MSI has a novel solution to 12VHPWR cable insertion problems

MSI’s coloured 12VHPWR cables should solve Nvidia’s cable insertion woes

Most PC enthusiasts will know about the “burning 12VHPWR” cable issues that plagued many PC users in 2022, a problem that was later found to be caused by users incorrectly inserting 12VHPWR/12+4-pin/16-pin power cables into graphics cards, power supplies, or both. This problem primarily affected users of Nvidia’s RTX 4090 graphics cards, as that GPU’s high power draw when combined with an incorrectly inserted 12VHPWR cable can cause the cable to heat up and melt during use, a problem that can be avoided by making sure that your cables are seated fully/correctly. 

At Computex, MSI has revealed a novel solution that should help ensure that none of their users are affected by this issue moving forward. With their new MAG A850GL PCIE5 ATX 3.0 power supply, MSI are supplying coloured 12VHPWR connectors that use bright yellow plastic terminals. This coloured plastic is only visible when the cable is not fully connected to the 12VHPWR connector on your power supply or graphics card, allowing users to easily spot if their cables are incorrectly seated.

This unique design feature should help avoid PC gamers from running into any “melted 12VHPWR” connection issues, a factor that will likely make these coloured connection terminals a common feature for many power supplies moving forward. These coloured connections are not visible when cables are correctly inserted, which means that this design feature has not negative impact on a gaming PC’s aesthetics, but it can be a lifesaver when it comes to avoiding avoiding connection issues. 

Below is a video from PC World, who have gotten to see MSI’s new PSU innovation in person.

Moving forward, we expect most power supply manufacturers to implement features like this for their 12VHPWR connectors. In our eyes, this is a vital safety feature that can prevent the unintended destruction of highly expensive GPU and PSU hardware. This should be part of a revised 12VHPWR PSU standard, that’s how useful this feature can be to users. Every 12VHPWR cable should be made like this!

Props to MSI for making such a simple, yet effective, change to their 12VHPWR connectors. Let’s hope that other PSU manufacturers follow suit.

You can join the discussion on MSI’s redesigned 12VHPWR PSU cables on the OC3D Forums.