Nvidia abandons the problematic 12VHPWR RTX 4080 power connector with a much longer one for the RTX 5080 FE according to leaked images

(Image credit: Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Chinese reviewer showcases the RTX 5080 FE and its new power connector
The embargo is expected to be on January 29, a day before its launch
The new power connector has new wires for a more secure connection

Following Nvidia's RTX 5000 series unveiling at CES 2025, we’re waiting for our first look at the RTX 5090's performance from user benchmarks to find out how well the new Multi Frame Generation feature really works - but for now, we've got our first look at its little brother, the RTX 5080 Founders Edition, and its new power connector.

This comes from a reviewer on the Chinese social media site Bilibili (as reported by VideoCardz), who showcased the RTX 5080 FE along with its new power adapter and stated that the embargo date for reviews will be January 29 (a day before launch) - although this conflicts with a previous VideoCardz report that embargoes will lift on January 24. At the time of writing, the Bilibili post appears to have been taken down - potentially due to a legal notice from Nvidia - but the VideoCardz article is still live, at least for now.

The RTX 4080 and 4090 power connector, called the 12VHPWR connector, wasn't ideal for users - considering it was a potential fire hazard, and its short length left a lack of space and flexibility for side panels on PC cases to close (it also wasn't very pleasant to look at, frankly).

Based on the early image shown in the VideoCardz article (which we’re not posting here because we’d rather not invoke the fury of Nvidia’s legal department), it seems that Nvidia is providing a much longer and more flexible power adapter now - I recently covered the RTX 4080 Super and its performance in the Resident Evil 4 remake, and the only glaring issue I found wasn't with the card's performance itself, but rather the finicky power adapter.

While there's only so much information we can take from a leaked image like this, it looks to be a little more case-friendly if it operates in the same manner as the likes of Seasonic's 12VHPWR power cable - VideoCardz also pointed out the additional sense wires that have been added to ensure a secure 8-pin connection, hopefully preventing any connection issues that caused the connector meltdowns we saw with the previous generation.

The Nvidia RTX 5080 GPU on a green background. — (Image credit: Nvidia)

What solutions are available for the RTX 4080 GPU power adapter?

For those sticking with the RTX 4080, depending on your PC's power supply, there are plenty of options on the market that work as viable alternatives to the problematic RTX 4080 power connector. It's important to buy the correct cable that provides a sufficient amount of power and is compatible with your PSU - you don't want to run the risk of buying a cheap, unreliable one either.

It isn't exactly clear from the provided pictures whether the new power adapter for the RTX 5080 (and the RTX 5090) will be compatible with the RTX 4080 or any other RTX 4000 cards, but if it is, that could be the easy solution to this matter.

January 30 is on the horizon, so we'll be seeing more of what Nvidia’s new powerhouse GPUs will have to offer - hopefully, there are no recurring issues concerning potential melting cables on this occasion.