Modern graphics cards are getting more and more powerful, and that means that they need more and more advanced cooling systems, which unfortunately means that they are bigger and heavier. Many motherboard manufacturers already use metal braces to protect the integrity of PCIe sockets from being damaged by the weight of the graphics card, but is that enough to prevent damage? Now ASUS has announced the launch of its new ROG HERCULX , a GPU mount that ensures you avoid these issues, and in style with its ARGB lighting too.
Today it is no longer uncommon to see graphics cards, even within the mid-range, with large heatsinks that exceed 30 centimeters in length and weigh about 1 Kg. So much weight can cause problems in the PCIe socket of motherboard even though it is reinforced with metal, but they can also cause the graphics card PCB itself to end up warping, so in some cases, using a GPU mount is highly recommended.
ASUS GPU support even has ARGB
The possibility that the PCI-Express socket of the motherboard to which we connect the graphics card is damaged is not a myth, it is a real problem and proof of this is that the motherboard manufacturers themselves have begun to reinforce them with metal. However, not all boards have reinforced sockets and, even if they do, that does not make them immune to the problems that having a large and heavy graphics card can cause.
A bad handling of the graphics card can lead us to split the socket, and even simply over time we can run into the bent socket itself or the warped graphics PCB. Fortunately, this is something that can be avoided easily and for relatively little money, with just a GPU mount.
The new ASUS ROG HERCULX is a GPU support designed to be placed on the increasingly common covers in the lower area that PC cases bring, since its height is adjustable between 72 and 128 mm, nothing more, which would allow us to a standard form factor motherboard will hold the graphics card if it is placed in the closest PCIe socket to the processor socket without issue. The dimensions of the product are 208 x 71 x 46 mm and it weighs 186 grams.
By placing this support on the outside and farthest from the graphics card, we will ensure that its weight does not fall solely on the PCIe socket and the screws that we use to anchor it to the box, allowing it to always be in a perfect horizontal position and not there is nothing forced. It is an excellent way to heal ourselves in health and avoid problems.
GPU mounts are not a novelty in the market, so ASUS wanted to stand out notably with both the quality and the aesthetics of this product; To begin with, the height adjustment is done in a simple way with a wheel that we can turn with our fingers, and to continue, it has the usual aggressive aesthetics of ASUS ROG products that, in this case, also has ARGB lighting ( It has an ARGB connector designed to be connected to the motherboard, with a 50-centimeter cable).
Price and availability
ASUS has announced the launch of the ROG HERCULX, but has not yet defined an availability date or the price at which we can buy it. However, looking at the similar products on the market and the ASUS trend, we can be pretty sure that it will easily be around 50 Euros in the market. We will have to wait, however, for the product to reach the stores to know its final price.