16-Pin Power Connector Goes Undercover On Updated Gigabyte GeForce RTX 4090 Cards

By: Muhammad Zuhair Haider Zaidi
Source: https://wccftech.com/16-pin-power-connector-goes-undercover-on-updated-gigabyte-geforce-rtx-4090-cards/

Gigabyte has introduced a revised version of the GeForce RTX 4090 WindForce graphics card which cleverly hides the 16-Pin power connector.

Gigabyte’s WindForce V2 Design For GeForce RTX 4090 GPUs Features A Unique Backplate Design to Minimize 16-Pin Power Cable Bending

Gigabyte didn’t publicly disclose the GeForce RTX 4090 “WindForce V2” but credits to the renowned leaker @harukaze5719, who spotted the new variant. You would be curious why Gigabyte opted for this design change.

Although the company hasn’t mentioned a specific reason, it is evident that the connector placement prevents the power cables from bending too much. We all know the fiasco which occurred when NVIDIA initially introduced the 12VHPWR power connector and how it led to issues such as cable melting. The new WindForce V2 may be released in response to the solution to the problem, but it isn’t sure yet.

The Gigabyte GeForce RTX 4090 WindForce V2 isn’t available at retailers yet globally. However, it appears the GPU is up for retail in China. Except for the connector placement, no changes in the specifications of the GPU have been made. However, consumers might get a unique sag bracket with the WindForce V2, created to support the new design.

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We previously reported the widespread PCB cracking issues within Gigabyte’s RTX 30 & RTX 40 series GPUs. The WindForce variant was the most common to have encountered the issue, and it is unclear whether the manufacturer has addressed the problem in the revised V2 version. Pricing and further information about the “WindForce V2” is unknown, but we expect the company to disclose more details soon.