One early user of the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 Founders Edition learned the hard way why Nvidia advises against using third-party cables with the new Blackwell GPUs.
Issue with Third-Party Cables
In a Reddit post by user u/ivan6953, the individual shared their experience of upgrading their PC with the RTX 5090, which was powered by an ASUS Loki SFX-L power supply using a ModDIY ATX 3.0 PCIe 5.0 16-pin 12VHPWR cable rated for 600 W. The user reported that while playing Battlefield 5, the GPU’s power draw was between 500–520 W when they detected a burning smell. They quickly shut down the PC and upon inspection discovered that the 12VHPWR connector had melted at both the RTX 5090 and the ASUS Loki SFX-L PSU connection points.
Community Concerns
When Nvidia announced that the RTX 5090 would adopt the 12VHPWR standard, it raised alarms in the PC gaming community. Many feared that the melting connector issues, first seen with the GeForce RTX 4090, would return. Initially, it appeared that the new Blackwell GPUs were not facing serious melting cable issues, despite some early reports suggesting otherwise. However, this recent Reddit post serves as clear evidence that pushing the limits of the 12VHPWR power standard could lead to significant problems for those in the PC building community.
Speculating the Culprit
It’s still uncertain which part is responsible for the failure in this case. The Nvidia GPU is likely not to blame, as there haven’t been many other credible reports of melting connectors. This leaves the power supply unit (PSU) and the power cable as possible culprits. One comment from the Redditor suggested the issue might stem from the PSU, noting that the “Loki’s 12VHPWR pins are MUCH thinner than in the 12VHPWR slot on 5090FE,” which could lead to higher resistance, but that doesn’t clarify why both ends of the cable melted.
Based on the Reddit post, it seems the RTX 5090 may have drawn more power than the 600 W rating of the 12VHPWR cable or that the cable’s connectors were not adequate for the task.
Availability of GPUs
Currently, both the RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 are nearly impossible to find due to their high demand. However, pre-built PCs featuring these GPUs, like the RTX 5080-equipped Skytech Legacy4 (currently priced at $3,299.99 at Best Buy), are available for purchase.
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