PCI-SIG Tells 12VHPWR Manufacturers to NOT Deviate From the Specs!

The transition to the new 12VHPWR power adaptor standard certainly hasn’t gotten off to the best of starts with various reports from users that the connectors and graphics card ports have been melting. It is, infact, an issue that has significantly plagued the reputation of the Nvidia 4090 ever since the GPU arrived back in October (not that it appears to be affecting sales/demand that much).

In this regard, however, preliminary information does seem to suggest that the problem may ultimately lie in a design flaw (or sorts) which makes it very easy to not have the adaptor fully inserted. And if it’s not fully in, well, melting may ensue! – Albeit, we are still waiting for Nvidia to conclude its investigation before we’re 100% willing to accept this as the only cause.

With Nvidia currently facing lawsuits over the matter, however, following a report via Videocardz the PCI-SIG (effectively the regulatory body for cable design) has issued something of a blanket statement to 12VHPWR manufacturers telling them that there should be no deviation to the accepted and approved specifications.

PCI-SIG Provides 12VHPWR Statement!

Although we have yet to hear anything in this regard, it does seem, by the overall nature of the statement, that the PCI-SIG believes that someone out there might be deviating, slightly or otherwise, from the approved 12VHPWR specifications (be this the cable or the attaching port) and this would suggest that the issue may not necessarily be entirely restricted to the insertion issue demonstrated above.

“PCI-SIG wishes to impress upon all Members that manufacture, market or sell PCI-SIG technologies (including 12VHPWR connections) of the need to take all appropriate and prudent measures to ensure end user safety, including testing for the reported problem cases involving consumers as alleged in the above-referenced lawsuit.

Members are reminded that PCI-SIG specifications provide necessary technical information for interoperability and do not attempt to address proper design, manufacturing methods, materials, safety testing, safety tolerances or workmanship. When implementing a PCI-SIG specification, Members are responsible for the design, manufacturing, and testing, including safety testing, of their products.”

As noted above though, we are still awaiting Nvidia to conclude its 12VHPWR investigation before we’re willing to jump to any conclusions. What do you think though? Does this power connection just seem doomed to failure? – Let us know in the comments!