PCI-SIG is yet to formally introduce a revamped version of 12VHPWR connector that can solve the melting connector issue that has plagued GeForce RTX 40-series graphics cards several months ago. Igor's Lab claims that Nvidia's own GeForce RTX 4070 Founders Edition graphics board already uses the refined 12V-2×6 auxiliary power plug.
The main difference between the original 12VHPWR connector and the new 12V-2×6 plug are shorter sense pins, approximately 1.7 mm. This design ensures that the power header is fully inserted into the connector, otherwise the power supply does not activate high power modes, avoiding overheating and melting when a graphics card requires a lot of power.
It looks like for now only Astron produces the new 12V-2×6 power connectors and Nvidia is the only company that uses them, at least according to Igor's Lab. Other suppliers of graphics cards will most likely wait for PCI-SIG to formally specify the new plug before using it for mass market products. It seems that Nvidia is willing to take the risk with its GeForce RTX 4070 Founders Edition product, which is one of the best graphics cards around.
What remains to be seen is when PCI-SIG finalizes the new 12V-2×6 power connector and when makers of graphics cards start using it instead of the notorious 12VHPWR plug.
