NVIDIA RTX 5090 "Blackwell" Could Feature Two 16-pin Power Connectors

[Evrsr]

Well well, some sanity on this one. If they are going to be pushing this much power, better to split it in two connectors.

The big issue here will also be bending. Much like the 30s didn't ever fail because the connector was angled, if this requires bending it will not be fault free but will be a step in the right direction.

Also, given the lack of card support we've seen on newer coolers and even backplates, coupled with this issue, I would recommend people only use these vertically mounted. Everything else is exceedingly problematic. They will keep breaking at the PCIe slot (or break the slot) and warranty will be denied, despite these being pretty much massive design flaws on cooler weight and proper support of it.

 

[FoulOnWhite]

Hands up who will buy one........

 

[Bwaze]

Also, given the lack of card support we've seen on newer coolers and even backplates, coupled with this issue, I would recommend people only use these vertically mounted. Everything else is exceedingly problematic. They will keep breaking at the PCIe slot (or break the slot) and warranty will be denied, despite these being pretty much massive design flaws on cooler weight and proper support of it.

Vertically mounted as in using cases with horizontal motherboard placement?

Because using PCIe riser cables have been nothing but problems for many people, often requiring them to choose lower PCIe gen level ("You only loose a couple percent of performance")?

 

[pk67]

Strange to hear this from someone so clueless who can't answer basic questions, want the GPUs to be more expensive when he "hear" electricity noises from his cheap GPU and want to have single power connector. The problem is not in the GPUs and the 12V, the problem is in you

Yes I have to admit - I cant answer basic questions the way you would get my answers. But it is not my problem - its yours.

As well as it is your problem of higher confidence in reliability of your cheap PSU over the reliability of the power section of your GPU card.

 

[Dammeron]

We got 75W on PCI-E, even more with newer motherboards (with that extra PCI psu input)
We got 600W from the 12V2x6

How in hell are they going to use more than that in a consumer-grade GPU ?

I think it's more about those fraction-of-a-second-long spikes that largely exceed the normal power draw.

RTX 3090 was also able to be powered by 650-700W PSU, but then a power draw spike happens and the whole card shuts down for a moment. That's why they recommended high class 850W PSUs and even higher.

 

[Vya Domus]

Wasn't the whole point of this to use just one cable ?

 

[Bwaze]

Wasn't the whole point of this to use just one cable ?

Jokes aside, it was inevitable, but I don't think it would happen so soon if Nvidia didn't aim for a massive AI accelerator card. This has very little to do with gaming, perhaps the architecture won't even be optimised for rasterized output that most games still use - and reviewers will be "encouraged" to talk almost exclusively about performance increase in RTX, AI assisted DLSS etc ..

 

[pk67]

We got 75W on PCI-E, even more with newer motherboards (with that extra PCI psu input)
We got 600W from the 12V2x6

How in hell are they going to use more than that in a consumer-grade GPU ?

Keep in mind future GPU or GPU +NPU combos will suit for more purposes than just pure gaming.

And I dont see reasons why they couldnt be designed and offered as consumers grade accelerators.

If 800W hair dryer can be labeled as a consumer product so why not PC add on card ?


edit
Also keep in mind present EUV scanners will be cheaper over the course of time and installed and used scanners will be even cheaper than.
As a result we will have access to literally tons of consumer grade power hungry silicon way cheaper than can be offered now.

Similiar things happened in PV industry over the course of last 20 years.

 

[Ayhamb99]

2x 16-pin connectors???? Isn't the TDP of the card like around 450-500W similar to the 4090? Hoping this is only for 3rd party vendors haha.

If anything now with this i believe there are going to be overclocking competitions to see who can achieve the highest GPU power usage lol.

 

[pk67]

Edit: One more think, currently the PSUs have 3.3, 5 and 12V. Do you want to know what will happen when you add 24V output to the PSUs? They will become more expensive, complex than now and your favorite - noisier

A bit more expensive - yes , but noisier no way for that reason alone. Way less power losses on cables - mean less heat and higher reliability along all power supply path. Keep in mind power losses are proportional to R and I^2 factors. Lower currents means not only less heat wasted on cables but also less heat wasted in capacitors as well. As are result you get lower operating temperature and higher lifespan if properly designed.

But i see mentioning such obvious things for designers is a futile effort in your case.

Well well, some sanity on this one. If they are going to be pushing this much power, better to split it in two connectors.

The big issue here will also be bending. Much like the 30s didn't ever fail because the connector was angled, if this requires bending it will not be fault free but will be a step in the right direction.

Mechanical constraints related to mass mounting position and amount of heat dissipated is a one part but electricals constaints are separate part.
Using more connectors is a simple solution but dumbest one. Especially if coupled with really expensive card.
So going up to higher voltage is the right direction but it means small revolution along power supply path.

But industry is conservative and dont like revolutions until last minute.
edit
There are also marketing constraints too - more connectors means the card looks beefier so the price could be higher. But aware users will know it is pathological solution after all which will be obsolete relatively soon.

 

[chrcoluk]

Well well, some sanity on this one. If they are going to be pushing this much power, better to split it in two connectors.

The big issue here will also be bending. Much like the 30s didn't ever fail because the connector was angled, if this requires bending it will not be fault free but will be a step in the right direction.

