A GeForce RTX 5090 Founders Edition and a be quiet! Dark Power 13 1000W PSU were both damaged after a 12V-2×6 power connector melted, according to a report from an editor. The GPU and PSU sockets showed clear signs of melting, with one cable wire reaching 150°C, as per an analysis by Roman 'der8auer' Hartung.
Nvidia provided a replacement GPU for the affected unit. This is the latest instance in a pattern of connector melting issues that have persisted since the launch of the RTX 4090 in 2022. The failures have been attributed to uneven load distribution and connection issues.
Various manufacturers have introduced monitoring cables and adapters in an attempt to mitigate the risk, yet the problem continues to affect multiple GPU brands. The article calls for an industry standard to replace the current connector design.