In the event you simply spent nearly $3,000 on a brand new graphics card, plus a number of hundred extra for a flowery new motherboard to make the most of it, the very last thing you need to hear is that the latter might harm the previous. However a number of customers of Asus motherboards with Q-Launch Slim PCIe slots say they’ve scratched their GPUs. And after reviewing the studies, Asus says “there is no need for concern.”
Asus despatched PCWorld an prolonged assertion on the scenario, affirming that the corporate is conscious of the studies highlighted by a HardwareLuxx editor earlier this week. I’ve collected the related parts beneath.
“In our inner testing and analysis of the extraordinarily small variety of circumstances reported we discovered no harm to the motherboard or graphics card that will have an effect on performance and or efficiency. Nonetheless, you will need to emphasize that any kind of PCIe add in card will exhibit indicators of utilization and put on marking after 60 steady insertions and removals. Moreover, if the set up and removing aren’t carried out in line with the producer’s suggestions (see beneath), the chance of scratches and or put on could enhance. Regardless of this, we’ve discovered no affect on the performance of both the graphics card or the motherboard.
Asus
For these at the moment utilizing ASUS motherboards with the PCIe Q-Launch Slim design, there isn’t any want for concern. Merely comply with the official removing tips to keep away from any potential harm. We might notice minimal effort is required and extreme power shouldn’t be utilized. In the event you encounter any particular points or abnormalities, ASUS will take full accountability and deal with them.
The total assertion was additionally posted to a Reddit thread by an Asus neighborhood supervisor, if you wish to go over it intimately. “Asus will take full responsibility” is a reasonably daring stance and worthy of applause, albeit absent any studies of extra critical points.
As acknowledged in our authentic story, the studies of scratches and chips are coming from skilled {hardware} reviewers, who will insert and take away graphics playing cards way more typically than regular PC builders by an order of magnitude. The chances of inflicting critical harm to a GPU with simply three or 4 insertions right into a motherboard as an everyday person are extraordinarily low.
That mentioned, the very particular front-to-back movement and pull that Asus recommends for the Q-Launch Slim isn’t precisely easy or pure for those who’ve been constructing PCs for years. That’s in line with PCWorld’s Adam Patrick Murray and others right here at our (digital) workplace. “For me, one of the problems is that it goes against decades of learned knowledge of never pulling on anything in that slot,” mentioned Murray. “It’s an uphill climb to then turn around and tell people that it’s ok to yank on your GPU.”
Andreas Schilling of HardwareLuxx, who helped unfold the phrase of the issue initially, additionally responded to the assertion. He identified that this movement won’t be suitable with the size of a typical ATX PC case. “It is not always possible to create the necessary angle because of the back of the case,” he mentioned on BlueSky.
Andreas Schilling of HardwareLuxx illustrates why Asus’ really helpful movement may be unattainable in some PC circumstances. Schilling added the road to the Asus illustration above to reveal. The blue textual content reads “case back.”
Asus
Q-Launch Slim PCIe ports are featured on the most recent and costliest Asus motherboards, ones usually marketed at players and content material creators. The older Q-Launch system (sans Slim), which used a launch button catch that strikes the hard-to-reach tab a number of centimeters away from the GPU space, just isn’t exhibiting the identical points.
