Asus’s GC-HPWR connector could work as a replacement for 12VHPWR

At Computex, Asus showcased a new solution to reduce PC cable clutter. The company presented a motherboard and GPU combo prototype where the latter received power through an additional power connector on the motherboard. This new solution has now been detailed thanks to the documentation that was recently unveiled.

Leaker @momomo_us has shared documentation and renderings of the new GC-HPWR/HPCE power connection standard meant to provide extra GPU power through the motherboard. This connection can deliver over 600W of power, matching the capabilities of the 12VHPWR connector in terms of the highest sustained power.

Front View of GC-HPWR pic.twitter.com/x2RYNgJBeh

— 188号 (@momomo_us) August 28, 2023

It's worth noting that this connector isn't a new design. It's a modified version of a standard widely used in the server market segment. Based on this experience in the server arena, the consumer-oriented HPCE (High Power Card Edge) connection may avoid the dependability concerns associated with the new 12VHPWR connector.

According to Tom's Hardware, the connection is separated into four sets of pins, of which 16 are dedicated to the power supply and 12 are for communication between the board and the card. This connection is equivalent in size to a standard PCIe x1 connector and is located directly next to the main PCIe x16 slot on a motherboard. The paperwork also indicates that it can supply up to 600W. So far, the most powerful graphics cards using this connection are RTX 4070 variants with TDPs of about 200W.

KitGuru says: Although Asus has been the principal proponent of this connection, it remains to be seen if other firms will embrace it for their consumer goods. If other companies start implementing GC-HPWR connectors, it could become a new standard.

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