitter that of the 130 emails he has purchased, 7 percent of homeowners sage they’ve the 150V cabling that used to be frail in IgorsLab’s adapter cable. Burke notes that while the cable marking can also verbalize 150V, that only device it uses the same obvious spec cables—and would no longer display they’re can also private the low-quality solder joints that IgorsLab found. Burke also notes that of the 130, “no longer many are burned.”

• Oct. 30 Andreas Schilling of Hardwareluxx.de conducts his score ballotof discussion board members who private purchased RTX 4090 playing cards. He reports that 12 private a 4-pins-to-12VHPWR adapter marked “300V.” One has a 3-pins-to-12VHPWR marked “150V,” and two americans private 4-pins-to-12VHPWR marked “150V.”

• Nov. 1 Ronaldo Buassali of TecLab.discover.br posts a protracted video of testing from the distinctive dwell stream with extra explanations of how he examined the 12VHPWR. Unlike many of the testing up to now, which frail accurate GeForce RTX 4090 playing cards, Buassali physically will get rid of the 12VHPWR connector from the GPU and wires it up for stress testing. This lets Buassali push the connector assembly well previous the 600 watts known as for, along with masses of 900 watts, 1,200 watts and 1,500 watts. Buassali’s conclusion? The 12VHPWR connector itself is “well sized, so unprecedented so as that it supported unprecedented extra than its specification.” On the opposite hand, Buassali concludes that even supposing the connector can address extra than it’s rated for, a poorly inserted connector that creates resistance might perchance perchance certainly be behind the melting of the connector. Buassali also doesn’t rule out a batch of nefarious cables, nonetheless that implies a producing tell, no longer a create venture.

• Nov. 2 Jon Gerow, director of R&D at Corsair and beforehand of Jonnyguru.com, posts results from intentionally damaged 12VHPWR cable adapters below load and is unable to induce melting moreover. Gerow used to be ready to offer extra than one 12VHPWR adapter cables for destructive testing, and no subject breaking off solder joints, he used to be unable to induce melting or a failure. He did display that a number of of the adapters weren’t constructed thoroughly nonetheless even the worst of the batch passed stress testing with out failing. Gerow concludes that a number of of the issues can also private took place when the homeowners didn’t fully seat the 12VHPWR adapter cables and likewise posts pictures of installed PCs where even a puny gap of 1 mm might perchance perchance consequence in increased resistance.

• Nov. 3 AMD formally proclaims its RDNA3-basically based Radeon 7900XT and Radeon 7900XTX and proudly notes that it didn’t employ 12VHPWR connections. On the opposite hand, the firm facets out that the final belief that it modified its designs only after the melting issues cropped up a number of weeks ago is no longer correct. AMD made the resolution to stick with extinct 8-pin energy connectors extra than a yr ago.

• Nov. 4 A recent post within the Nvidia subreddit, taken from a Fb post of a Hong Kong-basically based RTX 4090 owner, is the first reported damaged 12VHPWR cable from a native cable plugged straight into a energy present. Earlier to this sage, all of the reported issues had only took place in 12VHPWR adapter cables, no longer native cables. The next day, one other particular person reports a melted connector the employ of a native 12VHPWR cable from an ATX 3.0 energy present. This appears to be like to speed hopes that a native rush would solve the venture.

• Nov 7 The sequence of confirmed failed connectors now numbers 23 on the Reddit megathread, with issues unfold amongst many graphics card makers. Oddly, there are no Nvidia Founders Edition playing cards listed with disasters. There are also 5 unconfirmed cases listed from other board makers moreover.

• Nov. 7 VideoCardz editor WhyCry reports that a particular person on Reddit has been instructed his or her Gainward GeForce RTX 4090 will seemingly be delayed unless the middle of November as it waits for replace 12VHPWR adapter cables. The electronic mail, sent from Australian PC firm Techfast to a buyer, stated “Whereas investigations are mute persevering with and Nvidia has no longer released a public assertion, Gainward has instructed us that cables shipped with their playing cards will (are) being modified. As a consequence, they’re retaining shipping of all playing cards unless this has taken tell. We also heed this cable replace might perchance no longer be restricted to Gainward alone.” PCWorld reached out to Techfast who confirmed the authenticity of the email.

