Nvidia's RTX 5090 Power Connectors Are Melting

Two owners of Nvidia's RTX 5090 Founders Edition GPUs have reported melted power connectors and damage to their power supplies. The issue is similar to reports of RTX 4090 power cables burning or melting two years ago. Nvidia previously blamed the problem on users not properly plugging in the 12VHPWR power connection, while the PCI standards body blamed Nvidia. A Reddit user upgraded from an RTX 4090 to an RTX 5090 and noticed a burning smell while playing a game, then found the damage after turning off their PC. The damaged power connector showed burnt plastic at both the PSU end and the part that connects to the GPU. The user claimed the cable was securely fastened and clicked on both sides, but the issue is not unique to custom cables. A Spanish YouTuber experienced the same problem with a cable supplied by PSU manufacturer FSP. The melted plastic has also damaged the PCIe 5.0 power connector on the power supply. The cause of the issue is still unclear, but it appears to be a problem with the RTX 5090 Founders Edition GPUs rather than the cables themselves. The reports are concerning, especially given the similarity to previous issues with the RTX 4090.