ASUS has confirmed that its GeForce RTX 5090 BTF Edition can draw nearly 1,900 W without any signs of overheating, thanks to a robust metal power connector that holds up under pressure. In a series of controlled stress tests led by Tony Yu, General Manager of ASUS China, the BTF v2.5 proprietary GC-HPWR connector remained well within safe temperature limits, outperforming the conventional plastic 16-pin 12VHPWR/12V-2x6 alternative. The latest Back-to-the-Future update introduces a detachable GC-HPWR adapter, giving users the flexibility to switch between ASUS's metal connector and the standard 16-pin plug. ASUS supplies a small extraction tool that makes it easy to swap connectors, overcoming the original design's limitation of a permanently attached GC-HPWR adapter and ensuring wider compatibility with existing motherboards, as well as non-BTF-supported boards.

In the first trial, the card drew approximately 670 W, roughly matching the RTX 5090's typical maximum, and the GC-HPWR connector stabilized between 30°C and 35°C over ten minutes. ASUS engineers rated the metal connector for up to 1,000 W continuous operation, and the results confirmed a comfortable safety margin for maximum load. Tony Yu even increased the draw to 1,300 W, yielding a peak connector temperature of 38°C. In a final extreme test, the load was set to 150 A, driving total consumption above 1,900 W. Even under these conditions, the metal connector held at about 41°C, while the power cables reached roughly 70°C, demonstrating the adapter's superior thermal performance. Yu's experiments also showed that the GC-HPWR and 16-pin connectors can share the power load. At a 200 A setting, each connector supplied around 1,200 W to 1,400 W from separate power lines. Although ASUS plans to ship retail RTX 5090 cards with a single connector, this test suggests a possible path for future ultra-high-power GPUs designed for extreme overclockers.

ASUS silently releases its first AMD B850 motherboard featuring the GC-HPWR connector, allowing it to deliver up to 600 W to a compatible graphics card without needing external cables. The TUF Gaming B850 BTF Wi-Fi W motherboard supports Ryzen 7000, 8000, and 9000 CPUs, including the latest 9950X3D, and offers all the typical features expected from a mid-tier AMD motherboard. On a quick look over main specifications, we can see it uses a 14+2+1 power stage design and an eight-layer PCB, supports DDR5 memory up to 8000 MT/s, PCIe 5.0 x16 with updated Q-Release system, one Gen 5 M.2 slot, ALC1220P audio, and BIOS flashback.

ASUS first created its Back to the Future (BTF) lineup with the intention of moving all motherboard connectors to the back of the PCB. While this makes installation and cable routing a bit more challenging, it results in a much tidier-looking motherboard and a cleaner overall system look without the usual mess of wires. BTF-compatible GPUs help eliminate power cables by replacing the standard 8-pin or 12VHPWR connectors with a metal plug at the end of the PCIe slot. ASUS is now bringing this connector to its more affordable B850 boards, which could help make this rare GPU power solution more common. As a BTF board, it hides all cable connectors on the front—even for GPU power as we said, you'll find the GC-HPWR connector at the end of the PCIe x16 slot, just below the RAM slots. However, you don't have to use this feature—the motherboard works fine with any modern graphics card, whether it relies on the new power option or standard connectors. That said, to achieve a completely cable-free setup, you'll need to pair it with one of ASUS's BTF graphics cards. This currently limits you to the RTX 40-series, as ASUS has yet to release any 50-series BTF cards. The fact that ASUS is adding this new type of connector to midrange motherboards could suggest that it plans to expand the BTF lineup in the future. ASUS didn't reveal pricing or any release date information for the TUF Gaming B850 BTF Wi-Fi W motherboard.

The 90° WireView Pro GPU offers the same functionality as the already available Pro variant. As the name implies, the 90° version changes the cable routing, as the 90° WireView Pro GPU acts as a right-angle adapter. This means that the 12VHPWR cable from the power supply is directed toward the case floor from the front of the GPU (when the GPU is installed horizontally).

