BuildNot yet confirmed elsewhere1 publisher2 min readPublished
Digital Storm and PNY point to each other over a melted RTX 5090 cable
Digital Storm and PNY each pointed at the other after the power cable in a buyer's $5,245 RTX 5090 prebuilt melted. On a prebuilt, whether the GPU warranty applies can depend on whose cable feeds the card.
The Engineer · Build desk
What happened
- The Corsa was delivered in May 2025, tested and boxed until DeMarco started a job in August 2026, and its problems began two weeks after he set it up.
- Digital Storm warrants parts for one year and labor for three, while PNY warrants its GeForce RTX gaming cards for three years.
- Digital Storm closed DeMarco's Aug. 26 support ticket on Aug. 31, logging a faulty melted cable and sending him to PNY for an RMA because the system was out of warranty.
- When DeMarco asked PNY for an RMA on Sept. 8 under its three-year term, a PNY representative raised Digital Storm's use of its own cables as a problem.
- The worst damage was at the power supply, a 1,000-watt Digital Storm unit that is the cheapest default when a buyer picks an RTX 5090 in the Corsa configurator.
Why it matters
- constraint When an integrator installs its own GPU cable, PNY's three-year term as its representative described it does not reach that cable, so the connection is covered only for the builder's one-year parts term.
- exposure Ordering early to beat a price rise, as DeMarco suggested his father do ahead of RAM increases, starts the builder's parts clock long before the hardware is in daily use.
- cost Even if PNY replaces the card, the melted Digital Storm power supply and cable are the buyer's to replace under the terms as both companies stated them.
PNY's condition is in its representative's own words. "All PNY GPUs that require a 16-pin (12VHPWR / 12V-2x6) input include a PNY-approved power cable or adapter in the box. This cable is the only configuration covered under warranty," the rep wrote [4]. The Corsa's power cables came from Digital Storm, as an upgrade with custom blue sleeving [10]. The connector is where PNY's card meets Digital Storm's cable. It is also what melted, with the cable fused into it [1]. Tom's Hardware described the outcome as two companies pointing the blame at each other [20].
The dates settled the builder's side [12]. On DeMarco's timeline, the system failed about 15 months after its May 2025 delivery, roughly three months after the one-year parts term ran out [15]. Apart from his first test, that year passed with the PC in its box [8]. Counted from the same delivery, the three-year labor term runs to about May 2028 [16].
DeMarco described the supply end of the cable. "The cable into the power supply is completely melted and the cable head is completely fused into the power supply with bare wires exposed at both ends of the cable," he said [6]. Tom's Hardware's account does not establish what caused the melt. DeMarco says he checked that all the cabling was in place after his father handed the PC over [18]. Tom's Hardware said the GPU end of the cable appears to have some sort of bend, though it had too few photos to judge perspective [5].
According to Tom's Hardware, when a connector melts in a self-built PC, the owner's usual single route to recourse is a GPU warranty claim [19]. Installing the card maker's boxed cable keeps a build inside PNY's covered configuration [4]. On this prebuilt, Digital Storm chose the cable [3]. I think the useful question before ordering an RTX 5090 prebuilt is narrow: which cable feeds the card, and who covers that cable and its connector once the builder's parts year ends. DeMarco's fallback, raised on his call with Digital Storm, was a repair center that could replace the power connector on the card [13].
What to watch
- PNY's final decision on the Sept. 8 RMA request, and whether the Digital Storm cable alone is enough for it to refuse the card.
- Whether Digital Storm covers the power supply and cable outside its parts term, or treats the repair under its three-year labor warranty.
- A repair-center inspection of the card's power connector, to show whether the RTX 5090 survived and which end of the cable failed first.
Clarity's read
What the record supports and how the coverage leans. The claims behind it follow.
Reality
- Evidence55
- Adoption
- Insufficient
- Hype gap+10
- Incentives
- Insufficient
- Confidence50
Claim ledger
Ranked by verification strength, evidence, and original report placement.
- [1]
The system's 12VHPWR / 12V-2x6 GPU power connector melted; the cable was fused into the connector, and some connector pieces remain stuck together.
ReportedSupportedSource: Tom's Hardware, reporting DeMarco's account and photos2 sources— create a free account to open themView cited source - [2]
The most severe damage was at the power supply, a 1,000-watt semi-modular 80-Plus Gold Digital Storm unit that is the cheapest default option when an RTX 5090 is picked in the Corsa configurator.
ReportedSupportedSource: Tom's Hardware2 sources— create a free account to open themView cited source - [3]
On Sept. 8 DeMarco emailed PNY requesting an RMA and citing the three-year warranty; after he supplied the receipt and photos, a PNY service representative said there was an issue with Digital Storm having used its own cables.
ReportedSupportedSource: Tom's Hardware, describing the email chain2 sources— create a free account to open themView cited source - [4]
"All PNY GPUs that require a 16-pin (12VHPWR / 12V-2x6) input include a PNY-approved power cable or adapter in the box. This cable is the only configuration covered under warranty,"
ReportedSupportedSource: PNY support representative, in email quoted by Tom's Hardware2 sources— create a free account to open themView cited source - [5]
The part of the cable going into the GPU appears to have some sort of bend, though Tom's Hardware said it did not have many photos to judge perspective.
ReportedSupportedSource: Tom's Hardware2 sources— create a free account to open themView cited source - [6]
"The cable into the power supply is completely melted and the cable head is completely fused into the power supply with bare wires exposed at both ends of the cable,"
ReportedSupportedSource: Anthony DeMarco, to Tom's Hardware2 sources— create a free account to open themView cited source - [7]
DeMarco's father bought a Digital Storm Corsa with an AMD Ryzen 9 9950X and a PNY GeForce RTX 5090 for $5,245.00 before tax.
- [8]
The system was delivered in May 2025; DeMarco tested it and packed it up, received it from his father in August 2026 on starting his job, and says the problems started two weeks later.
- [9]
DeMarco says he suggested his father purchase the system before RAM prices went up.
- [10]
The system's PSU cables were an upgrade with custom blue sleeving.
- [11]
Digital Storm offers a one-year warranty on parts and three years on labor; PNY warranties its GeForce RTX gaming GPUs for three years.
- [12]
DeMarco raised a Digital Storm support ticket on Aug. 26; it was closed on Aug. 31 after a phone call, with a summary citing a "faulty 12VHPWR cable that melted" and saying he would attempt an RMA with PNY due to being "far out of warranty."
- [13]
On the call, DeMarco said he could get the GPU fixed at a repair center that would replace the power connector on the GPU.
- [14]
Once Digital Storm's one-year parts term had expired, the Digital Storm-supplied cable was outside both companies' policies as stated.
- [15]
The system failed about 15 months after delivery, roughly three months after the one-year parts term ended.
- [16]
Counted from the May 2025 delivery, Digital Storm's three-year labor term runs to about May 2028.
- [17]
A successful PNY RMA would cover at most the card; the melted power supply and cable are Digital Storm parts on an expired parts term.
- [18]
DeMarco claims he checked that all the cabling was in place after his father formally gave him the PC.
- [19]
When a 12VHPWR or 12V-2x6 connector melts, it is often in a hand-built PC, and the owner typically has one chance at recourse: a GPU warranty claim.
- [20]
When someone else built the PC, two companies can end up pointing the blame at each other while the customer is left with a burned-up RTX 5090, power supply and power cords.
Sources
1 independent publisher whose own reporting we read for this story.
- tomshardware.com$5,245 prebuilt RTX 5090 PC's connectors melt after sitting boxed for a year
1 article · October 3, 2026
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