NVIDIA’s high-end graphics card, the RTX 5090, has been plagued by overheating issues due to its power cable. A recent investigation by YouTuber Der8auer revealed that uneven current distribution is the primary cause of the problem. The damage was caused when a single wire carrying over 22A of current melted, breaching safety limits and temperatures north of 150 degrees Celsius.
Der8auer paired his custom water block equipped RTX 5090 FE with Corsair’s AX1600i PSU to recreate the incident. During a FurMark test, two of the six 12V wires shot up to nearly 60 degrees Celsius within 45 seconds, while another wire reached over 150 degrees Celsius after four minutes.
The investigation suggests that the issue is not solely due to custom cables from MODDIY but also a problem with the design of the power connectors. The original 12VHPWR spec had an issue where partially installed connectors could cause damage, leading to updates and the adoption of the new 12V-2×6 standard.
However, experts argue that this generation of high-end GPUs should abandon these standards due to safety concerns. They propose implementing a fail-close mechanism or temperature sensors on each pin to prevent overheating. Increasing connector size is also seen as a solution to reduce resistance and mitigate the issue.
The incident highlights the need for improved design and testing in the manufacturing process, particularly when it comes to power connectors. It also emphasizes the importance of user awareness and caution when handling high-performance equipment.
Source: https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/gpus/rtx-5090-cable-overheats-to-150-degrees-celsius-uneven-current-distribution-likely-the-culprit