Since the release of NBA 2K27, which features Nvidia's DLSS 5 technology—an AI-driven method that enhances game visuals in real time—some owners of Nvidia's RTX 5090 graphics cards have reported that their power connectors melted. Until now, it was unclear whether DLSS 5 played a role in these incidents. Recent tests by QuasarZone, reported by VideoCardz, suggest that the technology may be contributing to overheating in the power connectors. Using a thermal camera, QuasarZone found that the power connector on the RTX 5090 operates much closer to its thermal limits when DLSS 5 is enabled. The RTX 5090 uses a single 12V-2×6 power connector, a design introduced in 2022 with the RTX 40 series and revised in 2023 after overheating concerns. This 16-pin connector includes 12 pins for power delivery—six for outgoing current and six for returning it—and four smaller pins to detect if the connector is properly seated. In testing, QuasarZone ran the game Cyberpunk 2077 at 4K resolution with ultra settings and DLSS Quality enabled for 20 minutes in a 27.5°C room. The temperature of the detection pins rose from 80.9°C without DLSS 5 to 91.7°C with it, while the locking clip side increased from 77.1°C to 83.4°C. These temperature increases correlate with the card's power consumption, which rose from 509.2 to 575.1 watts—reaching the card's 575-watt limit. QuasarZone also tested an Asus ROG Astral RTX 5090, which measures current on each of the six power pins. Without DLSS 5, each pin carried between 6.94 and 7.47 amperes. With DLSS 5 enabled, the current increased to between 7.83 and 8.51 amperes. While all pins remained below the 9.2-ampere threshold in the test, the difference between the most and least loaded pins was about 0.7 amperes. However, if a pin is poorly connected—due to wear or improper seating—the other pins would share the load. Calculations show that with DLSS 5 enabled, a poorly connected pin could push the others above the 9.2-ampere limit, increasing the risk of overheating. In contrast, the RTX 5080 Founders Edition performed better under similar conditions. Its connector temperatures reached 48.6°C to 52.2°C with DLSS 5 enabled, while its power consumption increased from 298.2 to 350.3 watts—close to its 360-watt limit. A player also reported frying a new RTX 5080 while testing a DLSS 5 mod on GTA V, though no direct link to the technology has been established. Earlier in September, Tom's Hardware noted that the RTX 5090 Founders Edition struggles with power delivery when DLSS 5 is enabled, with power consumption rising from 482 to 551 watts. In another test, an MSI RTX 5090 Lightning Z with two 12V-2×6 connectors saw power consumption jump from 580 to 723 watts. If you own an RTX 5090 and use DLSS 5, QuasarZone recommends ensuring the power connector is fully seated to avoid potential overheating.