It was great to see Steve in person again after all these years! Sorry I messed up the "Thanks Steve" "Back to you Steve" meme. My brain was pretty cooked at that point. I realize I had one job there and I screwed it up, so sorry again about that.
they could also probably include a back up power plug on the actual GPU, with maybe a cover that comes with it if you don't need a cable. doesn't solve the problem of having a piece of the board sticking out and clearance issues with non-pcie power boards
I honestly don't like the whole gimmick of delivering the GPU power via a proprietary connector on the mobo. Not only does it just kick the power connection just down the road to the back of the mobo, it creates a whole slew of problems that the Steves outlined in this video. I hadn't considered the potential of vendor lock-in, but now that the Steves mentioned it, it does seem like that's in play. Bad ideas upon bad ideas here.
@Daniel Harvison well I think at some point we are going to get the point where it will be necessary for something like this hopfully it will be universal connectors There's only a certain amount you can just rely on getting a better PSU even now we are seeing issues with cables melting
@@frankieslefttoe8210 The problem isn't whether or not it's a good system, mechanically, it's whether or not (as if it's ever a question) vendors are gonna aim to fuck over consumers with the implementation, which is damn near a certainty, these days.
9:22 There's also a wild Tim walking around in the background, the other half of Hardware Unboxed! I was really waiting for at least a slight bit of a crossover, thanks for delivering it, Steve(s).
Old full AT an ATX spec cases used to have provisions for "full length" cards. These cases had slots on the front interior of the case under the drive cage and long cards would have a "handle" on the end of the card that slid into this slot. This fell out of use with long cards becoming rarer and rarer and that empty space got repurposed for drive cage length and more fans. I kinda wondered why it never got reimplemented as video cards got longer and heavier while drive cages disappeared.
Cases are going to have to be modular, where you can swap out half the motherboard tray depending on your board config, which will hike up prices even more.
Probably don't even need that really. You could do it with slots or sliding covers for the front section of the mb tray to allow the cable passthroughs to be relocated for either front or back mounted connectors. Just a sliding panel that has the connector passthroughs, maybe with optional snap in cable grommets or brush panels.
@@BFF.Studios The issue is that first you need someone who will make said standard. And that standard has to bee good, not some crap made last minute like the nvidia power connector, that became the 12 pin "standard".
Motherboards could come with a custom backplate with conector cutouts for that specific motherboard. Then case manufacturers could just have empty space with standard holes for mounting those backplates - ITX, mATX, ATX and "EATX." That way cases could use less metal and be marginally cheaper while motherboards would be a bit more expensive.
Why? They could just design the tray in a way, where it would accept front cable mounted boards, and rear cable mounted boards. Wouldnt be that big of a deal, may have to remove one or two stand off posts, but thats alright cause there is already lots of them
@@hubertnnn Reminds me of an XKCD. 927 specifically Situation: There are 14 competing standards. 14?! Ridiculous! We need to develop one universal standard that covers everyone's use cases. ~Yeah! Soon: Situation: There are 15 competing standards.
Cool to see Hardware Unboxed with you guys. They're great. Gamers Nexus and Hardware Unboxed, are it for me when it comes to PC information. Both your channels rock.
HUB is a discredited clickbait channel. This is indisputably proven by their haste in benchmarking the latest games with blatant code level errors apparent to any programmer worth his or her while (Hogwarts 3 day early version), to highlight a "vram issue" that was never an issue in the first place. They kept doing it, for clicks. They kept saying vram issue, when it blatantly wasn't. Now the games are fixed. Where are the rebenchmarks? What use are any of the last 5 or 6 game benchmarks they have done? These videos are still getting views! This is a serious question!
this seems like is either gonna catch on right away, or is gonna be a pain in the butt to many people also, Steve AND Steve did a fantastic coverage work, thanks Steve
@@ericwright8592 I used to think ATX was in charge as everything was labeled ATX form factor. The lack of smaller form factor standards is part of why i stopped building systems.
@@lucretius8050 not sure what isn't standardized? I've been building ITX systems for a decade. M-itx is standardized at 170mm x 170mm. Ssd's, standardized around 2.5in and M.2. Ram, standard. Pcie, standard. ATX power cables, 24pin, 4 pin, 6pin 8pin all standardized. Small form factor cases are the thing that throw a wrench into the gears. But that's not necessarily a bad thing, it means there's dozen of styles of case to choose from. Do you mean the lack of standards for all of that but just smaller? There's been a few options like thin-mini-itx which uses sodimm, M.2 and external 12v power supplies via a barrel jack. Almost no wires at all inside the case. I've made a few of those but they aren't typically replacements for full desktop gaming PCs or workstations. We're getting closer with the 12VO standard, but that's slow to roll out.
If companies are playing with new motherboard standards, it sure would be nice if they would experiment with formalized ways to brace or otherwise take the stress off of the PCIE slot, seeing how heavy GPUs are these days. Thanks for the video.
I think that would be mostly on case manufacturers. It's impossible for Motherboard manufacturers to facilitate every case design but case makers know that motherboards have a set standard as far as size goes. It honestly shouldn't be too difficult to build in some kind of folding brace as part of the case to support where the PCIE slot's would be
One thing to consider about the back cabling would be how easy or hard it will be to get the motherboard set up. People usually put the components (ram, cpu, m.2) into the motherboard before they fit it into the case. With the various plugs in the back though, it looks like it would one, make the motherboard unsteady and two, be really difficult cause putting too much pressure onto the motherboard could cause it to crack. If this becomes the standard, then you would have to mount the motherboard into the case first before doing any of the other set ups, making it just a bit harder in some cases.
This was great! I really like seeing the Tech YT community get together at these shows. I hope next year you guys can all get together for a dinner with talk for the audience. UA-cam should sponsor the dinner and give the money to your favorite charities. I am sure it's a tax right off in some countries.
GPU power through the motherboard would also require a redesign of all PCIE riser extensions too - since they'd have to now include power cables along with data lines.
Actually we can have separate power raiser, that you can bought separately. Changes always not zero cost. But its look more clean and convenient than current power solutions as pcie power or new 16pin connector.
Another thing that might become problematic: There are many builders who make use of the space on the back side behind the motherboard. Fan controllers, RGB controllers, vertically mounted 2,5" SSDs etc. would have to find new places in an already tightly cramped space.
