The long-running saga that is high-end Nvidia graphics cards bursting into flames due to either bad quality or badly connected 12VHPWR power cables is one MSI is hoping to draw to a close with its new power cable adapters. Able to connect to and provide sufficient power to run an RTX 5090, the new MSI power supply cables feature a simple but clever addition of yellow tips to help gamers know if the cable is securely seated enough to prevent self-toasting.
Despite being largely the single best graphics card available since its launch, the RTX 4090 has been beset by regular instances of users finding the Nvidia card has either caught fire, started to smolder, or at the very least melted due to its power cable, which is what MSI is hoping to avoid with its new design.
The compact 12VHPWR connector initially used by the RTX 4090 β and the revised 12V-2Γ6 thatβs now used β might be less bulky than traditional PCIe cables, but itβs easy for users to insert them insufficiently to provide a good enough connection, which can be catastrophic when such large amounts of current flow through them. And too small a connection combined with a high current means high resistance and high temperatures. Yes, thatβs right, weβve got a gaming PC fire cocktail.
The new MSI cable adapters, then, look to get around this issue as much as possible by ensuring users have a really obviously visual cue as to whether the plug is inserted far enough into the socket. If itβs connected properly, you wonβt see any yellow. If it isnβt, thereβs a strong chance youβll see the bright yellow tips of these cables.
The cables arenβt actually new, as MSI has been including them with its power supplies for a while. However, now it will be including them with its RTX 5000 series graphics cards, according to a report by videocardz.
Nvidia has done its part to help reduce the chances of a GPU fire too, at least on its own Founders Edition RTX 5090, RTX 5080, and RTX 5070 cards. These all feature angled connectors that should reduce the chance of a cable putting strain on the connector. However, many other graphics card manufacturers, including MSI, have stuck with a straight connector, so the new cable adapter should help.
AMD, meanwhile, has largely chosen to avoid using the new compactΒ 12HPWR connector at all. This does result in some cards requiring three large, eight-pin PCIe connectors β as above β but will also greatly reduce the chances of any cable fire issues.
Either way, anyone who hasnβt bought a new power supply in the last five or so years is likely to need an upgrade to power the new flagship card β youβll need at least a 1000W PSU β so check out our best power supply guide for some pointers.
