There's no end in sight to the melting of the 12VHPWR graphics connector

The GeForce RTX 4090 graphics card is still up to the most demanding tasks. But the real problem is the 12VHPWR connection.

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 graphics card is still up to the most demanding tasks. This is based on the Nvidia GA102 graphics core and has 16,128 CUDA cores available for data calculation. 24 gigabytes of GDDR6X graphics memory with a throughput of 21 gigabits per second are available for storing intermediate calculations.

Sufficient electricity is provided by a connector marked 12VHPWR. It has a total of 16 contacts available for supplying electricity. At full load, this can supply up to 600 watts of electrical power directly to the graphics card. Therefore, it is not surprising that it can melt during operation, and in certain cases it can even catch fire.

The failure of the 12VHPWR connector is actually caused by a connection that is not done completely. Although Nvidia tried to solve this problem by introducing a new or improved 12V-2×6 connector, many GeForce RTX 4090 graphics cards are still equipped with the previous connector. Therefore, it is not surprising that service technicians encounter melted connectors on a daily basis.

If you also have a GeForce RTX 4090 graphics card with a 12VHPWR connector, we recommend that you follow Seasonic's instructions. This recommends a minimum distance of 35 millimeters between the connector and the bend of the power cable. The best effect will be achieved by using a home hair dryer. With the additional heat, it will be easier to bend the cable, and at the same time it will more easily stay in the desired position. A trick that is definitely worth trying.