No, the power connectors "12V-2X6" and "12VHPWR" are not the same, but they are closely related.
Here is the explanation:
- 12VHPWR was the original name for the connector introduced with the NVIDIA RTX-4000 graphics cards. It has 12 pins plus 4 signal pins (16 pins in total) and can deliver up to 600 watts. - 12V-2X6 is the official, updated name for the same physical connector, but with an important safety improvement.
The main difference is safety:
- On the original 12VHPWR, the sense pins (the four small pins) are slightly shorter. This can cause the graphics card to mistakenly think that the connector is not fully inserted and still operate at full power, which can lead to overheating and melting. - With the new 12V-2X6 standard, the sense pins are another 0.15 mm shorter than the power pins. This ensures that the graphics card only draws power when the connector is plugged in correctly and completely.
To summarise: It is the same physical connector, but "12V-2X6" is the improved and safer version of "12VHPWR". However, in product lists and compatibility, they are functionally the same and can be merged, although the newer term "12V-2X6" is preferred.