Seasonic Nvidia 30XX 12-pin Power Connector Spotted

Around a month ago we first heard rumors that at least some of the Nvidia 30XX graphics cards (presumably their more high-end models) would require a 12-pin power connection. Quite a significant step up when compared to pretty much every current-gen GPU available on the market.

Well, following a report via Videocardz, images have leaked of a Seasonic adaptor that all but confirms that this is indeed going to be the case. In other words, a whole new type of power cable may be required here to work with Nvidia’s new top-spec GPU platform.

Nvidia 30XX Power Connections

The kit, which is an after-market convertor designed for their existing PSU range, clearly shows two PSU inserts leading into a singular 12-pin connection cable designated ‘Nvidia 12P’. While Seasonic has said that the adaptor is only for testing (rather than as a final release) the expectations are that Nvidia will bundle adaptors (presumably for existing 6/8-pin VGA connectors) in with whatever graphics card requires it.

Make no bones about it though, it seems almost certain that while we can expect to see a hefty increase in comparative performance, it’ll come with a notably higher power consumption trade-off.

What Do We Think?

As mad as this sounds, it’s actually not that uncommon for Nvidia to offer conversion cables with their high-end GPU products. As such, while a 12-pin connection does seem a little hefty, it’ll likely only apply to the 3080, 3080 Ti, and the still moderately mysterious 3090.

With around a week to go until they are formally confirmed, however, we don’t have long to wait now before we find out exactly what we’re dealing with here. Should you be worried though? Well, in terms of Nvidia getting you hooked up, no, I think they’ve got you covered. I do, however, take note that the packaging does cite an 850w power supply, and, as such, if you are planning on getting Nvidia’s new high-end models, you might just want to be certain you’re packing plenty of watts in your PSU. We have a feeling you’re going to need them!

What do you think? – Let us know in the comments!