Installing a graphics card

Seating, power, and sag management — plus the cable rules that keep high-wattage cards safe.

1. 1

   Prepare the slot

   Power off and unplug. Remove the PCI slot covers aligned with the top x16 slot, and open the slot's retention latch at its far end.

2. 2

   Seat the card

   Align the card's connector with the slot and press down evenly until the latch clicks. Secure the bracket with screws.

   Tip: Removing later? Press or slide the latch first — many are hidden under big coolers; a long screwdriver helps.

3. 3

   Connect power correctly

   Use separate PCIe cables from the PSU for each 8-pin on cards over ~225W (avoid the pigtail daisy-chain). For 12VHPWR cards, push until the connector fully clicks and avoid sharp bends within 35mm of the plug.

   Careful: A partially-seated 12VHPWR connector can melt under load. It should be flush with zero gap.

4. 4

   Support heavy cards

   Triple-fan cards can sag over time. Use the included support bracket or an anti-sag stand — it protects both the card's PCB and the slot.

5. 5

   First boot

   Plug the monitor into the card, boot, and install the latest driver from the GPU vendor's site. Done.