Well, new NVIDIA's RTX 5090 users should be aware of cables they are using, since not having the right ones might lead to a "noticeable" performance drop.
Early Consumers Should Be Aware Of the Power Adapters Being Used On NVIDIA's RTX 5090 SKUs, 4x 8-Pin Connectors Are a Must
This post will serve as a precautionary measure for many of NVIDIA's flagship RTX Blackwell users since it seems like not utilizing the right power adapter might hold back your respective SKU in terms of performance. While this is a pretty standard concept, ComputerBase has actually tested out NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 5090 on 3x 8-pin and 4x 8-pin adapters to see how the drop in power figures leads to performance degradation. Interestingly, supplying 100W less power than the optimal number leads to around a 5% drop in rasterized tests.
The GPU was tested on 575W, 450W, and 400W TDPs, and it seems like limiting the power supply does make a noticeable difference, although that is indeed obvious. The interesting part here is that the SKU was functional with a three-pin connection, but the source says that the GPU didn't work on 2x 8-pin connectors, which means that operating the GeForce RTX 5090 on 300W is no longer an option.
By having 4x 8-pin power connectors onboard, you are supplying NVIDIA's RTX 5090 with potentially 600W power, and this figure is indeed necessary for hefty AIB variants like the ROG Astral GeForce RTX 5090, which is said to be a pretty power-hungry unit. NVIDIA providing users the option to run the GPU on 450W is indeed a great measure since this way, the company makes sure that not having the right power doesn't affect the functionality of the GPU, but it surely will have an influence on the performance.
Since NVIDIA's RTX Blackwell GPUs have dropped into the markets recently, we expect a lot more stories to unfold, with one being the SKUs getting bricked, due to unknown issues likely associated with BIOS, the onboard driver or the PCIe connection. Make sure you are operating your SKUs at ideal conditions, since after the 12VHPWR fiasco, we can never be sure.
About the author: Muhammad Zuhair is a hardware and technology reporter for Wccftech, specializing in the semiconductor industry and the complex interplay between technology, manufacturing, and geopolitics. His coverage focuses on the corporate strategies and technological roadmaps of industry giants like TSMC, NVIDIA, Samsung, and Intel. Zuhair's expertise lies in deconstructing complex topics such as fabrication nodes (e.g., 2nm process), the economic impact of policies like the CHIPS Act, and the strategic development of AI infrastructure from NVIDIA, AMD and Intel.
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