[maxwell86]

> xactly for how they implemented and supply a 12V solution (which includes both the physical products they supply, and the messaging they've put out around it) which this article yet again underlines as being both real, and even worse than initially thought.

I'd recommend people gloating to read the article. EDIT: (see my edit below).

The conclussions are clear:

- The problem is NOT the new connection; that's fine. New PSUs come with a connection that does not need any adaptor and those are safe and work fine.

- The problem is a poor quality adaptor shipped with 4090s for people that buy a 1600$ GFX but then skimp on a new PSU and want to pair it with an old one (EDIT: skimp is out of place and victim blaming, I'd guess it would be more appropiate to have said here that NVIDIA and partners decided to add an adapter to avoid suggesting that users need a new PSU).

These adaptors are distributed by NVIDIA but build by a supplier. Igor's recommendation is, I quote: "NVIDIA has to take its own supplier to task here, and replacing the adapters in circulation would actually be the least they could do.".

EDIT: This comment can be misunderstood as me speculating whether the OP read the article or not. I am not speculating: the OP did not read the article, which claims the opposite of what the OP claims. The OP claims that 12V solutions are the issue, while the article states that they are fine, and as proof shows that new PSUs implement them correctly. In fact the _goal_ of the article is to set the record straight about this, by precising that the only problem is the quality of the adapter, not 12 V per se. So this comment is not an speculation about whether the OP read the article or not, but a response to set the record straight for those who might read OPs comment only, but not the article (I often come to HN for the comments more than the articles, so I'd find such a comment helpful myself).

[GekkePrutser]

"Skim on a new PSU" sounds like people are cheaping out or something. Many people already have a more than sufficient PSU and replacing it just for another plug is a waste of natural resources.

NVidia should just include an adaptor that's not a fire hazard. The consumers are not to blame here.

Ps I think you mean "skimp"

[maxwell86]

Agreed, not sure what other words to use instead.

I think it would have been better for these cards to not have an adapter at all. I've added an EDIT to try to word this differently.

[Sohcahtoa82]

Other commenters are claiming that NVIDIA KNEW the adapter had an issue with melting and/or catching fire. If that's true, I still think NVIDIA still has 100% liability.

If it was late in the development cycle that this was discovered, then the proper thing to do would have been to delay the release, or just not include adapters and offer them later. It would have been a minor PR hit, but not nearly as bad as shipping adapters known to be faulty.

[maxwell86]

> Other commenters are claiming that NVIDIA KNEW the adapter h

Those refer to a PCI Express Forum issue that was opened about the connector drawing too much power, not the adapter.

[sudosysgen]

Why would I waste a perfectly good PSU just because Nvidia can't make adapters that don't melt?

[maxwell86]

TBH NVIDIA should just have not included any adapter at all.

[izacus]

Why?

[dylan604]

But does the inclusion of a shoddy adapter not just encourage the usage of the older PSU?

[cptskippy]

The problem isn't with older PSUs, they can work fine with a good adapter.

The problem is with the adapter design, it is not just one bad choice but multiple layers of negligence that compound the issue.

* The adapter has 6 pins all bridged together by thin connections that can break.

* 4 heavy gauge wires are attached to those pins with a surface mount solder joint. They're not through hole soldered which would provide more contact AND far greater strength. They're not crimped which would provide the best contact and strength.

* There's no strain relief. So if you hold the cables close to where they're soldered to the connector and flex it you can easily break those surface mount solder joints.

* Because the 6 pins / 4 wires are all bridged asymmetrically, some bridges have more current passing through them and if they're fatigued or damaged they'll have higher resistance. Higher resistance means more heat.

Overall it's just really poorly engineered on multiple levels. It's diarrhea poured over-top an open face shit sandwich.

[KIFulgore]

Same conclusion here. Pushing 500+ watts through surface-mount solder joints is pure negligence.

[CamperBob2]

Yep. In general whenever you rely on a solder joint to provide mechanical strength or support, you're in a state of sin. Running 600 watts through such a connection is pure negligence.

[maxwell86]

Yes. They should not have included any adapter at all.

Those with older PSUs should have had to make a decision about whether they want an adapter or not, and then pick an adapter of the appropiate quality.

[pvg]

I'd recommend people gloating to read the article.

This is a neat way to parallelize and scale up this swipe but it's still the same swipe:

Please don't comment on whether someone read an article. "Did you even read the article? It mentions that" can be shortened to "The article mentions that."

https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

[maxwell86]

Thanks. I've added an EDIT to clarify that I am not speculating about whether the OP read the article, and that the only point of my comment is to set the record straight for those who often just come to HN for the comments (like myself).

[pvg]

Just take it out. You don't know who has and hasn't read the article, how much they are 'gloating' and it's one of the oldest known bad tropes of internet forums which is why it's in the guidelines. Your comment only gets better without it.