Nvidia's RTX 5090 So Powerful It Melts Wall Sockets, User Warns

A Reddit user with a custom computer build featuring four Nvidia RTX 5090 graphics cards—each a top-of-the-line model—pushed his system's performance and ended up melting the wall plug and socket. The culprit: too much electrical current for a standard 13-amp household fuse. He recommends upgrading to a 16 or 20-amp socket to handle the load safely.

The RTX 5090 is Nvidia's latest flagship graphics card, designed for serious gamers and AI researchers. It's incredibly powerful but also power-hungry. While the user didn't specify exact wattage, four of these cards could easily draw over 2,000 watts, far exceeding what a normal UK wall socket can deliver. That's like running four space heaters on one circuit.

This isn't the first time high-end PC components have caused electrical issues. The 12VHPWR power connector on Nvidia's 40-series cards also had melting problems. But this case is different: the failure happened at the wall, not the connector. It highlights that as computers get more powerful, home electrical systems may become the bottleneck.

For most people, this won't be an issue—the average gaming PC uses far less power. But if you're building a high-performance machine, especially with multiple GPUs, it's worth checking your home's wiring. The user's warning is a reminder that safety should come first when pushing hardware to its limits.