As the best graphics cards' typical width and length continue to increase, so does the challenge of ejecting them from the motherboard. The problem worsens with a large CPU air cooler or an M.2 slot blocking your way. We might see the beginning of an end to that nuisance, as both Asus and MSI just showcased new motherboards with GPU quick-release mechanisms at Gamescon 2024.
Famous Overclocker Der8auer visited the Asus booth, where he got a video of the ROG X870E Hero, which has two quality-of-life improvements: a quick-release mechanism for the primary M.2 slot and the 'PCIe Q Release Slim' for the graphics card. The newly designed system automatically ejects the graphics card when it is pulled outward from the front, removing the need for manual ejection.
Asus had an earlier Q-release mechanism involving a release switch in some Z690 motherboards released in 2021, but we haven't seen it since. The new implementation eliminates the need to manually eject your GPU, making it easier to use, especially if it's deployed on boards that fit in mini ITX cases.
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MSI live-streamed a booth event at Gamescom 2024, showcasing the upcoming Z890 MPG Edge motherboard for Intel's Arrow-Lake S series CPUs with a PCIe release mechanism called 'EZ PCIe Release.' The difference is the improvement over Asus' earlier Q-Release by placing the switch above the horizontal length of the graphics card, next to the DIMM slot. This may not be as slightly convenient as the new Q-release system, but it's more convenient than used widely. MSI also showed how easy it is to pop an SSD in and out of the M.2 slot.
It remains to be seen if these quick-release features will trickle down to more mid-range and budget boards in the near future. While most builders don't change graphics cards that often, features like these make it more difficult to damage your components. Anything that makes the process of changing graphics cards easier makes it easier for us to do the kind of testing that underpins our GPU benchmark hierarchy.
Should the PCI-SIG implement a new ejection system together with its PCIe standard, we may see all motherboards provide a better solution regardless of price. Sometimes, we may not need a conglomerate to set a certain standard, as the industry tends to adopt certain standards that are set by a handful of manufacturers, such as the reverse connector layout. Let's hope someday, someone will change the front panel headers for a more single-connect option.
