New NVIDIA Issues: 16-Pin Connectors Melting Even on the RTX 5080
Arkadiy Andrienko
A surge of alarming reports is circulating online regarding power delivery issues on NVIDIA’s flagship RTX 5080 and RTX 5090 graphics cards. This time, the incident struck the RTX 5080: Reddit user Ambitious_Ladder1320 discovered that the 16-pin 12VHPWR connector on the ASUS ROG Loki power supply had melted. Notably, while the graphics card remained unharmed, the system automatically switched to an emergency mode — lowering the screen resolution and reverting the GPU to a PCI-E x3 lane—indicating a critical failure in the power chain.
In just one week, this is the second high-profile case involving the RTX 5000 series. Previously, a similar scenario occurred with the RTX 5090, where overheating damaged both the cable and the connector on the graphics card. An investigation by enthusiasts, including renowned overclocker Der8auer, revealed that the issue stems from load redistribution: certain wires within the 12VHPWR cable are pushed beyond their rated capacity, causing them to overheat. However, in this new incident, the weak link turned out to be the power supply—not the GPU—casting doubt on the reliability of not just the connectors, but the entire power delivery architecture.
Experts point out that the Loki is marketed as a premium solution, which makes these incidents particularly worrisome. An anonymous former engineer from Gigabyte and Intel criticized NVIDIA and its partners for their approach to safety. According to him, the advertised 600W capacity of the cables is merely marketing hype, while the true safe limit is closer to 375W.
Until NVIDIA and power supply manufacturers issue official statements, enthusiasts recommend that you:
- Use only the original cables provided with your power supply.
- Avoid using extension cables and adapters.
- Monitor connector temperatures with software (for example, the ASUS GPU Safety Indicator).
- Immediately shut down your system if you detect a burning smell or notice any change in GPU performance.