As usual, the 90° WireView Pro GPU will be available in both "N" and "R" versions, allowing users to match the orientation of the GPU's 12VHPWR connector. Due to its design, the 90° WireView Pro GPU is not compatible with all GPU models and series. This is primarily due to the size of various cooler designs and the position of the 12VHPWR connector on the GPU's PCB.

A monitoring adapter prototype for NVIDIA's problematic 12VHPWR/12V-2x6 power connectors has surfaced in Asian markets, potentially offering RTX 5090 owners a stopgap solution amid ongoing concerns about thermal issues and power delivery weaknesses. The prototype features a circuit board with individually routed +12V lines through shunt resistors, enabling precise current measurement across each power line while maintaining ground and sense pin functionality. The adapter incorporates voltage monitoring capabilities and an apparent alarm function designed to trigger during overload conditions. A USB port is present on the board for user-accessible data output to a custom display. Notably, the current design iteration appears to omit temperature monitoring functionality, focusing exclusively on current distribution metrics.

These monitoring solutions merely detect rather than resolve the fundamental design issues reportedly affecting NVIDIA's high-end graphics cards. NVIDIA has maintained silence regarding the reported thermal issues and power supply inconsistencies affecting their flagship GeForce RTX 5090 cards despite growing user concerns about connector safety and performance stability. The emergence of third-party monitoring solutions proves the demand for greater transparency regarding power delivery characteristics, particularly for cards operating at extreme power limits. The RTX 5090, with its factory power limit of 600 W, represents the most power-hungry GPU, getting its massive power through a single 12V-2x6 connector interface.

Just when you thought you'd seen everything, a Taobao seller has unleashed what might be the most over-engineered power connector solution yet: a 16-pin 12VHPWR power adapter complete with its own cooling fan and real-time monitoring display. Yes, you read that right—we're now actively cooling power connectors. The $30 adapter appears as manufacturers continue struggling with melting cable problems on NVIDIA's RTX 4090 series, despite the company's claims of resolving the issue. The adapter includes an LCD screen showing real-time temperature and power consumption readings, while its 180-degree design prevents sharp cable bends that are often blamed for connection problems. However, unlike more comprehensive solutions proposed by engineering experts, it doesn't address the fundamental issue of uneven power distribution across the connector's 12 power wires.

The adapter works with RTX 4090, 4080, and 4070 graphics cards. Still, it shouldn't be used with newer RTX 50 series cards, as the sales listing doesn't mention any GeForce RTX 50 series compatibility, and the latest "Blackwell" GPU design uses an updated 12V-2x6 power connector, which still appears riddled with issues. While adding a fan to a power connector may seem excessive, an intriguing possibility is that we may soon find water-cooler power connectors for the newer 12V-2x6, so users can prevent their $2000 NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 GPUs from melting their power connectors. Irony aside, power delivery safety is a growing concern, and no clear resolution exists. NVIDIA has reassured users in the past that these problems are now solved, but the issues are piling up as more users get ahold of their RTX 5090 GPUs.

MODDIY has swiftly updated its Help Center site with new guidelines, following recent reports of one of its older 12VHPWR cable designs having a high temperature disagreement with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Founders Edition card and ASUS ROG Loki SFX-L power supply unit. The company's newest batch of (2025) 12V-2X6 and 12VHPWR are manufactured with the latest specifications and standards in mind, thus given the all-clear for utilization with NVIDIA's recently introduced GeForce RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 graphics cards. Any products from the 2024 production cycle (and before) are deemed safe to use with the GeForce RTX 40-series, but not "officially" valid for anything newer.

The company's renewed guidelines state: "as of 2025, the industry standard has transitioned to 12V-2X6, replacing the previous 12VHPWR standard. Our new cables incorporate significant advancements, including enhanced terminal and connector housing materials, along with thicker wires, to provide an additional safety buffer for the latest GPUs. At MODDIY, all 12VHPWR / 12V-2X6 cables purchased from 2025 onward are manufactured in accordance with the new 12V-2X6 specifications and standards, ensuring compatibility and optimal performance with the RTX50 series GPUs. Prior to 2024, the RTX50 series GPUs had not yet been introduced, and the prevailing standard was 12VHPWR. All cables produced before this period were designed and tested for use with the RTX40 series GPUs. We recommend that all users upgrade to the new 12V-2X6 cables to take full advantage of the enhanced safety and performance features offered by this new standard." They believe that their messily-named "ATX 3.1 PCIe 5.1 H++ 12V-2X6 675 W 12VHPWR 16 Pin Power Cable" premium custom tailor-made model is the best candidate for Team Green's modern generation of gaming cards.

