RTX 5090 DLSS 5 Test Hits 91.7°C, Nears 9.2A Safety Limit

DLSS 5 is the hottest thing in PC gaming right now, and if you're running it on an RTX 5090, you might want to keep an eye on your power connector. A new test from Korean hardware outlet QuasarZone has found that the flagship card's 12V power interface gets seriously toasty when DLSS 5 is cranked up.

The team ran dedicated tests on both the RTX 5080 and RTX 5090, focusing on connector temperatures and power draw with DLSS 5 enabled. The gap between the two cards turned out to be pretty dramatic. The RTX 5090's power connector jumped from a normal 80.9°C to a scorching 91.7°C. The RTX 5080, by contrast, stayed cool and barely budged whether DLSS 5 was on or off.

Power numbers tell an equally tense story. With DLSS 5 active, the RTX 5090's internal sensors logged a total system draw of 582.7W, while hardware tools measured a peak of 646.7W through the power cable. The physical pins on the connector were pulling around 8.51A — uncomfortably close to the 9.2A design threshold. Factor in differences between cables, and you're already in risky territory. Some players have recently reported cards actually burning out.

Here's the key takeaway: the problem isn't DLSS 5 itself. According to the article, the real issue lies in the cards' design specifications. Both this generation and the last launched nearly two years ago, back when nobody was thinking about the kind of instant, heavy loads DLSS 5 can produce. The RTX 5080 still has some headroom before hitting its limit, but it's not completely in the clear either.

Looking ahead, the report suggests power cable and connector heat management could become a major focus for the RTX 60 series, expected around 2028. If you're pushing a high-end card with DLSS 5 right now, it might be worth checking your connector temps — and maybe not leaving things running unattended.

Have you noticed any heat issues with your own GPU? Drop a comment and let us know what you're running.