I don't think this would affect those. There's plenty of space around there and it's about the majority use case, I'm sure there would still be standard motherboards for those niche cases.
most flexible solution is to define keep-out zones for the back of the board, similar to zones for cpu/ram/etc.. most obvious way would be to make a grid based on covering the mounting screw locations.
the most useful back side motherboard connection imo is the m.2. the rest i can live without. my d15 dont leave much room to get to the m.2. i still can but would be nice it it was on the back. my case could easily be modded to make room for backside m.2 slot. 2 minute angle grinder job
Personally I prefer the idea of edge 90° connectors. Just provide me with some quality L ended cables)... One other thought, bottom of the GPU power connectors. If they're going to be that large anyway and that long, just put them at the bottom or put them on the side so that it's easy to either hide or at least easier to cable manage
It's good to see new solutions. It just has to become standardized. Extension cards using multiple, different types of slots is not really a new thing though. It just hasn't been a thing for a long time. Rear-mounted cables is not just an aesthetic thing. It eases assembly and servicing. I'm remined by removable motherboard trays that for some reason lost favor. Generally, the ATX standard, and others, don't function well with today's and future hardware. Slots are rarely used for anything but a graphics card, and the M.2 slots is another kind of crazy concept in itself, which is also not standardized. What I'd like to see, is a standardized backplane solution that is cross-platform. You pick a CPU module and a GPU module and stick them in. Choose whatever you like. The backplane will be cheap to produce and doesn't have to be upgraded often, if at all. The backplane handles the PCIe bus and power.
Thanks Steves for the work you are doing! 😉. Anyhow, great to see you all guys of pro-review comunity together and glad to see friendly relationships you have. Take care & continue with high standards you've set.
My biggest concern is on the GPU side. How it would effect compatibility with traditional/older MBs and the effect on the resell value of both. In older and tradicional boards in the places they put the 12v socket to connect with the GPU could be the something else like the Chipset with a heatsink. This would make them incompatible due to the protrusion of the GPU 12v male connector colliding with what would normally be there. Another thing is that those GPUs will probably not have the traditional 12v connectors. A work around both problems would be to buy a PCIe riser that adapts the 12v connector to the traditional style.
"and a wild Steve walks by...." Steve made sure he walked by 🙂. And there's poor Tim slowly walking past in the background hoping for an invite to join in that never comes.
If the market trends towards putting all power connections for the motherboard on the back I definitely won't mind but we'll probably also need (and hopefully get) more 90 degree connectors
Id hope that GPU manufactures would make both versions of a card, if not it would eliminate the ability of older systems to update their graphics card. Also with the connector on the board and the build up of heat your traces to that connector are going to build a lot of resistance and cause higher power draw.
@GN The problem with that power connector is that, by design, when you power it up the first time, in BIOS you'll be met with a EULA that you must accept voiding your warranty and 5 min later blowing up your videocard 👍 Ty Asus and Back to you, Steve.
Honestly on my end i dont mind cables in the front if it means i will be able to save a few $$ to put into more performing parts. Cables are the least of my worries.
The thing I am worried about with this: I just bought a FD Torrent with my new computer half a year ago. My intent was that I would have a case that would last me ages, because it's massive for the parts I use, has incredible airflow, and ATX has been stable for something like 30 years now, so the mounting systems will all be fine. It's only until a major shift in the standards that I'll have to get a new case. And *immediately* they start designing stuff with all the cable connectors on the wrong side of the motherboard. Great. Thanks guys.
The ASUS board connector reminds me of Apple’s ADC connector from the late 90s - extra bit at the end of the AGP slot that provided +25v to allow for their single-cable LCD monitors.
Yeah, the one that used DVI but didn't support hot plugging due to the power connectors. I had one of those and it worked fine, but I've heard others getting big sparks when plugging it in with the power on.
Great double-Steve collab! What I consider most important in that case is that little adjustable GPU support tab and column @6:12. GPU sag is reportedly causing actual GPU damage, so proper GPU support either from something provided by the case like here, or some external add-on, should become standard. What is more, I think the standard approach should not be to just support the GPU as in this case, but actually to clamp it in order to fully immobilize it. That way no problem shipping a build with a mounted GPU, as mentioned in the video.
Both the power connector and the rear motherboard connections would have to be standardized as part of the PCI and ATX standards for this to work. I really like the ideas, though the rear connectors really have to be angled or you'll end up needing wider cases to fit the cables.
I think they already addressed the case needing slightly more room at the back but it doesn't necessarily mean a wider case. In most cases the back plate that the motherboard rests on can be moved further to the front without issue. In my case there is plenty of space. GPU's usually increase in length not height so you have space to spare at the front of the case.
@@gemelwalters2942 With GPUs getting taller that might be an issue. If the power slot is on the board there is at least a bit more room to work with. It is already tight to bend cables. Probably why we see some 90 degree adapters. If GPUs keep growing I guess we are forced into vertical mount anyway.
@@Gazer75 The other problem is that they would have to force you to use a dedicated PCIE slot for this to work, unless they add that power connector beside each PCIE slot and that would be very costly. Some cases will force you to adjust where you have your card slotted if there is some space restriction. I don't see this taking off unless it's just added as an option for specific use cases. Having the connections moved to the rear for cable management, I can definitely see that being adopted.
@@gemelwalters2942 We had VLB and AGP for several years. Worked just fine. Most PCIe slots except the top one is not a 16x slot, so you don't want to put high end cards anywhere else. There is nothing stopping card manufacturers from using a power connector on the card instead of using the slot.
Here's an idea: SEPERATE high and low power components. Make plugs/connections easily accessible. Keep it simple (maybe if your new idea requires alot of other companies to change their design, and your change is not functional but aesthetic: dont) Bring back side intake on cases (throw out the glass)
Motherboard manufacturers would do well to have the entire middle wall where the mainboard mounts to use not only interchangeable panels, but also provide a middle piece for the back which can be repositioned along with moving the middle section into one of two positions. Creating dedicated cases for this is literally asking for it to be wasted. Cases can accommodate for this idea. But it needs to be hybridized. You do this either by making the case wider with removable panels, or having the wall a mainboard mounts on be able to adjust position. How _I_ would do it is to have the case wall be mounted via screws, then support brackets / fixtures at the four corners of the case can affix the wall into position depending on which direction the screws are facing. That'd be the most simple, lowest-cost way of doing it. As for any panels across the height of the case at the rear, that could be adjusted with a full-height plate similarly to how some cases affix modular rear panels. We have the technology to do this, it's just a matter of _if_ we're doing it. As for how to install this motherboard wall, the top can be removable while the rest is riveted into place.
Key words: apple, they have very good design and engineering teams, I don't think mobo and card vendor would all sit together and agreed upon the standardization. Also if that power pcie slot get scratch you would be fucked. A simple power connector like the 8pins could be replaced by soldering a new one
@@philipegoulet448 You have no idea what goes on with video cards. I have older used video cards I have installed and removed in various testing motherboards well over 1000+ times by now since buying them years ago. Video cards probably have the highest insertion count out of all components in a computer. I haven't had a chance to play with the new 12v high power connector cards and I dread the thought of melting one when using it for testing some 10-15 years from now. :(
@@Sabrinahuskydog @Blueberry Apples 1000 times is absolutely tiny in terms of connector insertions, thank you for proving my point! That's the equivalent of reinserting the same graphics card once a day for multiple years straight, which is a completely ridiculous usecase, and it still isn't a problem :)
The thing is that Apple doesn't care about price in the MacPro lineup, so they can just throw money at every problem and it goes away. Regular motherboard developers will try to shave every single cent they can to barely pass the requirements.
