Wednesday, July 12th 2023
NVIDIA Now Ships GeForce RTX 4090 Founders Edition with Updated Power Connector
A few weeks ago, we reported that NVIDIA is already shipping its GeForce RTX 4070 Founders Edition cards with an improved 12VHPWR connector called 12V-2x6. However, today we learn that NVIDIA is also now shipping GeForce RTX 4090 Founders Edition with an improved 12V-2x6 connector. Thanks to the Reddit user u/prackprackprack posting in r/NVIDIA, the user reported that his Founders Edition RTX 4090 has shortened sensing pins on the connector. If not adequately plugged in, the sensing pins will not allow the card to draw full power and melt the connector. Besides RTX 4070 FE, the RTX 4090 FE is now updated as well, which makes sense as it is the most power-hungry card in the family. However, this may be a partial 12V-2x6 implementation. Below, you can see images showing shortened sensing pins.
Sources:
r/NVIDIA (Reddit), via VideoCardz
62 Comments on NVIDIA Now Ships GeForce RTX 4090 Founders Edition with Updated Power Connector
I've felt for some time that these unsightly cables hanging out of the side of an increasingly heavy GPU needs to be entirely rethought. I know that's easier said than done, but it seems like we're reaching the point where a more drastic design change needs to occur. You either get this new connector and its potential pitfalls, or dual or triple 8-pins. They ditched AGP years ago for PCIe, maybe there needs to be a revised PCIe slot setup where more power can be fed to GPUs through the motherboard, delivering more power through more connections, with more safety mechanisms. Even if it makes motherboards longer, it's all the same when you are selecting a massive GPU for your case. Honestly, perhaps the entire system build needs to be reimagined to accommodate the cooling requirements of everything we have today. ATX started with nothing requiring cooling, and it's had a good run, but maybe it's time for a change. Maybe it would even drive sales for awhile.
300W a piece and Server market proven:)
You have to realize that 'user error' isn't a blanket term to absolve all mistakes. This one was to be expected and should have absolutely been a part of the design.
Though the underlying problem would still remain: either make the motherboard deliver all the power we need (which, as @Assimilator pointed out, would make motherboards more expensive, even for those that do not need a discrete video card), or design yet another power connector that can jumpstart your car, yet can be easily inserted and not bigger than what we have today. It really feels like we're trying to mock physics in a way. The auto industry would like to have a word with you.
Intel tried with BTX but didnt fully commit. We already have the answer. The 8 pin is easy to manage, just make that into 12 or 16 pins. It was making the pins smaller and weaker that caused this whole issue. Point the cables towards the front of the case and let them rest on the GPU instead of being crammed into the side panel, like GPUs of old. That great and all, except such a design is proprietary. Not just the apple part, but having GPUs like that cooled by the chassis requires specific designs that dont work generation to generation, or brand to brand. See also: the trouble with MXM GPU swaps in old gaming laptops.
New designs are nice, but I dont want to sacrifice the ability to maintain or upgrade my hardware in the process.
On the PCI-SIG side, a revision a couple months later on what was supposed to be a established standard, after numerous cases of cables melting.
You sure are drinking the cool aid if you call this regular scheduled quality management improvements. More like damaged control after no quality control.
I want to know how these rated numbers are obtained. Do they contain the factor that the cards tend to additionally heat up the connectors, so the melting point becomes pretty easily reached?
I don't trust the "connector".
The pins area needs to be much more robust.
An electrical connection should fit tight and not work it's way out.
Both the nvidia adapter as well as my new Seasonic cable fit really snug and both have a pretty clear sounding click. The same, 12VHPWR isn't going anywhere. It will get updated, but it's here to stay.
Won't be surprised the next gen Intel GPUs will use it as wellz seeing this was Intel's idea after all. All NVIDIA did was design the sense chip and pins.
No it took weeks to find failures.
I'm tired of only seeing coupons and steam gift cards from certain retailers on certain models only like the MSI Ventus,
we need a price drop across the whole board.
(for those who don't know, the 4070 is getting this new power connector too).