A shocking incident has raised alarm bells within the gaming community. An NVIDIA RTX 5090 16-pin power connector caught fire, leaving the component unrecognizable. Issues with connector melting have been reported before, but this case stands out due to the severe damage caused.
NVIDIA RTX 5090 Power Connector Catastrophe
While melting 16-pin power connectors isn’t unheard of, this instance marks one of the most extreme cases. The connector didn’t just melt; it was completely charred, rendering it indistinguishable. A Reddit user, u/nmp14fayl, shared that after nine months of use, his RTX 5090 GPU failed dramatically on Christmas Eve, with the connector not only burning but also severely damaging the GPU’s connector.
Investigating the Damage
The Redditor further explained that despite using an ATX 3.1-compliant PSU (PowerSpec 1050 GFM) with a native 12V-2×6 power cable, the failure occurred. The use of MSI’s 16-pin adapter was not a factor in this incident. Images reveal no sharp bends near the connector, but it remains unclear if the photos were taken with the GPU installed or after removal.
The damage extended to the AIO tubing, which also displayed burn marks. The user did not attempt to remove the cable from the GPU connector, suspecting it might be fused. He plans to seek assistance at Micro Center, where he initially purchased the PC. Fortunately, the PSU and other components seem to remain intact.