Anyone can pull the trigger first to start setting the standard. I think establishing “no go zones” like near the cpu socket, can solve the mounting standards on the back
I would love to see a 90 degree PCIe slot on the back of the board. So you could mount the gpu back to back with the board putting it in it's own airflow zone
@@holy3979 ya no, I want 90 degree slot mounted to the board. Not riser jank. Preferably matx but itx would be fine if it still had a slot in the traditional place as well.
Yeah I'd worry more about the thin finger on the card's PCB keeping good contact and handling 500W+ than thermals. Also card failures that cause a surge in current may be more likely to damage the mainboard now.
@@tommihommi1 True but those PSUs typically have larger pads and it's the only connection point. It seems like this is relying on the PCIE slot to lock it all in place. Support brackets would be more necessary than ever. Users can't even be trusted to plug a cable in all the way so I'd be worried about this not getting fully seated or supported properly. Unlike a cable it'll be very hard for a user to visually confirm a good connection. I'm be overly paranoid but that's what working in IT will do to you.
There are too many cons. It wouldn't be okay to do that if it drives prices up, because then it would become a standard, making it worse for everyone that doesn't have a lot of money. And I think pretty much nobody cares about hiding cables inside an already closed box designed to make you look at a screen. It's exactly the same as car companies trying to hide the steering wheel because it's ugly and they want the car to drive itself. It will still look like computer parts regardless. If you don't like how a computer looks, don't buy a case with a glass panel instead of driving the prices of all computers up because you have a computer phobia. That's crazy. My mom doesn't like cables, wanna know what she does about it? She crushes them against the wall so she doesn't have to see them, and then the cables stop working. Same mindset.
Another positive point to routing GPU power through the motherboard is you'll never be surprised by reversed power connections, when I upgraded from the EVGA 3080 to Sapphire 7900XTX I had to flip the GPU cables and suddenly the cables are being tugged in the opposite direction from how they had been set two years ago, which is a problem when they were already snug.
I think the idea behind the extra plug coming directly from the cards pcb to be cool. Besides having a hard contact point for power it adds in a little extra support even if it's not fixed entirely. If they wanted to fiddle with it further there could be extra added contacts in the socket for rgb lighting if the model of card had it pre-equipped. The main problem is like the Steve's have said which is making it a standard and having all manufacturers using the same format.
This is a frustrating non issue, in my opinion, and it all stems from Nvidia's decision to phase out the old connectors. It also seems like an unnecessary addition to the motherboard, creating another potential point of failure, just to hide the GPU cables. Moreover, there are already cable management extensions available that can effectively eliminate almost all cable clutter. Additionally, as you mentioned, there are compatibility issues with smaller cases, motherboards, and GPUs. I also like my sleeved cables, there's that too. 😍 On the other hand, I can understand and agree with the use of the other connectors on the back, like SATA, USB headers and so on to get rid of the cables.
The way they've set it up reminds me of the old VESA Local Bus... It was an expansion connector for ISA that was literally just a second connector off the end of the EISA slot. It had much finer pinning than ISA, looked a bit like a PCI or AGP slot in a *really* weird position. ISA was already on its way out when I got my first computer, and gone by the time I built my first one... but the class I took on *how* to build one in high school had some ancient systems for us to work on, and one had some VLB/EISA Slots... tripped me out.
Cables on the back together with concepts like Corsairs(?) PSU with connectors on the side could lead to some neat cable routing. I just want to see some more 90-degree connectors so you don't have to bend and squash your cables against the side of the case.
Well, the extra motherboard connector would also give more support for the card. Just place the M2s on the back of the board, and let the front fans of the case cool them down
I will simply never understand why people want to hide the cables. I need a working PC which I can manage by opening one side panel, not having to untangle cables in the back every time.
Managed cables never need to be untangled, that's the entire point. Cable management is an artform that shows you care about the build and take pride in your work. If you want to have a rats nest of cables more power to you I guess, most of us don't want that.
@@JathraDH I disagree that cable "management" means cable "hiding" I have few cables in the back and a lot of cables I need in the front, all "managed" and not a mess or anything, but not hidden.
@@afos88 Cables you "need in the front"? You don't "need" cables anywhere so it's more about an aesthetic for you and that's fine but functionally speaking cables being visible aren't necessary. and you definitely have to open both the back and front panel if you need to troubleshoot unless all your cables are left at the front. This is about the majority use case.
@@afos88 I think most people would hide every cable they could. You are certainly welcome to your opinion on the matter and welcome to disagree but your opinion is an extremely unpopular one.
I make my own custom cables. I agree that leaving 24 pin, EPS, GPU on the front to allow the sleeved cables to show is one way of doing it, but also I think modders would just start using more cases with completely transparent backs or maybe glass panels with some opaque black to tastefully cover the smaller front panel connectors and below. Then you could show off your custom cables on the back still and take pride in your cable management on the back the same way people do in the front of their cases already
I like the concept of having the GPU plug into the motherboard and getting all the power it needs. But you're right, this would need to be standardized for it to work.
Steve (Walton) would know all about being locked into a tool hardware ecosystem! His DeWalt tool collection could make any Home DIYer green with envy!!! Even Pros would be jealous!
behind the board cabling looks good for people going for a showcase type computer, it definitely needs standardization to catch on though. but then for people like me that enjoy building in older cases and rack mounted chassis, since the board is mounted directly to the back panel in a lot of scenarios, that if cables out the back became the norm it would truly obsolete most of the older/vintage cases that conform to the ATX standard.
Could solve the melting cable issue, or some of the issues with cables being up against the glass on the case, It also helps with not needing longer cables to reach the front of the case either, If people still wanna see their cables, then cases could be made to see more of the backside of the case.
Case manufacturers can make it to where the back panel where the MB attaches can be pulled and swapped to fit the MB type. That would be the best form to take with it and also having the case allow the MB to be flipped to face the other side along with the back panel (not counting the part for the PSU) would give the cases a giant edge to be bought from the web store and get a case you really want. Some already do it with a few cases already but having a whole line shift could give them a starting edge on this.
