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Graphics cards are getting bigger, hotter and more expensive – and that first one is more of a problem than you might think. With the RTX 4090 and a whole family of oversized GPUs on the way, those tiny PCIe slots on your motherboard are taking on an incredible amount of weight, such that even mid-range cards can sag and bend over time.
The best way to prevent this is with a brace, which pushes up from the bottom of your case to the far end of the graphics card, holding it level and preventing all that force from affecting the card or the PCIe slot. You sometimes get a support brace like this free with your graphics card, but otherwise you can pick one up fairly inexpensively from a range of manufacturers.
Today, one of the most popular models on Newegg is discounted to just $15 from its usual price of $26, making it a good time to shore up your GPU – or prepare for the arrival of a next-gen graphics card.
The HiHOCH design is simple but effective, with aircraft-grade aluminium (or as you Americans say, aloo-min-um) providing the strength and rigidity needed. Rather than just pushing up on the corner of the card, this design attaches to both the bottom and the top of the GPU, providing a tighter grip that nonetheless spreads the pressure more evenly across the card. You can slide the brace up and down to adjust, and screw it into place when you’re happy with the positioning. Interestingly, this type of brace also supports vertical GPU mounts, which is a great idea if you ever move your PC and want to prevent the GPU from getting yanked around while you’re on the move. The brace supports cards between 19 and 68mm thick, and extends from 36 to 120mm, so it should cover all but the smallest and largest cases.
Do you think this is a good idea? Do you use a GPU brace like this? Let me know in the comments below – I’d be curious to hear your thoughts. Personally, I started using one when I noticed my EVGA RTX 3080 sagging, and I wish I had picked one up sooner. Anyway, thanks for joining me and I’ll see you again for more deals next time!