RTX 6000 Pro Server power limit of 450W instead of expected 600W

Hi!

I’ve got a Blackwell PRO 6000 Server with passive cooling and it appears it’s limited to 450W consumption. Using nvidia-smi -pl 600 doesn’t help since the max limit is also 450W. I was under impression that the server models are able to utilize up to 600W of power based off the specs. The target system has adequate cooling (it’s installed in Supermicro SYS-521GE-TNRT).

Anything I’m missing here? Is the power limit configurable in software? Hardware? Is it for some reason factory-locked?

Attaching the nvidia-smi -q output:

==============NVSMI LOG==============

Timestamp                                 : Mon Sep 15 14:08:50 2025
Driver Version                            : 580.65.06
CUDA Version                              : 13.0

Attached GPUs                             : 1
GPU 00000000:17:00.0
    Product Name                          : NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell Server Edition
    Product Brand                         : NVIDIA
    Product Architecture                  : Blackwell
    Display Mode                          : Requested functionality has been deprecated
    Display Attached                      : Yes
    Display Active                        : Disabled
    Persistence Mode                      : Disabled
    Addressing Mode                       : HMM
    MIG Mode
        Current                           : Disabled
        Pending                           : Disabled
    Accounting Mode                       : Disabled
    Accounting Mode Buffer Size           : 4000
    Driver Model
        Current                           : N/A
        Pending                           : N/A
    Serial Number                         : *
    GPU UUID                              : GPU-*
    GPU PDI                               : 0x*
    Minor Number                          : 0
    VBIOS Version                         : 98.02.67.00.0A
    MultiGPU Board                        : No
    Board ID                              : 0x1700
    Board Part Number                     : 900-2G153-0000-000
    GPU Part Number                       : 2BB5-895-A1
    FRU Part Number                       : N/A
    Platform Info
        Chassis Serial Number             :
        Slot Number                       : 0
        Tray Index                        : 0
        Host ID                           : 1
        Peer Type                         : Direct Connected
        Module Id                         : 1
        GPU Fabric GUID                   : 0x0000000000000000
    Inforom Version
        Image Version                     : G153.0210.00.02
        OEM Object                        : 2.1
        ECC Object                        : 7.16
        Power Management Object           : N/A
    Inforom BBX Object Flush
        Latest Timestamp                  : N/A
        Latest Duration                   : N/A
    GPU Operation Mode
        Current                           : N/A
        Pending                           : N/A
    GPU C2C Mode                          : Disabled
    GPU Virtualization Mode
        Virtualization Mode               : None
        Host VGPU Mode                    : N/A
        vGPU Heterogeneous Mode           : N/A
    GPU Recovery Action                   : None
    GSP Firmware Version                  : 580.65.06
    IBMNPU
        Relaxed Ordering Mode             : N/A
    PCI
        Bus                               : 0x17
        Device                            : 0x00
        Domain                            : 0x0000
        Base Classcode                    : 0x3
        Sub Classcode                     : 0x2
        Device Id                         : 0x2BB510DE
        Bus Id                            : 00000000:17:00.0
        Sub System Id                     : 0x204E10DE
        GPU Link Info
            PCIe Generation
                Max                       : 5
                Current                   : 5
                Device Current            : 5
                Device Max                : 5
                Host Max                  : 5
            Link Width
                Max                       : 16x
                Current                   : 16x
        Bridge Chip
            Type                          : N/A
            Firmware                      : N/A
        Replays Since Reset               : 0
        Replay Number Rollovers           : 0
        Tx Throughput                     : 11289 KB/s
        Rx Throughput                     : 65540 KB/s
        Atomic Caps Outbound              : N/A
        Atomic Caps Inbound               : FETCHADD_32 FETCHADD_64 SWAP_32 SWAP_64 CAS_32 CAS_64
    Fan Speed                             : N/A
    Performance State                     : P0
    Clocks Event Reasons
        Idle                              : Not Active
        Applications Clocks Setting       : Not Active
        SW Power Cap                      : Not Active
        HW Slowdown                       : Not Active
            HW Thermal Slowdown           : Not Active
            HW Power Brake Slowdown       : Not Active
        Sync Boost                        : Not Active
        SW Thermal Slowdown               : Not Active
        Display Clock Setting             : Not Active
    Clocks Event Reasons Counters
        SW Power Capping                  : 1218392 us
        Sync Boost                        : 0 us
        SW Thermal Slowdown               : 0 us
        HW Thermal Slowdown               : 0 us
        HW Power Braking                  : 0 us
    Sparse Operation Mode                 : N/A
    FB Memory Usage
        Total                             : 97887 MiB
        Reserved                          : 637 MiB
        Used                              : 88851 MiB
        Free                              : 8400 MiB
    BAR1 Memory Usage
        Total                             : 131072 MiB
        Used                              : 2835 MiB
        Free                              : 128237 MiB
    Conf Compute Protected Memory Usage
        Total                             : 0 MiB
        Used                              : 0 MiB