I had this idea way back when computers were still using beige cases to put the connectors on the back of the motherboard for easier access. There's just so much stuff on the front of a motherboard and especially if you have more than one add-on card in your system it gets harder to access things such as fan connectors and front panel connectors and all of that mess. I see one more benefit of the cables being on the back of the motherboard which is that their length won't have to be so long anymore because it won't have to reach up and over or around the motherboard which should help lower the cost of power supplies by a little bit. I like the idea ASUS has of a new power connector slot. I understand that the thermals will increase in that area of the motherboard but perhaps they can section off that area of the motherboard from the rest of it so that the heat doesn't travel across the entire board similarly to how they sectioned off the audio components from the rest of the motherboard to avoid interference. I am still not a fan of the new GPU power connectors design. I really wish they would create something that doesn't look so flimsy. I really like the sturdiness of the older power connectors for GPU's.
I would like to see the PCIe 6 spec expand the power through the PCIe connector instead of the weird connector Asus has. As for how to account for the power connectors on the back of the board, make the existing cable cut outs wider, and make the board tray thicker to offset the now weaker structure.
Personally at the expense of eyesores, I rather like the practical running of wires wherever they fit ala Matrix Mainframe, so long as cooling efficiency isn't negatively affected. If it all works however, I can see a practical application of having everything run through the board. Once you start wondering why it's never been done in the past, you come into the Why and the How of standards and common practices. Can't wait for the first GN 'hidden GPU wire boards bursting into flames' coverage!
Many of the concerns you raised were also present when they started adding onboard audio to motherboards. I think having the power, once again, fully supplied by the motherboard is a great idea, and I sincerely hope that this idea, and the back mounted cable connectors become standardized by all manufacturers.
Seems like this is an unimaginative solution. I do get the feeling that with a GPU potentially dominating a computer with it's bulk, weight and power draw the expansion slot doesn't really work but surely just making it longer and able to deliver more power is just a kludge.
That's the problem we've had for years on changes to motherboards, technology has changed and the current design could be improved. Let's start trying new things and let the few who don't mind paying extra bring it to the masses.
The power slot in-line with pcie slot was done on Apples Mac Pro a few years ago. So it's clearly possible. Just need everyone to settle on a single physical standard/spec that doesn't change for a decade at minimum
Move the power plug closer to the PCIE slot and replace it with a hole in the motherboard + backplane. Then plug power supply directy into the graphics card from below.
All that's missing is Roman. On the subject of connectors, instead of dicking around with cable placement I'd like to see a standard whereby all the cables in a case come out to one connector that is placed on the right-hand side of the motherboard. One connector with USB2, USB3,USB3.2, Power switch, maybe fan headers to a daughterboard and an RGB breakout, power LED, drive LED and possibly even a reset switch. Installing the motherboard would be so easy.
i have nothing against putting motherboard connectors on the other side... as long as there are affordable cases to support it. But that power pass-through for GPU adds additional point of failure just for aesthetics sake. Close proximity of it to M.2, chipset and RAM also raises thermal concerns since none of them like neighborhood of hot stuff
I'd watch a 4h roundtable with all of you guys in a heartbeat, just a day after the fair where you all reflected on the current situation, the new trends (and of course for all the banter). Not sure if I want a reverse mainboard (feels like BTX :D), but I want more of the Steves and the Pauls and Kitguru and Roman and... and... and...!
We met at the international Steve convention after this.
The Stevecon
You won't want to miss it!
"The Conjunction of the Steve's" 😂
Was it love at first Steve?
The 2023 Stevention
It was great to see Steve in person again after all these years!
Sorry I messed up the "Thanks Steve" "Back to you Steve" meme. My brain was pretty cooked at that point. I realize I had one job there and I screwed it up, so sorry again about that.
Thanks Steve.
We love Steve and Steve. Actual hero's to us ABUSED consumers.
Looks like Steve realised that Steve had a long day so Steve didn't mind.
The blunder from downunder, Thanks Steve.
Cool to see you two meet up like that. Love your channel too, bud. Great stuff you guys do over there.
When both Steves are in close proximity to one another, a slight shiver goes up the backs of every pc tech company's PR rep.
Wait until they perform the fusion dance and become the most unstopable tech reviewer ever 🔥
@@__leftistVegan Power OverWhelming!
StEvE aRcHoN!!!!!
@@__leftistVegan STEVIE!
This is getting out of hand, now there is two of them!
@@GodEmperorTitan 3*
one is away
Love seeing Steve talk to Steve, whether it's on Steve's, or Steve's channel. Thanks Steve! (and Steve!)
Back to you, Steve!
rofl!!
It could be pretty hard to re-sell a graphics card if it doesn't work with most motherboards
they could also probably include a back up power plug on the actual GPU, with maybe a cover that comes with it if you don't need a cable. doesn't solve the problem of having a piece of the board sticking out and clearance issues with non-pcie power boards
I honestly don't like the whole gimmick of delivering the GPU power via a proprietary connector on the mobo. Not only does it just kick the power connection just down the road to the back of the mobo, it creates a whole slew of problems that the Steves outlined in this video.
I hadn't considered the potential of vendor lock-in, but now that the Steves mentioned it, it does seem like that's in play.
Bad ideas upon bad ideas here.
@Daniel Harvison well I think at some point we are going to get the point where it will be necessary for something like this hopfully it will be universal connectors
There's only a certain amount you can just rely on getting a better PSU even now we are seeing issues with cables melting
That's a good point
@@frankieslefttoe8210 The problem isn't whether or not it's a good system, mechanically, it's whether or not (as if it's ever a question) vendors are gonna aim to fuck over consumers with the implementation, which is damn near a certainty, these days.
GN and HUB together is such good combo to see! I would love to see them get together and have more discussions about everything PC related
A HUB style Q&A video with both Steves and Tim would be great
@@thelegendaryklobb2879 I didn't know I wanted that so bad until just this moment
they should do a podcast monthly
Two Steves for the price of one, what a value!
The more you Steve, the more you save! - Jensen Huang
Thanks, Steve!
@@cesarbretschneider Thank you PAPA!
Back to you, Steve!
Two Steves one video (not THAT kind of video though 😄 )
Gamers Nexus and Hardware Unboxed are the best tech channels on youtube. It's very nice to see you guys together. Thanks!
9:22 There's also a wild Tim walking around in the background, the other half of Hardware Unboxed! I was really waiting for at least a slight bit of a crossover, thanks for delivering it, Steve(s).
Yes, i was wondering why Tim was just wandering about & kinda sad that he did not come over to say hi. 😅
He’ll have a place if GN hires their own Tim
@@forestw785 We are against that; we want to sink heat directly; interface be damned!
Old full AT an ATX spec cases used to have provisions for "full length" cards. These cases had slots on the front interior of the case under the drive cage and long cards would have a "handle" on the end of the card that slid into this slot. This fell out of use with long cards becoming rarer and rarer and that empty space got repurposed for drive cage length and more fans. I kinda wondered why it never got reimplemented as video cards got longer and heavier while drive cages disappeared.
Cases are going to have to be modular, where you can swap out half the motherboard tray depending on your board config, which will hike up prices even more.
