Another one bites the dust, but this one didn't die due to the common 16-pin connector burning out.
Redditor Reports Unexpected Loud Pop and Crackling on His RTX 5090, Followed by Smoke Caused by a Short Circuit
The NVIDIA RTX 5090 is one of the biggest victims of damage in the whole RTX 50 series GPU stack. It's power-hungry and mostly heavy when it comes to the AIB designs. While these are only a few factors that cause problems for the GPU, there are more flaws, especially on the connector side, which usually causes physical damage.
Another report surfaced on Reddit regarding the ZOTAC RTX 5090 Solid edition GPU. The Redditor u/_CurrentlyPooping_ reports that he was playing the recently released Black Flag Resynchronized, but the GPU suddenly made a loud pop and crackling sound that also caused a huge cloud of smoke later on. He reports having installed the latest drivers after installing the game, and he couldn't even game for more than five minutes when he witnessed all of it.
The user checked his 16-pin power connector on the GPU, and as you can see, it's totally fine. However, a burn mark is visible on the small gold finger tail. Apparently, something short-circuited near it, which, as per @unikoshardware, is the MLCC array. While the actual reason is unknown, some users indicate that there might have been a short circuit due to a crack in the circuit board.
This crack could have been caused by the GPU sag, which is likely due to the heavy weight of the card. More commenters confirmed the same reason, but whatever the cause may have been, the user will only find it after applying for the RMA.
News Sources: Reddit, @unikoshardware
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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