NVIDIA's high-TDP flagship GPU, the GeForce RTX 5090, appears to cause additional headaches for users, not including the high power bill. According to a Reddit user, we now have the first documented case of a melted power connector on NVIDIA's flagship GeForce RTX 5090 Founders Edition, reigniting concerns over high-wattage GPU safety from the last generation. While playing Battlefield 5, Reddit user ivan6953 detected a burning odor and immediately shut down their system, only to discover severe damage to both the RTX 5090's 12V-2×6 connector and their ASUS ROG Loki SFX-L PSU. The user had employed a Moddiy 12VHPWR cable, marketed as ATX 3.0/PCIe 5.0-compliant and rated for RTX 5090's 600 watts of power. Despite claims of secure installation—audible clicks at both ends—the cable melted at 500-520 W load, charring connectors on the GPU and PSU.

Notably, the same cable had powered an RTX 4090 FE for two years without issue. NVIDIA's RTX 5090 FE ships with a redesigned adapter featuring a longer, more flexible cable and an angled connector to reduce strain in compact builds. NVIDIA asserts that no incidents have occurred with its bundled adapter, emphasizing compliance with the updated 12V-2×6 standard, which shortens sensing pins to prevent power flow if connections loosen. Hence, an older connector can not provide 100% secure usage despite the user thinking that the sensing pins are touching properly.

Late last month, NVIDIA claimed that 16-pin power connector issues were a thing of the past. The controversial 12VHPWR connection standard has fueled many online debates—prompting investigations from several prominent press outlets. Following NVIDIA's latest "safety" declaration—likely by coincidence—PCM Hong Kong reported another melting incident, affecting two cables and a power supply unit. The publication's hardware reviewer was recently engaged in the "full-load" testing of GeForce RTX 5090D and RTX 5080 graphics cards. Last week's evaluation session was interrupted by notable test system instabilities—upon downing tools, the PCM staffer discovered that their 1200 W PSU had given up the ghost. Additionally, two 16-pin cables had melted at both ends—initial detective work pointed to a GeForce RTX 4090 sample card being the main culprit.

VideoCardz and UNIKO's Hardware kept close tabs on PCM's next steps—online interactions, over the past weekend, spurred a re-evaluation of circumstances. According to PCM's latest update, they noticed burn marks on the GeForce RTX 4090 test unit—the two GeForce RTX-50-series cards did not exhibit any physical damage. Post-analysis, the reviewer now suspects that an SSD failure could be the root cause. They were happy to report that all involved RTX cards have survived, and that their test platform has been re-equipped with 12V-2x6 cables. An amended VideoCardz article proposes that everything came down to a simple human error.

NVIDIA's flagship GeForce RTX 5090 demonstrated flexibility in power compatibility, while its sibling, the RTX 5080, struggled with stricter requirements. Recent tests by a German tech outlet, ComputerBase, reveal that the RTX 5090 can operate with three 8-pin PCI power connectors instead of the recommended four, albeit with a performance trade-off. However, the RTX 5080 fails to boot when using only two 8-pin connectors. The RTX 5090, with a default TDP of 575 W, officially requires a 600 W 12V-2×6 connector or an adapter with four 8-pin PCI cables. However, tests on the ASUS ROG RTX 5090 Astral and Zotac RTX 5090 Solid show the GPU boots even with three 8-pin cables, capping its TDP at 450 W—matching the three connectors' 150 W-per-cable spec. Performance losses are modest: benchmarks indicate a 5% drop in average FPS at 450 W compared to full power.

