This might mitigate a lot of melting problems on the higher-end RTX 50 series GPUs, and we need manufacturers transitioning to better connectors asap.
Female Repair Specialist Says She Fixed Several 16-pin Connector Melting Problems by Replacing Them With Connectors Boasting Thicker Pins
The inherent design flaw in the 16-pin connector cannot be fixed with minor modifications, but there are ways through which manufacturers can mitigate the melting issues. The pins in the 16-pin connector have to bear a high current density, which is usually around 9.2A per pin and 55A in total. However, if some pins do not make proper contact, the entire load gets distributed to the rest, which results in higher temperatures, and the connector melts as a result.
Countless connectors have already melted, and manufacturers have tried to fix it in different ways, including color-coded connectors and adapters. However, thicker pins might be the answer to such issues, which this female technician from China showcased while repairing an RTX 5090 GPU. She received an ROG Astral RTX 5090 with a melted GPU connector, which she replaced with the one with thicker pins, as you can see from the image.
She says that the new design has fixed the melting issue on a lot of GPUs, and even works with an adapter, which has usually caused a lot of melting reports recently. She still doesn't recommend using an adapter, though, which is sensible. After replacing the melted connector on the GPU, she monitored the connector temperature at full load, which hovered around 45°C at 600W. This is indeed a good result, as we have seen 16-pin connectors rising over 100°C and even close to 150°C in some cases.
We aren't sure if this can permanently put an end to the melting connectors, but it should mitigate the risks to a great extent. Thicker pins lower the electrical resistance due to a larger area and have better mechanical contact. Due to more thickness, the connection is usually more consistent, and then we will have fewer reports of "user error". Hopefully, GPU manufacturers will switch to a connector with thicker pins as soon as possible, because the 16-pin connector is staying with the RTX 50 series.
News Source: Bilibili
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.
Follow Wccftech on Google to get more of our news coverage in your feeds.
