Some Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 graphics playing cards are having melting points — meltdowns, if you’ll. Particularly, there have been a a number of studies that the 16-pin 12VHPWR adapters (used to transform a number of 8-pin PCIe energy connectors to the brand new ATX 3.0 commonplace) that present the facility to the cardboard have partially melted. In some instances, so has the 16-pin connector on the cardboard itself.
It is unclear how widespread of a problem that is. Do not get us improper — melting parts usually are not protected. However there are, as of this writing, solely fewer than 30 studies in comparison with what we think about is a a lot bigger pool of graphics playing cards. Nvidia has made a degree of displaying “traces across the block” for the 4090 (opens in new tab), and the truth that playing cards arestill onerous to search out suggests the corporate is promoting every little thing it may make. In different phrases, whereas these incidents are very critical, they might be statistically uncommon.
A lot of the melting studies are coming from nameless customers on social media, usually on Reddit and different boards. These have included quite a few fashions of the RTX 4090, together with Nvidia’s personal RTX 4090 Founders Version.
Here is what we all know in regards to the points with the 16-pin 12VHPWR connector incidents to date.
What is occurring?
Some RTX 4090 homeowners have reported that the 16-pin 12VHPWR energy adapters have melted whereas plugged into their graphics playing cards (some additionally declare that the connectors have melted, too).
A number of have written that their screens have gone black and that their followers began spinning closely when this occurred. Others have stated they occurred to examine their connectors after studying about connector points and located that theirs, too, had melted. Many have supplied pictures, however not a lot different info.
A number of have stated that they’ve heard from Nvidia or different card distributors after reporting their melting connector, or that they’ve acquired a substitute card.
On the r/nvidia subreddit, members have been holding a “Checklist of Confirmed Instances,” which counts 26 melting points as of this writing (two of these have been utilizing ATX 3.0 PSUs and never the facility adapter). A further desk of “Unconfirmed Instances” lists six extra points, that are questionable based mostly on picture high quality, descriptions, or different attainable harm.
Which GPUs are affected?
Thus far, the melting points have occurred on quite a lot of RTX 4090 playing cards, together with Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 Founders Version in addition to playing cards from Asus, Galax, Gigabyte, Inno3D, MSI and Zotac.
As of this writing, we have not heard of any comparable points with the newer Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080, which makes use of the identical 16-pin connector. That one, nevertheless, makes use of three 8-pin connectors, versus the 4 8-pin connectors on the RTX 4090. And it has a decrease energy ranking of 320W in comparison with 450W.
Not one of the 5 RTX 4090 samples that Tom’s {Hardware} has used have proven any indicators of issues with both the 16-pin adapter or connector. We do nevertheless make it a degree to deal with our playing cards with care, and that features not plugging in and unplugging the 16-pin connector any greater than obligatory, because it’s formally solely rated for 30 cycles.
What does the 16-pin 12VHPWR adapter do?
The long-running PSU commonplace, ATX 2.X, cannot ship sufficient energy over one connection to energy the RTX 4090 and different high-wattage graphics playing cards. Certainly, there have been many playing cards with a number of 8-pin connectors over the previous couple of years — varied third-party RTX 3090 and 3080 household GPUs, in addition to RX 6950, 6900, and 6800 XT GPUs have included three 8-pin connectors, and even 4 in just a few uncommon instances.
ATX 3.0, which is slowly rolling out, is meant to vary that by delivering as much as 600W over a single 16-pin 12VHPWR connector. However most individuals nonetheless have ATX 2.X PSUs of their programs, and ATX 3.0 PSUs are simply now changing into obtainable right here and there. The adapter lets individuals use their current energy provides and hook up a number of 8-pin connectors to the 16-pin connector on the RTX 4090 playing cards, offering sufficient wattage to those power-hungry GPUs.
Why are 16-pin connectors on RTX 4090 playing cards melting?
If anybody was certain, this might make every little thing quite a bit simpler! There are, nevertheless, a variety of theories. We aren’t capable of affirm any of them definitively, however here is what we all know. Buckle in.
Again in October, Igor’s Lab posted that the Nvidia’s adapter’s “construct high quality… is extraordinarily poor[,]” and that the 12VHPWR connector is not inherently the problem. Igor’s Lab additionally steered that producers needs to be crimping, somewhat than soldering, joints within the adapters. Players Nexus, nevertheless, opened considered one of its adapters and located it extra considerably soldered than the one Igor’s Lab had. Igor’s Lab had 16AWG 150V rated wires in its energy adapter, whereas Players Nexus had a model with 14AWG and 300V rated wires.
Players Nexus could not replicate the melting points at first, regardless of mangling a number of adapters. It put up a ballot for 4090 customers the place it seems lower than 10% have the 16AWG 300V wires. Extra not too long ago, Players Nexus revealed a video the place it “efficiently” triggered not less than one adapter to soften… by not plugging the connector in all the best way and by placing pressure on the cables.
In November, Jon Gerow, Corsair’s PSU knowledgeable (who used to publish energy provide evaluations below the pseudonym JohnnyGuru) weighed in, suggesting that homeowners aren’t absolutely inserting the connectors, and {that a} hole between the connector and the socket may very well be in charge. Quickly after, Gerow quietly pulled the article, which he had self-published on his personal website.
