ASUS BTF 2.5 Connector on GeForce RTX 5090 Stays Cool Even at 1,900 W Load

[AleksandarK]

ASUS has confirmed that its GeForce RTX 5090 BTF Edition can draw nearly 1,900 W without any signs of overheating, thanks to a robust metal power connector that holds up under pressure. In a series of controlled stress tests led by Tony Yu, General Manager of ASUS China, the BTF v2.5 proprietary GC-HPWR connector remained well within safe temperature limits, outperforming the conventional plastic 16-pin 12VHPWR/12V-2x6 alternative. The latest Back-to-the-Future update introduces a detachable GC-HPWR adapter, giving users the flexibility to switch between ASUS's metal connector and the standard 16-pin plug. ASUS supplies a small extraction tool that makes it easy to swap connectors, overcoming the original design's limitation of a permanently attached GC-HPWR adapter and ensuring wider compatibility with existing motherboards, as well as non-BTF-supported boards.

In the first trial, the card drew approximately 670 W, roughly matching the RTX 5090's typical maximum, and the GC-HPWR connector stabilized between 30°C and 35°C over ten minutes. ASUS engineers rated the metal connector for up to 1,000 W continuous operation, and the results confirmed a comfortable safety margin for maximum load. Tony Yu even increased the draw to 1,300 W, yielding a peak connector temperature of 38°C. In a final extreme test, the load was set to 150 A, driving total consumption above 1,900 W. Even under these conditions, the metal connector held at about 41°C, while the power cables reached roughly 70°C, demonstrating the adapter's superior thermal performance. Yu's experiments also showed that the GC-HPWR and 16-pin connectors can share the power load. At a 200 A setting, each connector supplied around 1,200 W to 1,400 W from separate power lines. Although ASUS plans to ship retail RTX 5090 cards with a single connector, this test suggests a possible path for future ultra-high-power GPUs designed for extreme overclockers.



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[Chomiq]

Well at the back of the motherboard you still have...

https://dlcdnwebimgs.asus.com/gain/bea657b1-f671-47d7-aaed-d8ba87fad68e/

So they better show us temps on that 12V-2X6 at the back of the motherboard.

 

[TheDeeGee]

I'd rather have my GPU connector melt than the one on my Motherboard, taking out a GPU is easier than the entire motherboard.

This is just shifting the real issue to another component.

I do like the idea, but i don't want it until NVIDIA and even other manufacturer's (yes, you Sapphire) get's their heads out of their asses and add proper load balancing to GPU's.

 

[Chaitanya]

Well at the back of the motherboard you still have...

https://dlcdnwebimgs.asus.com/gain/bea657b1-f671-47d7-aaed-d8ba87fad68e/

So they better show us temps on that 12V-2X6 at the back of the motherboard.

They could have easily used 8-Pine PCIe connectors there in future for increased capabilities.

 

[r00tcz]

NVIDIA should have used PCB edge connector like this instead of the 12VHPWR. Edge connectors like this have been used on server power supplies for decades. They are very reliable and eliminate need for any connector on the board so it saves space even more (one of the reasons new connector was pushed so hard) while not being much bigger. It can be terminated on a cable too and number of contacts varied, to meet exact specifications.
If ASUS really wants this standard to get off, make card with two of these, one on the bottom (for MB) and one on the top/back (for the PSU cable) and sell or include adapter cable for PSU. This doesn't fix the PSU side, but something like 4x8pin would be quite safe and widely compatible.

 

[Grimling]

what is the point of this connector, when it does not get rid of the 12x6 high failure rate connector?
they should have used 4 traditional 8 pin pci connectors on the board instead!

 

[LittleBro]

So many juice going through poor mobo ...

 

[TheinsanegamerN]

NVIDIA should have used PCB edge connector like this instead of the 12VHPWR. Edge connectors like this have been used on server power supplies for decades. They are very reliable and eliminate need for any connector on the board so it saves space even more (one of the reasons new connector was pushed so hard) while not being much bigger. It can be terminated on a cable too and number of contacts varied, to meet exact specifications.

Aside from the obvious compatibility issues with ITX, nvidia would need to convince mobo makers to change up their designs on already crowded boards. It might be a good idea but thats one hell of a hill to climb.

