Key Takeaways
1. The ASUS ROG Matrix RTX 5090 graphics card costs $4,000 and has a misaligned 12VHPWR connector, affecting its performance.
2. ASUS claims the connector misalignment is part of the original design and will not offer replacements or warranty fixes.
3. Users have reported difficulty fitting the connector properly, which could hinder the GPU’s peak performance of 800W.
4. Affected customers can either return the GPU within 30 days or risk potential damage due to the misalignment.
5. This issue follows previous quality concerns with the ROG Matrix, leading to temporary shipment halts by ASUS.
A fresh problem has emerged regarding the high-end ROG Matrix RTX 5090 graphics card from ASUS. This limited-edition version of the powerful GPU comes at an eye-watering price of $4,000.
Pricey Expectations
With such an exorbitant price tag, one would assume that the RTX 5090 GPU would function flawlessly right out of the box. Unfortunately, the 12VHPWR connector is misaligned, making it fit improperly. To make matters worse, ASUS has refused to offer any replacements, stating that this is simply “part of the original product design.”
User Experience
However, a Reddit user by the name of Adrenaline424 illustrates that there’s another side to this story. They highlighted that their 16-pin connector, officially referred to as the 12V-2×6, is not perfectly aligned with the GPU’s frame.
While this misalignment might seem like a minor issue, it creates only a small space for the connector housing to properly fit into the graphics card, which could hinder the card from achieving its claimed peak performance of 800W.
Design Choices
Interestingly, this misalignment is not considered a factory defect; rather, it is part of the design of the card, which ASUS has promoted as a premium 30th-anniversary edition GPU, featuring dual power inputs aimed at extreme overclocking.
A mere 1,000 units have been manufactured globally. Given the rarity of this GPU, it’s uncertain how many users have faced this problem. The Reddit user experimented with various cables, but the limited space always resulted in the connector housing being seated incorrectly.
Customer Support Response
In light of their situation, the Reddit user contacted ASUS customer support, assuming the misaligned connector was an unnoticed factory error. However, to their astonishment, ASUS explained that the positioning of the power connector was deliberate. ASUS stated:
“After review by our engineering team, the non-centred positioning of the power connector is part of the original product design, determined based on overall structural and electrical layout considerations.”
This answer effectively eliminates any possibility of warranty fixes or replacements for the connector issue on the ROG Matrix RTX 5090, leaving the customer with two choices: return the GPU or risk damaging the connector. They could return it within the 30-day window or attempt to utilize the provided HPWR connector, which requires a compatible BTF board from the same manufacturer.
Previous Concerns
This isn’t the first instance of the ROG Matrix making news. Back in December, ASUS temporarily halted GPU shipments due to quality issues. Nevertheless, the company clarified that there were no recalls and that deliveries resumed shortly thereafter, which is indeed a peculiar situation.
At this point, an affected customer like Adrenaline424 has chosen to return their ROG Matrix RTX 5090 due to the potential hazard of connecting their power supply to the misaligned connector, which could lead to an expensive problem that ASUS might deny responsibility for.
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