PC gamers can now buy actively cooled 16-pin GPU power adapters

I guess actively cooled 16-pin GPU power connectors are a thing now?

16-pin GPU power cables are controversial, both in their 12VHPWR and newer 12V-2×6 forms. There have been too many reports of melted power connectors for consumers to fully trust the standard. Perhaps that’s why a Chinese manufacturer (thanks @9550pro) has created the world’s first actively cooled 16-pin GPU power adapter.

With the launch of Nvidia’s RTX 50 series GPUs, we have seen new cases of graphics cards having burned/melted power connectors. Furthermore, we have seen engineers, overclockers, and other experts decry the standard’s “non-existent safety factor,” and the poor power management features of modern GPUs. We have even had our own near misses with 16-pin GPU power cables.

Sadly, the introduction of active cooling doesn’t do anything to address the problems surrounding the 16-pin GPU power standard. Yes, adding active cooling could prevent an overheating connector from melting, but that heat buildup shouldn’t happen in the first place. This adapter aims to treat a symptom of the problem, not its cause.

16pin adapter with fan… With temperature and power consumption detectionhttps://t.co/P7zsd2ALBe pic.twitter.com/1rZGzn3r4G

— HXL (@9550pro) February 21, 2025

This Chinese 16-pin power adapter costs 229 yuan, or around £25. Would I use it? Probably not. The active cooling element is neat, but an adapter for a controversial connector from an unknown manufacturer… that’s not exactly trustworthy. While a heatsink sounds useful, it doesn’t solve the problems that 16-pin power cables have.

Did we ever need heatsinks or cooling solutions for 8-pin or 6-pin GPU adapters? No. While 16-pin power connectors can carry more power, that is no excuse for poor design. Poor GPU-side load balancing and tiny safety factors have caused today’s melting connector issues. That’s what needs to be fixed. Heatsinks and active cooling on adapters aren’t a real solution to the 16-pin power problem.

You can join the discussion on Chinese manufacturers producing an actively-cooled 16-pin power adapter on the OC3D Forums.