Dell is also afraid of Nvidia GPU connectors bursting into flame

Spending a thousand dollars or more on a graphics card only to watch it burn down is a nightmare. The 12VHPWR and 12V-2×6 connectors of the last two generations of Nvidia GPUs have been a constant source of anxiety for PC gamers, and not only that, it seems. A recent teardown from Dell shows a custom connection that helps hold the power rail in place.

While reviewing the Dell Tower Plus EBT2250 workstation PC, Japanese site Chimolog.co spotted something very interesting when removing the RTX 5070 Ti graphics card: a custom bracket on the power connection, with a logo identifying it as part of a company called Amphenol, securely holds the 12V-2×6 to the graphics card. According to the machine translation of the comprehensive review, this plastic bracket ensures that the electrical connection is “completely secured”. [in place] so it can’t come off on its own.

16-pin connectors, which can deliver up to 600 watts of power to a graphics card and communicate more efficiently with a sophisticated power supply, have been a source of doom for PC builders. Evidence suggests that it’s easy to install them incorrectly (so that the pins aren’t actually touching), leading to shorts and melted connections. And that’s generous, assuming the problems stem from physical design and/or user error, not structural issues with the connectors. The basic design has already been revised once, in addition to various improvements such as color-coded slots for a visual indicator of complete insertion.

Dell sells the Tower Plus EBT2250 in many markets. Hell, it’s not even limited to professional sales, as you can buy one on Amazon or Micro Center. But the Chimolog review (spotted by Tom’s Hardware) appears to be the first to take note of custom hardware designed specifically to secure the 12V-2×6 connector.

This isn’t shocking, because these prebuilt desktops aren’t aimed at gamers or DIYers (although they certainly have enough power to be a very good gaming PC!). I wonder how many other pre-builts come with extra clips and clamps for added peace of mind, and if there might be a market for selling directly to PC builders like me.