• Nov. 8 Despite Australian PC builder Techfast confirming an electronic mail sent to possibilities announcing some RTX 4090 playing cards might perchance perchance be delayed while Gainward ships replace cables and implying other GPU makers would enact the same, Gainward’s EU Fb web page says that is no longer the case and has issued a clarification. “There’s wrong facts suggesting Gainward is delaying the RTX 4090 cargo to replace the cables as of late. Here we would want to clarify that—Gainward is no longer retaining any RTX 40 cargo to replace the cables, and has no thought to enact so. The cables Gainward at the moment frail on the RTX 40 were inspected by NVIDIA team and found no issues. All Gainward cargo is being made as long-established. Please don’t hesitate to hang the Gainward graphics playing cards within the occasion you thought to aquire one!”

• Nov. 11 UK hardware predicament KitGuru receives an replace from Nvidia that it is persevering with to investigate the venture. “”We continue to investigate the reports, then all once more we don’t private further particulars to piece but. NVIDIA and our partners are dedicated to supporting our possibilities and making sure an expedited RMA job for them,” KitGuru says via Twitter.

• Nov. 13 There for the time being are 26 confirmed GeForce RTX 4090 GPUs with melted connectors documented within the Nvidia subreddit along with for the first time, a sage of an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 Founders Edition with a melted connector.

• Nov 14 Igor Wallossek of Igorslab.de confirms there are at the least two producers of the Nvidia supplied adapter plugs with one in all the adapters reputedly the employ of a rougher casting making insertions extra complex. Wallossek, who stated he has spoken with Nvidia’s director of engineering Gabriele Gorla, doesn’t blame end customers, nonetheless does imagine the rougher castings can also perchance private lead some possibilities to to rock the 12VHWPR connector into the socket which will seemingly be why so many reports display melted connectors starting from one facet of the connector with few to none melting from the guts. The answer, Wallossek stated, can also display the PCI SIG must tell steerage on preserve out zones to give buyers better access to the socket to straight inserting it in tell of rocking the connectors in from one facet. Wallossek also notes that of the 2 adapter cables frail supplied by Nvidia, one create only grabs pins on two sides while the opposite create grabs pins on all four sides.

• Nov. 16 In an exhaustive investigation counting on third-birthday celebration failure analysis the employ of X-ray examination moreover as electron microscope exam, moreover as reproducing the disasters, Gamers Nexus’ EIC Stephen Burke concludes particles inside of the connectors from manufacturing or from insertion moreover as improperly seating the cables is largely behind many of the disasters seen. Burke also cites numbers from a vendor that the possibility of failure is from 0.05 to .1 percent at this point. Though improperly seating the cables while striking it below strain appears to be like to discover many of the blame, Burke also wonders if the create of the connector shouldn’t private anticipated the failings.

• Nov. 16 Tom’s Hardware reports that a GeForce RTX 4090 owner has filed a class-motion within the US District Court docket for the Northern District Court docket of California over the melting connectors. Filed by Lucas Genova on Nov. 11, the suit alleges Nvidia “marketed and sold the RTX 4090 with a defective and hazardous energy cable rush and socket, which has rendered buyers’ playing cards inoperable and poses a excessive electrical and fire hazard for each and every and each and every purchaser,” constant with the Tom’s Hardware sage.

• Nov. 17 Taking a look to pour moderately salt into the wounds of its competitor, AMD officers were touting their fortune of no longer imposing the recent 12VHPWR connector in its upcoming Radeon 7000-sequence of playing cards.

• Nov. 18 After weeks of principally silence, Nvidia finally issues a press originate that it has purchased 50 known reports of melted connectors and after analyzing the returned cables, has largely found crude insertion to be the seemingly cause, constant with a sage by Gamers Nexus. The firm also poured cold water on constructing pain that employ of third-birthday celebration 12VHPWR cables would void warranties. The firm instructed Gamers Nexus EIC Stephen Burke that it would honor warranties connected to the failings and would expedite the RMA job. Whereas crude insertion would display client error for the length of installation of the the playing cards is accountable, Nvidia also instructed Gamers Nexus it is having a private a look at programs to purple meat up the connectors that used to be homologated by the PCI-SIG.

