The ROG Equalizer doesn't work as advertised as discovered by Der8auer in his latest demonstration.
ROG Equalizer 12V-2x6 Cable Shows Large Current Imbalance On WireView Pro II While Removing the Bridge Improves Balancing
It appears that ASUS's recently released ROG Equalizer 12V-2x6 cable might not be the solution for proper load balancing. ASUS explicitly advertised the ROG Equalizer cable as a component that does better load balancing than regular 12V-2x6 cables, but the testing by popular German YouTuber Der8auer reveals something interesting. Der8auer has made two videos on the connector, but his latest video finds out what makes the ROG Equalizer a poor choice for the GPUs.
When Der8auer connected the ROG Equalizer to his RTX 5090 and monitored the current distribution using WireView Pro II, he found that the current distribution across all the pins wasn't equal at all. In fact, it was performing worse than some conventional 12V-2x6 connectors in some cases. Der8auer says every time he disconnected and reconnected the cable, there would be a difference in load distribution. Some scenarios showed as much as 4A current difference between the highest and the lowest load. This caused even the WireView Pro II to warn him about the load differences.
The problem stems from the inherent design, as was later found by Der8auer. What appeared to be a cable "comb" for the ROG Equalizer turned out to be an electrical bridge that introduced additional resistance to the setup. In his previous video, he demonstrated it via a diagram that showed how this bridge caused an additional 1-2 mΩ, apart from the resistance introduced by the connector on the PSU side, the GPU side, and the wire itself.
In the latest video, he removed the bridge, which appears to connect all the wires on the top row, and another bridge insulated from the top row, but joined the bottom row wires. After disconnecting the bridge completely and insulating the wires, he tested again on the same setup. However, this time he found that the highest load pin carried 8.9A while the lowest load was seen on the last pin carrying 7.5A, which was a huge improvement.
Der8auer says that the bridge also has a few more major disadvantages, including making the cable even stiffer, not allowing a bend near the connector. This means users will need more clearance. Moreover, the pins used in the ROG Equalizer are gold-plated, but most 12V-2x6 cables bring tin-plated pins, which make better contact with GPU connectors that also boast tin-plated pins. Gold-plated pins might seem better, but the other end doesn't use them, so the gold-plated pins can cause damage to the GPU connector, increasing the risk of oxidation.
About the author: Sarfraz Khan is a hardware reporter with a focus on PC components and the builder community. With years of experience writing about PC hardware and laptops, his work has been featured on several reputable technology publications. Sarfraz's hands-on experience is demonstrated through his first-person accounts of using and comparing different hardware configurations, providing practical and relatable insights for everyday users. His technical analysis is respected by peers in the enthusiast community and has been cited by specialized hardware sites such as Germany's Igor's Lab.
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