In contrast, the RTX 5080's 360 W TDP proves less forgiving. Attempts to run the Founders Edition and Zotac RTX 5080 AMP Extreme Infinity with two 8-pin connectors (300 W total) resulted in failure: the screen remained blank, and the card refused to initialize. NVIDIA's firmware appears to lack a lower power-limit threshold for the RTX 5080, unlike the 5090, which automatically adjusts when detecting insufficient power delivery. This requirement forces users to adhere strictly to the three 8-pin or 12V-2×6 power connectors. While the RTX 5090 offers flexibility for users upgrading from older systems, the RTX 5080's limitations may frustrate owners of less powerful PSUs. For the RTX 5090, the 5% performance penalty at 450 W may be a reasonable trade-off for avoiding costly PSU upgrades, but RTX 5080 users have no such recourse. Verifying power supply compatibility, as underpowered setups risk instability or hardware damage, is a must, and when your $2000+ GPU runs, you should at least power it properly. This experiment is more a "for science" type of run.

During a recent press event in South Korea, NVIDIA addressed concerns about power connector safety for their upcoming RTX 5090 graphics card. The new GPU will consume 575 watts of power, marking a massive 225-watt increase from its predecessor, the RTX 4090. The previous generation RTX 4090 faced significant issues with melting 12VHPWR power connectors, especially with third-party adapters, where incomplete connections led to overheating and connector damage. When questioned about potential risks with the RTX 5090's higher power draw, NVIDIA representatives stated they've implemented an updated 12V-2×6 power connector across the RTX 50 series. Unlike the 12VHPWR 16-pin connector, the new 12V-2x6 has sense pins having recessed further back to ensure proper contact before the GPU can request higher power outputs.

"It is expected that such issues will not occur with the RTX 50 series," a company representative explained during the Q&A session. "After about two years, we believe these problems have been resolved." While the company maintains that user error was the leading cause of failures, the extended timeframe required for developing and shipping revised connectors raised questions about the initial design's reliability. Despite NVIDIA's assurances, the RTX 5090's exceptional power requirements could potentially amplify any unexpected technical issues. The company's previous experience showed that problems became more pronounced in cards with higher power demands, as demonstrated by the RTX 4090 having more incidents than the lower-powered RTX 4080 series. So, more power means more trouble, but the company has worked on it to ensure no future problems arise.

MSI is preparing a new selection of yellow-tipped 16-pin power adapters—as reported by VideoCardz earlier today—for inclusion with certain GeForce RX 50 series "Blackwell" GPU-based graphics card models. An official announcement has not been released—regarding the latest color coding for power connectors—but new product photos have appeared on the MSI website. The yellow sections provide a clear "visual guide" when hooking the relevant adapter up to a graphics card—full insertion is achieved when the yellow tip is fully obscured by its surroundings. MSI's latest image uploads indicate that dual 8-pin to single 16-pin adapters will likely be bundled with MSI's GeForce RTX 5070 models. The RTX 5070 Ti and 5080 product tiers will be getting three 8-pin ended adapters. A very busy-looking 4-way splitter is seemingly reserved for flagship GeForce RTX 5090 cards.

The MAG GL PSU series debuted back in 2023, featuring a similarly-tinted "dual color" safety measure—based on customer and community feedback. At the time, MSI stated that it had reacted to: "reported cases of power supply connectors being burnt when paired with high-end graphics cards. We've identified the main reason: the connectors not being plugged in properly and the connector pins suffering from fall outs. With this new cable, we successfully tackle both issues head-on." Manufacturers have continued to release new products that utilize the "problematic" 12VHPWR standard, even years after the introduction of a successor: 12V-2x6. NVIDIA and several of its board partners are reported to be sticking with the first iteration PCIe Gen 5 16-pin connector for upcoming GeForce RTX 50-series graphics cards. The TechPowerUp team inspected ZOTAC's new 12WHPWR "Safety Light" feature at the recently concluded CES trade event—a visual warning will be displayed in the event of a connection problem being detected.

ASUS today announced its NVIDIA GeForce RTX 50 Series graphics cards, including the all-new ROG Astral line that ushers in a new generation of performance. The ROG Astral series combines top-tier frame rates and a sleek, stellar design, with both air-cooled and liquid-cooled variants ready to power a user's next PC.

