PowerColor Announces PowerJack Graphics Card Support Accessory

[btarunr]

TUL Corporation, a leading manufacturer of AMD graphics cards, today announced a professional graphics interface card supporter: the PowerColor PowerJack. As high-end graphics are becoming more powerful, the sizes are increasing as well as their weight. This poses a problem that gamers may not know they had. Owners of high-end graphics may be able to attest to the problem of the weight of the card bending in the case. A couple screws and the motherboard may not be enough to hold the heavier cards in place anymore.

This is where the PowerColor PowerJack comes in. The PowerJack supports the weight of the card from the back where it's most needed. With its multistage extension function, it can extend its height from 61.25 mm up to 150 mm and it's applicable to E-ATX / ATX / M-ATX motherboards and can be used in full tower, mid tower & mini tower chassis.



"The company is full of gamers and modders, so it's no surprise that we discovered a need for a product like the PowerJack," says Ted Chen, CEO of TUL Corporation. "High performance cards are not going to get any smaller, so we saw a need to bring this to market, where we know it will be fully utilized."

The PowerJack will be available on July 15.

View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[Easo]

Not a bad idea IMO.

 

[zAAm]

That's all nice and dandy, but it doesn't fasten to anything? Which means when you move your case the PowerJack is going to fall over and roll around in your case - so you'll have to reposition it every time... :shadedshu

I would've gone for another approach, something like a rail with moving supports that can support multiple cards by adding more supports and that can clamp onto each card individually so it won't budge... But that's just my thinking...

 

[RejZoR]

If massive CPU coolers can be used with a very small holding point over socket, i really don't see how can a graphic card with very long bus and screwed to case in one corner be of any problem?
Sure graphic cards can be heavy these days, but the weight is spread across large PCIe bus and that one or 2 screws.

 

[Parad0x]

And how this contraption would help me if for example i have a crossfire setup?

 

[btarunr]

And how this contraption would help me if for example i have a crossfire setup?

You will use this on the lower card, and this on the upper one.

 

[Mussels]

That's all nice and dandy, but it doesn't fasten to anything? Which means when you move your case the PowerJack is going to fall over and roll around in your case - so you'll have to reposition it every time... :shadedshu

^ this is my concern as well

 

[mdsx1950]

How much?

 

[joellim]

cpu socket is different

the cpu socket attached with a large and heavy heatsinks at most weigh 1kg

the graphic card + cooler can weigh more than that.

plus, a cpu cooler can use bolt thru kits which have more clamping force at the base of the cooler.

graphics card lack that clamping force to keep it in place.

trust me, i know, i have an ATI 4870X2 with arctic cooler accelero xtreme 4870x2. the whole beast tilts down on the left side (the side hanging in the air) even when i'm using 2 screws.

 

[inferKNOX]

A sad day for "compact design", or rather, considering the "Scythe Ninja Wire," some sad days... :shadedshu
Spend the time and money to find a way to make the cards smaller instead.

 

[GSquadron]

The most stupid idea ever! :shadedshu

 

[Avarice]

That's all nice and dandy, but it doesn't fasten to anything? Which means when you move your case the PowerJack is going to fall over and roll around in your case - so you'll have to reposition it every time... :shadedshu

^ this is my concern as well

bit of double sided tape never hurt anyone

 

[Mussels]

bit of double sided tape never hurt anyone

double sided tape killed my father. prepare to die.


(good idea)

 

[zAAm]

bit of double sided tape never hurt anyone

Fair enough

They should just include a bit then and everyone will be happy...

EDIT: Although then you could just do away with the PowerJack altogether and just prod a dowel between two pieces of double sided tape. Does nothing structurally different (and the dowel will probably be able to take more weight). Of course, if you're constantly upgrading cases and you can't afford the time to cut a specific length of dowel each time to support your massively overweight (debatable) graphics card, then the PowerJack is for you!

