Nvidia’s graphics cards are the most in-demand for PC gamers right now. But with high power requirements and a new 12VHPWR connector introduced on the 40 Series, followed by a revised 12V-2×6 connector after those kept melting, Nvidia’s cards are causing some concern among buyers. I’ll stop beating around the bush: somebody caught a video of an RTX 5090 just straight-up bursting into flames.
The five-second clip was posted to Chinese social video site BiliBili. The filmer powers on a gaming PC with an MSI RTX 5090 installed, and as the very pretty lights in the white build go up, so does the black card. Sparks and smoke erupt from the GPU enclosure, with visible flames appearing near the motherboard. In just a couple of seconds, the user powers down the PC—while holding the phone camera steady, well done!—and the potential disaster of a spreading fire appears to be averted.
According to VideoCardz.com, the uploader claimed that the problem was entirely with the card itself, not the desktop build or the beefy 1,300-watt power supply. When replaced with an RTX 5060, it reportedly boots fine… albeit with some scorch marks on the motherboard.
Sadly, the uploader might be out of luck as far as recompense. The Nvidia RTX 5090 isn’t technically allowed for sale in China due to a lot of political back-and-forth with the US, with Chinese customers having to settle for 5090D variants. (And according to some photos of the card’s box, this is a standard 5090, presumably imported via non-retail channels.) That means the buyer likely has no option for after-sale support if they live in mainland China.
Without a deeper investigation into the situation, it’s impossible to definitively pin the problem on any particular component, or even declare that the video itself is 100 percent genuine. I don’t personally doubt it, but for the sake of my bosses and the lawyers they have to answer to, I’ll add that this article does not constitute any kind of accusation or assignment of blame.
Initial issues with the 12VHPWR caused melting cables and shorts, leading to a lot of consternation from both buyers and manufacturers. The actual number of affected units was low, but when you’re talking about cards that easily cost over $1,000 in desktops that are much more expensive, it’s easy to see why there were concerns. The redesigned 12V-2×6 cable was supposed to fix many of the issues, electrical and otherwise… but, in at least a few cases, problems have persisted.
It’s hard to make a strong call that these are systemic issues. With social media—like this exact video!—and passionate PC gamers, even a few lemon cards out of millions sold can make headlines. But if you’re installing a new high-power card right now, I’d double-check that PSU rail and make sure you’ve already registered for your warranty.
Author: Michael Crider
Source: PCWorld
Reviewed By: Editorial Team
