Vendors safeguard 16-pin connector on RTX 5090 with thermal pads — helps dissipate excess heat

An interesting tidbit from TechPowerUp is that some custom RTX 5090 models feature thermal pads on the backside of the 16-pin power connector. The reason behind the decision is strictly a cautionary one to help with cooling. Melting 16-pin connectors last generation spooked many customers, which has prompted vendors to add extra security measures.

TechPowerUp has reviewed a slew of custom RTX 5090 models following today’s lifting of the embargo. At least Asus and MSI are taking a proactive approach to cooling the 16-pin power connector. The vendors have placed thermal pads on the backside of the connector, which will likely facilitate heat transfer to the metal backplate. The ROG Astral GeForce RTX 5090, GeForce RTX 5090 32G Suprim SOC, and GeForce RTX 5090 32G Suprim Liquid SOC have the thermal pad.

Nvidia was the first GPU maker to adopt the 16-pin power connector on a mainstream graphics card. The first revision, dubbed 12VHPWR, suffered from a critical flaw: an improper connection would increase resistance and heat, causing the connector to melt. As reports spread, PCI-SIG readied the 12V-2×6 revision, which had all the benefits of 12VHPWR minus the melting. Notably, the updated 12V-2×6 connector maintains temperatures well below dangerous levels even when partially inserted. The issue was also attributed to bent cables like the ones from Cablemod, which resulted in over $74,500 in property damage claims.

AIBs, including Zotac and MSI, have added several new features to their custom RTX 50 GPUs that allow users to ensure the cable is installed correctly. MSI’s new yellow-tipped cable acts as a visual cue; if you still see the yellow part after insertion, the cable isn’t seated correctly. Zotac’s approach is even more foolproof, preventing the GPU from powering if the cable is loose. Even Nvidia assured customers the RTX 50 series would unlikely melt despite a higher TDP.

We expect most, if not all, custom RTX 5090 models to ship with the 12V-2×6 connector. From what we saw at CES, AMD’s RX 9070 series is likely to stick with the standard 8-pin connector, and the same goes for Intel’s newly announced Battlemage GPUs. The primary benefits of a 16-pin connector are that GPUs can support higher TDPs and help reduce cable clutter. Although the standard has faced criticism for its initial design flaws, the RTX 50 series should be more reliable with all these measures.