ASUS ROG Equalizer performs worse than standard 12V-2x6 connectors, Der8auer says the cable 'doesn't make sense'

Recent testing by Der8auer suggests that ASUS's new ROG Equalizer 12V-2x6 cable might not be the solution to melting PCIe cables it was marketed as. Der8auer went deep into the design choices behind the cable and called it something that "doesn't make sense," with his testing revealing some surprising results.

ASUS has made strong claims about the ROG Equalizer. The cable is rated to handle 17A per pin compared to 9.2A on a standard 12V-2x6 cable, with better load distribution across each pin. ASUS believes that higher-quality components can help reduce abnormal loads and cable temperatures without the need for active components.

However, Der8auer's testing tells a different story. In his first video, he connected the ROG Equalizer and monitored current distribution using a WireView Pro, finding unequal distribution across the pins. In some cases, the cable actually performed worse than conventional 12V-2x6 connectors. Each time he disconnected and reconnected the cable, the load distribution changed, with differences of up to 4A between the highest- and lowest-loaded pins, one near 10A and the other near 6A.

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Der8auer traced the problem to the bridge, a metal component that joins the pins on the GPU side of the connector. In his latest video, he removed the bridge entirely to see if it made a difference. The teardown revealed that the bridge connects all the wires on the top row, with a second insulated bridge joining the bottom-row wires beneath it. After carefully removing the bridge and retesting on the same RTX 5090 setup, the improvement was significant. The spread dropped to around 1.5A, with pins ranging from roughly 7.5A to just under 9A.

The teardown also uncovered a few more concerns. The ROG Equalizer uses gold-plated contacts, while most GPU-side 12V-2x6 connectors use tin-plated contacts. Gold and tin pairings can cause damage over time, increasing the risk of oxidation, and Der8auer found tin residue on the gold-plated contact area. He also noted that the actual contact patch is much smaller than the full spring width, measuring roughly 0.2 to 0.4mm, and that the cable's stiffer construction requires more clearance near the connector.

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That said, Der8auer stops short of calling the cable unsafe. "It's just giving us a completely different scenario," he said, noting that the Equalizer's bridge design should still prevent damage to both the GPU and PSU side of the cable in the event of a major malfunction.

Earlier testing showed the ROG Equalizer delivered a 9C temperature drop and improved voltage control compared to a standard cable on a GeForce RTX 5090D AORUS Master ICE. We hope to see more independent testing to determine whether the cable is worth its $50 price tag.