Also, given the lack of card support we've seen on newer coolers and even backplates, coupled with this issue, I would recommend people only use these vertically mounted. Everything else is exceedingly problematic. They will keep breaking at the PCIe slot (or break the slot) and warranty will be denied, despite these being pretty much massive design flaws on cooler weight and proper support of it.

Yep they can make card not so tall and go back to angled, but feels far too sensible for Nvidia.

 

[ThomasK]

Great, double your burning chances.

 

[usiname]

Yes I have to admit - I cant answer basic questions the way you would get my answers. But it is not my problem - its yours.

As well as it is your problem of higher confidence in reliability of your cheap PSU over the reliability of the power section of your GPU card.

Strange how a person, who can't answer what is his GPU and believe he hear electricity noises from it, thinks he is smart. If you have a problem to answer to such questions then your place is not in this forum

 

[bonehead123]

NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang never misses an opportunity to remind us that Moore's Law is cooked

This should have said "NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang never misses an opportunity to remind us that he needs moar of our money to buy moar new jackets"....even if that means new mobos & cases will need to redesigned to accommodate these huge new cards & their massive coolers, as well as new types of cables that won't melt when 600+ watts are surging thru them.....

 

[igormp]

I already use my RTX3090 with a 250W limit for several reasons, one of them being that my uninterruptible power supply will begin beeping due to overload above 500W. Performance by decreasing it from the default 370W is only slightly affected. Der8auer also did some related testing with an RTX4090:

View attachment 364602

I expect the same to happen with this supposedly 600+W RTX5090. These high-end GPU don't really need to use that much power for great performance; there are commercial factors deciding that they just have to, primarily.

Same here, 275W limit for my two 3090s. Mostly because the electricity bill is expensive here and the performance difference is negligible.

 

[_roman_]

Well done techpowerup. Nice 1st April Joke. Oh wait - it's september o.o

 

[Lycanwolfen]

Like I said in my previous comments. Nvidia is on that bad streak of not listening to the gamers. We went down this path before. How much power is needed before you demand better video cards. Two 12 Volt connectors now with a draw maybe up to 1200 watts. or 1.2 gigawatts. How many times in PC history do we see this. I'm sure after this 5000 series they will get back to making low power cards. When gamers demand better.

Also Just think that's 1200 watts for a video card that needs software of DLSS 4.0 to render video games from a low res to a high res. Still waiting for a NON AI software Pure hardware card.

 

[Steve3p0]

I wouldn't trust one 12VHPWR let alone two! I've seen too many of these connectors fail on the PCB (melting inside the connector). Hopefully AMD continues to stay away from such a thing.

 

[ymdhis]

Real RTX GPU connector.

View attachment 364594

Yeah, they may as well put the AC/DC transformers on the card itself and have two C14 connectors below the monitor outputs. That way you don't even have to upgrade your power supply!

 

[pk67]

Soon people will have to get a dedicated 20A/2400W circuit installed in their home just for their computer (15A/1800W is standard for residential in the US).

I guess if you can afford these top-end cards it wouldn't be a problem to get done though.

In Europe we have access to 3x400 V AC in residential areas, so stop blaming Nvidia and try to make America Great Again or at least upgrade your power lines to be on par with EU standards.

 

[Prime2515102]

In Europe we have access to 3x400 V AC in residential areas, so stop blaming Nvidia and try to make America Great Again or at least upgrade your power lines to be on par with EU standards.

We have 240V but it's reserved for clothes dryers n' such.

 

[leonavis]

If this is legit, they're clearly seeing how far this thing can be pushed.

As the only option in high-end, the bet will be: Can we release a >600W >2000€ gaming-card and people will still buy it?

In Europe we have access to 3x400 V AC in residential areas, so stop blaming Nvidia and try to make America Great Again or at least upgrade your power lines to be on par with EU standards.

Well... technically we have 3*230VAC. If you connect a load between two of those lines, you get 400V over that load.

 

[Vayra86]

Didnt Nvidia say the reason for these was to avoid multiple connectors? they need to get the power draw in check.

2030

"Nvidia have just announced their upcoming 7090 GPU, comes with 64pin connector to mean no more multiple cables, and even comes with its own 3000W PSU to ensure it has the power it needs. All for the great price $4000, The cooler has also been beefed to a 5 slot solution".

PSU vendors love Nvidia right now.

This joke has wings like the Nokia 3310 meme

"Nvidia today announced the 9090, you're basically buying a self sufficient house for your GPU, and you live next to it under a cardboard box. It also charges your car when idling"

 

[pk67]

We have 240V but it's reserved for clothes dryers n' such.

Now you can add AI home servers to the list.
BTW I'm living in my home almost half century old and have all 3 AC phases in my garage. But in inhabitated part of my home I have access to 230V AC fused by 10A or 16A internal fuse and 25A fuse outdoor.
We are not used to using clothes dryers but we definitely have some spare of power for using in near future for different purposes.

So frankly speaking it is not sound good if you are admitting - average Joe in leading world economy is limited to 1800 W in his/her flat.

 

[64K]

In Europe we have access to 3x400 V AC in residential areas, so stop blaming Nvidia and try to make America Great Again or at least upgrade your power lines to be on par with EU standards.

We aren't on the Metric System here so we don't use European metric volts we use 'Murican volts.