What Should I Know About NVIDIA GPU Connector Issues and Which Cables To Avoid?

The short answer is that all the recent high-end NVIDIA GPUs use the 12vhpwr connector which has been linked to overdraw and burning issues, mostly because the connector can sometimes not be fully plugged in. This leads to too much current going through a small number of pins, causing heat damage. 8-pin connectors are basically gone on these cards because board partners can’t use them anymore. So if you want to avoid this risk, you either pick AMD GPUs or make sure to triple-check your connector seating and cable handling. Good cable management and monitoring can really help minimize risks.

Honestly, you can’t really avoid the 12v high power connector if you’re going with one of the newer NVIDIA cards. The ones that are known to have these burn issues are mostly the 4080, 4090, 5070, 5080, and 5090 models since they require more power. If you want to dodge these connectors, your only alternative is AMD GPUs. But if you’re sticking with NVIDIA, just be careful with how you handle the power cable—make sure it’s fully seated and don’t bend it awkwardly.

The main culprit is that new 12vhpwr connector which sometimes doesn’t seat fully, leading to uneven current distribution across the pins and causing overheating or burning. This issue mostly happens with high-powered GPUs like the RTX 4090 or 5090. Some ASUS Astral cards add sensors to monitor current on each pin so you can catch issues early, but that’s kinda pricey and won’t prevent the problem outright. Also, NVIDIA isn’t allowing 8-pin connectors on their high-end cards anymore, so avoiding the 12vhpwr completely isn’t an option if you want an RTX 40 series GPU. Your best bet is to double-check that the connector is fully plugged in and avoid stressing the cable too much.