If ASUS really wants this standard to get off, make card with two of these, one on the bottom (for MB) and one on the top/back (for the PSU cable) and sell or include adapter cable for PSU. This doesn't fix the PSU side, but something like 4x8pin would be quite safe and widely compatible.

Or they could just use the 12vHPWR with sensing to prevent overload, which is what GPU makers should have been doing already.

They could have easily used 8-Pine PCIe connectors there in future for increased capabilities.

Problem is, how many? 4? 5? 6? At some point that many connectors becomes cumbersome.

 

[windwhirl]

Problem is, how many? 4? 5? 6? At some point that many connectors becomes cumbersome.

That just tells you the power consumption of these things have long escaped the realm of sanity.

 

[TheinsanegamerN]

That just tells you the power consumption of these things have long escaped the realm of sanity.

And what defines sanity to you? Why is your definition objectively the correct one?

To me it says the connectors we use were designed for cards from 20 years ago, and we were overdue for a replacement design.

 

[JustBenching]

And what defines sanity to you? Why is your definition objectively the correct one?

To me it says the connectors we use were designed for cards from 20 years ago, and we were overdue for a replacement design.

Well, even though efficiency is definitely going up, efficiency alone aint enough. There is a limit on how much power we can safely draw from the wall, the psu, and how much heat we can tolerate in the room. 600w is on the upper limit of that last part. 600w is obscene to sit next to playing your games. Feels like a heat wave smacking you in the face. Even in an actively cooled room.

 

[Chaitanya]

Problem is, how many? 4? 5? 6? At some point that many connectors becomes cumbersome.

How many consumer do really use more than 1 full fat GPU these days? at somepoint the stupidity of 450W+ GPU needs to die out else we are going to keep looking for solutions to problems that really shouldnt exist.

 

[Visible Noise]

Well, even though efficiency is definitely going up, efficiency alone aint enough. There is a limit on how much power we can safely draw from the wall, the psu, and how much heat we can tolerate in the room. 600w is on the upper limit of that last part. 600w is obscene to sit next to playing your games. Feels like a heat wave smacking you in the face. Even in an actively cooled room.

Where I live we are in the middle of a heat wave, temperatures in the triple digits (Fahrenheit).

Too hot for PC gaming and too hot for outdoor activities. YouTube on the iPad is this weeks entertainment.

 

[JustBenching]

Where I live we are in the middle of a heat wave, temperatures in the triple digits (Fahrenheit).

Too hot for PC gaming and too hot for outdoor activities. YouTube on the iPad is this weeks entertainment.

Unless you get the new 5050 for those hot days

 

[TheinsanegamerN]

Well, even though efficiency is definitely going up, efficiency alone aint enough. There is a limit on how much power we can safely draw from the wall, the psu, and how much heat we can tolerate in the room. 600w is on the upper limit of that last part.

In the past, the limit was 500, or 400, or 300, or even 200 watt. 600 watt is manageable, as is evidence by the multitude of halo cards that have hit this number. In the 90s, a CPU drawing more than 40 watts was considered unthinkable. Strangely, nobody is calling for the 9800x3d to get banhammered because of "safety".

Standards also change. It used to be that 900 watt was the max you could safely draw from the wall. Then it was 1400 watt, then 2000 watt. In countries that are not the US the limit is twice as high.

600w is obscene to sit next to playing your games. Feels like a heat wave smacking you in the face. Even in an actively cooled room.

This is subjective. Yes, 600 watt is a lot of heat. Some people are clearly willing to tolerate that heat. If you dont want that....the 4080/4070/4060ti/4060 all exist. Nobody is forcing you to buy the 600w cards, and they're not hurting you.

There's also the fact that 99% of the time a 4090/5090 dont actually hit 600w sustained usage, and some minor tweaking can bring power use down significantly.

How many consumer do really use more than 1 full fat GPU these days? at somepoint the stupidity of 450W+ GPU needs to die out else we are going to keep looking for solutions to problems that really shouldnt exist.

I think we should ban all GPUs over 37 watt. That was AGP's limit. You dont need any more than that. The stupidity of GPUs over the GT 1030 need to die out or else we are going to keep looking for solutions to problems that really shouldnt exist.

 

[Visible Noise]

Unless you get the new 5050 for those hot days

I guess I could set the power limit on my 4090 to 33% and underclock it. I don’t know what the minimum clock speed is. Something to play with after work.