If you look at the Veer Towers in Las Vegas, Nevada, you will be amazed by the inclined design.
But if you look at the Tower of Pisa, its inclination is not intended, instead a result of instability. However, due to dynamic soil-structure interaction (DSSI), this leaning tower survived four strong earthquakes.
Modern GPUs are getting bulky & larger for advanced technology. These GPUs tend to lean downwards over time for the heavyweight without support, as they don’t have DSSI like the Tower of Pisa. This is the unwanted sag & not pleasing, like the buildings.
In this article, you are about to know what this GPU sag is & how to secure the GPU before damaging it. Let’s dive in.
What is GPU Sag & Is it Bad?
As technology is advancing, GPUs are getting stronger & more power-hungry. To cool it down, the GPUs are getting hefty. The heat sink is becoming larger & the total GPU size is becoming too big.
Back in the old days, graphics cards came with a single fan. Gradually, the cards started to come with dual fans & now GALAX RTX 4090 is designed with four fans!
The PCIe bracket of casing & slot of the motherboard becomes too much to hold these long & bulky cards. Why? Well, it’s obviously gravity. This heavyweight causes the cards to bend downwards if there is no support. This is called the GPU sag, which is a well-known term mostly for PC enthusiasts.
But, how much GPU sag is too much? Well, it does not obviously turn from 180° to 90°. What’s the effect? Is GPU sag bad?
Firstly, it looks dreadful for your setup aesthetically behind which you spend time for cable managing & setting all the components. It’s enough reason, people don’t want GPU to sag.
Secondly, As it bends downwards over time, the GPU PCIe pins can lose contact with the slot & your monitor can lose signal. Certainly, it’s fixable, but you don’t want to troubleshoot this over & over again by reseating & re-screwing the card.
Lastly, you can encounter some temperature changes which can cause frequency fluctuation. Though the temp difference may not be that noticeable, in severe cases, for leaning downward on the right side, the sag may create issues on thermal pads which can cause a bitter experience later.
Also, related to this guide on how to fix GPU artifacting.
How to Prevent GPU Sag
To keep your PC looking aesthetically appealing, you require taking some steps to fix graphics card sag. This will help you to avoid motherboard PCIe slot breaking, game stuttering or artifacts, overheating, driver crashing, or in extreme cases damaging the graphics chip.
Here are the 6 tested methods to stop GPU sag:
1. Set a GPU Bracket or Brace
This is a professional way to keep the elegant look of your PC. The GPU bracket is installed underneath the GPU. This piece of GPU support brace provides sustain & helps to prevent the sagging of the GPU.
These GPU brackets can come in plain metal or plastic form. But in today’s colorful world, you will find RGB GPU brackets too while serving the same purpose.
That being said, some braces can act as a pillar screwed onto the case while supporting the graphics card from below. Then there are some braces that have adjustable arms with a pole & with the help of the arms, the GPU can prevent sag.
Some manufacturers like EVGA & MSI include support brackets for their GPUs. So you will be required to buy an additional brace for about $20-$30 from Amazon, if your card doesn’t come with this.
2. Switch to Liquid Cooling
If you intend to spend some extra bucks, then you can switch to a liquid cooling solution. This will help you to get rid of that gigantic heat sink. This will also help you to cool down the graphics chip more effectively & leaves more headroom for potential overclocking.
Liquid-cooled GPUs radiator & fans mounted on the casing. Thus, it can get rid of the overweight that causes the bend. A water cooler for GPU is worth it if you want to OC with your GPU or simply want your GPU performs better.
3. Install Graphics Card Vertically
The widespread way to install the graphics card is horizontal. This was not a matter of headache when we had single fan GPU or even dual fan cards. But this became a matter of concern when we entered into the triple-fan GPU era.
As the GPU size increases, the sag problem spreads. To counter the issue, some casing started to add flexible GPU mounting options. With this, you both have the option to install the card horizontally or vertically.
Vertically mounting the GPU is a quick Do-It-Yourself (DIY) GPU sag fix. With vertically installed, you can eliminate the sag issue. Though it can help the concern with sagging, it can additionally increase the GPU temp & your GPU fan can spin loudly.
4. Use GPU Connector PCIe Cables
You can use your PCIe cables to prevent GPU sag. Plug the cable from above & make enough tension to keep the GPU stable. This will work as reverse sagging.
This simple rerouting DIY method is an easy & quick fix for graphics card sag.
5. Apply Objects Underneath the GPU
This one will be interesting to you, as it did to me. One of my friends used his action figure to support the GPU. A very cheap aesthetic solution. By following his path, I also used rainbow six siege’s Ash action figure & it did the trick!
Besides figures, you can also utilize logos, toys, chopsticks, pencils, etc. to support the graphics card. While the former objects can still keep your PC looking attractive, the latter ones will not appear that good, but still, do the job.
6. Use Wire or String to Pull Up GPU
You can use zip ties, nylon wires, or fishing wire to tie the GPU preventing sag. By properly routing the string, you can hang the GPU stably. Though, this DIY GPU support is not aesthetically good & ruins the charm of your PC.
FAQs
Is it bad to mount GPU vertically?
To avoid GPU sag, a vertical GPU mount is a great DIY option. Besides that, it also looks great aesthetically. However, airflow may get hindered by the casing’s side panel & can cause a slightly higher temp than its horizontal status.
Is GPU support a must?
For larger GPUs with 3 fans, it is ideal to support the GPU to avoid GPU sagging.
Can GPU sag damage GPU?
The PCIe slot & casing’s bracket hold the weight of the GPU & if it is large enough with heavy weight, it can bend down gradually for gravity which is the GPU sag. If it continues, it has the possibility to break the slot, if it isn’t strong enough. Aside from that, the GPU’s pin can lose contact with the slot & shows connection disruption.
Final Thought
In conclusion, GPU sag can ruin your PC’s aesthetic view. Additionally, a longer time of sagging can create further issues.
Utilizing a GPU bracket, switching to a liquid cooling solution, and using action figures or ropes to support the graphics card can prevent sagging.
In this article, I explained what GPU sag is & how easily you can avoid the hassle with some easy methods.
