NVIDIA collaborates with PCI-SIG on a new 16-pin connector, known as 12V-2×6which maintains the same interface and number of connectors to avoid incompatibilities. This connector features 12 power pins and four control pins.
Apparently NVIDIA couldn’t or wouldn’t wait for the release of the new connector scheduled for next year. With the release of the GeForce RTX 4070, introduced a major change to the 12VHPWR connector, which has been responsible for overheating issues and has had serious consequences in some cases.
The GeForce RTX 4070 comes with a cable with a 12VHPWR connector whose four control pins are shorter than previous models. This requires the connector to be fully inserted for the power to work. If it is not fully inserted, the graphics card will not work. With this measure, one of the main culprits in cases of connectors burned due to human error has been solved.
During the investigation, it was confirmed that one of the main causes of this issue was users not fully inserting the connector. Graphics card and power supply manufacturers have taken steps to prevent this by adding indicator lights or using different colors. This new 16-pin connector is only included in the GeForce RTX 4070 and it is not present in previous models. In the image you can see the difference in the distance between the control pins.
According to the source, Igor’s Lab, graphics card manufacturers are also early adopters of the new standard’s changes.
Fountain: Igor’s Lab
