CableMod 12VHPWR Custom Cable Overview

Want a pretty 12VHPWR cable? Maybe your should try CableMod

CableMod has become one of the first providers create custom 12VHPWR (12 Volt High Power) cables for Nvidia’s RTX 40 series of graphics cards, creating premium PCIe 8-pin to 12VHPWR adaptors and premium direct-to-PSU cables for power supplies from Corsair, EVGA, MSI, ASUS, and others. If you want a high quality sleeved 12VHPWP cable, CableMod is the only manufacturer that we can currently point you to. 

At OC3D, we have used CableMod’s sleeved PSU cables for years without any issues, and their 12VHPWR cables appear to be made the the same quality standards that we have always expected from them. Today, we will be looking at CableMod’s 12VHPWR cable options, and talk about their planned 12VHPWR 90-degree adaptor. 

CableMod’s Cable Configurator

CableMod has a configurator tool that allows their users to tell CableMod what cables they need and ensure that their chosen cables are compatible with their power supply. CableMod created cables that a usable on a large number of branded PSUs, including Corsair, ASUS, MSI, Cooler Master, Seasonic, EVGA and others. 

You can have a look at CableMod’s 12VHPWR cable configurator here. 

Let’s make one thing clear, we don’t like Nvidia’s 4x 8-pin to 12VHPWR adaptors

The 12VHPWR cable standard is designed to do one thing, allow PC builders to connect high wattage components to their power supplies using a single compact connector. The standard is designed to allow add-on cards, specifically GPUs, to consume up to 600 watts of power over a single cable, a design that has been necessitated by Nvidia’s desire to create high wattage graphics cards that utilise small PCBs.

Nvidia has so far launched two graphics cards that are designed to use the new 12VHPWR connector, their RTX 3090 Ti and their RTX 4090. Currently, there a few power supplies that support this new power connector, a factor that limits the potential userbase of these new graphics products. This is why the creation of PCIe 8-pin to 12VHPWR adaptors was necessary, and why why most RTX 4090 products currently ship with one of these adaptors.

To put it simply, we at OC3D do not like the 8-pin to 12VHPWR adaptors that most RTX 4090 graphics cards ship with. They feel cheap, and they are not long enough for PC builders to tidily manage their system’s cables. Even at launch, we used a direct-to-PSU 12VHPWR cable for our testing, avoiding Nvidia’s adaptor entirely. 

Direct-To-PSU Sleeved 12VHPWR cables

If you are going to spend over £1,500 on a graphics card, you will probably want a great looking PC to show it off. One of the primary benefits of CableMod’s sleeved 12VHPWR cables is that they offer users excellent aesthetics, acting as a great final touch that will give your PC a premium look. Yes, standard black or coloured power cables will get the job done, but it is hard to beat that sleeved cable aesthetic.

Another thing that we like about CableMod’s sleeved cables is their use of cable combs, with each cable coming with five sets of pre-installed cable combs. This allows users to keep their cables looking sharp, allowing for graceful curves where cables on the same connector run in parallel. Shown here using Coolermasters new V850i and the MSI Suprim RTX4090. We do need to state we wouldnt use an 850w PSU for the 4090 but it was the only 12VHPWR PSU we had to hand. 

CableMod were the first manufacturer to warn 12VHPWR GPU users about the potential dangers of cable bending

If you have been looking into the 12VHPWR standard lately, you will probable have seen the image below. This image comes from CableMod, specifically from their 12VHPWR cable guide. 

Below, we have included that CableMod had to say about the 12VHPWR standard, and their warning against bending these cables tightly close to their power connectors. If you are using a 12VHPWR cable in your system, we’d recommend that you follow CableMod’s advice.  

   The launch of PCIE5 GPUs with the new 12VHPWR connector is an exciting move to the next generation of graphical power. This new connector can deliver the power required for these power-hungry cards, but also comes with some caveats that users need to be aware of.

The 12VHPWR connector and the terminals used in it are much smaller than the previous generation. Through our extensive testing, it appears that bending the wires too close to the connector could result in some of the terminals coming loose or misaligning within the connector itself. This may lead to an uneven load across the other wires, increasing the risk of overheating damage. The risk of this is substantially higher if the bend is done horizontally in relation to the connector orientation (left to right).

As such, please be very careful with this connector and make sure not to overbend too close to the connector itself. We suggest a minimum distance of 35mm from the connector before any bends occur.

If you are unsure about any of this, feel free to reach out to our support team and we will gladly assist.