Melting GPU cables have unfortunately been a recurring problem with some of the latest high-end graphics cards, or more specifically, those using 12VHPWR and 12V-2×6 connectors, despite the latter being designed to fix the original’s woes. The latest effort to keep your cable in one piece comes from MSI, which suggests its new power supplies offer “proactive and instant protection” to combat the problem. The new PSUs offer “world-first” features and will be revealed at CES 2026.

Regardless of the improvements in the newer 12V-2×6 standard, we still see reports of melting cables, especially on cards like the RTX 5090 and RTX 4090 – and occasionally Radeon GPUs like the RX 9070 XT, though most of those use a dual or triple 8-pin design, which have proven to be less problematic.

MSI teases new power supplies ahead of CES 2026

CES 2026 is happening next week; specifically, the showfloor will be open between January 6 and 9, though there will be some early keynotes ahead of these dates. MSI Gaming has released a short teaser on social media to announce its new power supplies. Melting cables aren’t mentioned by name, though the “invisible problems” the company highlights may refer to power issues across individual wires and pins. An imbalance in power draw across these 16-pin cables was highlighted by German tech YouTuber der8auer last year.

The so-called “proactive and instant protection” may prove to keep this balance in check and hopefully prevent your cable from bursting into flames. In the video, we can also see the inclusion of a USB-C port on the power supply, which may suggest motherboard connectivity that unlocks the potential to use power-controlling software.

MSI shows off two different models in its short teaser video, the MPG Ai1300TS and Ai1600TS. The (presumably) 1300W and 1600W units will be ideal for flagship cards such as Nvidia’s RTX 5090, which features a whopping 575W TDP – or up to 800W with ASUS’s special edition ROG Matrix Platinum.

About the Author

Jack Goodall

At PC Guide, Jack is mostly responsible for reporting on hardware deals. He also specializes in monitors, TVs, and headsets and can be found putting his findings together in a review or best-of guide.