Before all this graphics card fuss, there was a controversy surrounding ASUS motherboards. The new Q-Release system tended to ‘eat up’ the graphics card’s PCIe slot during assembly/disassembly. This time, via its Aorus Japan account on X, Gigabyte, with its EZ-Latch, is openly mocking ASUS. Frankly, a little trolling like that from time to time never hurts!
EZ-Latch, Gigabyte praises its system, to the detriment of ASUS!
In practical terms, the EZ-Latch system behaves in an ‘old-fashioned’ way. It works via a button that pulls the PCIe locking latch backwards. This allows you to insert your graphics card. To remove your CG, simply press the same button again to release the PCIe slot, then you can remove your graphics card.
In contrast, ASUS, wanting to improve and simplify this system, offers a buttonless mechanism. To install your graphics card, simply plug it in without touching anything. To remove your card, simply pull it upwards. However, you have to grip the card from the front.
In short, the ASUS system had a bad press for a while in China, as it was accused of rapidly wearing out the graphics card’s PCIe slot. There have been reports of CGs breaking down after just a few manipulations, with the connector contacts being too severely attacked.
From Gigabyte, we have a tweet praising the EZ Latch system in a demonstration of 100 insertions/removals. At the end, we can see that the graphics card’s PCIe slow is intact. There are no scratches or black marks caused by friction between two potential metal parts. It’s worth noting that Gigabyte doesn’t mention ASUS directly, but nobody’s fooled either.
Finally, it has to be said that these systems are very practical. A few years ago, to remove a graphics card, you had to arm yourself with a screwdriver to press down on the latch and pray you didn’t rip and bang the motherboard!
