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ASUS Second Generation BTF Power Connector Unveiled

TheLostSwede

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Details of ASUS' next generation BTF 2.0 (BTF stands for Back to the Future) platform have appeared online, courtesy of Andreas Schilling from HardwareLuxx. The editor posted pictures from an ASUS presentation over at Bluesky that details one major change to the power connector design, which will make the BTF 2.0 graphics cards compatible with non BTF systems. This suggests that ASUS might consider offering more graphics cards with BTF 2.0 support, since they can be used in any system with the proposed changes.

As you may or may not know, the first generation BTF graphics cards ended up with a power connector at the rear, bottom edge of the graphics cards, placed somewhat behind the PCIe gold fingers. The cards also lacked any other power connectors, which made them exclusive for BTF builds. To solve this conundrum, ASUS moved its GC-HPWR PCB power connector up on the PCB, making sure it clears any motherboard components. However, instead of increasing the height of the motherboard BTF 2.0 connector, the company provides a small adapter that plugs in between the motherboard and graphics card, to make its new BTF 2.0 cards compatible with any system.




The small PCB adapter is said to support up to 1000 Watt plus power delivery and ASUS has added a small metal shield that the company claims will ensure mechanical reliability, but it might also be there to reduce EMI interference. In addition to the new placement of the GC-HPWR connector, ASUS will add a standard 12V-2x6 power connector to its new BTF 2.0 cards, which means that any recent power supply can power them using a 12-V-2x6 cable as well. This is good news for anyone that might buy one of the new BTF 2.0 cards by mistake, or for system integrators, as they can buy a single SKU of cards and use it for different types of builds. So far, we haven't seen any other company consider something similar and unless ASUS opens up the GC-HPWR connector to its competitors, it's unlikely that this will become a particularly common connector, despite its clever design.

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Asus is just daring Nvidia to release 1000W GPUs. Lol!

Honestly, this is the better way to go IMHO. Power through the motherboard as it was always meant to be from the beginning.
 

bug

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Aand now it moves. That's going to be 100% reliable. Right?
 
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So now the Motherboard needs 2x12v2x6 Connectors? Hmmm... not sure if this really solves anything, I might be missing something here ^^"
 

bug

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So now the Motherboard needs 2x12v2x6 Connectors? Hmmm... not sure if this really solves anything, I might be missing something here ^^"
If it's an Nvidia card, it rids you of one cable. If it's AMD or Intel, it rids you of two.
Still, of the motherboard can take it, I'd much rather get this via an upgraded PCIe slot.
 
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Aand now it moves. That's going to be 100% reliable. Right?
Nothing is 100% reliable, but by the time they stop changing and moving things around and finalize the spec, it probably will be reliable enough. Here's how the prototype for the future looks like - the only cables will be for the fans, all other power goes through motherboard and standard slots. Personally I wouldn't bother with current options and adapters as they might end up useless in a couple of years.
1736870585648.png
 
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I don't see how the extra 1000W of power is getting from the power supply to the motherboard. ATX12V can't handle that afaik.
 
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The 2x6 connector should be designed similar to this (or some server motherboard connectors). Two wide metal blades, each mating with many spring contacts on both sides. Not those 12 tiny pins with plenty of useless insulation between the 6 pins of same voltage.
I don't see how the extra 1000W of power is getting from the power supply to the motherboard. ATX12V can't handle that afaik.
Connectors will grow exponentially until someone applies the BTP (back to the past) scientific method and discovers 48 volts.

Well, if Mr. Un (or his twin bro/body double) is comfortable with it, then it MUST be great, right ?
That's wide angle lens distortion.
 
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I don't see how the extra 1000W of power is getting from the power supply to the motherboard. ATX12V can't handle that afaik.
In the previous version, BTF Mobos from ASUS had 3 8-pin PCI plugs on the backside of the mobo with direct traces to the BTF socket. Basically provided the 75w through the PCIe slot and the rest of the power through the BTF slot. Maybe they've swapped out the 3 8-pins for the new 12v-2x6 plug.

Apple also made it work with their version on a custom PCIe x32 long for a previous Mac Pro with 2x Dual Vega GPUs.

ASUS opens up the GC-HPWR connector to its competitors, it's unlikely that this will become a particularly common connector, despite its clever design.
ASUS was in partnership with several casemakers on it, but they're competing against MSI's Zero equivalent. It'll be interesting to see which standard becomes mainstream. My bet is more on ASUS, just due to it having more presence in both mindshare and physical product, and other mobo makers eventually following suit.
 
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In the previous version, BTF Mobos from ASUS had 3 8-pin PCI plugs on the backside of the mobo with direct traces to the BTF socket. Basically provided the 75w through the PCIe slot and the rest of the power through the BTF slot. Maybe they've swapped out the 3 8-pins for the new 12v-2x6 plug.
Actually, the TUF Z790-BTF has both 3x 8-pin and a single 12v-2x6 connector on its backside. The ROG Maximus Z790 HERO BTF only has the 12v-2x6.
 

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Actually, the TUF Z790-BTF has both 3x 8-pin and a single 12v-2x6 connector on its backside. The ROG Maximus Z790 HERO BTF only has the 12v-2x6.
So BTF is just cable management at the expense of additional points of failure. :(
 
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Just seems like unnecessary risk of electromigration to me.

Connector looks well engineered but running everything through the same PCB is just not it. Cables are not a bad thing.
 
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This article omits the motherboard diagram Asus released that shows you still need to plug the standard GPU power cables into your motherboard. So if you are skittish about the 12VHPWR/12V-2x6, this design does not eliminate that. And motherboards will need to be designed to carry 1000W of power from those connectors to the GPU.
 
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