A Chinese Baidu forum user reported their ASUS MEGALODON RTX 3060 Ti GDDR6X (a China-exclusive model) suffered melted power connectors after ASUS shipped it with the wrong power cable.
Unlike standard RTX 3060 Ti cards, this rare variant features a 16-pin 12VHPWR connector (typical of RTX 40-series). Instead of including the correct cable, ASUS mistakenly packaged a 12-pin adapter—leading to overheating and connector damage during use.
Why the Cable Mismatch Matters
| Correct Cable | Shipped Cable |
|---|---|
| 12VHPWR (16-pin) | Standard 12-pin |
| Includes 4 sense pins for safety | Lacks critical sensing pins |
| Prevents overcurrent/overheating | No power monitoring capabilities |
The missing sense pins likely prevented the GPU from regulating power flow, causing excessive current to melt the connector despite the card’s modest 225W TDP.
ASUS’s Unusual China-Exclusive Design
This specific RTX 3060 Ti GDDR6X “Megalodon” is notable for:
- 12VHPWR connector (unique for RTX 30-series)
- October 2022 release (predating RTX 40-series)
- Only sold in China
- Shipped with dual 8-pin → 12-pin adapter (not 16-pin)
No photos of the installed cable exist, but ASUS hasn’t disputed the user’s claim.
3060ti 16pin melted, adaptor used.
— UNIKO's Hardware 🌏 (@unikoshardware) July 2, 2025
two fun facts here
– asus shipped a 12pin adaptor for the card that uses 16pin
– 3060ti g6x 100% power limit is 225w but the max could be ~310w
asus 3060ti g6x 巨齿鲨https://t.co/aVIC1Ajp9X pic.twitter.com/l3EbCAYvaH
User Safety Recommendations
- Verify connectors: Match GPU ports exactly to cable pins
- Inspect included accessories: Report mismatches immediately
- Avoid force-fitting cables: If resistance occurs, STOP
- Chinese buyers: Check Megalodon GPUs purchased Oct 2022-present
Also, Read
- RTX 5090D “BBQ Club” – Melted Power Connectors Reported on Gigabyte & Gainward Cards
- My RTX 3080 Survived 2 Years on a Cheap PSU – Then It Melted
- GeForce RTX 5090 Founders Edition Suffers Melted Connector Due to Third-Party Cable
The Bigger Issue: Manufacturer Accountability
While user installation errors can’t be ruled out, this incident highlights:
- QA failures: High-risk accessory mismatch
- Documentation gaps: No clear warnings about unique connector
- Regional disparities: Safety standards for market-exclusive SKUs
ASUS has not issued a recall or statement.
Have you experienced GPU power issues? Share your story below!