Probably don't even need that really. You could do it with slots or sliding covers for the front section of the mb tray to allow the cable passthroughs to be relocated for either front or back mounted connectors.
Just a sliding panel that has the connector passthroughs, maybe with optional snap in cable grommets or brush panels.
@@BFF.Studios
The issue is that first you need someone who will make said standard.
And that standard has to bee good, not some crap made last minute like the nvidia power connector, that became the 12 pin "standard".
Motherboards could come with a custom backplate with conector cutouts for that specific motherboard. Then case manufacturers could just have empty space with standard holes for mounting those backplates - ITX, mATX, ATX and "EATX." That way cases could use less metal and be marginally cheaper while motherboards would be a bit more expensive.
Why? They could just design the tray in a way, where it would accept front cable mounted boards, and rear cable mounted boards. Wouldnt be that big of a deal, may have to remove one or two stand off posts, but thats alright cause there is already lots of them
@@hubertnnn Reminds me of an XKCD. 927 specifically
Situation: There are 14 competing standards.
14?! Ridiculous! We need to develop one universal standard that covers everyone's use cases. ~Yeah!
Soon: Situation: There are 15 competing standards.
Seeing Steve back at computex is like seeing a lion being released back into the wild. It's really heartwarming to see.
Really majestic mane indeed
@@Kevin_the_Caveman as is your pfp lmao
Cool to see Hardware Unboxed with you guys. They're great. Gamers Nexus and Hardware Unboxed, are it for me when it comes to PC information. Both your channels rock.
Gamers unboxed
@@donnydarko7624 In a nutshell. :)
@@donnydarko7624 You forgot about the other site, Hardware Nexus :D
Indeed! Both channels are super informative, ethically minded and consumer centric. Best of this community , glad to see them together
HUB is a discredited clickbait channel. This is indisputably proven by their haste in benchmarking the latest games with blatant code level errors apparent to any programmer worth his or her while (Hogwarts 3 day early version), to highlight a "vram issue" that was never an issue in the first place. They kept doing it, for clicks. They kept saying vram issue, when it blatantly wasn't.
Now the games are fixed. Where are the rebenchmarks? What use are any of the last 5 or 6 game benchmarks they have done? These videos are still getting views! This is a serious question!
this seems like is either gonna catch on right away, or is gonna be a pain in the butt to many people
also, Steve AND Steve did a fantastic coverage work, thanks Steve
Personally I'm all for routing gpu power through the motherboard. Apple already does this and it seems like a good way to go.
They should really form a consortium to design standards.
Yeah if only there was a group focused on unifying the specifications for pcie devices. Some sort of special interest group 🤔😂
@@ericwright8592 I used to think ATX was in charge as everything was labeled ATX form factor.
The lack of smaller form factor standards is part of why i stopped building systems.
Let them first standardize the button to enter the BIOS
I like the MPX module from the newest Mac Pro, but I want that standardized.
@@lucretius8050 not sure what isn't standardized? I've been building ITX systems for a decade. M-itx is standardized at 170mm x 170mm. Ssd's, standardized around 2.5in and M.2. Ram, standard. Pcie, standard. ATX power cables, 24pin, 4 pin, 6pin 8pin all standardized. Small form factor cases are the thing that throw a wrench into the gears. But that's not necessarily a bad thing, it means there's dozen of styles of case to choose from.
Do you mean the lack of standards for all of that but just smaller? There's been a few options like thin-mini-itx which uses sodimm, M.2 and external 12v power supplies via a barrel jack. Almost no wires at all inside the case. I've made a few of those but they aren't typically replacements for full desktop gaming PCs or workstations. We're getting closer with the 12VO standard, but that's slow to roll out.
Love how well this video turned out given how hard it is to film in a setting like that. Great job all around from the whole team.
If companies are playing with new motherboard standards, it sure would be nice if they would experiment with formalized ways to brace or otherwise take the stress off of the PCIE slot, seeing how heavy GPUs are these days.
Thanks for the video.
Actually attaching the cooler to the pcie bracket would help.
Soon enough the Dark Obelisk™ will be an official standard if they try this.
So go back to the 90s with pizza box orientated cases? sounds fine to me.
I think that would be mostly on case manufacturers. It's impossible for Motherboard manufacturers to facilitate every case design but case makers know that motherboards have a set standard as far as size goes. It honestly shouldn't be too difficult to build in some kind of folding brace as part of the case to support where the PCIE slot's would be
@@gemelwalters2942 my be quiet case has this folding gpu brace you speak of. Its pretty nice.
gamersnexus x hardwareunboxed is always a delight to see 😭 the videos are just so entertaining
They should definitely make some Steve & Steve special show :D
One thing to consider about the back cabling would be how easy or hard it will be to get the motherboard set up. People usually put the components (ram, cpu, m.2) into the motherboard before they fit it into the case. With the various plugs in the back though, it looks like it would one, make the motherboard unsteady and two, be really difficult cause putting too much pressure onto the motherboard could cause it to crack. If this becomes the standard, then you would have to mount the motherboard into the case first before doing any of the other set ups, making it just a bit harder in some cases.
Two legends, in one video and both named Steve. Truly the most timeline ever!
This was great! I really like seeing the Tech YT community get together at these shows. I hope next year you guys can all get together for a dinner with talk for the audience. UA-cam should sponsor the dinner and give the money to your favorite charities. I am sure it's a tax right off in some countries.
Man, generative AI has come to new grounds, by putting two Steve’s in the same scene, interacting with each other.
So they're not the same person?
Not even NVidia can pull this off so perfectly.
GPU power through the motherboard would also require a redesign of all PCIE riser extensions too - since they'd have to now include power cables along with data lines.
Actually we can have separate power raiser, that you can bought separately. Changes always not zero cost. But its look more clean and convenient than current power solutions as pcie power or new 16pin connector.
2 Steves in 1!!! That was really cool!! Take care guys and keep doing great job.
I love the Steve and Steve show! Both Steve's are amazing and thank you both (and your teams) for all the hard work!
Another thing that might become problematic: There are many builders who make use of the space on the back side behind the motherboard. Fan controllers, RGB controllers, vertically mounted 2,5" SSDs etc. would have to find new places in an already tightly cramped space.
Those can stay toward the center. The connectors are always around the outside.
I don't think this would affect those. There's plenty of space around there and it's about the majority use case, I'm sure there would still be standard motherboards for those niche cases.
most flexible solution is to define keep-out zones for the back of the board, similar to zones for cpu/ram/etc.. most obvious way would be to make a grid based on covering the mounting screw locations.
the most useful back side motherboard connection imo is the m.2. the rest i can live without. my d15 dont leave much room to get to the m.2. i still can but would be nice it it was on the back. my case could easily be modded to make room for backside m.2 slot. 2 minute angle grinder job
Personally I prefer the idea of edge 90° connectors. Just provide me with some quality L ended cables)... One other thought, bottom of the GPU power connectors. If they're going to be that large anyway and that long, just put them at the bottom or put them on the side so that it's easy to either hide or at least easier to cable manage
It's good to see new solutions. It just has to become standardized.
