Warning: ASUS 800-Series Motherboards’ Quick Release PCIe Design May Harm RTX 50 Series Graphics Card Slots

Recent reports indicate that the ASUS Q-Release mechanism, utilized on both Intel and AMD 800 Series motherboards, is causing significant damage to the PCIe interfaces of graphics cards.

Concerns Rise Over Damage Linked to ASUS Q-Release Mechanism

The newly designed Q-Release Slim feature from ASUS is coming under fire. Numerous users have reported permanent damage to the printed circuit boards (PCBs) of their graphics cards after using this mechanism. The Q-Release system is intended to facilitate the removal of heavy GPUs without requiring users to physically engage the switch at the end of the PCIe x16 slot, promising a more convenient experience.

However, while the mechanism may seem beneficial in theory, the reality is concerning. The Q-Release feature, launched on the Intel and AMD 800-series motherboards, has led to multiple complaints from users. There have been troubling accounts of users experiencing physical damage to the PCIe connectors of their GPUs due to this design flaw.

Bilibili RTX 4070 Ti PCI-E damage — Damage exhibited on an RTX 4070 Ti due to the Q-Release mechanism.

Evidence of damage highlights a functionality issue: when GPUs are pulled from one end, the connector interface is often compromised. The Q-Release mechanism allows this action to occur by tilting the GPU and releasing it from the PCIe slot rapidly. A recent report from Bilibili corroborated the damage experienced by a user operating an RTX 4070 Ti Super HOF OC LAB in concert with the ROG Strix B850-A Gaming Wi-Fi S motherboard.

Chiphell RX 7900 XTX PCIE damage — Additional instances of PCIe damage reported across various GPUs.

PCIE damage ASUS motherboard — Additional instances of PCIe damage reported across various GPUs.

Editor Andreas Schilling from HardwareLuxx also shared his experience, revealing damage to his RTX 5090 graphics card while using the ASUS ROG STRIX X870E-E Gaming motherboard.

I’m not happy with the solution either. We use the Strix X870E-E Gaming for testing the graphics cards. So I have had to remove graphics cards from the slot a few dozen times. This didn’t always go smoothly and very often the card got stuck in the slot. First damage visible.https://t.co/CHVKFBrbY8 pic.twitter.com/1pEUXmQQES

— Andreas Schilling 🇺🇦 🇮🇱 (@aschilling) January 24, 2025

This rising trend of reported damage has prompted concern within the community. ASUS has acknowledged the issue and stated that it is currently working on a potential solution. Nonetheless, it remains unclear whether ASUS will take accountability for the GPU damage reported by users.

If you possess an ASUS 800 series motherboard equipped with the Q-Release mechanism, it is advisable to minimize the installation and removal of your GPU until further instructions are provided by ASUS regarding this issue.

For further details, refer to the original source: Uniko’s Hardware.

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