DisplayPort Pin 20 problem risks electrical damage in cheap PC cables
Updated
Updated · ZDNet · May 4
DisplayPort Pin 20 problem risks electrical damage in cheap PC cables
10 articles · Updated · ZDNet · May 4
ZDNET says the defect affects passive DisplayPort-to-DisplayPort cables, where pin 20 is wrongly wired end-to-end despite a 2013 VESA rule requiring it be disconnected.
The fault can backfeed power between monitor and graphics card, causing boot loops, flickering, fans staying on after shutdown, short circuits and possible failure of GPUs, RAM and motherboards.
ZDNET advises buying VESA-certified cables from established brands or testing suspect leads with a multimeter, noting modern graphics cards may have some protection but uncertified cables still pose significant risk.
Could a $10 DisplayPort cable silently destroy your $1500 graphics card overnight?
Why do 'death pin' cables that can fry PCs still flood the market a decade later?