MSI Readying Yellow-tipped 16-pin Power Adaptors for GeForce RTX 50 Series

[T0@st]

MSI is preparing a new selection of yellow-tipped 16-pin power adapters—as reported by VideoCardz earlier today—for inclusion with certain GeForce RX 50 series "Blackwell" GPU-based graphics card models. An official announcement has not been released—regarding the latest color coding for power connectors—but new product photos have appeared on the MSI website. The yellow sections provide a clear "visual guide" when hooking the relevant adapter up to a graphics card—full insertion is achieved when the yellow tip is fully obscured by its surroundings. MSI's latest image uploads indicate that dual 8-pin to single 16-pin adapters will likely be bundled with MSI's GeForce RTX 5070 models. The RTX 5070 Ti and 5080 product tiers will be getting three 8-pin ended adapters. A very busy-looking 4-way splitter is seemingly reserved for flagship GeForce RTX 5090 cards.

The MAG GL PSU series debuted back in 2023, featuring a similarly-tinted "dual color" safety measure—based on customer and community feedback. At the time, MSI stated that it had reacted to: "reported cases of power supply connectors being burnt when paired with high-end graphics cards. We've identified the main reason: the connectors not being plugged in properly and the connector pins suffering from fall outs. With this new cable, we successfully tackle both issues head-on." Manufacturers have continued to release new products that utilize the "problematic" 12VHPWR standard, even years after the introduction of a successor: 12V-2x6. NVIDIA and several of its board partners are reported to be sticking with the first iteration PCIe Gen 5 16-pin connector for upcoming GeForce RTX 50-series graphics cards. The TechPowerUp team inspected ZOTAC's new 12WHPWR "Safety Light" feature at the recently concluded CES trade event—a visual warning will be displayed in the event of a connection problem being detected.



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[OolongGoat]

I really like the idea of the visual indicators to assist with ensure that the connections are secure. The LED that Zotac is implementing is also a good idea.

 

[Event Horizon]

I had a Gigabyte card with an LED indicator on the socket. It's good to be reassured that you've plugged it in correctly but it shouldn't be needed.

 

[_roman_]

MSI should focus more on quality and on really root cause prevention. A colored connector is definitely the wrong way to go.

why?
I also had two different bad power supply cables which disconnected themself. This failure mode is not recognisable with the naked human eye.
(long story: It was not the nvidia connector. Some connector went loose themself while doing the cable management with velcro strips in my case. the replacement cables from the power supply company worked as expected. I just had an injection molding defect with the connectors - which can not be seen without an optical measurement machine or by testing the pull out force)
(in my case the cables went loose on the power supply side, which is in the dark corner - without light in my case.)

 

[OolongGoat]

MSI should focus more on quality and on really root cause prevention. A colored connector is definitely the wrong way to go.

why?
I also had two different bad power supply cables which disconnected themself. This failure mode is not recognisable with the naked human eye.
(long story: It was not the nvidia connector. Some connector went loose themself while doing the cable management with velcro strips in my case. the replacement cables from the power supply company worked as expected. I just had an injection molding defect with the connectors - which can not be seen without an optical measurement machine or by testing the pull out force)
(in my case the cables went loose on the power supply side, which is in the dark corner - without light in my case.)

So what you are saying is that you went a little too hard on the cable management and pulled the connections loose or they weren’t seated correctly to begin with. And you didn’t go back and double check the connections to the power supply after cable management was done.


In the 15+ years of using modular power supplies, not once have I had a connection come loose on the PSU end nor a faulty cable.

I have used many brands and even when building customer machines, not a single issue with the cabling.

The overall issues with the new connector is that people aren’t inserting it fully and/or put too much stress on it when making the bend whether it be cable management or putting the side panel back on.

Even my existing system, I purchased the PCI-E to 12VHPW cable for my power supply. No issues.

 

[freeagent]

I would say this is more for new builders who lack confidence.

