[GameSpot] - Redditors Are Convinced New RTX 4090 Power Cords Are Melting Down

[343iBot]

Nvidia's GeForce RTX 4090 is a graphical behemoth, but some Redditors are reporting that its 16-pin power adapter may have a fatal flaw. User reggie_bakil posted a photo of a melted RTX 4090 power cord to the unofficial Nvidia subreddit this week, with another user stating that they experienced similar damage.

Nvidia introduced a new 16-pin power connector with the RTX 3090 Ti, and its top-of-the-line cards all use the connector. However, some users have expressed concerns that the 12VHPWR connector will not join cleanly with ATX 3.0 power supplies if the cable is bent or curved too close to the connector itself. Given that most PC cases are fairly crowded these days, this can be difficult (if not impossible) to achieve with certain builds.

According to The Verge, YouTuber JayzTwoCents contacted Nvidia with concerns over the connector, but Nvidia replied he was "worrying about issues that don't exist." If you're concerned about these potential issues, you can ditch the Nvidia adapter altogether for a single cable with two 8-pin power connectors. Corsair and Be Quiet both sell their own versions of this cable, though they are both currently experiencing supply shortages due to these issues.

Nvidia has reached out to both these users for more information, telling The Verge that it is "investigating the reports." While the RTX 4090 is extraordinarily powerful, some have expressed shock over this GPU generation's steep prices, with the 4090 coming in at a once-unthinkable $1600. Following their unveiling, Nvidia chose to "unlaunch" the RTX 4080 12GB due to its "confusing name." Consumers complained about the $900 price of the 12GB version when tests revealed that it ran slower than last generation's 3090 Ti.

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