Powered by NVIDIA Blackwell, GeForce RTX 50 Series GPUs bring game-changing capabilities to gamers and creators, Equipped with a massive level of AI horsepower, the RTX 50 Series enables new experiences and next-level graphics fidelity. Users can multiply performance with NVIDIA DLSS 4, generate images at unprecedented speed, and unleash creativity with NVIDIA Studio. Plus, they can access NVIDIA NIM microservices—state-of-the-art AI models that let enthusiasts and developers build AI assistants, agents, and workflows with peak performance on NIM-ready systems.

The WireView Pro GPU was developed in collaboration with Jon "elmor" Sandström, a renowned hardware R&D engineer, extreme overclocker, and founder of Elmor Labs, to introduce new functionalities. To better protect the graphics card from potential damage, the Pro version of the WireView includes sensor pin detection that recognizes whether the 12V-2x6 power connector is correctly plugged into the power supply.

Another new feature is the temperature sensors on the PCB of the WireView Pro GPU, which measure the temperature at the power connectors. Users can set a threshold via the WireView Pro GPU, which triggers an acoustic alarm when exceeded. Additionally, an alarm can be set to trigger when a defined current level is exceeded. The WireView Pro GPU also includes two additional temperature sensors that can be connected to monitor, for example, the temperature of the graphics card's memory or voltage regulators.

NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang never misses an opportunity to remind us that Moore's Law is cooked, and that future generations of logic hardware will only get larger and hotter, or hungrier for power. NVIDIA's next generation "Blackwell" graphics architecture promises to bring certain architecture-level performance/Watt improvements, coupled with the node-level performance/Watt improvements from the switch to the TSMC 4NP (4 nm-class) node. Even so, the GeForce RTX 5090, or the part that succeeds the current RTX 4090, will be a power hungry GPU, with rumors suggesting the need for two 16-pin power inputs.

TweakTown reports that the RTX 5090 could come with two 16-pin power connectors, which should give the card the theoretical ability to pull 1200 W (continuous). This doesn't mean that the GPU's total graphics power (TGP) is 1200 W, but a number close to or greater than 600 W, which calls for two of these connectors. Even if the TGP is exactly 600 W, NVIDIA would want to deploy two inputs, to spread the load among two connectors, and improve physical resilience of the connector. It's likely that both connectors will have 600 W input capability, so end-users don't mix up connectors should one of them be 600 W and the other keyed to 150 W or 300 W.

GIGABYTE introduced the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER WindForce MAX graphics card. It is characterized by an oversized air cooling solution that gives it some large dimensions of 33.1 cm length, 5.55 cm thickness (3 slots), but more importantly, a height of 13.6 cm, which could pose a challenge for those with mid-tower cases, given the tight cable bending restrictions of the 12VHPWR connector. GIGABYTE found a novel solution to this problem. The power connector is located pointing toward the tail end of the card, where the PCB terminates. The PCB is only two-thirds the length of the card, and so the power cable can be routed in without any bends.

The WindForce cooling solution features a trio of 100 mm fans that ventilate a large aluminium fin-stack heatsink with nine copper heatpipes, and a direct-touch base. GIGABYTE has given the card a factory overclock of 2655 MHz GPU clocks, compared to 2610 MHz reference, while leaving the memory untouched at 21 Gbps. The card offers dual-BIOS, with the default BIOS enabling these clock speeds, and the Silent BIOS lowering them to reference speeds, while quietening the cooler. Based on the 5 nm AD103 silicon, the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER is endowed with 8,448 CUDA cores, 66 RT cores, 264 Tensor cores, 96 ROPs, and 264 TMUs. The GPU gets 16 GB of 21 Gbps GDDR6X memory across a 256-bit wide memory interface. The company didn't reveal pricing.

ASUS launched the Prime Series of GeForce RTX 40-series "Ada" graphics cards that meet NVIDIA's new SFF-Ready specification that sets 304 mm x 151 mm x 50 mm (length x height x thickness) as the maximum dimensions for a graphics card to qualify. What's interesting, is that NVIDIA intended for the SFF-Ready standard to apply to performance-segment and enthusiast-class GPUs (RTX 4070 SUPER and up), however, ASUS has designed the Prime series for the RTX 4060 Ti, RTX 4070, and RTX 4070 SUPER; there are no cards in the series based on the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER or the RTX 4080 SUPER, yet.

