Two owners of Nvidia’s new RTX 5090 Founders Edition graphics cards reported melted power connectors and damaged power supplies this weekend, rekindling concerns about connector reliability that plagued the previous generation RTX 4090.
Why it matters: The incidents challenge Nvidia’s claims about improved connector safety, as the company previously stated such issues would not occur with the RTX 50 series despite its higher 575W power draw.
Technical Details: The power connector problems manifest in multiple ways across different configurations:
- Damage occurs at both GPU and PSU ends
- Multiple cable manufacturers affected
- Issues arise even with proper installation
Safety Concerns: The melting incidents raise significant safety and reliability questions about the RTX 5090‘s power delivery system:
- Connectors operating near 600W rating limit
- Potential fire hazard from melting plastic
- Risk of permanent hardware damage
The issue affects both third-party cables and power supplies, with documented cases involving MODDIY cables and FSP power supplies. This suggests a broader design challenge rather than an isolated manufacturing defect.
Nvidia has not officially responded to these new incidents, though the company previously claimed the updated 12V-2×6 connector design would prevent such issues. Some manufacturers like MSI and Corsair have implemented additional safety features, including colored indicators to ensure proper connector seating.
