Ahead-looking: As instances of burning and melting RTX 5090 energy cables proceed to mount, Asus has demonstrated that its new Again to the Future (BTF) energy connector design can keep protected temperatures whereas delivering greater than triple the GPU’s inventory wattage restrict. The check additionally revealed that BTF can work in tandem with conventional 16-pin connectors – simply in case anybody ever needs to aim a 2,600W overclock.
In a current Bilibili video, translated by Tom’s {Hardware}, Asus China GM Tony Yu pumped almost 2 kilowatts into an Nvidia RTX 5090 to showcase the resilience of the corporate’s different GPU energy connector design. If different producers undertake Asus’s BTF normal, it might cut back hearth hazards and spark a elementary shift in customized PC design.
The tech emerged after widespread experiences of burning and melting RTX 4090 energy cables that began surfacing a few years in the past. A whole bunch of confirmed incidents had been attributed to a mixture of points: improperly linked cables, tight bends close to connectors, using adapters for older ATX 2.0 energy provides, and inherent flaws within the 12VHPWR connector design.
Regardless of newer connector revisions and Nvidia’s promise that the RTX 5090 would keep away from its predecessor’s destiny, no less than six confirmed instances of broken connectors have already been reported for the 5090.
asus tony confirmed 16pin+gc_hpwr can truly work on the identical time on the most recent 5090 btf2.5, so it’s ~300w every below ~50a load.
he additionally push the btf2.5 gc_hpwr to 150a (~3 occasions of the spec of 16pin) and it simply labored.bilibili 普普通通Tony大叔https://t.co/n4duH4n8yU pic.twitter.com/TTcKBm4OYW
– UNIKO’s {Hardware} (@unikoshardware) June 23, 2025
BTF addresses these dangers by eliminating the necessity for exterior GPU energy cables. As a substitute, it introduces a brand new connector on the motherboard, streamlining the set up course of and lowering the variety of elements that might fail.
Appropriate GPUs and motherboards embrace a further gold finger and a GC-HPWR socket adjoining to the PCIe connector.
Preliminary BTF designs had been rated for 600W, simply above the RTX 5090’s 575W inventory draw. BTF 2.5 raised the ceiling to 1,000W, and Yu’s demonstration almost doubled that determine whereas sustaining protected temperatures.
When delivering 607W to the GPU, the GC-HPWR connector stayed round 35°C. At 1,300W, it solely reached 38°C. Even after hitting simply over 1,900W – sufficient to theoretically energy three RTX 5090s – the temperature topped out at simply 41°C.
In a ultimate check, Yu went additional. To match warmth ranges between the GC-HPWR and conventional 16-pin connectors, he linked a separate energy provide to every on the identical card. Delivering about 1,200W by one and 1,400W by the opposite, Yu fed greater than 2,600W into the RTX 5090 – greater than triple Der8auer’s current 800W shunt mod overclock. Underneath these excessive situations, the 16-pin connectors reached round 70°C.
Whereas the outcomes are spectacular, it is nonetheless unclear when BTF-compatible GPUs and motherboards will turn into broadly accessible. Broad business adoption might make GC-HPWR connectors a extra dependable and safer answer for powering high-end add-on boards.