ASUS is using a common board design for its RTX 4070 SUPER, RTX 4070, and RTX 4060 Ti Prime series graphics cards, which measures 269 mm x 120 mm x 50 mm, while the heatsink and PCB underneath the cooler shroud may vary between the RTX 4070/SUPER and the RTX 4060 Ti cards. The cooler uses a trio of 70 mm fans to ventilate an aluminium fin-stack heatsink, much of the airflow from the third fan goes through the heatsink and back out from a large cutout in the backplate. The RTX 4070 and RTX 4060 Ti cards use single 8-pin PCIe power inputs, while the RTX 4070 SUPER uses a 16-pin 12VHPWR input. There are a total of six SKUs, two per GPU, one of which sticks to the NVIDIA reference clock speeds, and the other being an OC SKU with a minor factory overclock.

Lian Li was also keen to show us its unique EDGE PSU series which features a dual-chamber chassis with L-shaped design that allow easier and more direct access for cable connection. The Lian Li EDGE PSU series will be available in 850 W, 1,000 W, and 1,300 W power output versions, with a special EG850 Mesh version with removable fan grill that allows easier cleaning. In addition to all the usual connectors, the Lian Li EDGE PSU lineup also comes with a built-In USB2.0 Hub.

The entire Lian Li EDGE PSU series is rated at 80 Plus Platinum efficiency, except for the EG850 Mesh which is 80 Plus Gold certified and should be the first one available. Bear in mind that the EG850 Mesh has slightly different specifications, but we'll confirm these as it becomes available or comes to our review testbed. The entire series is fully modular with sleeved cables and cable combs. Lian Li is using a new 12VHPWR connector design with more durable contact points for each pin, as well as high-quality electrolytic capacitors. In case you are wondering, the precise dimensions are 182x86x150 mm and as showcased at the event, Lian Li will have both black and white color options for some models.

Akasa brought an interesting set of new gear from its diverse portfolio of PC hardware to Computex 2024. The star attraction is the elegant Hawking series fanless case. The silver-aluminium variant is a work of art. The Hawking series is designed for ASUS NUC motherboards with 28-35 W Core i3 chips. It features a solid copper baseplate to pull heat from the SoC, with a series of heat pipes pushing it to the body, which doubles up as an extruded aluminium heatsink. Akasa also showcased several smaller fanless cases under the Maze and Gem series, for Raspberry Pi 4.

Next up, Akasa showed us a couple of slick aluminium portable SSD enclosures that feature 40 Gbps USB4 connectivity. You simply install an M.2-2280 SSD, a bridge chip has a PCIe Gen 3 x4 connection for this drive on one end, and the 40 Gbps USB4 interface on the other. A single type-C cable is used for both power and host connectivity. Among the various connectivity accessories showcased was a 5 Gbps Ethernet NIC with CAT-6a, based on a Realtek controller.

CE LINK LIMITED ("CE-LINK"), a leading manufacturer of consumer electronics, is thrilled to announce the launch of its revolutionary SFX power supply, setting new benchmarks in both performance and compactness. Engineered to elevate gaming and IT experiences, this latest innovation from CE-LINK stands as the most compact SFX power supply in its category, delivering an impressive maximum output of 1000 W. From April 11-14, visit booth 3A-02 in Hall 3 of the AsiaWorld-Expo to experience this game-changer at the upcoming Global Sources Electronic Show in Hong Kong.

This product features exceptional compactness and outstanding performance. With its small size, measuring just 125x100x63.5 mm, this SFX power supply offers a powerful output, delivering up to 1000 W of maximum power. It is designed to fit seamlessly into any setup, whether it be an ATX or ITX gaming chassis. Additionally, versions with 850 W and 750 W capacities are available to meet various power requirements.

