Replace 10/26/2022 6:15 pm PT
Gigabyte has despatched Redditor reggie_gakil (opens in new tab) a alternative for his GeForce RTX 4090 Gaming OC. Subsequent, the broken graphics card and melted energy adapter will make their technique to Nvidia for inspection.
In the meantime, a fifth GeForce RTX 4090 proprietor has come ahead on Reddit (opens in new tab) to report the same meltdown on his energy adapter. He by chance found it when disconnecting his Asus TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 4090 OC Version to put in his newly acquired Core i9-13900K Raptor Lake processor.
The Redditor’s {photograph} (opens in new tab) confirmed that some pins had skilled extreme warmth. One of many ports has already began to soften. The consumer shared one other {photograph} (opens in new tab) of his system, and the ability adapter seems to be seated correctly, and the cable is not overly bent, which discards a nasty set up.
Replace 10/25/2022 4:30 pm PT
A fourth case has allegedly surfaced on a YouTube video (opens in new tab) from the Bang4BuckPC Gamer channel. The consumer (Hakam Salman) allegedly bought a prebuilt gaming PC from CyberPowerPC with a GeForce RTX 4090. Sadly, the ability connector for the graphics card seemingly melted, and the consumer returned the PC to CyberPowerPC.
CyberPowerPC has contacted the YouTube consumer to observe up on his claims.
Authentic Article
The GeForce RTX 4090 is fingers down one of the best graphics card that cash should buy in the meanwhile. Sadly, whereas the Ada flagship graphics card is ok, the included 4×8-pin to 1×16-pin energy adapters reportedly pose a hearth hazard, in response to a number of consumer suggestions.
Beforehand, two GeForce RTX 4090 house owners have reported experiencing 16-pin energy adapter meltdowns. Each owned customized fashions, with the primary proprietor rocking a Gigabyte GeForce RTX 4090 Gaming OC and the latter consumer with an Asus TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 4090 OC Version. The third report comes from a Fb consumer Charlie Woods (then tweeted through WCCF’s Hassan Mujtaba (opens in new tab)), who coincidentally has an Asus TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 4090. In line with the proprietor’s recount of the details, he was benchmarking when he smelled the smoke from the ability adapter. Thankfully, he may pull the connector out earlier than it did any injury to the graphics card.
Nvidia launched an investigation into the matter when the primary case surfaced, and with good cause, since meltdowns are beginning to develop into widespread. The consumer suggestions reveals that the issue might reside with the design of the 12VHPWR energy connector. Bending the cables too near the connector seemingly causes some terminals to loosen up, resulting in uneven mating. As well as, it unbalances the load throughout the opposite terminals. PCI-SIG documented the potential thermal variance challenge lengthy earlier than the 12VHPWR energy connector debuted on the GeForce RTX 4090. Due to this fact, it actually comes as a shock that the issue remains to be current within the completed product.
In line with the PCI-SIG slides, which Seasonic shared on its Bilibili account (opens in new tab), the requirements physique acknowledged that a number of suppliers and designs failed the exams. Cables, even when they’ve low cycles, did not fail so long as they weren’t bent. PCI-SIG examined the cable bending downside with the connector to the ability provide. It did not check the difficulty on the graphics card facet. PCI-SIG discovered bending the cable lower than 30mm from the connector provokes meltdowns. Exceeding 40 connection cycles on the connector additionally causes the issue. Do notice that PCI-SIG examined on a “benchtop/lab” surroundings, which we assume is an open-air check bench. It is not the identical setting as a traditional PC case, however the outcomes are what is important right here.
PCI-SIG’s exams revealed that the ability connector was overheating on the mating level. The issue affected each rows of pins. PCI-SIG carried out the exams at an ambient temperature of 26 levels Celsius and took readings from the recent spots at 2.5 hours. The tip of the cable linked to the ability provide confirmed readings between 51.3 to 52, whereas the tip to the graphics card peaked at 150.2. PCI-SIG noticed melting between 10 to 30 hours. The unbalanced present resulted from the resistance variation between the completely different pins. The requirements physique famous that bending led to excessive resistance within the different pins, inflicting the present to switch to the bottom resistance.
When excessively bending the cable, the lack of mating contact can occur to 6-pin or 8-pin PCIe energy connectors. It’s nothing new. Nonetheless, the issue appears extra prevalent with the 12VHPWR energy connector, so customers ought to pay additional consideration to the set up. Customized cable producers, akin to CableMod, suggest a minimal distance of 35mm from the connector earlier than bending the cable. The corporate additionally sells a 90-degree energy adapter to mitigate the cable bending downside.
German publication Hardwareluxx (opens in new tab) has gotten its fingers on energy adapters from Nvidia, be quiet!, and Asus. Sadly, the adapters have completely different designs. Out of the three reported energy adapter meltdowns, one was from Gigabyte, and the opposite two had been from Asus. With out extra circumstances, it’ll be onerous to pinpoint if a selected OEM is at fault. As well as, three Hardwareluxx discussion board customers have reported issues with the be quiet! adapter. One consumer reportedly connected (opens in new tab) a cable tie at a 40mm distance from the connector, however one of many pins nonetheless got here out simply. Be quiet! has changed the consumer’s adapter and can examine the difficulty.
GeForce RTX 4090 house owners ought to most likely recheck their graphics card’s set up and keep away from bending the cable for the 16-pin energy adapter the place doable. Hopefully, Nvidia will unravel the difficulty rapidly and supply customers with an answer if wanted.