NVIDIA Blackwell GPU hardware developments and failures

The launch of new NVIDIA Blackwell architecture hardware has highlighted both technical capabilities and potential stability issues. Initial developments focused on the release of the MSI GeForce RTX 5070 Ti SHADOW 3X OC, which features 16GB of GDDR7 memory, and the high-end RTX 5090, which offers 32GB of VRAM. Discussions regarding these components emphasized the specific memory requirements for running large-scale local AI models.

Following these developments, reports emerged regarding hardware failure in the RTX 5090 series. A user reported that an MSI GeForce RTX 5090 Gaming Trio OC failed during testing of DLSS 5 Neural Rendering technology. The failure was reportedly preceded by a power draw spike where consumption rose from approximately 450 W to over 600 W, exceeding the model’s listed 575 W power consumption. The user noted an unusual odor before the card ceased to function.

Further details from a documented incident indicate that the 12V-2x6 power connector and cable melted during testing of NBA 2K27. While the card typically draws approximately 450W, the activation of DLSS 5 caused power consumption to spike to over 600W, with GPU-Z recording a peak of 613.5W. Although the damage is attributed to the high power draw rather than the DLSS 5 software itself, the incident has renewed concerns regarding the ability of the 12V-2x6 connector to handle high nominal loads. NVIDIA has not yet commented on the matter.