ASUS’ new graphics cards and motherboards replace 12VHPWR connector with a 600W PCIe

At CES 2024, ASUS unveiled a new standard for motherboards, graphics cards, and cases. Called BTF (short for Back-to-The-Future), it offers much cleaner cable management with power connectors at the back of a motherboard. More importantly, it fully ditches the ill-fated 12VHPWR plug in favor of a much tidier (and probably safer) 600W PCIe connector.

ASUS claims computers with BTF components are easier to assemble since all plugs and connectors are located at the back side of the motherboard tray without other components obstructing access to power, SATA, USB, IO, and other connectors. Therefore, you won't have to reach as far into the depth of your chassis to plug things in." BTF should also make cable management much more elegant, resulting in a tidy, showcase-ready build.

Taras Buria at NeoWin

The interior of PCs effectively hasn't changed since the '80s, and it feels like it, too. Many of the connectors and plugs are unwieldy, in terrible places, hard to connect/disconnect, difficult to route, and so on. A lot more needs to be done than putting the connectors on the back of the motherboard and integrating GPU power delivery into the PCIe slot, but even baby steps like these are downright revolutionary in the conservative, change-averse, anti-user world of PC building.

I don't say this very often, but basically, look at the last Intel Mac Pro. That's what a modern PC should look and work like inside.