Thermal Grizzly's $76 gadget promises to save your pricey GPU from melting down

The RTX 4090 graphics cards faced significant challenges due to 12VHPWR power connector melting incidents. These issues were primarily attributed to user mistakes and a design flaw in the connector, which made it challenging to ensure proper cable connection. In response, both GPU and PSU manufacturers have developed improved connectors and cables that transmit high power only when securely connected. Thermal Grizzly has gone a step further by introducing the WireView Pro, a device that can help protect your graphics card from such incidents.

As the upcoming RTX 5090 is expected to draw even more power than the RTX 4090, using a device like the WireView Pro could help prevent or minimize potential issues, protecting both the graphics card and, more importantly, the user. Unlike the previously released WireView, the new WireView Pro now includes an alarm feature, along with a buzzer that alerts users if the connector is improperly plugged in.

Key features of the WireView Pro include:

• Real-time power consumption measurement, with data recorded in 60-second intervals
• Temperature monitoring through sensors placed at the power connectors
• Temperature monitoring through external sensors
• Detection of proper sensor pin connection

According to Thermal Grizzly, the WireView Pro can get hot during use, regardless of the GPU's cooling method. For air-cooled cards, the device will cool down as the card cools, though it may still reach temperatures of up to 60°C. For water-cooled cards, however, the lack of airflow near the connector could cause the device to heat up to 100°C. It's advisable to avoid touching the device unless absolutely necessary to change display settings. Thermal Grizzly hasn't clarified whether these temperatures were measured with 450W or higher TDP cards, which means temperatures could potentially be higher with the RTX 5090.

Potential buyers should also pay attention to the power connector orientation on their cards. Some models use reversed connectors, in which case they will need the "Reverse (R)" version of the WireView Pro, rather than the standard model.

The WireView Pro is available for purchase on Thermal Grizzly's official website, priced at €70 or $76. It works well with standard horizontally mounted GPUs, but may not be ideal for vertical installations, as the screen may be difficult to see. There is hope that Thermal Grizzly will release a version specifically designed for vertically mounted GPUs in the future.