        Free                              : 0 MiB
    Compute Mode                          : Default
    Utilization
        GPU                               : 95 %
        Memory                            : 45 %
        Encoder                           : 0 %
        Decoder                           : 0 %
        JPEG                              : 0 %
        OFA                               : 0 %
    Encoder Stats
        Active Sessions                   : 0
        Average FPS                       : 0
        Average Latency                   : 0
    FBC Stats
        Active Sessions                   : 0
        Average FPS                       : 0
        Average Latency                   : 0
    DRAM Encryption Mode
        Current                           : Disabled
        Pending                           : Disabled
    ECC Mode
        Current                           : Enabled
        Pending                           : Enabled
    ECC Errors
        Volatile
            SRAM Correctable              : 0
            SRAM Uncorrectable Parity     : 0
            SRAM Uncorrectable SEC-DED    : 0
            DRAM Correctable              : 0
            DRAM Uncorrectable            : 0
        Aggregate
            SRAM Correctable              : 0
            SRAM Uncorrectable Parity     : 0
            SRAM Uncorrectable SEC-DED    : 0
            DRAM Correctable              : 0
            DRAM Uncorrectable            : 0
            SRAM Threshold Exceeded       : No
        Aggregate Uncorrectable SRAM Sources
            SRAM L2                       : 0
            SRAM SM                       : 0
            SRAM Microcontroller          : 0
            SRAM PCIE                     : 0
            SRAM Other                    : 0
        Channel Repair Pending            : No
        TPC Repair Pending                : No
    Retired Pages
        Single Bit ECC                    : N/A
        Double Bit ECC                    : N/A
        Pending Page Blacklist            : N/A
    Remapped Rows
        Correctable Error                 : 0
        Uncorrectable Error               : 0
        Pending                           : No
        Remapping Failure Occurred        : No
        Bank Remap Availability Histogram
            Max                           : 512 bank(s)
            High                          : 0 bank(s)
            Partial                       : 0 bank(s)
            Low                           : 0 bank(s)
            None                          : 0 bank(s)
    Temperature
        GPU Current Temp                  : 56 C
        GPU T.Limit Temp                  : 29 C
        GPU Shutdown T.Limit Temp         : -5 C
        GPU Slowdown T.Limit Temp         : -2 C
        GPU Max Operating T.Limit Temp    : 0 C
        GPU Target Temperature            : N/A
        Memory Current Temp               : N/A
        Memory Max Operating T.Limit Temp : N/A
    GPU Power Readings
        Average Power Draw                : 430.85 W
        Instantaneous Power Draw          : 330.51 W
        Current Power Limit               : 450.00 W
        Requested Power Limit             : 450.00 W
        Default Power Limit               : 450.00 W
        Min Power Limit                   : 300.00 W
        Max Power Limit                   : 450.00 W
    GPU Memory Power Readings
        Average Power Draw                : N/A
        Instantaneous Power Draw          : N/A
    Module Power Readings
        Average Power Draw                : N/A
        Instantaneous Power Draw          : N/A
        Current Power Limit               : N/A
        Requested Power Limit             : N/A
        Default Power Limit               : N/A
        Min Power Limit                   : N/A
        Max Power Limit                   : N/A
    Power Smoothing                       : N/A
    Workload Power Profiles
        Requested Profiles                : N/A
        Enforced Profiles                 : N/A
    Clocks
        Graphics                          : 1822 MHz
        SM                                : 1822 MHz
        Memory                            : 12481 MHz
        Video                             : 1650 MHz
    Applications Clocks
        Graphics                          : 2430 MHz
        Memory                            : 12481 MHz
    Default Applications Clocks
        Graphics                          : 2430 MHz
        Memory                            : 12481 MHz
    Deferred Clocks
        Memory                            : N/A
    Max Clocks
        Graphics                          : 2430 MHz
        SM                                : 2430 MHz
        Memory                            : 12481 MHz
        Video                             : 2107 MHz
    Max Customer Boost Clocks
        Graphics                          : 2430 MHz
    Clock Policy
        Auto Boost                        : N/A
        Auto Boost Default                : N/A

Thanks!

Hello,

The GPU is not factory-locked, but the maximum power limit is adjusted to what the 12VHPWR cable is identifying as. That server is using the X13DEG-OA motherboard which is (or was) shipped with Supermicro 12VHPWR (2x6)+ 4S to 8-Pin (2X4) 30cm Power Cable (CBL-PWEX-0962Y-30). That cable is configured for 450W.

You’ll have to ask Supermicro if that configuration is the only one or if you can buy a true 600W cable from them if the motherboard supports that kind of load.

1 Like

Thank you for the detailed answer!

We arrived to the same conclusions and are waiting for response from SuperMicro now.

It would be great if you shared the reply when it arrives since we’re in the same situation ;)

They responded finally and told that we should use CBL-PWEX-1364Y-30 cable, they even put it out as a FAQ now =)

The problem is that almost no available SuperMicro distributor has this cable in stock, except these Finnish guys, not sure whether I’ll be able to procure it from them or from any other place.

Still, the cable recommendation is nice because in my view it means that the rest of the system components (PSU, PDU, baseboard) support the required current (8.3A) over 12V rails.

1 Like