Nvidia's Melting GPUs Problem Refuses to Die

Nvidia's high-end GPUs have been plagued by a recurring problem: melting connectors. This issue first arose around four years ago with the RTX 4090, which was initially blamed on users not properly seating the plug.

However, recent reports indicate that even with the new 12V-2x6 connector, designed to fix this issue, the problem persists.

The issue is due to how Nvidia handles power delivery in its newer GPUs. Unlike the RTX 30 series, which treated each of the 16-pin connector's three separate 12V sources as individual inputs, newer models like the RTX 40 and 50 series lump all six lines into a single input.

This can cause uneven current distribution among the wires, leading to hotspots and potentially causing the plug to melt. A review by der8auer found that on an RTX 5090 FE, two wires were carrying over 22A while the others were only at 2A, resulting in a connector temperature of 150 degrees Celsius.