Some observers encountered a problem with PCIe X16 slots on the new ASUS motherboards on Intel and AMD 800 series chipsets. These connectors are equipped with a special PCIE SLOT Q-Release SLIM mechanism for simple dismantling large video cards. It is reported that this mechanism damages the video card itself.
Image source: VideoCardz
The mechanism for the convenient extraction of video cards was previously present on ASUS boards. Some models on the AMD 600 and Intel 700 series are equipped with a button with a button, which is located on the right side of the motherboard, next to the chipset radiator. When you press, the button pulls the cable that takes the latch PCIe X16 and releases the video card from the connector.
However, in the latest generation of Asus motherboards based on Intel and AMD 800 series chipsets, this mechanism has been changed. It no longer uses a button, and the tension mechanism is built directly into the connector itself. The PCIe slot latch will not release the video card if you try to pull it out of the slot by the central or right part. However, the card can be easily removed if you pull it from the left side (from the rear panel of the motherboard connectors), as shown in the video below.
The mechanism is designed to simplify the dismantling of massive video cards. But in practice, it turned out that it could damage the PCIe X16 interface of the video card itself. One of the users even held a test in which he installed and extracted a card from the slot 60 times. As a result, the following was the following:
Image source: Uniko’s Hardware
The HXL user who shared the complaints of owners of such motherboards left in Chinese forums drew attention to the problem. One of the branches with such complaints was visited by the head of the Chinese department of ASUS Tony Yu. According to him, “the problem will be solved.” According to the user of Uniko’s Hardware, the problem may not affect all ASUS motherboards equipped with a new video cards extraction mechanism.
The GeForce RTX 5090 FE video card interface was damaged on the Asus ROG Strix X870E-E Gaming board. Image source: X / Andreas Schilling
Damaged interface of the Radeon RX 7900 XTX video card. Presumably the same culprit. Image source: X / HLX
There appears to be no simple solution to the identified problem at this time. Of course, users can use another PCIe x16 slot on the motherboard for installation, but in this case they will have to sacrifice support for the PCIe 5.0 standard, which is used by GeForce RTX 50 series video cards.