In a Club386 interview with Scott Herkleman, we learned that the RX 7800 XT and RX 7700 XT were to use the 12VHPWR connector. Except that AMD has finally backed down, for very simple reasons: the reliability of the said connector. The company wanted to spare its users any risk!
How did the 12VHPWR not end up on the RX 7800 XT and RX 7700 XT?
In the interview, we learn quite simply that AMD has backtracked on this controversial connector. Indeed, Scott Herkleman stated:
” You shouldn’t blame users for the problems you have “.
This statement simply alludes to the way NVIDIA has dealt with the problems of burnt 12VHPWRs on its own cards. The chameleon indicated that these were due to handling errors such as the plug not being pushed in far enough. However, it turned out that the risks could be greatly reduced by shortening a few pins. So, if the connector isn’t plugged in correctly, the PC won’t boot up, because the card isn’t sufficiently powered.
Nevertheless, it’s not impossible that the said connector will be used in the future by AMD. The company simply needs to have confidence in it. Once the connector is reliable, we should see it appear on the brand’s RADEON boards… Perhaps even in the next generation of boards. Our colleagues report that reports of damaged RTX 40s are becoming rarer. Two factors may explain this:
- Users are now aware of the problem, and are therefore using properly connected plugs
- A revised connector is being used more and more, thus limiting the risks
In short, we’ll keep you posted. In the meantime, the eight-pin PCIe connector reigns supreme on AMD boards!