Vince "KINGPIN" Lucido has revealed new details about problems surrounding the production of EVGA's RTX 3090 Ti KINGPIN Hybrid, saying NVIDIA pushed for the card to use a single power connector even though he wanted a dual connector design.
According to Lucido, the disagreement affected the production schedule and contributed to the card arriving several months after the standard GeForce RTX 3090 Ti.
The comments were made in the first video published on his new Overclock Kingpin YouTube channel, where he also confirmed that he is now working with ASUS.
RTX 3090 Ti KINGPIN Was Designed for Extreme Overclocking
The RTX 3090 Ti KINGPIN Hybrid was built as an enthusiast graphics card aimed at extreme overclockers rather than mainstream buyers.
Lucido says he wanted the GPU to use two 12VHPWR power connectors so owners could push the card harder without being constrained by a single connection.
NVIDIA, however, reportedly wanted EVGA to use only one power connector.
Lucido says that requirement disrupted the card's production timeline and left the product more restricted than he wanted.
| Detail | EVGA RTX 3090 Ti KINGPIN Hybrid |
|---|---|
| GPU family | GeForce RTX 3090 Ti |
| Designer | Vince "KINGPIN" Lucido with EVGA |
| Power connector design | Dual 12VHPWR connectors |
| Launch price | $2,500 |
| Included hardware | 1600W power supply |
| Target market | Extreme enthusiasts and overclockers |
| Production issue | Disagreement over single versus dual power connectors |
The standard RTX 3090 Ti launched at $1,999, while the KINGPIN Hybrid eventually arrived at $2,500 with a 1600W PSU included.
That large premium reflected its specialized cooling, power delivery and overclocking focus.
KINGPIN Says the Dispute Delayed Production
Lucido explained that NVIDIA attempted to enforce the single connector limitation shortly before the card's launch.
He said this interfered with the production schedule and ultimately affected the final product.
His position is that buyers spending several thousand dollars on a specialist graphics card should have more freedom to experiment with power limits and extreme overclocking.
The RTX 3090 Ti KINGPIN eventually launched with two power connectors, but it arrived around three months after the standard RTX 3090 Ti.
Lucido also says fewer units were produced because of the disruption.
That card became especially significant because it was the final flagship NVIDIA GPU produced by EVGA.
EVGA and NVIDIA Split in 2022
EVGA ended its graphics card partnership with NVIDIA in 2022 and exited the GPU market.
The relationship had become increasingly difficult before the split.
According to previous accounts, EVGA was under pressure from NVIDIA's Founders Edition products, which competed directly with custom partner cards.
The company also faced tight margins on lower cost models, with some products reportedly reaching price points where profitability became difficult.
The RTX 3090 Ti KINGPIN therefore arrived near the end of one of the best known graphics card partnerships in the enthusiast PC market.
Lucido's latest comments provide another example of the tensions that existed between EVGA and NVIDIA during that period.
KINGPIN Is Now Working With ASUS
Lucido has since moved on from EVGA and is now working with ASUS.
In his new video, he showed hardware supplied by ASUS for testing and said he wants to create more DIY and overclocking focused content.
He also expressed interest in eventually developing an ROG KINGPIN graphics card.
No such product has been officially announced, so it remains a possibility rather than a confirmed future GPU.
A collaboration would still make sense given ASUS's existing position in the high end enthusiast market through products such as its ROG graphics cards and motherboards.
For now, Lucido's comments offer a rare look at how board partner restrictions can affect the design and release schedule of extreme enthusiast hardware, especially products that are built specifically to operate beyond normal reference limits.
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