Skip to main content

Here’s how you could protect your RTX 4090 from melting

Reports about melting connectors and adapters on the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 are still popping up every so often, and we still haven’t had an official statement from Nvidia on the matter. However, tech experts from around the globe are trying to find the cause of the problem.

This time around, a power supply expert from Corsair released a lengthy explanation of what might be happening. According to JonnyGuru, the issue is not caused by a faulty connector but rather by user error. The fix is rather simple.

A close-up of a power cable inserted into the RTX 4090 GPU.
JonnyGuru

The theory that those RTX 4090s are melting — or rather, the 16-pin adapter is — due to user error is not exactly new. Many have already weighed in on the matter, stating that bending the cable can cause improper mating; this can potentially cause the temperatures to skyrocket, and after prolonged use, things may set on fire and melt. The problem is that in many cases, bending the cable is almost necessary, or at the very least, it’s difficult to avoid.

Recommended Videos

JonnyGuru took it one step further and decided to test several connectors by himself, and the testing was pretty extreme. To do this, he used a Corsair HX1500i PSU and three PCIe cables that were connected to Nvidia’s 16-pin adapter.

He took photos of the whole process, and those prove to be pretty handy — they illustrate what a well-inserted cable looks like and what to watch out for when installing your own GPU. To keep an eye on everything, the Corsair expert also used a thermistor to track the temperatures. A zip tie was also used to minimize cable bending.

With all the prep out of the way, JonnyGuru really put the connectors through the wringer, damaging them and even tearing one of the wires off completely. Despite that, he didn’t experience any melting problems, and the temperatures maxed out at 53 degrees Celsius.

To prove his point about user error, the PSU expert researched the cases where other RTX 4090 owners posted photos of their melted connectors. He compared them to properly seated connectors, reaching the conclusion that the cable was not fully connected to the graphics card in the cases where melting happened.

“It’s my opinion that the adapters are fine. You just have to make sure the connector is fully inserted into your card and/or PSU. That said, I will admit that the connectors are VERY DIFFICULT to insert completely. It is easy to think the connector is in all of the way when it’s not. But if the retention clip is not engaged, you will be able to pull the connector back out without squeezing the clip. If the connector and retention clip is fully engaged, the card is definitely fully seated,” said JonnyGuru.

An Nvidia RTX 4090 with a properly seated power connector.
JonnyGuru

JonnyGuru had another tip for potential RTX 4090 owners — picking up dielectric grease and applying it to the plastic parts on the power connector; just a small amount. It only costs around $4, so it’s a small expense to make for a little more safety.

When will Nvidia weigh in on the matter? We know that the company is taking this problem seriously and the testing is still ongoing, so let’s hope that some sort of a recommendation for affected users will be released soon. Wccftech notes that a new revision to the 12VHPWR cable is currently under review by PCI-SIG, so perhaps the fix is closer than we might think.

Monica J. White
Monica is a computing writer at Digital Trends, focusing on PC hardware. Since joining the team in 2021, Monica has written…
RTX 5090 meltdown woes spark flashbacks to RTX 4090 fire hazards
A damaged 12V-2×6 cable placed on top of an RTX 5090 Founders Edition graphics card

Nvidia’s RTX 5090 is facing early concerns as reports of melting 16-pin power connectors have emerged, evoking memories of the infamous RTX 4090 connector failures. Two separate incidents have surfaced, both pointing to potential issues with the GPU’s power delivery system, despite Nvidia’s efforts to prevent such problems with its updated 12V-2×6 connector standard.

According to The Verge, the first reported incident involved an RTX 5090 user on Reddit who noticed a burning smell while playing Battlefield 5, leading them to inspect their system. Upon closer examination, they discovered that their power cable had melted on both ends—where it connected to the graphics card and where it plugged into the power supply unit (PSU).

Read more
The RTX 5080 might prove its worth on upcoming gaming laptops
RTX 50 laptop prices.

With only a month to go before Nvidia’s new RTX 50-series equipped laptops go on sale, recent leaks have provided an early look at the performance of the RTX 5080 laptop GPU. According to a 3DMark Time Spy listing on Bilibili, the GPU seemingly offers a notable uplift in synthetic benchmarks compared to its predecessor, the RTX 4080.

The RTX 5080 scored 21,948 points in the 3DMark Time Spy graphics test, surpassing the RTX 4080’s average score of 17,601 points (as pointed out by Notebookcheck)—a 24% performance increase. Considering that the desktop variant of the RTX 5080 is about 10-15% more powerful than the desktop RTX 4080, the laptop variant seems to offer a considerably better uplift. At least, from what the early benchmark suggests. It also puts the RTX 5080 laptop in the same league as the RTX 4090 laptop.

Read more
Nvidia’s RTX 5090 isn’t melting power cables, but it sure looks that way
Damaged 12VHPWR cables due to improper seating

Hong Kong-based tech outlet PCM raised alarms after testing Nvidia’s RTX 5090D and RTX 5080, where it encountered two melted 16-pin power cables and a failed 1,200W power supply unit (PSU). With GPU power demands already a hot topic, fingers were quickly pointed at Nvidia’s newest graphics cards. However, a deeper investigation revealed that an old RTX 4090 Founders Edition (FE) was actually responsible for the meltdown.

Social media posts by PCM, spotted by UNIKO's Hardware, suggest that its testing likely involved an RTX 4090 Founders Edition (FE) before evaluating the RTX 50-series GPUs. While Nvidia has already updated the RTX 4090 FE’s power connector to the newer and safer 12V-2x6 standard, it’s possible that the unit still had the original, more failure-prone 12VHPWR connector.

Read more