 

[Hayder_Master]

can i use my car jack

but at the end it's really good idea

 

[InnocentCriminal]

The most stupid idea ever! :shadedshu

Couldn't be further from the truth. My friend brought his rig around yesterday so that I could clean it and re-do the crappy cable management that was already in place. I noticed his 4850 was 'sagging' slightly and using on of these PowerJacks would help solve that issue.

 

[Mussels]

Couldn't be further from the truth. My friend brought his rig around yesterday so that I could clean it and re-do the crappy cable management that was already in place. I noticed his 4850 was 'sagging' slightly and using on of these PowerJacks would help solve that issue.

most of the faulty video cards i end up having to deal with, are suffering from the sagging as well. sometimes its pretty severe.

this is a great idea, so long as it doesnt slip at all, and has no possibility of shorting things out if it does slip.

 

[LucifersDad]

Redesign motherboards and cases?

Maybe its about time they redesign motherboards and cases

Case
Replace the Expansion Slots at the back with 5.25 Drive Bays.
Replace Rear Panel Ports space with a 5.25 Drive Bay so that if the user wants PS/2, USB 1.1/2.0, USB 3.0, IEEE 1394 etc at the back they can buy a 5.25 Drive Bay that has them

Motherboards
Replace PCI express with PCI express cable or even light peak.
Rear Panel Ports replaced with light peak/(or anything optical) that connects to a 5.25 Drive Bay.
The CPU should be near the side so that CPU coolers can be attached to the case more than the motherboard.
Motherboards would be far cheaper and smaller as the large PCI express connections would not be needed and the hardware needed for the rear panel port would be on the drive bay.

Optional Extra
Light peak for CPU. If the user wants to add another CPU, they buy a 5.25 Drive Bay with cpu and ram or simply a cut down Ion board that fits a 5.25 Drive bay. Connect the board to a light peak for CPU connector , connect the power and you have another CPU. They could even make it hot pluggable.

 

[mdsx1950]

This should cost no more than $10.

 

[Mussels]

Maybe its about time they redesign motherboards and cases

Case
Replace the Expansion Slots at the back with 5.25 Drive Bays.
Replace Rear Panel Ports space with a 5.25 Drive Bay so that if the user wants PS/2, USB 1.1/2.0, USB 3.0, IEEE 1394 etc at the back they can buy a 5.25 Drive Bay that has them

Motherboards
Replace PCI express with PCI express cable or even light peak.
Rear Panel Ports replaced with light peak/(or anything optical) that connects to a 5.25 Drive Bay.
The CPU should be near the side so that CPU coolers can be attached to the case more than the motherboard.
Motherboards would be far cheaper and smaller as the large PCI express connections would not be needed and the hardware needed for the rear panel port would be on the drive bay.

Optional Extra
Light peak for CPU. If the user wants to add another CPU, they buy a 5.25 Drive Bay with cpu and ram or simply a cut down Ion board that fits a 5.25 Drive bay. Connect the board to a light peak for CPU connector , connect the power and you have another CPU. They could even make it hot pluggable.

suuuuure. what have you been smoking today?

 

[DOM]

just get bench rack

i use mine for my main rig and never have to carry a heavy case like my cosmos when i go out of town

 

[thebluebumblebee]

Anyone remember when IBM mounted expansion cards front and back? May be it's time for back to the future?

Does this mean I don't have to use a Popsicle stick and a folded piece of card stock anymore? Really, I had to do that to a x800 to keep it from leaning on the northbrige fan.

On multi-GPU's, put the powerJack under the bottom GPU and use some kind of spacer between the other's to hold them all in place.

Of course, the SilverStone 90 degree cases don't need this....

 

[IINexusII]

good idea. i can see my 5850 slightly bent

 

[WarEagleAU]

Hmm, seems to be a nice idea and something overdue.

 

[OnBoard]

I like it, could have used it with GTX280 mounted with Accelero Xtreme, that thing was heavy Used to have a wire from chassis to PCI-E power plug to take same back end strain off.

Not sure how it would have fit on the bottom with most of the surface being just fans, but a bit of rubber on the end could help it stay on smaller ledge too.

Hopefully it's cheap and might get one for next GPU. If it costs too much have to make something similar with 2 bolts