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16pin

GeForce RTX 5090D
Gaming Gear

Even Nvidia’s China-specific RTX 5090D falls victim to the infamous 16-pin melting issue

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The Chinese-exclusive GeForce RTX 5090D, which has the potential to rival the best graphics cards, is the latest Blackwell graphics card to be affected by issues related to 16-pin (12VHPWR) power connector meltdowns. Uniko’s Hardware has unearthed two recent instances of the GeForce RTX 5090D with melted 16-pin power connectors, reported on the Baidu Tieba forums.

With the introduction of the revised 12V-2×6 power connector, we had hoped the meltdown issue was behind us. However, doubt still remains since every once in a while, we see a user report pop up on the Internet. While reports of 16-pin power meltdowns have become less frequent, they haven’t disappeared entirely. As we’ve seen, there is no specific incubation period for the meltdowns; it can occur a few days or weeks after the build, or sometimes even years later.

A Baidu Tieba user reported that his Aorus GeForce RTX 5090D Master Ice functioned well for two months before the 16-pin power connector melted. He reportedly used the native 16-pin power cable supplied with his Segotep KL-1250G power supply. Segotep, a well-known Chinese manufacturer, has over two decades of experience under its belt. The KL-1250G is an ATX 3.0 power supply rated at 1,250W and certified for 80 Plus Gold efficiency.


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Another forum user recounted his unfortunate experience with his Gainward GeForce RTX 5090D graphics card and an Asus ROG Loki power supply. He did not specify the exact model he possessed but merely stated that he utilized the native 16-pin power cable. In his situation, the 16-pin power connector melted on both the graphics card and the power supply side.

In the first case, forum members criticized the user’s Segotep KL-1250G power supply. One participant mentioned that this power supply was frequently associated with the previous GeForce RTX 4090 meltdowns. Although Segotep is an established name in the Chinese market, we cannot vouch for the quality of its products. In the second case, however, the user deployed an Asus ROG Loki unit, so its quality was not in doubt.

There have been many theories about what’s causing the 16-pin power connector meltdowns on Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 40-series (codenamed Ada Lovelace) and GeForce RTX 50-series (codenamed Blackwell) graphics cards. However, one of the most prominent theories is that Nvidia’s revised PCB design for Ada Lovelace and Blackwell has effectively eliminated load sensing and balancing. On the contrary, the older GeForce RTX 30-series (codenamed Ampere) graphics cards had this feature. For this reason, the GeForce RTX 3090 Ti, despite having the same 450W TDP as the GeForce RTX 4090, never suffered from melting connectors.

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GeForce RTX 5080 X3W Max 16GB
Gaming Gear

This RTX 50-series GPU design hides its custom L-shaped 16-pin power cable behind a magnetic shroud

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Some of the best graphics cards come from Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 50-series (codenamed Blackwell) family. The chipmaker’s partners are constantly exploring innovative strategies to differentiate their products. According to VideoCardz, AX Gaming has introduced the new X3W Max series, featuring a concealed power connector design and a custom 16-pin (12VHPWR) power cable.

We have seen numerous graphics cards on the market featuring concealed power connectors, and thus, AX Gaming’s latest is no exception. Like other custom Blackwell gaming graphics cards, the 16-pin power connector remains centrally located, but it’s recessed in the X3W Max graphics cards, and includes a custom 16-pin power cable.

AX Gaming’s 16-pin power cable runs alongside the graphics card’s heatsink, hidden behind a magnetic shroud, allowing easy attachment and detachment of the 16-pin power cable. However, the renders released by AX Gaming do not indicate what is at the opposite end of the 16-pin power cable. It might be another 16-pin connector, or potentially feature three or four 8-pin PCIe power connectors, similar to Nvidia’s supplied 16-pin adapters. For now, it’s uncertain what lies at the end.


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AX Gaming GeForce RTX 50-series X3W Max Graphics Cards

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Graphics Card

Boost Clock (GHz)

Power Consumption (W)

Minimum Power Supply Capacity (W)

GeForce RTX 5080 X3W Max 16GB

2,670

360

850

GeForce RTX 5070 Ti X3W Max 16GB

2,512

300

800

GeForce RTX 5070 X3W Max 12GB

2,572

250

750

AX Gaming has released the X3W Max versions of the GeForce RTX 5080, GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, and GeForce RTX 5070. Notably, the brand has omitted the GeForce RTX 5090D, but there could be a valid reason for it. The GeForce RTX 5090D, similar to the GeForce RTX 5090, is banned in China, which may explain AX Gaming’s decision to exclude the Blackwell flagship. However, rumors have been brewing that Nvidia may further downgrade the GeForce RTX 5090D to make the graphics card export-compliant.

From a specifications standpoint, the X3W Max graphics cards feature minor factory overclocks, amounting to about 2-3% above Nvidia’s reference specifications. Consequently, the TDP ratings for the X3W Max graphics cards remain consistent with Nvidia’s guidelines.

AX Gaming suggests using larger power supplies for its X3W Max graphics card to address minor overclocks. The company recommends 800W and 750W units for the GeForce RTX 5070 Ti X3W Max 16GB and GeForce RTX 5070 X3W Max 12GB, respectively, while the official guidance suggests 750W and 650W. The minimum power supply recommendation for the GeForce RTX 5080 X3W Max 16GB is still set at 850W.

