12VHPWR connector is already being replaced
Hoping to minimize more burning GPUs, PCI SIG is updating the ATX 3.0 spec
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With plenty of hazardous melting and destroying some expensive hardware, the recent 12VHPWR connector is getting replaced. As Igor’s Lab reports, PCI SIG is trying to ensure that is no longer going to happen. That’s where the addition of PCIe Base 6 comes into the updated ATX 3.1 standard from the one that introduced the connector utilized by Nvidia’s top graphics cards.
We saw the new implementation with the introduction of the ATX 3.0 standard. It was made to power those high-powered GPUs reaching a potential 600W. Now you could use just one connector instead of three or four all coming into one place. However, with the introduction, there were plenty of instances of the connector burning up.
After plenty of speculation and pointing fingers, it turned out the fault was due to user error. Although it’s more likely that users weren’t aware of the issues the connector has. Whereby, you couldn’t put any strain near the tip of it as the bending could cause damage and break them. Or if they came out at all, the not fully inserted connector is what would start melting. That’s where this new 12V-2×6 standard comes in.
The new 12V-2X6 connector
The new 12V-2X6 connector is still compatible with the old 12VHPWR, but what is changing is inside. The tips of the sense pins are offset 1.7mm inwards and the pin behind the tip of first contact is 2mm behind the outer edge. Which requires the p[lug to be inserted much further before it fully works and should minimize the possibility of pulled-out plugs burning up.
There are also some potential changes to the connectors. With two options available as to how they might look instead. They only carry with option 1 having an edge below the sense pins otherwise they are the same. What is also not known is what pin type it will be using in those. There is NTK and Astron on the spring pins, and Igor’s Lab mentions that the former is the recommended option for a safer connection.
This whole standard should provide a good update to hopefully save your hardware alive. What’s also needed is that the cables can be free to be bent as it still requires to be managed away from the GPU in installation.
MSI has already shown off a good concept for this new standard. At Computex, it revealed the multi-colored power supply. With yellow tips on the connectors, you need to be sure you don’t see any of them before you complete your build and save yourself any worries. The reveal has the connector labeled 12V2X6 so it’s already prepared for the change for when the RTX 50 series launches or the potential refresh that is rumored to have pushed back the date for the new architecture.
