Imagine finally getting your hands on the coveted RTX 5090 graphics card, only to find it reduced to an expensive piece of unusable metal due to a melted power cable. This nightmare became a reality for one unlucky Reddit user, stirring memories of past issues with melting cables. Initially, it seemed like the culprit was a third-party cable, leading many to point fingers at user error. However, this theory might not be as cut-and-dry as originally thought.
Renowned technology expert Der8auer reached out to the user in question to investigate this disaster. Upon inspecting both the charred graphics card and its battered cables, it became evident that the problem was more complex. The connectors were not just melted; they were entirely burned out, implicating an extraordinary surge of electricity.
Der8auer’s analysis revealed that only one wire in the 12V-2×6 cable suffered the damage, suggesting an uneven distribution of power, with one wire carrying a staggering 260 Watts (or 22 Amperes) — far exceeding the safe recommendation of 5-6 Amperes. This anomaly was supported by thermal imaging that highlighted a dangerous hotspot exceeding 100 degrees near the power supply unit. Such findings imply that even manufacturer-provided cables are vulnerable to similar failures.
While this discovery points to potential issues in how the RTX 5090 manages power consumption, it’s important to note this is currently a single reported case. As intriguing as these findings are, they call for further investigation rather than immediate uproar. With Nvidia yet to release an official statement, they might be focused on addressing other reported issues, such as black screen problems emerging from recent driver updates.
For now, the situation remains an isolated incident, but it highlights the need for vigilance and caution among RTX 5090 owners as more information comes to light.
