A Reddit user reports a problem with their graphics card. Within weeks, the power connector cable of the high-end GPU melted twice, despite using the official yellow MSI adapter.
What happened? The user Deja__ on Reddit reports that the power connection of their MSI RTX 5090 melted back in July. After a complaint to the retailer, they received a replacement card in August. However, this one also lasted only a few weeks before the connector melted again.
The user intentionally chose to use the included MSI adapter (referred to in the package as Power Adapter
) with a yellow tip, instead of using the direct 12V-HPWR cable from their power supply. This adapter is now suspected of causing the overheating and melting of the plug.
In the community, it has long been seen as a potential weak point, as uneven power distribution or poor contact can quickly lead to significant heat generation.
Melting connectors are no longer an isolated case
Where could the problem lie? The Reddit user did not use the original 12V-PWR connection cable that came with their Corsair SF1000 power supply. Instead, they opted for the MSI adapter with the yellow tip.
Deja__ writes on Reddit that they were worried that MSI might not accept a potential return if they did not use the included cable. A decision with fatal consequences: It seems that this adapter led to the power connection of their RTX 5090 melting again.
What does the community think? Many suspect that a design flaw in the adapter, which could cause uneven load distribution, is the problem. Others point to possible user errors or unsuitable adapter solutions.
As bigdaddy2292 posts on Reddit: “I hate to say it, it’s not just the 5090, but all cards with this connection.” Also, user Ninlilizi writes under the Reddit post: “My RTX 4080 melted last year while I was working in Photoshop.”
In contrast, RockOrStone responds on Reddit: “It’s highly unlikely that the connector melts twice, either you’re the unluckiest person alive or you made the same mistake twice by not plugging the connector in properly.” Deja__ (via Reddit) emphasizes that they installed everything correctly and even reduced the voltage.
How does Nvidia respond? The graphics card manufacturer said back in 2024, when similar cases arose with the RTX 4090, that in most cases, the users were at fault for not mounting the cable correctly or bending it too much.
Because excessive bending can lead to thermal hotspots and, in extreme cases, to cable melting. At the Editors Day 2025 in South Korea, Nvidia confirmed that the problem should no longer occur in the RTX 50 series. However, the problem seems to persist.
Not only graphics cards like the RTX 5090 struggle with melted connectors; similar reports are also increasing for current CPUs. This is not good for the owners of the then defective hardware. Even AMD is not spared, as a recent case shows. A popular gaming CPU is currently making headlines because it is simply burning out for some users.
