Graphics card power connectors have many issues. The latest is that they are burning them due to a serious design issue. Moreover, its position is not aesthetic.
Currently, the connectors are on the front if we look at the graphics card after installation. An attempt was made to place it on the inner side, but the idea did not entirely materialize. Aesthetically they look bad and influence the airflow.
End of the power connector on the graphics cards?
Thanks to the colleagues of Wccftech, we know the new proposal of ASUS for its graphics cards. He rog team created a model Custom RTX 4070 with a different power connector. It’s located at the bottom, next to the PCIe connector on the motherboard.
Next to the PCIe 4.0 x16 connector of this graphics card, another special connector is included for the power supply. HE eliminate physical power connectors traditional 4/6/8 pin PCIe ports with this new system. The graphics card is powered directly from the motherboard with this method.
This special connector allows the delivering up to 600W of power. The motherboard, of course, must have this specific connector.
This newly designed graphics card has been complemented by the Z790 TUF Gaming motherboard. This is an example of a model including additional socket for power supply.
But the thing has a trick. THE power connectors of the graphics card have been integrated into the motherboard back. This Z790 TUF Gaming has three 8-pin PCIe connectors and a 12VHPWR connector on the back. Through these connectors (with independent tracks), power would be routed to the graphics card.
This motherboard also includes other connectors on the back such as ATX24, EPS, SATA ports, USB-C, Thunderbolt and other connectors. So this motherboard also would not be possible to install it in any commercial chassis. A specific box is required with sufficient spaces to accommodate these connectors.
As you might guess, the case used for the demonstration by ASUS is of its own design. Interestingly, the power supply is hidden behind the motherboard, exactly behind the processor.
Good or bad idea from ASUS?
First, it’s a good idea. This eliminates visible threads, allowing for better air circulation. Although when you analyze it a bit, things start to change.
Now what will burn, in principle, will not be the graphics card, but the motherboard. The question remains whether the warranty will cover the damage, since the graphics card’s power connectors are not used there, but instead go to the motherboard.
We don’t know how this will affect the motherboard itself. It must be taken into account that part of the energy supplied is lost in the form of heat. This assumes that we are forcing the motherboard to withstand a temperature increase.
These graphics cards can only be used with ASUS own motherboards. This assumes exclusivity, that you will not be able to mount the graphics card on the motherboard you want. It seems like some kind of strategy in the purest Apple style to buy all my products and only mine, not those of the competition.
And the price ? What it seems is that this will mean an additional cost for the products. Maybe the graphics card will not have much price change, moreover, it might make the product cheaper. But on the motherboard it changes. We add a new connector, we must add protections to the motherboard, we modify the position of the connectors and we add additional tracks.
We have many doubts in this regard. And you what do you think ?