Initially, there have been some considerations that the 12VHPWR connector might fail if the cables have been bent within the improper place. CableMod, a third-party cable producer, revealed a “12VHPWR Cable Information” claiming that it may’t be bent close to the plug, and all bends ought to begin not less than 35mm from the connector. PSU producer Be quiet! locations that distance at 40 mm. That is troublesome to do in most PC instances. It additionally steered that folks want to make sure they’re plugging within the cables utterly.
Gabriele Gorla, director of engineering at Nvidia, instructed Igor’s Lab that two totally different corporations, Astron and NTK, make the adapter that ships with every RTX 4090. It is unclear if one maker is having extra points than the opposite.
Will a third-party cable assist?
That is murky territory. Within the field for the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 Founders Version, the documentation reads:
“Use solely the included PCIe Gen 5 compliant energy connector adapter in your GeForce RTX 40-series Founders Version graphics card. Use of non-compliant or third-party energy connector adapters might trigger technical points, and should void your producer guarantee.”
It is unclear whether or not third-party graphics card corporations maintain the identical guidelines about warranties and third-party connectors.
We at Tom’s {Hardware} have not tried any third-party cables. ATX 3.0 PSUs ought to work, as these cables do not require adapters for the 16-pin connector. Nonetheless, there are nonetheless not less than a few studies of direct PSU connections melting.
Some corporations are already saying new adapters for the GPU. CableMod, as an example, has a proper angle adapter that it says requires much less bending.
What has Nvidia stated about all of this?
Nvidia has stated little in regards to the studies.
“We proceed to research the studies, nevertheless, we don’t have additional particulars to share but,” the corporate instructed KitGuru in mid-November. “Nvidia and our companions are dedicated to supporting our prospects and making certain an expedited RMA course of for them.”
What do I do if this occurs to me?
In case your adapter or card melts, you might even see points such because the display going black or your followers spinning quicker and louder than standard. We have seen one report the place somebody steered they smelled plastic melting. If this occurs, unplug your laptop and examine to see if there’s a problem. If there may be, cease utilizing the graphics playing cards and phone the producer. They might need you to RMA (mainly return and alternate) your card.
If it hasn’t occurred to you, you might be fantastic! In any case, much more RTX 4090’s have been offered than studies of melting. However it could additionally not be a foul concept to maintain an additional eye in your system. That being stated, do not disconnect and reconnect your adapter greater than is strictly obligatory, both. Repeated stress might harm the connector and the system in different methods.
May this result in a lawsuit?
It already has. Lucas Genova is the plaintiff in a category motion lawsuit towards Nvidia that was filed on November 11, 2022. Within the swimsuit, Genova’s attorneys state that “Plaintiff and sophistication members have been hit with a expensive double-whammy: a premium buy worth (the MSRP is $1,599) for a harmful product that ought to not have been offered in its present state.”
The swimsuit, Lucas Genova v. Nvidia Company, is making its means by the USA District Court docket for the Northern District of California.
Are AMD’s playing cards having comparable points?
AMD does not use 16-pin connectors–not less than not but. When it launches its next-gen GPUs, the Radeon RX 7900 XTX and 7900 XT, each will use twin 8-pin energy connectors, which signifies that individuals will not must take care of adapters in any respect.
What about older playing cards with 12-pin adapters?
Curiously, Nvidia has used a 12-pin precursor to the PCI-SIG 16-pin connector on the Founders Version RTX 30-series playing cards. To our data, nobody reported any melting 12-pin adapters over the previous two years. RTX 3090 Ti playing cards additionally use a 16-pin connector, however they nonetheless include a 12-pin adapter cable.
The 16-pin connector is essentially the identical, nevertheless it provides 4 further “sense pins” that may talk with the facility provide. In our expertise, the 16-pin connector does require a bit extra pressure to completely insert. A number of theories counsel the basis trigger could also be improperly inserted connectors, maybe pulled out after doing a little cable administration. However there isn’t a onerous proof as but that that is the one attainable trigger.
Backside Line
We have no idea exactly what number of RTX 4090 playing cards have been offered that use the 16-pin 12VHPWR connector. There are additionally RTX 3090 Ti and RTX 4080 playing cards that additionally use the identical connector. By that token, there may very well be a whole bunch of hundreds of playing cards with 16-pin connectors now within the fingers of shoppers, and solely a only a few of these have failed — Players Nexus claims the graphics card corporations are saying the failure fee is between 0.05% and 0.1% proper now. So about one in a thousand to 1 in two thousand.
Formally, there isn’t any definitive report on the trigger or the answer but. When you’ve got a card that makes use of a 12VHPWR connector, you are most likely protected to make use of it. Simply make sure the connector is absolutely inserted and that it “clicks” into place. Perhaps examine the connector from time to time (with out disconnecting it) till we be taught extra. And If the worst ought to occur, contact the producer for help.
If you do not have a card that makes use of a 16-pin connector, it may be a good suggestion to take a seat again and proceed to observe the state of affairs (and save your cash, as a result of these playing cards aren’t low-cost). Sooner or later, there needs to be an official assertion launched from Nvidia to shed extra gentle on issues. Maybe by that point we’ll have a number of new additions to the greatest graphics playing cards so that you can think about, together with ones that do not use a 16-pin connector.