GeForce RTX 5090 connector issue reaches another press test system
PCMasters.de contacted us about a new case involving a melted 12V-2×6 PCIe 5.1 power cable. This time, the issue occurred in the outlet’s own test system with an MSI GeForce RTX 5090 Gaming Trio OC.
© PCMasters This appears to be the third known case involving a press or media RTX 5090 system, following earlier reports from DSOGaming and Spanish YouTuber Toro Tocho.
According to PCMasters.de, the card was part of the outlet’s main test system and was used almost every day. The issue appeared during NVMe SSD validation, when the system was restarted multiple times without GPU load. The outlet noticed a small cloud of smoke during shutdown, but the cause was not clear until the system began showing issues after reboot.
Source: PC Masters
After removing the card, PCMasters.de found that the 12V-2×6 cable was stuck to the graphics card. Once removed, one pin appeared blackened and the cable insulation had melted. The outlet says the PSU side, connected to an NZXT C1500 power supply, showed worse damage, with the 12V cable insulation missing on one side and multiple melted areas on the connector. Pins 2 and 4 appeared to be affected the most on both sides.
Source: PC Masters
The graphics card itself still booted and was detected in Windows after the incident. PCMasters.de then tested it with an Elmor PMD2 and a thermal camera. During Furmark, one outer pin heated faster than the rest, and the outlet stopped the test after roughly two minutes when the insulation temperature reached almost 50°C.
PCMasters.de says the card is no longer safe to use and hopes to request a repair from MSI.
Source: PCMasters
