PCI-SIG Tells GPU Makers to Improve Testing in Response to Nvidia 12VHPWR Lawsuit
The Peripheral Component Interconnect Special Interest Group (aka PCI-SIG) appears to be blaming companies that sell products with 16-pin 12VHPWR power connectors, such as Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 4090.
In a statement to members forwarded to the press by the group’s PR department, the group said, “A manufacturer has reported to the PCI-SIG a potential safety issue regarding the use of the 12VHPWR connection.” It also refers to the ongoing lawsuit, Genova v. Nvidia Corporation. The lawsuit alleges that the 16-pin cable is “melted and poses a serious electrical and fire hazard.”
From there, the company sent a light slap on the wrist to anyone involved in making or selling a product with a 16-pin, 12VHPWR connector.
“PCI-SIG requires all members that manufacture, market, or sell PCI-SIG technology (including 12VHPWR connections) to ensure end-user safety, including testing for reported problem cases involving consumers. “We would like to strongly impress that all appropriate and prudent steps must be taken to ensure that all appropriate and prudent steps are taken to ensure that, as alleged in the above lawsuit,” the group wrote. Recall that the SIG specifications provide the technical information necessary for interoperability and do not attempt to address proper design, manufacturing methods, materials, safety testing, safety tolerances, or workmanship.PCI- When implementing the SIG specifications, members shall undertake product design, manufacturing, and testing, including safety testing.”
On November 18th, Nvidia said it was aware of about 50 melted 12VHPWR connectors on its cards worldwide. The company said the owner did not seem to fully connect the connector to the graphics card and was “investigating additional methods to ensure the connector is secure before powering on the graphics card. There are,” he said, and hastened to replace the affected ones.
The lawsuit Genova v. Nvidia Corporation filed on November 11th. As a class action complaint in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California.
AMD, Nvidia’s main rival in the consumer GPU space, isn’t using a 16-pin connector on its upcoming Radeon RX 7000 cards, using the meltdown as a way to harass Nvidia.
It is not common for organizations like PCI-SIG to send statements to the press for their members.What is clear here is that the group For real We want to get out of the fray here, but at the same time we want to avoid responsibility and prevent further trouble.
