Between the “melting” issues of the 12VHPWR connector for PCIe 5.0 graphics playing cards, and the recent “war on cables” push for eliminating or hiding connections to a PC’s energy provide, we’ve seen a number of current improvement within the extremely particular space of GPU energy connections. Now one other new choice has been revealed by a proficient Twitter leaker. The GC-HPCE, a variation on an present motherboard half, might let graphics playing cards draw energy instantly from a motherboard-based connection, delivering as much as 900 complete watts.

We’ve seen this sort of connection earlier than, nicely prematurely of the Momomo_US Twitter post that’s making the rounds (by way of Tom’s Hardware). It appears like Asus was utilizing a preliminary model of the GC-HPCE when it confirmed off a “cable free” GPU-motherboard connection at Computex in May, which have since been slated for production. In quick, the brand new connection is a complement to the primary PCIe 5.0 port, spaced a few inches again on the motherboard. The GPU plugs into each the primary PCIe port and the GC-HPCE energy connection on the identical time, with the latter delivering electrical energy by way of a traditional energy provide cable plugged into the rear facet of the motherboard.

The benefits are apparent. With a rear connection on the motherboard, you possibly can cut back cables within the main desktop chamber, bettering each airflow and aesthetics. But apparently this design has some rather more sensible enhancements. A complete connection lifetime of 200 cycles is an enormous enchancment over the 12-cycle score of the 12VHPWR, so it needs to be far less susceptible to damage from inserting and eradicating graphics playing cards. (So lengthy as you allow the precise energy rail on the rear of the motherboard alone, I assume.) But it’s additionally rated for extra powah: The 28-pin connection is rated for as much as 900 watts, presumably delivered by a number of rear-mounted energy provide cables.

Multiple competing requirements are all the time a headache. But I can see this one gaining some severe traction, particularly since Asus is seemingly behind it sufficient that it’s already constructing {hardware}. With increasingly highly effective GPUs exceeding even the boundaries of PCIe 5.0 electrical draw designs, to not point out the flexibility to cover energy cables extra simply, it will be a boon to any graphics card maker to assist the GC-HPCE connection. The draw back is that you’d want each a motherboard and a GPU which are appropriate (although present energy provides ought to work simply high quality, presumably with adapters).

Still, because the transition to PCIe 5.0 is progressing slooooooowly, the requirements and expectations stay in flux. Who is aware of what’s going to turn out to be commonplace by subsequent 12 months’s Computex?