The 16-pin ’12VHPWR’ cable used by Nvidia in the RTX 4090 and RTX 4080 graphics cards has a new chapter, while there are still cases of connectors that end up melting.
12VHPWR: Nvidia confirms two connector models for RTX 4090 and RTX 4080
The latest detail we know today is the discovery of two different connectors, which are being supplied with the RTX 4090 graphics cards. The two connectors have been photographed and can clarify the differences between them.
According to Nvidia’s Director of Engineering, Gabriele Gorla, it has been revealed that the two cables are supplied by two different manufacturers. One is made by Astron and the other by NTK. These two manufacturers are both located in Taiwan and conform to PCI-SIG standards. Meanwhile, Nvidia is still investigating the issue about this connector and the adapters that are being supplied with every RTX 4090 graphics card and will also be present on the RTX 4080.
“We are continuing to investigate the reports, however, we do not yet have more details to share. Nvidia and our partners are committed to supporting our customers and ensuring an expedited RMA process for them.”
Nvidia spokesperson via KitGuru
Looking a little closer, you can clearly see the differences.
The Astron cable comes with a dual-slot spring contact while the NTK cable comes with a single-slot spring contact. The single-slot spring allows for less resistance to being able to connect it. Whereas the NTK cable seems to require more force for proper engagement. They also conclude that the solder joints on the Astron cable are poorer and have a higher resistance.
Partners such as Zotac and Gigabyte are said to use the NTK cable, which seems to offer the highest quality. According to Igor’s Lab, the connector should not have a resistance of more than 2 ohms. However, we know that both cables have failed, but one might be more prone to failure than the other.
We know that Nvidia and PCI-SIG are working on a redesign of the connector, a redesign that is going to be released in December by PCI-SIG.
Lastly, according to Igor’s Lab, the RTX 4090 and RTX 4080 graphics cards are going to continue to use both manufacturers’ cables, while the RTX 4070 Ti would only use NTK’s. We’ll keep you posted.