A premium GPU owner, unimpressed by the company’s “design logic,” ultimately opted for a full refund.
ASUS has formally clarified that the slightly offset 16-pin (12V-2×6) power header on its flagship ROG Matrix GeForce RTX 5090 Platinum 30th Anniversary Edition is not a manufacturing defect. According to the company’s engineers, the connector’s positioning is a deliberate design choice dictated by specific structural and electrical requirements.
The issue gained traction recently when a purchaser of the ultra-exclusive card—one of only 1,000 units produced with a price tag of roughly $4,000—voiced their frustration on Reddit. The owner discovered that standard power cables cannot be fully inserted due to a lack of clearance between the connector and the cooler’s frame. Because the header is shifted to the right, achieving a secure connection is difficult, raising concerns about potential safety risks.
Upon contacting ASUS technical support, the user received the following response:
“Following a review by our engineering team, it has been confirmed that the non-centered position of the power connector is an intended feature of the product’s original design, established through comprehensive structural and electrical assessments.”
Maintaining that the card was not defective, ASUS declined any requests for repair or replacement. Unwilling to settle for a problematic fit on such an expensive component, the owner decided to return the video card for a refund.
Source: iXBT.games