Even though the 12vHPWR connector problem was ostensibly somewhat corrected by the introduction of the 12v-2×6 revision to the standard, meltdowns of both connectors have continued, with the latest documented case coming by way of an X post by streamer @jessickyeah. The GPU in question was an MSI NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Gaming Trio, and in the video, you can see the top-most right wire in the GPU power cable smoking and bubbling. The meltdown happened mid-game, and the excess heat generated by the unbalanced load seems to begin affecting the connector on the GPU as well. The outcome of the event was never made public, but it’s safe to assume the GPU would have eventually been taken out of commission if the PC had not been turned off.
Judging by previous posts on the streamer’s account, the RTX 4090 seems to have been in use since at least March 2025, confirming once again that just because a card-cable combo have been working just fine for extended periods, that doesn’t mean that a meltdown isn’t possible. Currently, NVIDIA’s recommendation to avoid potential issues is to avoid third-party extension cables and ensure that GPU power cables are properly seated. Some cable, GPU, and PSU brands have started addressing the issues with the connector by adding indicators to ensure proper cable insertion or by actively monitoring the cable itself for abnormal power balance.