Extension cards using multiple, different types of slots is not really a new thing though. It just hasn't been a thing for a long time.
Rear-mounted cables is not just an aesthetic thing. It eases assembly and servicing. I'm remined by removable motherboard trays that for some reason lost favor.
Generally, the ATX standard, and others, don't function well with today's and future hardware. Slots are rarely used for anything but a graphics card, and the M.2 slots is another kind of crazy concept in itself, which is also not standardized. What I'd like to see, is a standardized backplane solution that is cross-platform. You pick a CPU module and a GPU module and stick them in. Choose whatever you like. The backplane will be cheap to produce and doesn't have to be upgraded often, if at all. The backplane handles the PCIe bus and power.
Thanks Steves for the work you are doing! 😉. Anyhow, great to see you all guys of pro-review comunity together and glad to see friendly relationships you have. Take care & continue with high standards you've set.
This is awesome seeing my two favourite tech channels collaborating. Fantastic and good work Steve’s
My biggest concern is on the GPU side. How it would effect compatibility with traditional/older MBs and the effect on the resell value of both.
In older and tradicional boards in the places they put the 12v socket to connect with the GPU could be the something else like the Chipset with a heatsink. This would make them incompatible due to the protrusion of the GPU 12v male connector colliding with what would normally be there.
Another thing is that those GPUs will probably not have the traditional 12v connectors.
A work around both problems would be to buy a PCIe riser that adapts the 12v connector to the traditional style.
"and a wild Steve walks by...." Steve made sure he walked by 🙂. And there's poor Tim slowly walking past in the background hoping for an invite to join in that never comes.
Back to you Steve!😂
HOLY SHIT! My two favorite tech channels joining forces for a video! So cool!!
If the market trends towards putting all power connections for the motherboard on the back I definitely won't mind but we'll probably also need (and hopefully get) more 90 degree connectors
And since we already could have used those in the current construction, yet the pickings remain slim, I don't have high hopes for it
Id hope that GPU manufactures would make both versions of a card, if not it would eliminate the ability of older systems to update their graphics card. Also with the connector on the board and the build up of heat your traces to that connector are going to build a lot of resistance and cause higher power draw.
@GN The problem with that power connector is that, by design, when you power it up the first time, in BIOS you'll be met with a EULA that you must accept voiding your warranty and 5 min later blowing up your videocard 👍 Ty Asus and Back to you, Steve.
Nice joke
Lol haha
Honestly on my end i dont mind cables in the front if it means i will be able to save a few $$ to put into more performing parts. Cables are the least of my worries.
The thing I am worried about with this: I just bought a FD Torrent with my new computer half a year ago. My intent was that I would have a case that would last me ages, because it's massive for the parts I use, has incredible airflow, and ATX has been stable for something like 30 years now, so the mounting systems will all be fine. It's only until a major shift in the standards that I'll have to get a new case.
And *immediately* they start designing stuff with all the cable connectors on the wrong side of the motherboard. Great. Thanks guys.
The ASUS board connector reminds me of Apple’s ADC connector from the late 90s - extra bit at the end of the AGP slot that provided +25v to allow for their single-cable LCD monitors.
Apple still uses that idea on their Mac Pro AICs, power through the PCB.
Yeah, the one that used DVI but didn't support hot plugging due to the power connectors. I had one of those and it worked fine, but I've heard others getting big sparks when plugging it in with the power on.
Great double-Steve collab!
What I consider most important in that case is that little adjustable GPU support tab and column @6:12. GPU sag is reportedly causing actual GPU damage, so proper GPU support either from something provided by the case like here, or some external add-on, should become standard. What is more, I think the standard approach should not be to just support the GPU as in this case, but actually to clamp it in order to fully immobilize it. That way no problem shipping a build with a mounted GPU, as mentioned in the video.
Both the power connector and the rear motherboard connections would have to be standardized as part of the PCI and ATX standards for this to work.
I really like the ideas, though the rear connectors really have to be angled or you'll end up needing wider cases to fit the cables.
Aka AGX
I think they already addressed the case needing slightly more room at the back but it doesn't necessarily mean a wider case. In most cases the back plate that the motherboard rests on can be moved further to the front without issue. In my case there is plenty of space. GPU's usually increase in length not height so you have space to spare at the front of the case.
@@gemelwalters2942 With GPUs getting taller that might be an issue. If the power slot is on the board there is at least a bit more room to work with. It is already tight to bend cables. Probably why we see some 90 degree adapters.
If GPUs keep growing I guess we are forced into vertical mount anyway.
@@Gazer75 The other problem is that they would have to force you to use a dedicated PCIE slot for this to work, unless they add that power connector beside each PCIE slot and that would be very costly. Some cases will force you to adjust where you have your card slotted if there is some space restriction. I don't see this taking off unless it's just added as an option for specific use cases. Having the connections moved to the rear for cable management, I can definitely see that being adopted.
@@gemelwalters2942 We had VLB and AGP for several years. Worked just fine.
Most PCIe slots except the top one is not a 16x slot, so you don't want to put high end cards anywhere else.
There is nothing stopping card manufacturers from using a power connector on the card instead of using the slot.
Here's an idea:
SEPERATE high and low power components.
Make plugs/connections easily accessible.
Keep it simple (maybe if your new idea requires alot of other companies to change their design, and your change is not functional but aesthetic: dont)
Bring back side intake on cases (throw out the glass)
Let me be the first to say: Thanks, Steve(s)! 😉
Motherboard manufacturers would do well to have the entire middle wall where the mainboard mounts to use not only interchangeable panels, but also provide a middle piece for the back which can be repositioned along with moving the middle section into one of two positions. Creating dedicated cases for this is literally asking for it to be wasted.
Cases can accommodate for this idea. But it needs to be hybridized. You do this either by making the case wider with removable panels, or having the wall a mainboard mounts on be able to adjust position. How _I_ would do it is to have the case wall be mounted via screws, then support brackets / fixtures at the four corners of the case can affix the wall into position depending on which direction the screws are facing. That'd be the most simple, lowest-cost way of doing it.
As for any panels across the height of the case at the rear, that could be adjusted with a full-height plate similarly to how some cases affix modular rear panels. We have the technology to do this, it's just a matter of _if_ we're doing it. As for how to install this motherboard wall, the top can be removable while the rest is riveted into place.
It's worth mentioning that Apple has been doing this since 2019 for up to 550W cards with the Mac Pro. (Key term to search for is MPX modules).
