GCDince we’ve been talking about it for a while, Asus has finally launched components from its BTF series in China. As a reminder, the principle behind this “Back-To-Future” series is to conceal the cables required for assembly as far as possible. In this way, the brand moves the various connectors to the back of the motherboard. As for the graphics card, it benefits from a new power connector, the GC-HCPE, as an extension of PCIe.
Asus BTF: cable-free components launched in China!
The TX Gaming B760-BTF WiFi motherboard is on the program. The latter features the most concealed connectivity possible. As you can see, the ATX24pins, EPS12V CPU and various headers and SATA are all hidden away on the back of the PCB. Only the PCIe, RAM slots and the various shields and heatsinks are visible.
The TX Gaming RTX 4070 BTF graphics card is white and cyan. It features a three-fan heatsink occupying slightly more than two slots. What’s more, it’s equipped with a second connector in the extension of the PCIe x16, the GC-HCPE. It is via this connector that power is supplied to the card. There’s no 8-pin PCIe or 12VHPWR here, which is much cleaner.
As for price, the motherboard is sold as a bundle with the graphics card. The first bundle is priced at 6,998 yuan, or around $960 after conversion. A second bundle is also offered with the Asus GT502 case adapted to the card. This is more expensive, costing 8297 yuan ($1,141), which brings the case down to around $180.
Now it remains to be seen whether the extra cost is significant or not. To find out, we’ll have to wait for an announcement of the system in Europe. For the time being, the system is clearly exclusive, and we imagine that prices will drop as the system gains in popularity.