Graphics card enthusiasts with a thing for earthy green hues, will likely appreciate Manli's latest products—its Gallardo graphics card range has expanded with two new models. The Asian and European market-focused manufacturer has already unleashed "refreshed" models that utilize NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 40-series SUPER GPUs, but the newest entries sport a revised signature green flagship "Gallardo" design. VideoCardz has pored over the small details—it turns out that Manli has produced a slimmer profile: "perhaps something that is not obvious is that Manli has introduced the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER Gallardo already. The new version marks a second revision, featuring an entirely different aesthetic compared to its predecessor. The most important change is that it no longer occupies a 3.5-slot space." Manli has evidently put together a "much slimmer 2-slot version" under a "M3604+N693" moniker.

The non-Ti model is likely coming out soon, but Manli has not yet announced official pricing or launch date details for their newly redesigned Gallardo Ada Lovelace cards—official product pages were created last week. Despite flagship status, VideoCardz notes that Manli has not implemented any factory overclocking—the Gallardo range is often associated with: "system integrators like Sycom for further customization." The spec sheet advertises integrated LED lighting with seven available color cycles, four 6 mm copper heat pipes with segmented heatsinks, and a metal backplate for reinforcement and protective purposes.

Online hardware communities continue to discuss the 12VHPWR connection standard's troubled existence, while revised technology gets worked on—quietly—in the background. PCI-SIG's 12V-2x6 connector was first revealed last summer, signalling an alternative power delivery method for high-wattage graphics cards. Past TPU reports show that the 12V-2x6 16-pin design has already popped up on select NVIDIA Founders Edition cards, GeForce RTX 40 SUPER custom graphics card designs, and various new generation power supplies. Earlier today, Алексей (AKA wxnod) took to social media and posted an image of the freshly deshrouded "H++" 12V-2x6 (total design limit: 675 W) socket, as well as a shot of the familiar "H+" 12VHPWR (max. 600 W).

This fifth generation socket design largely rolled out with Team Green's GeForce RTX-40 SUPER card series, although wxnod notes that exceptions do exist: "Some AIC GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER, 4070 Ti SUPER and 4080 SUPER cards are still using the H+12VHPWR interface." The H++ identified 12V-2x6 design's power limit peaks at 675 W—a technical breakdown from last July revealed that 75 W comes from the expansion slot, while the big 600 W portion flows through the 16-pin connector. As mentioned before, 12V-2x6 debuted on a few Non-SUPER cards back in 2023, but last month's SUPER series product launch marked a more comprehensive rollout. AMD has indicated that it is considering an adoption of Gen 5 H++ in the future, but we have not heard much on that subject since last August. A new generation 16-pin PCIe 6.0 power connector design was linked to the upcoming NVIDIA RTX 50-series of "Blackwell" GPUs, but Hardware Busters has refuted rumors generated by Moore's Law is Dead. Team Green is expected to remain faithful to "H++" 12V-2x6 with the launch of next generation graphics cards.

LIAN LI Industrial Co. Ltd., a leading chassis and PC accessories manufacturer, premieres the LIAN LI 2024 DIGITAL EXPO at 9 am EST on YouTube. In this 2-part video, LIAN LI shares updates on prototype cases, a standing desk, and unveils new concepts for an all-in-one cooler and power supply. The prototypes include the SUP-01, the case that experiments with a front GPU layout, the DAN Cases A3 M-ATX case, and the O11 VISION BACK CONNECT. LIAN LI also unveils the GALAHAD II LCD SHIFT, an AIO that minimizes the tubing, the EDGE Series PSU, a new form factor power supply that solves cable access in dual chamber cases, and the DK-07, a new standing desk with new features. The LIAN LI 2024 DIGITAL EXPO will be followed by a roundtable discussion hosted by Jameson Chen, CEO at LIAN LI, with YouTube influencers Stuart Tonks from GGF Events, Justin Robey from Robytech, and PCMR's founder Pedro Valadas.

The SUP-01, a compact 45-liter case, reimagines the PC layout with a front-positioned graphics card and innovative cooling. Equipped with airflow-optimized mesh panels, it surpasses the LANCOOL 216 in cooling performance. The GPU's unique placement optimizes cooling without sacrificing aesthetics and is supported by adjustable brackets. The airflow configuration strategically utilizes GPU fans and rear fans as intakes, and right-side fans as exhausts, ensuring optimal GPU and CPU cooling. The main chamber accommodates motherboard sizes up to ATX, pre-mounted PCIe 4.0 riser cable, and features clearance for 280 to 360 mm AIOs. Storage options include two SSDs or 3.5" HDDs, a removable drive cage, and magnetic dust filters to maintain system cleanliness. The price is set to be $149.99.