Key words: apple, they have very good design and engineering teams, I don't think mobo and card vendor would all sit together and agreed upon the standardization. Also if that power pcie slot get scratch you would be fucked. A simple power connector like the 8pins could be replaced by soldering a new one
@@dogdie147 That's simply not a problem for pcbs with golden fingers like that. Especially for a low number of insertions like a gpu
@@philipegoulet448 You have no idea what goes on with video cards. I have older used video cards I have installed and removed in various testing motherboards well over 1000+ times by now since buying them years ago. Video cards probably have the highest insertion count out of all components in a computer. I haven't had a chance to play with the new 12v high power connector cards and I dread the thought of melting one when using it for testing some 10-15 years from now. :(
@@Sabrinahuskydog @Blueberry Apples 1000 times is absolutely tiny in terms of connector insertions, thank you for proving my point! That's the equivalent of reinserting the same graphics card once a day for multiple years straight, which is a completely ridiculous usecase, and it still isn't a problem :)
The thing is that Apple doesn't care about price in the MacPro lineup, so they can just throw money at every problem and it goes away. Regular motherboard developers will try to shave every single cent they can to barely pass the requirements.
Anyone can pull the trigger first to start setting the standard. I think establishing “no go zones” like near the cpu socket, can solve the mounting standards on the back
I would love to see a 90 degree PCIe slot on the back of the board. So you could mount the gpu back to back with the board putting it in it's own airflow zone
Please for the love of god yes
Look at the SSUPD Meshilicious
There are a few designs like this, but they are mostly super small form factor cases and use a riser to go around back of the motherboard.
@@holy3979 ya no, I want 90 degree slot mounted to the board. Not riser jank. Preferably matx but itx would be fine if it still had a slot in the traditional place as well.
Steve x2 finally !!~
I have been thinking is that possible for both Steve meeting each other, here you go!😁
When one Steve just isn't enough
I still lose my shit every time you do the "Back to you, Steve" 😂
I don't think heating from the impedance of those extremely short power runs will be an issue at all
Yeah I'd worry more about the thin finger on the card's PCB keeping good contact and handling 500W+ than thermals. Also card failures that cause a surge in current may be more likely to damage the mainboard now.
@@JJFX- no, that's no issue at all. Servers have been using this kind of connection for their power supplies for a long time.
@@tommihommi1 True but those PSUs typically have larger pads and it's the only connection point. It seems like this is relying on the PCIE slot to lock it all in place. Support brackets would be more necessary than ever.
Users can't even be trusted to plug a cable in all the way so I'd be worried about this not getting fully seated or supported properly. Unlike a cable it'll be very hard for a user to visually confirm a good connection. I'm be overly paranoid but that's what working in IT will do to you.
first Steve and Roman as the most romatic Bro-mance for years, and now there is Steveception. Now all I need is Steve talking with Wendell
There are too many cons. It wouldn't be okay to do that if it drives prices up, because then it would become a standard, making it worse for everyone that doesn't have a lot of money.
And I think pretty much nobody cares about hiding cables inside an already closed box designed to make you look at a screen. It's exactly the same as car companies trying to hide the steering wheel because it's ugly and they want the car to drive itself. It will still look like computer parts regardless. If you don't like how a computer looks, don't buy a case with a glass panel instead of driving the prices of all computers up because you have a computer phobia. That's crazy.
My mom doesn't like cables, wanna know what she does about it? She crushes them against the wall so she doesn't have to see them, and then the cables stop working. Same mindset.
Great survey of the innovation and the up/downstream impacts. Love the coverage. Thank you, GN Team. The passion really makes the difference.
2 Steve's in the same room? How did the universe not implode? 😅
I love seeing these two guys together. It’s really cool.
Another positive point to routing GPU power through the motherboard is you'll never be surprised by reversed power connections, when I upgraded from the EVGA 3080 to Sapphire 7900XTX I had to flip the GPU cables and suddenly the cables are being tugged in the opposite direction from how they had been set two years ago, which is a problem when they were already snug.
You can't reverse PCIE-Power connectors for video cards. They only go in one way. They're keyed for a reason.
@@Sabrinahuskydog Some GPUs have the pugs flipped upside down (which way is upside down we will never know).
I think the idea behind the extra plug coming directly from the cards pcb to be cool. Besides having a hard contact point for power it adds in a little extra support even if it's not fixed entirely. If they wanted to fiddle with it further there could be extra added contacts in the socket for rgb lighting if the model of card had it pre-equipped. The main problem is like the Steve's have said which is making it a standard and having all manufacturers using the same format.
This is a frustrating non issue, in my opinion, and it all stems from Nvidia's decision to phase out the old connectors. It also seems like an unnecessary addition to the motherboard, creating another potential point of failure, just to hide the GPU cables. Moreover, there are already cable management extensions available that can effectively eliminate almost all cable clutter. Additionally, as you mentioned, there are compatibility issues with smaller cases, motherboards, and GPUs.
I also like my sleeved cables, there's that too. 😍
On the other hand, I can understand and agree with the use of the other connectors on the back, like SATA, USB headers and so on to get rid of the cables.
this seems like its going to be a compatibility nightmare for itx and matx boards, i do not want to see this become a standard.
What can be better than seeing Steve showing the last, exactly two Steves
Steves ftw!
I love GN/HUB interactions so much! Maybe GN Steve can consider a guest appearance at one of the monthly Q&A sessions at HUB?
I like the on the back motherboard cables, but Im concerned about the gpu socket as a potential source of sparks. ITX when tho :)
and then a beta bios update explodes your case
The way they've set it up reminds me of the old VESA Local Bus... It was an expansion connector for ISA that was literally just a second connector off the end of the EISA slot. It had much finer pinning than ISA, looked a bit like a PCI or AGP slot in a *really* weird position.
ISA was already on its way out when I got my first computer, and gone by the time I built my first one... but the class I took on *how* to build one in high school had some ancient systems for us to work on, and one had some VLB/EISA Slots... tripped me out.
We need a Steve showdown. Who shall be the ultimate Steve?
That would go to the monkey named Steve in the movie “Cloudy with a chance of Meatballs”.
2 Steves! only thing missing here, is 1 cup.
i'm sure Nvidia will be devastated at the idea of having to increase card cost
Only if it cuts into their margins
Possible solution: modular cases with swappable motherboard trays depending on MB manufacturer
I'm all for new form factors, but I also don't want more things to possibly go wrong on a motherboard
Cables on the back together with concepts like Corsairs(?) PSU with connectors on the side could lead to some neat cable routing. I just want to see some more 90-degree connectors so you don't have to bend and squash your cables against the side of the case.
In my opinion it deffinitely looks cleaner, especially if the case fits the aesthetic, but as usual I vote practicality first and looks second :)
Well, the extra motherboard connector would also give more support for the card.