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(Image credit: AX Gaming)(Image credit: AX Gaming)(Image credit: AX Gaming)(Image credit: AX Gaming)

AX Gaming’s X3W Max graphics cards are essentially identical; once you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all. The company chose a uniform design for the GeForce RTX 5080, GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, and GeForce RTX 5070. In terms of aesthetics, the X3W Max features a sleek all-white finish and a triple-slot design. As the model name suggests, this graphics card is equipped with a cooling solution that employs three cooling fans.

AX Gaming has yet to announce the pricing or availability of the X3W Max graphics cards. Part of Inno3D, AX Gaming mainly focuses on the Chinese market and is not widely recognized in our hemisphere. Nevertheless, these graphics cards can often be found in the U.S. market through occasional listings on Amazon and the company’s store on Newegg.

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InWin IW-1650W
Gaming Gear

InWin preps 1650W GPU power supply with four 16-pin power connectors

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A standard power supply serves all the components in your system. However, due to the increasing power demands of contemporary graphics cards, InWin (via Uniko’s Hardware) is creating a dedicated “GPU power supply” specifically for powering your graphics cards.

The IW-1650W offers a 1,650W capacity solely for graphics cards. InWin employs a single-rail design in this power supply. Currently, the IW-1650W does not hold any 80 Plus, ETA, or Lambda certifications. However, the manufacturer asserts that the power supply achieves up to 90% efficiency and features an active PFC of 0.99. The unit utilizes a single 13.5cm cooling fan for active heat dissipation.

The IW-1650W complies with the PCIe 5.1 CEM standard and has four 12V-2×6 power connectors, enabling support for a maximum of four graphics cards. The power supply’s modular design lets you remove unnecessary power cables.


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While the power supply supports up to four graphics cards, your mileage will vary depending on your graphics card’s power requirements. At 1,650W, we’re looking at 412.5W for each graphics card. That’s sufficient for up to four GeForce RTX 5080 graphics cards.

Dual power supply configurations are uncommon outside of server or cryptocurrency mining environments. The IW-1650W concept resembles the latter, where mining rigs employ two power supplies to enhance power capacity for multiple graphics cards. While Nvidia SLI and AMD CrossFire are not as common, multi-GPU setups exist in professional and workstation domains.

The IW-1650W is a secondary power supply and does not operate independently. You need to pair it with a main unit to use it, which means selecting a case that accommodates dual power supplies. Fortunately, this won’t be an issue as there are plenty of options available, including cases spacious enough to fit up to three power supplies.

While InWin recently unveiled the IW-1650W at Computex 2025, the company has yet to announce its availability or, more importantly, the pricing. This year’s Computex has revealed that 3000W power supplies are on the horizon for consumers, which could limit the IW-1650W’s practical use unless combined with a 2000W unit.

Using it alongside a lower-capacity supply would be illogical since the same outcome could be achieved with one of the new 3000W options. Alternatively, you could opt to install the IW-1650W alongside another 3000W unit, but realistically, who in their right mind needs 4650W of power?

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Homemade 16-pin power cable
Product Reviews

RTX 4090 16-pin meltdown victims resort to DIY solutions to prevent further disaster

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The notorious 16-pin (12VHPWR) power connector continues to be a persistent issue for some unlucky users. While user reports of 16-pin meltdowns have diminished recently, they still occur. The most recent case involves an unlucky GeForce RTX 4090 owner who shared his experience on Reddit and presented a DIY solution to avert future incidents.

Redditor malcanore18 recounted how the 16-pin power connector on his GeForce RTX 4090 had melted. To avoid it happening in the future, the user improved his 16-pin power cable by integrating six miniature fuses. Although the solution might not be visually appealing, the underlying idea sounds plausible. If one of the pins draws too much power, the corresponding fuse will blow, causing a chain reaction for the other fuses. Although this band-aid solution may seem basic, replacing the fuses is less costly than repairing the graphics card. Another Redditor suggested using resettable fuses instead, as they can automatically reset themselves after an incident and do not require replacement like conventional fuses.

A catastrophe often unites strangers. Redditor jlodvo demonstrated that there can be multiple ways to solve a problem. Instead of fiddling with the 16-pin power connector, he addressed the issue directly. The user reportedly asked someone to remove the power connector and solder each wire directly to his graphics card. This shouldn’t pose a problem if the user has a modular power supply that allows him to disconnect the cable from the power supply end whenever he wants to remove his graphics card from the case.


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(Image credit: Reddit/malcanore18)(Image credit: Reddit/jlodvo)(Image credit: Reddit/IMI4tth3w)

A third Redditor, IMI4tth3w, offered a solution he applied to an L40 with a melted 16-pin power connector, partly due to a faulty third-party cable. He described removing the melted connector and reverse-engineering the cables to utilize two standard 8-pin PCIe power connectors. However, the author cautioned that this method may not apply to all graphics cards. The specific reason it works on the L40 is that this data center graphics card appears to feature a pigtail version of the 16-pin power connector.

It’s intolerable that meltdowns remain a problem, particularly with Nvidia graphics cards that cost a small fortune. Although numerous theories exist regarding the cause of these meltdowns, we have yet to receive a definitive answer from Nvidia. In the meantime, many Nvidia graphics card owners remain anxious, uncertain if the smell of burning plastic could eventually emanate from their GeForce RTX 5090 or GeForce RTX 4090 graphics cards one day.

Graphics card and power supply manufacturers have taken specific steps to counteract the problem, such as implementing colored connectors to ensure they’re adequately inserted or special sensors inside the power supply. These DIY workarounds for the 16-pin meltdowns look neat, but we don’t recommend you try them unless you know exactly what you’re doing.



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