Intel & AMD Testing 12V-2x6 Power Connectors For Next-Gen GPUs, Following NVIDIA's Footsteps

Intel & AMD are testing the new 12V-2x6 power connectors which might be featured in their next-generation consumer GPUs.

Well, everyone is quite aware of how the debut of the 12VHPWR power connectors bothered the markets, with the widespread "burning" issues that were dominant in NVIDIA's Ada Lovelace GPUs. Not only did the connectors create a whole new fiasco, but it also resulted in severe financial cutbacks for AIB partners, who were forced to comply with their RMA services simply because of an erroneous power connector. NVIDIA has already moved away from 12VHPWR as the next-gen RTX 50 "Blackwell" series will feature the advanced 12V-2x6 power connectors, and it looks like Intel and AMD are planning something similar.

A report by the Hungarian media outlet Prohardver discloses that Intel and AMD are testing the 12V-2x6 power connectors with manufacturing partners, but it isn't conclusive whether the standard will debut in the companies' upcoming GPU releases. The reluctance to switch to 12V-2x6 is because neither Intel nor AMD faced any trouble with the traditional 8 and 6-pin power connectors, and while undergoing tests, it seemed like neither of the firms would benefit from switching to 12V-2x6.

For those unaware, the 12V-2x6 connectors are said to be much superior to 12VHPWR, given that they are said to deliver power up to 600W, and the standard features "sense pins", which are used to monitor voltage, actually can figure out whether the connector is inserted properly, and if not, it can restrict the PD output as well, hence avoiding burning issues. They are seen as a more reliable option, especially for GPUs with higher TDPs, which is why NVIDIA didn't take too long to switch towards 12V-2x6 with its upcoming GPUs.

These connectors are likely going to be implemented on Intel's Arc Battlemage and AMD's Radeon RX 8000 GPUs. AMD didn't rule out the possibility of using the 16-pin connectors on its GPUs but rather said that they will see how the progress on the new connector goes and if it becomes safer to use in the future. The company did leverage a similar interface on its Radeon PRO lineup and so did Intel.

Yet again, we aren't too certain about whether AMD or Intel will feature 12V-2x6 in their upcoming GPUs, but given that NVIDIA has made the move, it will likely prompt competitors to join in the bandwagon, to maintain market competition.