ASUS says that the Q-Release PCIe mechanism on its motherboards can only cause some scratches, and signs of wear will be visible after continuous insertions and removals.
ASUS Finds No 'Damage' to GPU/Motherboard With Q-Release, Says it Can Only Cause Some Wear and Would Take Responsibility for 'Specific' PCIe Slot-Related Issues
As multiple reports of GPUs getting damaged through the ASUS Q-Release mechanism on the 800-series motherboards popped up recently, ASUS has finally responded, detailing the issue.
ASUS emailed us with their conclusion, claiming that the reports about GPU damage are unlikely to happen with their Q-Release mechanism.
They said they conducted internal testing of the Q-Release mechanism on its latest 800-series motherboards and found out that it can only cause minor scratches or wear with continuous usage. As per ASUS's claim, the signs of wear usually start to appear with any type of PCIe add-in card mechanism and the Q-Release is no different. Here is the complete statement:
By following these guidelines, the new design performs similarly to traditional PCIe slots, leaving only usage marks under normal usage frequency. While it performs similarly it is significantly simpler and easier to remove the graphics card and allows the user to do so without any tools which can directly or inadvertently damage the slot, motherboard and or graphics card. This design also reduces possible mechanical conflicts.
In our internal testing and evaluation of the extremely small number of cases reported we found no damage to the motherboard or graphics card that would affect functionality and or performance. However, it is important to emphasize that any type of PCIe add in card will exhibit signs of usage and wear marking after 60 continuous insertions and removals. Additionally, if the installation and removal are not performed according to the manufacturer's recommendations (see below), the likelihood of scratches and or wear may increase. Despite this, we have found no impact on the functionality of either the graphics card or the motherboard.
For those currently using ASUS motherboards with the PCIe Q-Release Slim design, there is no need for concern. Simply follow the official removal guidelines to avoid any potential damage. We would note minimal effort is required and excessive force should not be applied. If you encounter any specific issues or abnormalities, ASUS will take full responsibility and handle them. We committed to ensuring service and support for our customers; please contact ASUS customer service for assistance and or more information.
- ASUS
If you remember, we recently reported that there were several cases where users found noticeable damage to the PCIe interface of their GPUs when pulled out from ASUS 800-series motherboards. However, ASUS says that there are an "extremely" small number of cases and, as per their internal testing and analysis, there is 'No Damage' to the motherboards or graphics cards that would affect functionality or performance.
I think ASUS is a bit ambiguous here about acknowledging the damage done to the GPUs by simply calling the damage something pretty minor that users shouldn't be bothered with. But we have seen that these are quite noticeable and do not look like scratches or wear. A chunk of the PCIe interface is chopped off in some of these instances and, as per ASUS, this is a 'user error'.
ASUS says that they tried 40 insertion and removal tests and found no abnormalities. However, in some external testing instances, "60 insertions with incorrect methods have been reported to cause additional wear, making marks more apparent".
It's unlikely that all the users who have reported GPU damage may have inserted and removed the GPUs 60 times. Still, there needs to be an independent investigation on this issue to fully understand if this is really due to user error or a flaw in the Q-Release mechanism.
Meanwhile, ASUS is taking responsibility for specific issues or abnormalities, but this is still ambiguous and doesn't explicitly state whether they will take responsibility for the actual GPU damage we have seen. Also, ASUS didn't state whether they would take responsibility for both the GPU and the motherboard or only either of them.
