In context: Over the past few years, brackets to support large graphics cards have joined the growing list of components that custom PC builders might shop for. As high-end GPUs and their cooling solutions continue to grow larger, methods to detect and prevent sagging are becoming increasingly sophisticated.

Asus graphics card owners recently discovered that the company has quietly introduced software capable of detecting GPU droop. An investigation into the feature’s workings uncovered new hardware dedicated to user safety.

Asus’ GPU Tweak monitoring software seemingly received a new function called “Equipment Installation Check” around the time Nvidia released its RTX 50 series graphics cards in January. Clicking it on the right side of the window produces a precise calculation of the graphics card’s horizontal angle, with a warning if it drops too low.

The feature helps users detect GPU sag, also known as GPU droop, which has become a growing concern. As more graphics cards employ enormous coolers, gravity can slowly pull them downward over time, potentially damaging the PCIe connection. In 2023, Gigabyte users started complaining that their PCBs were cracking due to sag.

After investigating Asus’ monitoring app, Uniko’s Hardware discovered that the ROG Astral RTX 5090 includes a Bosch BMI323 IMU, which uses a gyroscopic accelerometer to measure the GPU’s angle. While novel, the solution isn’t entirely uncalled for. The card weighs 6.6 pounds, so customers who can afford its $3,300 price tag can likely afford an extra bit of caution.

While novel, the solution is not entirely uncalled for. The card weighs 6.6 pounds, so customers who can afford its $3,300 price tag can likely afford an extra bit of caution.

GPU brackets or braces, which typically screw into an adjacent expansion slot below the graphics card (and often include RGB lighting, of course), are fairly standard nowadays. Like many other high-end GPUs, the Asus Astral RTX 5090 ships with one. However, manufacturers have also devised other unique solutions.

In 2022, vendor 51RISC released an RTX 4090 featuring two spirit levels on its exposed side. EVGA’s 3090 Ti also came with a free leash that attaches to the chassis roof to stabilize the GPU.

Graphics cards have grown in size primarily because, as the effects of Moore’s Law slow down, achieving meaningful performance uplifts requires more wattage, more heat, and larger cooling apparatuses. Although the power draw of Asus’s ROG Astral RTX 5090 is slightly lower than that of the company’s TUF 4090, the newer GPU expands from three to four slots and weighs almost twice as much.