Corsair expects Nvidia's RTX 50 series will retain the 12V-2x6 power connector — Next-Gen GPUs could consume well over 450W of power

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However, there is no word on what connectors AMD or Intel will use.

GeForce RTX Hero
(Image credit: Nvidia)

Nvidia's RTX 50 "Blackwell" GPUs are on the horizon and should be the only offering in the high-end "enthusiast-level" segment. A Press Release from Corsair reports that next-generation high-end GPUs (from Nvidia) will likely retain the updated 12V-2x6 standard, sticking to a single 16-pin connector design and could require more power.

Based on leaked information, Nvidia's flagship RTX 5090 is said to consume almost 600W of power — up from the RTX 4090's 450W TDP. This still isn't ample to saturate the 12V-2x6 design, which can theoretically provide 675W of power (H++). Without a doubt, AIBs will release high-end variants with dual 16-pin connectors but that's the exception, not the rule.

"The latest graphics cards now require a 12V-2x6 GPU power connector, a standard we expect will continue with next-gen GPUs. Next-generation high-end graphics cards could demand even more power than current models, which can draw up to 450 watts. "

Corsair

Corsair states that it expects flagship GPUs (from Nvidia) to continue with the 12V-2x6 design. While the company doesn't explicitly say so, there's a slight hint that the RTX 50 series might draw more power than the current generation. Corsair urges users to upgrade their existing PSUs to accommodate this potential uptick in power requirements.

AMD and Intel might not entertain the idea of changing standards - since both will not compete with Nvidia in the high-end market. Then we have the obvious problems with the 12VHPWR design - which were addressed with the 12V-2x6 update. However, the standard is still a novelty for mainstream consumers as traditional 8-pin connectors will suffice for this segment. In addition, budget PSUs still lack 16-pin connectors hence the introduction of a new standard will impede adoption which is why the idea will likely be dismissed.

Nvidia and AMD should announce their upcoming RTX 50 "Blackwell" and Radeon RX 8000 "RDNA 4" GPUs at CES 2025. Team Blue enthusiasts might be in for a surprise since rumor has it that Intel is planning to announce Xe2 "Battlemage" GPUs for desktop next month - though it is unclear when they will be available to purchase.

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Hassam Nasir
Hassam Nasir
Contributing Writer

Hassam Nasir is a die-hard hardware enthusiast with years of experience as a tech editor and writer, focusing on detailed CPU comparisons and general hardware news. When he’s not working, you’ll find him bending tubes for his ever-evolving custom water-loop gaming rig or benchmarking the latest CPUs and GPUs just for fun.

5 Comments Comment from the forums
  • TheHerald
    Good news.
    Reply
  • chaz_music
    They really need to think about raising the voltage in that interface to drop the current down from what is needed at 12V. Unfortunately, UL does not consider anything above 30V as touch safe. So ~28VDC? That drops the current down to 43% for the same power level, or 16A for a 450W load.

    But the fact that we have these connectors burning up at this power level and no homes have been burned down (yet) indicates that UL has done a great job choosing the best insulation material to prevent fires, rated 94V0 (typically Nylon). If those connector shells had been made of something cheaper like PVC or ABS, it would be a different story.
    Reply
  • Eximo
    chaz_music said:
    They really need to think about raising the voltage in that interface to drop the current down from what is needed at 12V. Unfortunately, UL does not consider anything above 30V as touch safe. So ~28VDC? That drops the current down to 43% for the same power level, or 16A for a 450W load.

    But the fact that we have these connectors burning up at this power level and no homes have been burned down (yet) indicates that UL has done a great job choosing the best insulation material to prevent fires, rated 94V0 (typically Nylon). If those connector shells had been made of something cheaper like PVC or ABS, it would be a different story.

    I'm all for a 24V PSU or the like, but that would be a radical change to ATX and require a pretty harsh changeover. You think adapter cables are bad, wait until it has a 12V to 24V boost converter inside of it.
    Reply
  • hotaru251
    AMD ditching high end and focusing on mid and entry means they will likely use 8pin as its tried & true & no need for a (likely) more expensive connector.
    Reply
  • YSCCC
    with the 12V 2x6 it should be fine for most, but I do think the placement of the connector will need to be thought over more carefully, the old 8pin is "safe" coz it carries much lower power per pin so even partially unseating it wouldn't be a problem, and that the cable itself is soft enough to bend pretty tightly for cable management in smaller cases. if the 4090s back then wasn't that large (tall) to esseitially force one to bend it tightly with a small footprint connector, it likely won't have as big a drama unfolding
    Reply