CableMod issued a statement—just before the last Christmas holiday—detailing a safety recall of 16-pin 12VHPWR angled adapters, version 1.0 and 1.1. This announcement received widespread media coverage (at least in tech circles), but some unfortunate customers have not yet received the memo about faulty adapters—CableMod's 90° angled and 180° hard connectors can overheat and in worst case scenarios, actually melt. HotHardware, amusingly named given this context, was the first hardware news outlet to notice that the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) had published a "GPU Angled Adapter" recall notice to its website earlier today, under "Recall number 24-112."

The US government body's listing outlines aforementioned hazardous conditions, along with an estimated 25,300 affected unit count. The CPSC's recommended "Remedy" advice is as follows: "Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled angled adapters and contact CableMod for instructions on how to safely remove their adapter from the GPU and for a full refund, including cost of shipping, or a $60 store credit for non-customized products, with free standard shipping. Consumers will be asked to destroy the adapter and upload a photo of the destroyed product to cablemod.com/adapterrecall/. The instructions on how to safely remove the adapter are also located on that site. Once destroyed, consumers should discard the adapter in accordance with local laws." The Safety Commission has gathered some customer feedback intelligence on this matter: "The firm (CableMod Ltd., of China) has received 272 reports of the adapters becoming loose, overheating and melting into the GPU, with at least $74,500 in property damage claims in the United States. No injuries have been reported."

Palit has kind of gone against the 12VHPWR grain with its GeForce RTX 4080 Super GamingPro OC graphics card—PC SIG's 16-pin power connector is the default standard for the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 40 series, but an outbreak of technical snafus has caused many to question the format's future. A new 12V-2x6 connection standard is touted as 12VHPWR's natural successor, but PC parts manufacturers continue to produce products that utilize the latter. HXL discovered a MaxSun custom GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER design that sported two completely bog standard 8-pin PCIe power connectors (in lieu of 12VHPWR), but a follow up report indicates that the Chinese board partner has scrubbed the offending item from its web presences.

Jisakuhibi Japan's review of the Palit GeForce RTX 4080 Super GamingPro OC model included close-up shots of the card's PCB—the publication's social media account noted an intriguing yet empty section: "(Palit's) board seems to be able to natively set the auxiliary power supply to PCIe 8-pin x 2 instead of 12VHPWR." The unoccupied area sits just south-east of the standard 12VHPWR connector—the provisional positioning of pin holes suggests that Palit's PCB could be designed for a separate professional graphics card solution. The company is unlikely to divulge its original intent with the placement of older auxiliary power connectors—ultimately 12VHPWR is the way forward.

PC power supply manufacturer Seasonic has introduced a new limited-edition variant of its Vertex 1000 W 80+ Gold certified modular power supply featuring an eye-catching design inspired by cherry blossoms. Dubbed the "Vertex Sakura," this specially-themed PSU sports a clean white color scheme with pink Sakura flower graphics and a unique textured paint finish. The Vertex Sakura caters specifically to PC enthusiasts and case modders in Japan who want to build a themed rig coordinated around the colors and aesthetic of traditional Japanese cherry blossoms. It offers the same fully modular cabling as the standard Vertex 1000 W model, allowing builders flexibility in cable management.

The PSU also meets the latest ATX 3.0 specifications, including a 12VHPWR connector to support next-generation high-wattage GPUs. Seasonic showcased the Vertex Sakura 1000 W unit at 30,000 yen (around $200 USD) in Japan, where retailers recommend interested buyers preorder as soon as possible due to limited availability. Specific regional launch details outside of Japan are still forthcoming. But the Vertex Sakura's blend of technical prowess and stunning cherry blossom visual flair will likely attract global attention from PC builders looking to add an extra touch of style to their high-end systems.