Corsair unveils 12V-2x6 connector for power-hungry GPUs

A previous rumour stated Nvidia's flagship GeForce RTX 5090 could guzzle up to 600 Watts. Of course, that spec is a speculation and isn't set in stone, but if Ada Lovelace is anything to go by, a xx90 class GPU can easily consume that much at full load. Thankfully, Blackwell-based SKUs will no longer have to deal with the fragile 12VHPWR power connectors introduced alongside Ampere.

Corsair has unveiled the "12V-2x6" standard for next-gen graphics cards. At first glance, it looks identical to a 12VHPWR slot. While it is functionally the same, it will require a compatible PSU and cables. An earlier leak said 12V-2X6 slots can transmit up to 675 Watts of power, giving more than enough headroom for upcoming GPUs to operate at maximum wattage.

For now, we'll get to see the new 12V-2x6 connector only in a handful of high-end offerings from Nvidia. AMD and Intel do not have a GeForce RTX 5090 (or even RTX 5080) competitor lined up this generation. That might change with RDNA 5, where AMD plans to make its grand comeback into the enthusiast GPU market. Intel's fate, on the other hand, entirely depends on how Battlemage is received by the market.