Gigabyte releases an RTX 4090 with a smart power connector placement

pcgamer.com:

Gigabyte has quietly released a revised version of its RTX 4090 Windforce graphics card. What's interesting about this card isn't anything to do with higher clocks or dramatic cooler changes, it's the positioning of the 12VHPWR power connector common to Nvidia's high end RTX 40 cards.

The change was spotted by Harukaze5719. They show the card's power connector has been repositioned away from the typical placement and shifted to a 90 degree position or facing what would usually be the front of the case.

It's so simple. I'm wondering why this isn't a far more common implementation. It's more aesthetically pleasing for a start. The recessed connector and resulting positioning of the cable length ways along the card gets rid of what can be a protruding eye-sore. The cable can then discreetly be routed out behind the motherboard tray leaving a cleaner looking build.

But there's another benefit. Following early reports of melting power connectors and the public relations blowback that came with them, Nvidia and third party suppliers including CableMod recommended users try to minimize the bending of the cables and connectors. This can be exacerbated if an outward facing connector is pressed up against a case side panel or window. Gigabyte's connector position removes that problem.

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Though it turned out to be an overblown issue, anything that keeps your shiny and expensive graphics card purring along with a reduced risk of power connectors turning into molten plastic slag is welcome.

Surprisingly, a look at Gigabyte's RTX 4090