ASUS' new graphics cards and motherboards replace 12VHPWR connector with a 600W PCIe

At CES 2024, ASUS unveiled a new standard for motherboards, graphics cards, and cases. Called BTF (short for Back-to-The-Future), it offers much cleaner cable management with power connectors at the back of a motherboard. More importantly, it fully ditches the ill-fated 12VHPWR plug in favor of a much tidier (and probably safer) 600W PCIe connector.

ASUS claims computers with BTF components are easier to assemble since all plugs and connectors are located at the back side of the motherboard tray without other components obstructing access to power, SATA, USB, IO, and other connectors. Therefore, "you won't have to reach as far into the depth of your chassis to plug things in." BTF should also make cable management much more elegant, resulting in a tidy, showcase-ready build.

The new standard also includes something called "Advanced BTF," an additional high-power PCIe slot next to the regular PCIe x16 for graphics card (its power output peaks at 75W). That high-power slot can supply up to 600W of juice to your GPU, eliminating the need for 12VHPWR connectors or other power cables in modern graphics cards.

Of course, you will need a compatible GPU and a motherboard to make use of the new standard from ASUS. The company has prepared a few motherboard options with hidden connections, such as the ROG Maximus Z790 Hero BTF and the TUF Gaming Z790-BTF Wi-Fi. On the GPU side, BTF-compatible variants include the ROG Strix GeForce RTX 4090 BTF Edition and the "try to spell that" TUF Gaming RTX 4070 Ti SUPER BTF White Edition. Sadly, no AMD options yet.

Besides offering improved visuals, BTF eliminates the worry of horizontal clearance when connecting power cables to the GPU. Also, the high-power PCIe connector provides an additional secure point to reduce sagging.

Finally, ASUS prepared two BTF-compatible cases, the ROG Hyperion GT701 BTF Edition and the TUF Gaming GT302 ARGB. These two options are unlikely to satisfy everyone's budget and taste, so ASUS partnered with other case manufacturers for more BTF-compatible cases. As for motherboards and graphics cards, there is no information on whether other manufacturers plan to adopt ASUS' new standard.

It is worth noting that the idea is not entirely new. In 2019, Apple unveiled its vision of a desktop modular computer with a cable-less power supply and graphics cards with additional PCIe connectors for power delivery. This concept is now ready to take on the PC gaming audience.

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