ASUS ROG Equalizer 16-Pin Cable Tested with RTX 5090: Reports 10°C Temperature Drop and Reduced Voltage Drop

A recent user evaluation highlights the efficacy of the ASUS ROG Equalizer 16-pin cable when used with an RTX 5090 graphics card, revealing notable improvements in temperature management and voltage stability.

ASUS ROG Equalizer 16-Pin Cable Proves Effective in User Testing on RTX 5090, Potential Standard for RTX GPUs

The user, who tested the cable on Chiphell Forums, acquired the ASUS ROG Equalizer 16-pin cable bundled with the ROG STRIX 1200W power supply. This cable is also included with several other prominent PSU models:

ROG Thor 1000W Platinum III
ROG Thor 1200W Platinum III
ROG THOR 1200W Platinum III Hatsune Miku Edition
ROG THOR 1200W Platinum III White Edition
ROG Thor 1600W Titanium III
ROG-STRIX-1000P-GAMING
ROG-STRIX-1000P-GAMING-WHITE
ROG-STRIX-1200P-GAMING
ROG-STRIX-850P-GAMING

ASUS ROG promotional slides showcasing features like wire load capacity, balanced power delivery, reduced cable temperature, and warranty.

For this test, the user utilized a Gigabyte RTX 5090D AORUS Master Ice graphics card under demanding conditions via Furmark, pushing the GPU to its 600W power limit. Comparative testing was conducted against a ROG Thor 1200W II using a standard 16-pin cable.

Initial results were remarkable; thermal imaging showed the stock cable registering a temperature of 59.8°C, while the ROG Equalizer cable maintained a significantly cooler temperature of just 50.7°C, reflecting a reduction of nearly 10°C.

This temperature advantage can be attributed to the innovative design of the ROG Equalizer, which effectively balances power distribution among the cable’s pins. This ensures that the cable remains below the critical 105°C threshold, minimizing the risk of current imbalances often associated with improperly secured or overused cables.

Before using the ROG Equalizer cable, temperature measurement at 59.8°C. — Before ROG Equalizer

After using the ROG Equalizer cable, temperature measurement at 50.1°C. — After ROG Equalizer

In addition to improved thermal performance, the user noted a significant decrease in voltage drop. The stock cable exhibited a voltage variance of 0.08-0.14V, whereas the ROG Equalizer cable maintained near 12V with only a minimal fluctuation of 0.005-0.04V. This is comfortably within the acceptable limit for 16-pin cables, typically designed to operate within a tolerance of +5%, or around 11.6V.

TechPowerUp GPU-Z showing GPU statistics post-testing with the ROG Equalizer cable.

ASUS has announced that the ROG power supplies incorporating the ROG Equalizer 16-pin cable will carry a higher price tag. However, the cable will also be available for direct purchase through a “Preferential Purchase Program“, allowing existing ROG PSU customers to obtain it at a competitive price point of approximately 100 RMB or around $15 US.

For further details, reference the source: Uniko’s Hardware.

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