• Nov. 18 The legit Nvidia Reddit megathread closes out its logging of reported incidents which appear to plunge off after Gamers Nexus video and Nvidia’s legit investigate cross-check. On the opposite hand, one Reddit client posts an image of a melted RTX 4090 12VHPWR connector within the PCMR subreddit on Nov. 24.

• Dec. 1 With pain over melting 12VHPWR connectors vastly subsiding after reports that crude insertion is seemingly the main cause, the PCI SIG releases a press originate reminding americans that its spec addresses interoperability, no longer security, and each and every member is accountable for their very score merchandise. “PCI-SIG wishes to provoke upon all Contributors that create, market or promote PCI-SIG applied sciences (along with 12VHPWR connections) of the private to rob all applicable and prudent measures to create sure end client security, along with testing for the reported venture cases sharp buyers as alleged within the above-referenced lawsuit. Contributors are reminded that PCI-SIG specs present obligatory technical facts for interoperability and enact no longer strive to address pleasing create, manufacturing strategies, materials, security testing, security tolerances or workmanship. When imposing a PCI-SIG specification, Contributors are accountable for the create, manufacturing, and testing, along with security testing, of their merchandise.”

• Feb. 2023 Intel releases a minor replace to the ATX 3.0 spec that recommends that energy present distributors employ inside of connections the employ of spring-kind in tell of dimple-kind connections. Intel stated it did this because the advice of connection companies themselves because the spring-kind create affords extra surface predicament. The loads of connection advice, then all once more, does no longer mandate it for all, and older dimple-model connectors can persevered to be frail if a energy present vendor chooses to. Existing energy affords the employ of dimple-model connectors also enact no longer must be modified—they work as anticipated if inserted appropriately.
• March 10, 2023 Lucas Genova, a self-described “social media persona and entrepreneur ” and the plaintiff in a class-motion suit in opposition to Nvidia alleging the 40-sequence of playing cards are defective, asks the court to brush aside his suit with prejudice. Why Genova sought to brush aside his score suit isn’t distinct. PCWorld is inquiring for comment from Genova’s authorized educated, nonetheless the dismissal with prejudice device Genova couldn’t investigate cross-check to refile the suit even supposing he desired to.
• June 12, 2023 CableMod, which made a name for itself selling angled-adapters for 12VHWPR to address melting connectors fears, issues a press originate in accordance with persevering with reports of its 12VHPWR adapters melting in 40-sequence GPUs announcing the vast majority of the failings look to be from improperly inserted cables. “We private now sold tens of hundreds of these adapters since originate aid in March, and of these, private purchased around 20 cases where the adapter connector had melted – an extremely low failure payment,” CableMod officers stated in a press originate on Reddit. “Upon analysis, the vast majority of disasters were due to the the adapters no longer being fully inserted into the GPU, while other cases were certainly due to the defective adapters. We are able to no longer philosophize that things can recede gruesome for the length of the manufacturing job – no firm can teach a 0 percent failure payment. On the opposite hand, what we can enact is aid our customers when such things occur. To that end, we private got been carefully monitoring cases which will seemingly be being reported to our toughen team. For GPUs where the RMA requests are denied, we private got supplied to reimburse the chubby aquire designate to the affected customers. Some customers were requested to ship their GPUs to repair products and services, and we private got lined all shipping charges moreover. We private now been doing this even in cases where the adapter used to be no longer fully inserted, as we want to make certain that none of our customers are unnoticed within the cold.”
• June 14, 2023 A post on Reddit first reported by Tom’s Hardware exhibits an image of a 12VHPWR melted connector. Unlike previous reports where injure occurs to the GPU, then all once more, the actual person exhibits injure took place on the energy present facet. On this case, the actual person stated it used to be on a BeQuiet Sad Vitality 13 1,000 watt energy present.

Creator: Gordon Mah Ung, Government Editor