 

[DaemonForce]

Yeah MSI that's great. More Fisher-Price tech to clog the build list for OEM system builders.
If this problem is so bad that we can't trust users to plug in a cable, we screwed up bad.

 

[_roman_]

So what you are saying is that you went a little too hard on the cable management and pulled the connections loose or they weren’t seated correctly to begin with. And you didn’t go back and double check the connections to the power supply after cable management was done.

It is not visually distinguishable when you have bad cables.
The failure mode is that the retention force is not enough.
There is a big difference between teh good and the bad cables in regards of the retention force. (Pull out the cables and the power supply unit. Test it on the desk in front of you. With all of the connections and cables. )

This is what happend with my personal power supply unit which i bough with my own money. I'm kinda lucky to buy e-waste in past few years.

I can sell you the unit and the bad cables for a handling fee + postage + new price ... if you do not believe me.

I do have an electronics background. And I have two years working experience in the injection molding industry for connectors for the automotive branch. I was responsible for those 8D-Reports. We also mad other parts and also stamping parts.

If this problem is so bad that we can't trust users to plug in a cable, we screwed up bad.

I really wonder how company do connectors for cars. (hidden hint)
Is it maybe a quality issue? A design issue?

 

[chrcoluk]

Is a very good idea to be fair.

 

[Random_User]

I really like the idea of the visual indicators to assist with ensure that the connections are secure. The LED that Zotac is implementing is also a good idea.

I had a Gigabyte card with an LED indicator on the socket. It's good to be reassured that you've plugged it in correctly but it shouldn't be needed.

These both ideas are quite interesting and useful, to be honest. Anything, that improves the realibility, and is more fool-proof, is great.

However, this is an additional costs and efforts by AIBs, for the problem, that nVidia have created. People might say whatever they want, about how much the connector is reliable, and that the issues have been solved with newer iterations, and 12V-2X6. But the if the companies bother to spend additional time, R&D and money, in order to make the connector more secure- the connector is garbage.

I've never seen thee need to paint/colour the connector for an old PCIE 6 and 8 pin ones. As much as them to burn or melt, besides some failed OC, or malfuntional PSU. And even then, there's more chance to burn the PCB components, then the connector itself.

Surely though, the 6 and 8 pin had their problems, and the 6+2/ dual 8 pin from the same PSU connector/line were/are one of them. But still, the wire gauge was bigger, even in worse quality PSUs, and the connector itself is much more reliable, simply due to physical durability, due to bigger size and metal thickness.

Also, nVidia now has more pain, because they now have to do more research about third party cables, and certify (my guess) them, to match their own solutions.

I would say this is more for new builders who lack confidence.

I mean, this connector brings no confidence at all. With even the slightest understanding of electricity and physics, it just scares straight away.

Spoiler

The picture courtesy of Guru3D

 

[csendesmark]

Boring, I wish they just got to the point:
Just make something like this

Maybe add some insulation, but that's just details...

 

[FreedomEclipse]

I had a Gigabyte card with an LED indicator on the socket. It's good to be reassured that you've plugged it in correctly but it shouldn't be needed.

I think quite a few board partners also do this. Asus also being one of them IRCC.

 

[EsaT]

I mean, this connector brings no confidence at all. With even the slightest understanding of electricity and physics, it just scares straight away.

Indeed going to avoid this trash connector always when possible.
Whoever designed it shouldn't be allowed closer to electricity than job as lightning rod.

Sure 8 pin connector isn't perfect, but that big chunky connector and cable is precisely what gives it safety margins.
PSU makers should keep using that in PSU end of the cable for power delivery.

 

[PixelTech]

I happened to need a new PSU. MSI happened to be the first ones selling PSUs with the 12V-2x6 connector sold at MicroCenter in 9/23.
Good move for MSI to include adapters with the yellow indicator too.
But also, I wonder why are PSUs still including power adapters for the 12V-2x6... How many generations will it take not to include one...
Also, AMD and Intel yet again don't have the connector? I know their cards don't consume as much wattage, but still...