When Nvidia came out four years ago with first a 12-pin and then a 12+4-pin 12VHPWR connector (later accompanied by considerable problems with malfunctions leading to card damage), among other reasons given was that the graphics would not need more power cables with it. It seems that with the upcoming generation of GeForce RTX 5000, we will be back where we were, and the graphics will already have two cables despite the use of 12VHPWR (or 12V2x6) connectors.
Over the weekend, TweakTown reported that power supply manufacturers are starting to hint at doubling the 12+4-pin power supply for at least some of the next generation of GeForce graphics. Namely, the power source models they present now start to have ports for two cables with 12+4-pin 12VHPWR / 12V2×6 connectors. In the presentation materials accompanying these sources, it is usually stated that these models are to be prepared for a new generation of graphics.
Although this is not a completely clear sign, as manufacturers could, for example, target systems with multiple GPUs for the needs of AI applications, but it is quite likely that it reflects the shape of the future high-end from Nvidia. Source manufacturers probably have information from it under NDA about the upcoming card parameters in terms of consumption, so that the conditions for the new graphics are prepared when they are released.
TweakTown writes that according to current rumors, the first GeForce RTX 5000s, which will have the new Blackwell architecture, but their chips probably still use the 4nm process, should be released sometime early next year. The first will probably be the GeForce RTX 5080 and RTX 5090. Of these two models, however, only the higher one, the GeForce RTX 5090 (or whatever the high-end will be called), would probably require a pair of 12+4-pin cables. Just for this card, recently leaked information prophesied up to 600W consumption. According to the specifications, one cable with a 12+4-pin connector can supply a maximum of 600 W to PCI Express ×16 cards.
Standard or a rare thing in extreme designs?
It must be said that some more luxurious or extreme versions of the GeForce RTX 3090 Ti and RTX 4090 equipped with two of these power connectors have appeared before. So the existence of such cards would not be completely new and it cannot be ruled out that the marketing of the resources is actually talking about the readiness for similar extreme cards, while the common standard would remain a single connector and cable even for a high-end model.
Reliability would be a plus
But if the reports that Nvidia will raise the TDP up to 550-600 W are confirmed, then the single cable leaves no margin. Delivering 600 W to the graphics by a single graphics card is still within the specification, but it would have been much better if such power was distributed.
The currents in the wires and the resulting temperatures would be even higher with 600W graphics than today’s GeForce RTX 4090, so again the risk of melting cables, damaging the connector on the card and so on would increase. So if the consumption of the new graphics is supposed to be so crazy, it would be better if it was handled by two cables.
However, users who have a power supply or cable adapter with only one connector will need new adapters or even a new power supply. It is true, however, that such a card will often require an upgrade of the power source anyway, because the 600W consumption can mean even higher current peaks, for which the power source must be oversized. Even kilowatt sources, as they used to be derisively called “welders”, may no longer be completely ideal.
Source: TweakTown
Source: www.cnews.cz
