Another melted GPU power cable spotted, but this time on a GeForce RTX 5070

With increased power usage and a shift to a new power connector with the GeForce RTX 40 Series, one that has since been revised to 12V-2x6 for the GeForce RTX 50 Series, the arrival of RTX Blackwell has not been free from reports of melted power cables. The GeForce RTX 5090 is the most power-hungry gaming GPU to date, with a TGP of 600W traveling through a small cable.

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Interestingly, the latest case of a melted or damaged power cable isn't related to the newest flagship or even the GeForce RTX 5080 but the 250W-rated GeForce RTX 5070. Based on various investigations and reports, this case looks different because one of the cables on the 12V-2x6 cable from an ATC 3.1 Seasonic 750W PSU has melted, not the connector.

Images and video of the aftermath, which includes a ZOTAC GAMING graphics card, were posted to X by @ere9w - where, upon closer inspection, the issue might be related to the connection on the GPU side.

As spotted by the community (and a subsequent report at Videocardz), one of the pins on the connection on the GPU side is possibly damaged or pushed back - possibly by the user. This could lead to uneven power distribution, which has been spotted in previous investigations. However, with the connection on the GPU and PSU side unaffected, one of the braided and shielded cables on the 12V-2x6 cable has hit insane temperatures and melted.

A recent deep dive into 12V-2x6 power by Der8auer showed this with a single cable on a 12V-2x6 connection hitting as high as 260W or 22A. Still, as we're talking about a GeForce RTX 5070, a relatively efficiency GPU for PC gaming, odds are the issue stems from the GPU connection and the cable, as there's no visible damage to the PSU or GPU.