Your Graphics Card's So Fat, It's Got Its Own Gravity Alert

Graphics cards are now getting so bulky and heavy that device maker Asus has decided customers need a way to detect any sagging or movement of the GPU in its PCIe slot.

The Asus ROG Astral line of graphics adapters now features a built-in sensor, a Bosch Sensortec Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), intended to detect any changes in the GPU's position, according to Jon Peddie Research (JPR).

Styled as the Equipment Installation Check, this is to warn users about any potential issues with the GPU sagging under its own bloated weight, or Premature GPU Droop Syndrome (PGDS), as we fondly imagine it being labeled.

"Heavy GPUs can put stress on PCIe slots, and while reinforced slots and support brackets can help, they may not be enough to prevent long-term mechanical strain. The Equipment Installation Check feature can warn users if the support bracket slips or loosens over time," JPR president Jon Peddie wrote.

It is understood an update to the Asus GPU Tweak utility enables the app to alert users if there has been any movement in the card that may point to a potential droop situation. However, we suspect the damage may already have been done by the time any movement of your GPU is actually detected.

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This is a danger of PC gaming that had hitherto passed unnoticed by at least some members of The Reg news desk, but considering that some of the latest GPU cards now weigh in at over 3 kg (approximately 6.61 pounds), we are not entirely surprised.

In fact, some of the Asus ROG Astral cards not only have their own substantial built-in fan to keep them cool, but also come with a separate radiator equipped with another three fans. No wonder that goal of limiting climate change to 1.5° C of warming is beginning to look unachievable.

This wouldn't be the first time that GPUs have caused havoc for their owners. A few years back, Nvidia faced a lawsuit in the US over melting power cables supplying the juice to its RTX 4090 cards.

However, Premature GPU Droop Syndrome seems to have been a problem developing over some time, as some motherboard makers are reportedly fitting reinforced PCIe slots in an attempt to combat the risk of damage to the board caused by an overblown GPU.

We've asked Asus for comment. ®