Most GeForce RTX 50 and GeForce RTX 40 graphics cards use the 16-pin power connector. This connector has become well known for being prone to reaching very high temperatures, which in some cases can end up burning the connector and permanently damaging the graphics card if the system is not shut down in time.

In the best cases, the burns may be minor and affect only the cable or the graphics card’s power connector. In the worst cases, they can completely damage the graphics card and even affect other components inside the PC.

Brother Zhang, a technician who repairs graphics cards, says he has received eight GeForce RTX 4090 and GeForce RTX 5090 graphics cards for repair over the past two days. All of them had problems with the 16-pin power connector, which had been damaged in one way or another. Some also showed signs of burns on the connector and even black burn marks on the PCB.

One of the worst affected graphics cards was a Gainward GeForce RTX 5090, which had the power supply cable stuck in the additional power connector. The owner had no choice but to cut the cable to send the graphics card for repair.

According to Zhang himself, finding the exact cause of this damage is very difficult, as it could be due to problems with the power supply, mistakes made by users when connecting the cable, or the poor quality of the power cable being used. The technician also said that repaired connectors usually reach 80 degrees Celsius during his tests, which are very high temperatures.