ASUS has made changes to its controversial Q-Release Slim mechanism in the newly released ROG Crosshair X870E Apex motherboard. The modification involves removing a metal bracket that was causing scratches on GPU PCIe connectors. This revision was not officially announced but was noticed by Uniko's Hardware. The decision to make this change comes after receiving feedback from enthusiasts who experienced cosmetic damage to their high-end GPUs when using the quick-release feature repeatedly.
Although ASUS has not publicly addressed the redesign, it has acknowledged the issue, which is a significant shift from its previous stance of dismissing concerns as "typical wear-and-tear" after 60 or more removal cycles. The controversy first came to light in January 2025 when users started sharing evidence of scratched PCIe pins on platforms like Reddit and Bilibili.
ASUS's response to the issue has varied depending on the region. The US division downplayed any functional risks, while ASUS China took a different approach by offering compensation such as motherboard replacements and store credits. ASUS China also confirmed that a redesign was in progress. This difference in response highlights the varying consumer protection standards between regions, with China's more aggressive compensation contrasting with the Western markets' reliance on warranty assurances.
Competitors like GIGABYTE's AORUS Japan took advantage of the situation to showcase their own product's durability. They publicly tested their EZ Latch Plus mechanism with a 100-cycle stress test, demonstrating zero damage to GPUs. This was seen as a direct challenge to ASUS's Q-Release Slim mechanism and emphasized the competition in the premium motherboard segment. GIGABYTE's Western accounts also echoed this campaign.
ASUS's decision to quietly address the hardware issue without issuing a formal recall is likely due to the limited impact it has on mainstream users, as frequent GPU swaps are not common among this demographic.
