Nvidia's China-Specific RTX 5090D Suffers Another 16-Pin Power Connector Meltdown

The Chinese-exclusive GeForce RTX 5090D, designed to compete with the best graphics cards available, has fallen prey to the notorious 16-pin (12VHPWR) power connector meltdown issue. This latest development, discovered by Uniko's Hardware, highlights ongoing concerns with Nvidia’s power connector design, even after the company introduced a revised 12V-2x6 connector. Two recent cases on the Baidu Tieba forum illustrate the continuing problem. One user reported that his Aorus GeForce RTX 5090D Master Ice performed satisfactorily for two months before the 16-pin power connector melted. The user was employing a native 16-pin power cable from his Segotep KL-1250G power supply. Segotep, a well-established Chinese manufacturer with over two decades of experience, produces the 1,250W, 80 Plus Gold efficiency-rated KL-1250G, which is compatible with the newer ATX 3.0 standard. Another user shared his experience with a Gainward GeForce RTX 5090D and an Asus ROG Loki power supply. Though he didn't specify the exact model of his power supply, he confirmed that he used the native 16-pin power cable. In this case, the 16-pin power connector melted on both the graphics card and the power supply side. Forum members were quick to critique the Segotep KL-1250G power supply in the first instance, noting its association with previous GeForce RTX 4090 meltdown reports. Despite Segotep's reputable status in the Chinese market, the quality of its products remains under scrutiny. In the second case, however, the use of an Asus ROG Loki power supply, known for its high quality, suggests that the issue may not solely be with the power supply but could also involve the graphics card itself. Various theories have been proposed to explain the 16-pin power connector meltdowns afflicting Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 40-series (codenamed Ada Lovelace) and GeForce RTX 50-series (codenamed Blackwell) graphics cards. One leading hypothesis is that Nvidia’s revised PCB designs for these series have inadvertently eliminated load sensing and balancing features. In contrast, the older GeForce RTX 30-series (codenamed Ampere) graphics cards, including the 450W TDP GeForce RTX 3090 Ti, retained these features and thus avoided similar connector failures. While the frequency of such reports has decreased, they continue to surface sporadically, causing ongoing concern among users and tech enthusiasts. The unpredictable timing of these malfunctions—from a few days after installation to several years later—further complicates troubleshooting efforts and erodes confidence in the reliability of these components. For those looking to stay updated on the latest developments in this saga and other tech news, following Tom's Hardware on Google News is recommended. This will ensure you receive up-to-date analysis and reviews directly in your news feed.