Something to look forward to: A hardware modder has shared a promising fix for Nvidia's RTX 5090, a GPU with a documented history of power-related issues. Best yet, the workaround is said to be "relatively affordable" and would even come with a warranty.
Over on Reddit, user DallasGrave outlined the approach taken when developing the mod. In short, the fix utilizes a pickup PCB soldered to the contacts of the original 12VHPWR header that feeds an auxiliary dual eight-pin board. This effectively spreads the load across three sets of cables, which significantly reduces power draw and temperature.
According to the user, the modded card was tested at full load for 48 hours (at 550W), and cable temps never climbed above 40 degrees Celsius. Even the joints stayed nice and cool, we're told.
Tom's Hardware notes that the user, DallasGrave, appears to be affiliated with Grave PC, a company that specializes in CPU / GPU cooling and compact system design. In the Reddit thread, DallasGrave said they are working on a "relatively affordable" service to convert existing cards – complete with warranty. In another reply, the user says they are a PNY partner and that eventually, customers will be able to buy a PNY card with a similar mod directly from them – again, with a full warranty.
Asked about specifics of the mod, DallasGrave said they could have replaced the header with a higher current model but that does not fix the cable. "12VHPWR is simply rated too high," he said, adding that it never should have been approved beyond 350-ish watts.
This is not the first attempt we've seen to address the issue of melting connectors, but it does appear to be one of the cleanest solutions yet. Over the summer, YouTube channel TecLab shared a fix that involved connecting power wires directly to the GPU's PCB. It seemed to work, but it wasn't all that aesthetically pleasing. DallasGrave said their solution would be more of a universal option that could work across multiple GPU brands.
Image credit: DallasGrave