Gigabyte has quietly released a revised version of its RTX 4090 Windforce graphics card. What is interesting about this card is not the clock increase or the dramatic cooler change, but the location of the 12VHPWR power connector common to Nvidia's high-end RTX 40 cards.

This change was spotted by Harukaze5719. They show that the location of the power connector on the card has changed from the common arrangement, to a 90 degree position, or usually facing the front of the case.

It's simple. One wonders why this is not a far more common implementation. First of all, it is more aesthetically pleasing. Because the connectors are recessed, the cable lengths are aligned with the card, eliminating any obtrusive protrusion. Cables can be routed discreetly behind the motherboard tray for a cleaner look.

However, there is another advantage. Following early reports of power connectors melting and the ensuing public relations backlash, third-party suppliers, including Nvidia and CableMod, have encouraged users to minimize cable and connector bending. This can be exacerbated when outward-facing connectors are pressed against case side panels or windows. Gigabyte's connector location eliminates this problem.

Even though it turned out to be an overblown problem, anything that reduces the risk of the power connector becoming a slag of melted plastic and keeps your shiny, expensive graphics card ringing is a welcome relief.

Surprisingly, Gigabyte's RTX 4090 Windforce V2 product page makes no mention of any connector repositioning at all, despite the significant design changes required. To accommodate this change, a large portion of the heatsink had to be removed.

The loss of a chunk of heatsink will certainly result in slightly higher temperatures, but fortunately, the RTX 4090 is not the volcano that was feared when insane rumors of TDPs in excess of 600W were flying around in the weeks and months prior to launch.

If you hate seeing ugly power cables sticking out of the sides of your graphics card, this Gigabyte model might be worth a look.

On a related note, if you are in the market for a new power supply, you may want to consider one of MSI's MEG power supplies. This power supply has a ridiculously simple bright yellow plug that makes it easy to tell at a glance if it's not plugged all the way in. Genius.