ASUS showcased a connector-less NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 concept at Computex 2023, and while it wasn’t clear at the time whether it’d actually hit retail, Bilibili content creator Eixa Studio has reported that this is indeed happening, with a release anticipated for later this year. The new concept from ASUS swaps the traditional PCIe power connectors with a proprietary “GC_HPWR” connector, enabling a a clean and cable-free look, although a special motherboard is required.
- GC_HPWR connector is located next to the PCIe 4.0 x16 connector, passing power from a slot on the back of the motherboard to the graphics card
- Requires ASUS BTF (Back to Future) motherboards, which feature power connectors behind the motherboard
- Set to enter mass production in the Fall
- Connector-less design could mean a higher premium
- New design isn’t expected to provide any improved performance benefits
Bilibili content creator Eixa Studio, who recently attended Bilibili World 2023 exhibition in Shanghai, China, claims that Asus will start mass production of the connector-less graphics card in the Fall so that retail products may hit the market before the end of the year. While we’ve already seen the GeForce RTX 4070 Megalodon and TUF Gaming Z790 BTF with a black theme, Eixa Studio saw a new white variant of the same GeForce RTX 40-series graphics card and an upcoming TX Gaming B760-BTF WiFi motherboard for Intel Raptor Lake and Raptor Lake Refresh processors.
Discussion (6 replies)
Join Discussion →This isn't connector free.
This is just a different connector in a different location, and you'll still need another cable to provide the motherboard with that power...
And it is a bad idea, as it is a way to lock in users to using specific GPU's with specific motherboards.
We need industry wide standards, or no new standards at all.
Yeah I was gonna say, "cable-free" implies that A.) there are no power connectors on this card at all, and thus nothing you need to plug power cables into, and B.) the card would get all the power it needs from the PCIe slot. Clearly this is not the case.
Here you go, a little more info about this:
https://www.thefpsreview.com/2023/05/29/asus-has-created-an-rtx-40-series-gpu-that-uses-a-proprietary-pcb-connector-instead-of-standard-power-connectors/
It would make sense to have like a high power pcie standard at this point. Proprietary, yeah thats an issue for sure. Its cool and all, but it won't go far if its just Asus.
ASUS has often lead the market on motherboard features and designs. If any company can lead the adoption trend its them. A lot of common design elements of motherboards today all began on ASUS' motherboards. The PCB isolation for audio started on ROG boards first. The current approach to VRM's with two inductors per phase and no phase doubling to cut costs and get better transient response started with the Maximus XI Formula and Hero boards. Even the deceptive naming of their power phase configuration started with ASUS first with its "Twin 8-Phase" power design.
For better or worse, ASUS is a leader and trendsetter in the market.
I didn't know any of that. Thanks!