GPUs are so bulky now that Asus is using gyroscopes to detect sagging

[MiqWalsh]

I have the ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 4090 24GB GDDR6X WHITE OC Edition and I can definitely vouch for the need for an anti-sag bracket...

My motherboard (Asus Sage TRX50) only allows for x16 in certain slots, and I also have an Asus Hypercard (allows for 4 x 4TB SSDs in one PCIe slot) so I needed to install it in a non-reinforced PCIe slot (why they aren't all reinforced in a $1000+ motherboard I don't know) and it was a PAIN to get the anti-sag bracket (included with my case, NOT my motherboard or GPU) installed properly.

I suspect that soon, vertically mounting GPUs will become far more common in the future.

I'm perfectly content with my Asus GeForce GT710, thank you! 19W TDP through the slot, passive-cooling, exactly one slot wide.......and light as a feather. What's not to like?

Miq.

 

[loki1944]

Considering how many asus gpus have died on me I have 0 good faith in this as anything more than an IO campaign.

 

[gamerk2]

It is true that we're approaching the teoretical limit of current technology. We have been for a while, which is why Nvidia is scrambling to introduce software workarounds (DLSS, MFG etc) to be able to seemingly run prettier graphics "as fast as" before. I believe that a total re-design of how graphics is rendered will be crucial for the future. I liked what I saw from neural rendering - but it's still impossible to know how that will hold up once you introduce other factors than pure geometry.

We've been going down this route since the mid-2010s. Very few new graphical features; instead we've gotten new AA modes (TAA, etc.), VRR, HDR, 4k, and now upscaling.

The main issue is with our current rendering technology, we've done about all we can. Farther enhancements get ridiculously expensive to compute (example: Accurate light diffusion through water, reflections/refractions, etc.) and aren't even considered. Combine that with the fact we're running out of ways to actually increase performance through die-shrinks alone, and is it any shock the entire market is, frankly, stagnated?

Lets face it: Look at a game from 2015, at maximum graphics settings. Now take a similar game from 2025 and put them side by side. At a glance, can you honestly tell the difference? Because I sure can't, and neither can 95% of the market.

Anyway, back to the article itself: The simple solution to both this and the power distribution problems (guys, 3x 8-pin connectors is *not* a valid solution) is to go back and make a dedicated GPU slot again, something that can actually power most GPUs absent external connectors and is reinforced enough to handle the behemoths we now have.

 

[Subset6]

I am seriously considering my next case to have vertical GPU integration for this exact reason. Not in love with how case’s do this however via a riser, which add’s another failure point to the system. I would love to see more motherboard and case design innovation in this area.

 

[Vanderlinde]

Maybe it's time to go back to the horizontal cases.

Or AOI watercooling like the FuryX:

The load of the GPU coolers is just too much over time. The coolers getting up to kg's of weight and is causing the sagging in the first place.

 

[arrowflash]

I think it’s time we bring back standardized chassis mounting points for large expansion cards. This used to be common in PCs and is still found in many workstations and servers. Back in the ’90s, large add-on cards were fairly typical. While most didn’t have the massive triple-slot heatsinks we see today, some were even longer than the largest modern GPUs. As expansion cards shrank over time, the need for additional chassis support faded—but with the growing size and weight of today’s GPUs, I believe it's worth revisiting.

It's true that back in the 1980s and 1990s, there were plenty of huge expansion cards (length-wise), but like you said they didn't have heatsinks and most were still pretty light. Sag probably could still be a problem in a tower case with how long they were, but most cases back then were horizontal.

For a less ancient and more popular example, the original Sound Blaster AWE32 was ridiculous for its time, and couldn't fit in many cases when it was released. Though, compared to current flagship graphics cards it's actually short.

Not to be dramatic, but if your graphics card needs a gyroscope, a brace, and a leash just to stay upright, maybe — just maybe — we’ve gone too far.

It's another reason I stick with **60 tier cards nowadays even if I could afford something higher.

Considering how big the cards are, they could fit a retractable GPU holder on the edge of the GPU housing. Something like a bipod.

I've been wondering for a long time why no video card manufacturer has come up with this solution yet.

 

[Revolution 11]

Most modern motherboards have a reinforced GPU socket capable of handling 3-4 kilos without issues - when standing still. The biggest problems usually happens when you transport your computer. So the best recommendation is to actually remove your gpu during transport.

As for the gyorscope, it seems like Asus has the best 5090 card on the market now - with additional pin sensors, sag detection etc. They cost a friggin premium, but they are also the best out there.

For anyone who is transporting the PC in a car, just lay it on its side. If you let the motherboard be the "floor", there are no mechanical stress issues.

 

[Eldrach]

For anyone who is transporting the PC in a car, just lay it on its side. If you let the motherboard be the "floor", there are no mechanical stress issues.

True true

 

[Squid Surprise]

For anyone who is transporting the PC in a car, just lay it on its side. If you let the motherboard be the "floor", there are no mechanical stress issues.

Unless it has a reservoir and radiators…

 

[kaosken]

In the 1980s, pre PCs, a company "Convergent Technologies" had a novel approach to adding more hardware. It used a bus connector (XBus) to add components. Seems to me that these new high-end GPUs could use something similar.

 

[JohnRambo4]

My XFX 6800GT had a metal brace running along the edge of the card. Do they still use those?

 

[harm9963]

If you can afford it , get the right case ,Vertical GPU Card Holder Kit , like I did.