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ZDNET Highlights
- The DisplayPort cable is designed to transfer power to a monitor.
- With cheaper options, misaligned pins can cause power failure.
- You can avoid this by choosing a VESA-certified DisplayPort cable.
The DisplayPort “death pin” problem, or more formally known as the Pin 20 problem, is a well-known manufacturing defect in which the last contact pin on a DisplayPort cable is wired incorrectly.
This creates a direct electrical connection between your monitor and graphics card, allowing uninterrupted flow of electricity between them and causing serious damage. And in a time where GPU prices routinely top $1,500, it’s best to take every precaution to keep your Nvidia or AMD card from becoming a very expensive paperweight.
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Luckily, the best solution is as easy as choosing the right DisplayPort cable. But to see how Death Pin can wreak havoc on your gaming PC or workstation, there are a few things we need to understand first.
What is pin 20?
If you’ve ever seen someone’s end DisplayPort Connections, you’ll notice a series of small, gold-colored connections on the inside. Each is housed in a small notch made to fit the corresponding contact in your monitor’s DisplayPort input, and you’ll be able to count 20 pins (as opposed to HDMI’s 19-pin configuration).
Each pin is designed for a specific function, mostly electrical grounding and audio/video transfer. But as I mentioned earlier, the 20th pin is designed to carry electrical charge between connection points.
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This is because the DisplayPort connection was designed to allow you to set up things like a docking station or adapter without needing a dedicated power adapter. However, by 2013, VESA mandated that all DisplayPort cables must have pin 20 disconnected in “passive” DisplayPort-to-DisplayPort cables due to increasing reports of damaged cords and devices due to electrical feedback.
Why is it called ‘death pin’
When a cable is made incorrectly and connects pin 20 end-to-end, it creates a complete electrical circuit between your GPU and display. This means that power is flowing between them, which can cause a number of problems, including:
- Short Circuit: Both your display and graphics card will attempt to feed power through the DisplayPort cable. And since they will have different voltage requirements, it can overheat your cable faster, causing a power outage or even a fire.
- Backdriving Power: Your PC tower or laptop may be completely turned off, but if your monitor is in standby or sleep mode while plugged into a wall outlet, it may be sending power back to your computer. This can cause all kinds of electrical problems, from GPU fans spinning constantly to your PC failing to boot.
- Component Failure: If a short or power backdrive is powerful enough or runs long enough, it will physically damage delicate components like RAM sticks, graphics cards, and motherboards. Lightning likes to take the path of least resistance, and may even leave physical evidence on the circuitry (melting, distorting, etc.), causing your system to fail. Hence, the surname.
Symptoms of bad cable
If you suspect you have a bad DisplayPort cable, there are a few things to note:
- Your PC won’t wake up from sleep mode or get stuck in a boot loop
- GPU fans and motherboard LEDs remain on even after shutdown
- Graphical artifacts and screen flicker
how to avoid it
Thankfully, it’s very easy to prevent a disaster by keeping an eye on the official VESA certification logo, which indicates which brands have submitted products for VESA DisplayPort testing to ensure that designs do not connect to pin 20. Established, well-known brands like Lenovo, Dell and Anker all regularly submit DisplayPort cables for verification.
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And although they may be a little expensive, it’s worth paying extra for the peace of mind. Lesser-known brands often cut production costs by skipping VESA testing, making it easier for defective cables to reach store shelves and shipping warehouses.
If you have experience with electrical repair, you can use a multimeter to check if your cable has a full pin 20 connection. If you get any readings or notice any symptoms of a poorly made cable, immediately disconnect and throw away it, and replace it as soon as possible.
ZDNET’s bottom line
While most new graphics cards are designed with protective circuitry to prevent power draw damage, using an uncertified cable is still a significant risk. Without VESA certification, it is almost impossible to know if pin 20 is connected before you connect. And electrical problems can cause serious, widespread damage almost immediately.
But choosing VESA-certified DisplayPort cables from reputable brands means safety is guaranteed and keeps your workstation or gaming PC from becoming landfill fodder.
