To handle the high power demands of the GeForce RTX 4090 and 5090, Nvidia introduced the 16-pin 12VHPWR power connector, later revised to 12V-2×6. However, a recent image leak from the Chiphell forum suggests that prototype versions of these graphics cards were tested with four power connectors.
The leaked images, also shared on X (formerly Twitter), reportedly show an RTX 4090 with an unusual connector configuration. According to Videocardz, the photos may only depict an RTX 4090, but a post by a known hardware leaker, “Panzerlied,” claims that similar prototypes were also made for the upcoming RTX 5090. The circuit boards shown in the leak lack a GPU, indicating that these are engineering samples rather than finished products.
Engineering Samples with Test Points and BIOS Features
These so-called engineering boards come equipped with various test points, jumpers, and buttons, which are used for testing different settings and BIOS versions, as reported in the leak. One notable design difference is that the memory modules are positioned farther from the GPU area than they typically are in the final retail models.
Leak Also Reveals GA102 and GA104 Prototypes
The leak includes several other prototype models, including those from the earlier Ampere generation, featuring GA102 and GA104-based GPUs. Some of these prototypes reportedly used four or three 8-pin power connectors, suggesting that different power configurations were tested.
While Videocardz acknowledges skepticism about the authenticity of these prototypes, they reportedly feature labeling similar to previous engineering samples, adding credibility to their legitimacy. The exact source of these prototype boards remains unknown, but according to reports, major CPU and GPU manufacturers often face issues with pre-production hardware leaking onto the black market—which may be the case here as well.