Seasonic has released a new 12V-2x6 600W power cable for its outgoing ATX 3.0 compatible power supplies. The new cable is designed to replace its older 12VHPWR cables that came with all its original ATX 3.0 power supplies. The newer 12V-2x6 cable is a more mature revision of the 12VHPWR cable that is less susceptible — dare we say immune? — to meltdowns.
The cable itself is 700mm long and can deliver up to 600 watts to a connected GPU, and it uses 16 gauge wiring. The connector features HCS (High-Current System) terminals with 94V-0 plastic material for the 16-pin housing, and it's rated for up to 50-lifetime mating cycles. The connectors are also colored blue to help differentiate them from Seasonic's earlier black 12VHPWR power cables.
The new cable and the 12V-2X6 standard are backward compatible with 12VHPWR power connectors, which is how Seasonic was able to provide this upgrade in the first place. Compatible Seasonic power supplies include any of its ATX 3.0 power supplies. These PSU lineups are the Prime TX ATX 3.0 series, Prime PX ATX 3.0 series, Vertex GX, PX, GX White, and Sakura units, and the Focus GX and GX White ATX 3.0 lineups. Older ATX 2.0 Seasonic units are not compatible with this new power cable.
Seasonic recommends that you only use 750W or higher if your graphics card pulls a significant amount of power, like the RTX 4090. The new cable will be optimal for users who want to be free from the risk of a system meltdown due to the 16-pin power connector. The original 16-pin 12VHPWR standard became notorious for causing GPU meltdowns and was responsible for the vast majority of RTX 4090 deaths last year.
The new 12V-2X6 standard alleviates this problem by rectifying many of the problematic elements of the 12VHPWR standard. Most notably, the new connection standard boasts shortened connecting pins that are less resistant to voltage coming from the power supply. Hardware Busters tested the new 12V-2X6 standard and found it drastically outperforms the 12VHPWR standard in operating thermals, making it "virtually impossible" for the connector to melt.
Seasonic's new cable is available now, though that's dependent on your location. If you have any questions regarding availability, Seasonic recommends you contact them via their support email for assistance.
