According to Prohardver, this connector could replace the established 8-pin and 6-pin power connectors, which have been used in graphics cards without any problems so far.
It appears that Chipzilla and AMD have seen Nvidia's success with its 12V 2×6 connector and the fact it is being continued in the upcoming RTX 50 “Blackwell” series.
The previous 12VHPWR connector suffered from reports of overheating and scorching, which led to uncertainty in the market, especially among manufacturing partners who had to carry out expensive recalls and repairs.
The 12V 2×6 connections offer some technical improvements over the previous standards. According to the specification, they can deliver up to 600 watts of power and have so-called “sense pins”, which enable the power supply to be monitored.
These pins detect whether the plug is inserted correctly and can limit the current flow in case of errors. This function is intended to reduce the likelihood of overheating or damage.
Both Intel and AMD are currently testing the new connector in collaboration with their manufacturers. However, there is still no clear decision as to whether this standard will be introduced in the coming GPU generations.
One reason for this reluctance is that neither Intel nor AMD have had any significant problems with the conventional connectors. The tests have also not yet shown any clear advantage of the 12V 2×6 standard for these companies.
The new connector could be introduced in Intel’s upcoming Arc Battlemage GPUs and AMD’s Radeon RX 8000 series. Both companies are currently deciding whether to adopt the 12V 2×6 standard.
AMD has stated that it is monitoring the progress of this technology and may switch to the new connector later if it proves to be more stable and secure.
Despite the ongoing tests, Intel and AMD have not yet made the decision, while NVIDIA has already implemented the 12V-2×6 connector in its upcoming GPUs. Developments in the coming months will show whether and to what extent Intel and AMD will follow suit.
Moving to a new power connector could mean significant adjustments for both companies in manufacturing and developing their GPUs, which is why a thorough examination of the technical and economic implications is required.
Ultimately, it remains to be seen whether the new connector will replace the previous standard or whether Intel and AMD will continue to use the tried and tested 8-pin and 6-pin connectors.
