ASUS denies replacement for $4,000 ROG Matrix RTX 5090 claiming misaligned power connector is part of original design
A new issue has come to light about ASUS’s high-end ROG Matrix RTX 5090 graphics card. The ROG Matrix is ASUS’s limited-edition take on the powerhouse GPU, priced at a staggering $4,000.
Given the egregiously high price point, you’d expect this RTX 5090 GPU to work right out of the box without any struggles. However, the 12VHPWR connector is misaligned, and it doesn’t fit properly. Furthermore, ASUS is denying any replacements, calling it a “part of the original product design.”
However, a Reddit user named Adrenaline424’s frustration shows that the opposite is possible as well. The user pointed out that their 16-pin connector, technically known as the 12V-2x6, is slightly offset compared to the GPU’s frame.
This misalignment, albeit a relatively minute flaw, gives very little room for the connector housing to plug into the graphics card and secure it. This minor hiccup could prevent the card from outputting its advertised peak performance of 800W.
The misalignment isn’t a factory defect but is part of the card’s design, which ASUS has marketed as a premium 30th-anniversary edition GPU featuring dual power inputs for extreme overclocking.
Only 1,000 units have been produced worldwide. Given the GPU's rarity, it’s unclear how many users have encountered this issue. The Redditor tried numerous cables, but the tight clearance always left the connector housing improperly seated.
Given their circumstances, the Redditor reached out to ASUS customer support, believing the misaligned connector was a factory flaw that had gone unnoticed.
However, to the customer's surprise, ASUS stated that the power connector's position was intentional. ASUS said:
After review by our engineering team, the non-centred positioning of the power connector is part of the original product design, determined based on overall structural and electrical layout considerations.
This response effectively rules out any warranty fixes or replacements specific to the ROG Matrix RTX 5090's connector issue, leaving the customer with no option but to return the GPU or risk melting the connector. The customer could return the GPU within the 30-day return window or try to make the most of the provided HPWR connector, which required a compatible BTF board from the same brand.
This isn’t the first time the ROG Matrix has made headlines. Earlier in December, ASUS temporarily ceased GPU shipments due to quality concerns. However, the company stated there had been no recalls, and deliveries resumed shortly after, which in itself is a strange predicament.
For now, an affected customer like Adernaline424 has opted to return their ROG Matrix RTX 5090 due to the risk of connecting their power supply to the misaligned connector, which could result in a costly issue and one that ASUS may dispute it is at fault for.
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