The creator of the BTF (Back to The Future) standard, DIY-APE, has published the latest revision of the standard that takes a step further towards eliminating cables inside gaming PCs. While earlier versions were focused on hiding them, the new BTF 3.0 standard will, among other things, involve a new connector that effectively replaces the cables that current-day motherboards require.
The BTF 3.0 Standard
History lesson time: the original BTF standard focused on the relocating the motherboard-mounted connectors like EPS, ATX 24-pin, and various headers to the back of the motherboard to achieve a cleaner look. That didn’t address the metaphorical elephant in the room – graphics cards, which the subsequent BTF 2.0 standard focused on by adding a special HPCE connector that are, so far, only implemented on specific ASUS motherboard and GPU combinations. To maintain compatibility for BTF-specific GPUs, version 2.5 adds an adapter that allows the card to work on BTF and non-BTF models.
Since BTF 2.0 and 2.5 solved the GPU side of things, the same lessons learned can thus be applied to the rest of the motherboard as well, replacing all the cables using gold-finger connector like the HPCE (GC-HPWR) connector we just mentioned. In this case, DIY-APE engineered a connector based on datacenter CRPS (Common Redundant Power Supply) connector standard, which allows server-grade power supplies to slot into racks instead of connecting using cables for quick deployment.
This 50-pin connector, which is designed to be slotted to the right side of the motherboard, is designed to carry EPS, GPU, ATX 24-pin, and various other power lines with a combined wattage of 2,145 watts. For CPU and GPUs, the 12V rail is rated for 140A of power, meaning up to 1,680 watts can be shared across both components. For SATA power, there will be extra 4-pin headers on the motherboard acting as SATA power adapter for things like fan hubs and 2.5-inch/3.5-inch drives.
As for the GPU, BTF 3.0 focuses on compatibility by balancing ASUS’s GC-HPWR design and the removable backplate designed found in some GPUs today which hides the cables and connector in less visible spots of the card. The new standard aims to include an angled adapter that connects to HPCE connectors for BTF motherboards, while removing it allows the card to operate from traditional cables while still getting the benefit of cleaner visuals.
Besides those, BTF 3.0 also merges front panel, USB and audio headers into a single big combo connector that connects all of them at once. The creator pointed out that a new ground-up standard isn’t feasible as it’ll cause issues in terms of backwards compatibility for case makers, although for things like fan hubs, pre-routed cables or even pre-mounted connectors are considered among the options. For water-cooling, short-tube designs are used, and they already exist on the market today.
The sum of all parts form the prototype PC which DIY-APE said was built with the help from brands like COLORFUL and Segotep, and while it doesn’t conform to the standard layout of PC cases today, the creator noted that BTF 3.0 parts must remain compatible with existing ATX standards, so even cable-less PSUs can be provided with traditional cables if it is installed in today’s standard case layouts. You can see the whole build for yourself in the attached video above, where DIY-APE explains how BTF standard came to be, and all the details on the new iteration.
Pokdepinion: I do hope these standards get adopted eventually.