Just place the M2s on the back of the board, and let the front fans of the case cool them down
Ye
That was way to professional. I suspect there was a lot of "finally met each other" nerves going on, that y'all didn't get super silly.
I will simply never understand why people want to hide the cables.
I need a working PC which I can manage by opening one side panel, not having to untangle cables in the back every time.
Managed cables never need to be untangled, that's the entire point.
Cable management is an artform that shows you care about the build and take pride in your work. If you want to have a rats nest of cables more power to you I guess, most of us don't want that.
@@JathraDH I disagree that cable "management" means cable "hiding"
I have few cables in the back and a lot of cables I need in the front, all "managed" and not a mess or anything, but not hidden.
@@afos88 Cables you "need in the front"? You don't "need" cables anywhere so it's more about an aesthetic for you and that's fine but functionally speaking cables being visible aren't necessary. and you definitely have to open both the back and front panel if you need to troubleshoot unless all your cables are left at the front. This is about the majority use case.
@@gemelwalters2942 Well sure I don't "need" cables anywhere but the parts work better plugged in.
@@afos88 I think most people would hide every cable they could.
You are certainly welcome to your opinion on the matter and welcome to disagree but your opinion is an extremely unpopular one.
The distance from the front of the PCIE slot to the back of the V12 Horsepower slot makes me think of ye olden tymes and VLB.
I make my own custom cables. I agree that leaving 24 pin, EPS, GPU on the front to allow the sleeved cables to show is one way of doing it, but also I think modders would just start using more cases with completely transparent backs or maybe glass panels with some opaque black to tastefully cover the smaller front panel connectors and below. Then you could show off your custom cables on the back still and take pride in your cable management on the back the same way people do in the front of their cases already
I like the concept of having the GPU plug into the motherboard and getting all the power it needs. But you're right, this would need to be standardized for it to work.
Steve (Walton) would know all about being locked into a tool hardware ecosystem!
His DeWalt tool collection could make any Home DIYer green with envy!!! Even Pros would be jealous!
behind the board cabling looks good for people going for a showcase type computer, it definitely needs standardization to catch on though. but then for people like me that enjoy building in older cases and rack mounted chassis, since the board is mounted directly to the back panel in a lot of scenarios, that if cables out the back became the norm it would truly obsolete most of the older/vintage cases that conform to the ATX standard.
Could solve the melting cable issue, or some of the issues with cables being up against the glass on the case, It also helps with not needing longer cables to reach the front of the case either, If people still wanna see their cables, then cases could be made to see more of the backside of the case.
Steve vs steve clash thumbnail! ding,ding,ding. missed opportunity for the "thanks steve" clip to be added.
Case manufacturers can make it to where the back panel where the MB attaches can be pulled and swapped to fit the MB type. That would be the best form to take with it and also having the case allow the MB to be flipped to face the other side along with the back panel (not counting the part for the PSU) would give the cases a giant edge to be bought from the web store and get a case you really want. Some already do it with a few cases already but having a whole line shift could give them a starting edge on this.
I had this idea way back when computers were still using beige cases to put the connectors on the back of the motherboard for easier access. There's just so much stuff on the front of a motherboard and especially if you have more than one add-on card in your system it gets harder to access things such as fan connectors and front panel connectors and all of that mess. I see one more benefit of the cables being on the back of the motherboard which is that their length won't have to be so long anymore because it won't have to reach up and over or around the motherboard which should help lower the cost of power supplies by a little bit. I like the idea ASUS has of a new power connector slot. I understand that the thermals will increase in that area of the motherboard but perhaps they can section off that area of the motherboard from the rest of it so that the heat doesn't travel across the entire board similarly to how they sectioned off the audio components from the rest of the motherboard to avoid interference. I am still not a fan of the new GPU power connectors design. I really wish they would create something that doesn't look so flimsy. I really like the sturdiness of the older power connectors for GPU's.
I would like to see the PCIe 6 spec expand the power through the PCIe connector instead of the weird connector Asus has. As for how to account for the power connectors on the back of the board, make the existing cable cut outs wider, and make the board tray thicker to offset the now weaker structure.
Personally at the expense of eyesores, I rather like the practical running of wires wherever they fit ala Matrix Mainframe, so long as cooling efficiency isn't negatively affected. If it all works however, I can see a practical application of having everything run through the board. Once you start wondering why it's never been done in the past, you come into the Why and the How of standards and common practices.
Can't wait for the first GN 'hidden GPU wire boards bursting into flames' coverage!
Many of the concerns you raised were also present when they started adding onboard audio to motherboards. I think having the power, once again, fully supplied by the motherboard is a great idea, and I sincerely hope that this idea, and the back mounted cable connectors become standardized by all manufacturers.
Even if the back mounted power doesn't catch on I really hope the gpu power through the board does.
Seems like this is an unimaginative solution. I do get the feeling that with a GPU potentially dominating a computer with it's bulk, weight and power draw the expansion slot doesn't really work but surely just making it longer and able to deliver more power is just a kludge.
That's the problem we've had for years on changes to motherboards, technology has changed and the current design could be improved. Let's start trying new things and let the few who don't mind paying extra bring it to the masses.
The power slot in-line with pcie slot was done on Apples Mac Pro a few years ago. So it's clearly possible. Just need everyone to settle on a single physical standard/spec that doesn't change for a decade at minimum
Move the power plug closer to the PCIE slot and replace it with a hole in the motherboard + backplane. Then plug power supply directy into the graphics card from below.
All that's missing is Roman. On the subject of connectors, instead of dicking around with cable placement I'd like to see a standard whereby all the cables in a case come out to one connector that is placed on the right-hand side of the motherboard. One connector with USB2, USB3,USB3.2, Power switch, maybe fan headers to a daughterboard and an RGB breakout, power LED, drive LED and possibly even a reset switch. Installing the motherboard would be so easy.
Wait two of my favourite UA-camrs (hardware unboxed and Gamers nexus) meet! My dream has been fulfilled
In a battle between Steve and Steve, I think Steve would definitelly beat Steve.
i have nothing against putting motherboard connectors on the other side... as long as there are affordable cases to support it.
But that power pass-through for GPU adds additional point of failure just for aesthetics sake. Close proximity of it to M.2, chipset and RAM also raises thermal concerns since none of them like neighborhood of hot stuff
I'd watch a 4h roundtable with all of you guys in a heartbeat, just a day after the fair where you all reflected on the current situation, the new trends (and of course for all the banter).
Not sure if I want a reverse mainboard (feels like BTX :D), but I want more of the Steves and the Pauls and Kitguru and Roman and... and... and...!
@Gamers Nexus That was great Steve! Thanks Steve (@HardwareUnboxed), for your contribution! Back to you Steve (@GamersNexus)!