RICHARD SWINBURNE / VIEW FROM TAIWAN
OPINION
I
’ve made some calls and I can exclusively confirm for
Custom PC that the biggest change to PC power supply
design since 1995 – Intel’s new ‘ATX12VO’ platform –
will launch this year. However, it will only be exclusive to
commercial system builders at the beginning. The new ATX12VO
(the ‘O’ stands for ‘only’) platform completely redesigns PC
power as we know it. Intel has removed the 3.3V and 5V rails,
so the PSU will only provide 12V power to the motherboard,
graphics cards, storage or other internal peripherals.
Meanwhile, the 24-pin ATX socket is being replaced by a
new 10-pin connector, and the EPS connector that goes near
the CPU socket will only be optional. Even the 5VSB (standby)
rail, used by devices such as USB peripherals
in order to remain powered, will be replaced
with 12VSB (although the USB output will
remain at 5V). Instead, the motherboard will
handle all voltage conversions from 12V down
to lower voltages. For SATA-powered kit, such
as SSDs, hard drives and optical drives, which
need a 5V input, the power will now be drawn
from the motherboard, which will have a side-mounted SATA
power connector near the SATA data ports.
The reason why this new platform is currently only for
commercial system builders is because the changes require
new PCs to commit to either ATX or ATX12VO with multiple
components. Instead of trying to manage multiple parallel
products for ATX or ATX12VO, it’s easier for motherboard
companies to commit to big orders for one product, rather
than the dozens of models needed for the DIY retail channel.
No doubt Intel remembers the BTX debacle, and it won’t be
keen to make that same mistake.We saw two big changes to PC PSUs in the mid-to-late
2000s. Firstly, the 80 Plus initiative was extremely successful
at improving efficiency. Secondly, PSUs started to mainly
focus on only AC-to-12VDC conversion, then converting 12V
to 5V and 3.3V, as the latter are minor rails. ATX12VO basically
removes this latter stage from the PSU completely, letting the
motherboard handle voltage conversion (which it can already do
anyway). The end result is an improvement in overall platform
efficiency, while reducing the net cost. This cost advantage is
likely minimal for a DIY PC builder, but it will soon add up for
system builders shipping thousands of PCs.
Of course, this shift to a new PSU standard won’t be entirely
smooth for DIY builders such as ourselves. While
some modular PSUs could simply be upgraded
with a new 10-pin cable, it’s likely that not all
models will have such cables available, and
PSU companies won’t want to be lumbered
with the cost of validating these cables. There’s
also plenty of old SATA drives still in use that
need 3.3V, but it won’t be clear which ones. It’s
possible to overcome these problems with adaptors or new cables,
but these add more layers of complexity, cost and confusion to
upgraders, with only a small savings advantage.
The main advantage for me will be saying goodbye to the
incredibly ugly 24-pin ATX cable. With the huge sheets of
glass surrounding PC cases now, it will be good to be able
to make PCs with cleaner internal cabling. But let’s not stop
there! The edge-mounted power connectors on graphics cards
are also hideous and need to go. Who is with me? For more
information, you can study the new ATX12VO specification
for yourself at custompc.co.uk/ATX12VOPOWERFUL CHANGES
Say goodbye to 3.3V and 5V on your PSU. Richard Swinburne explores
the new ATX12VO specificationRichard has worked in tech for over a decade, as a UK journalist, on Asus’ ROG team and now as an industry analyst based in Taiwan @ricswi
Intel has removed the
3.3V and 5V rails, so
the PSU will only
provide 12V powerRICHARD SWINBURNE / VIEW FROM TAIWAN
OPINION
I
’vemadesomecallsandI canexclusivelyconfirmfor
CustomPCthatthebiggestchangetoPCpowersupply
designsince 1995 – Intel’snew‘ATX12VO’platform–
willlaunchthisyear.However,itwillonlybeexclusiveto
commercialsystembuildersatthebeginning.ThenewATX12VO
(the‘O’standsfor‘only’)platformcompletelyredesignsPC
powerasweknowit.Intelhasremovedthe3.3Vand5Vrails,
sothePSUwillonlyprovide12Vpowertothemotherboard,
graphicscards,storageorotherinternalperipherals.
Meanwhile,the24-pinATXsocketisbeingreplacedbya
new10-pinconnector,andtheEPSconnectorthatgoesnear
theCPUsocketwillonlybeoptional.Eventhe5VSB(standby)
rail,usedbydevicessuchasUSBperipherals
inordertoremainpowered,willbereplaced
with12VSB(althoughtheUSBoutputwill
remainat5V).Instead,themotherboardwill
handleallvoltageconversionsfrom12Vdown
tolowervoltages.ForSATA-poweredkit,such
asSSDs,harddrivesandopticaldrives,which
needa 5Vinput,thepowerwillnowbedrawn
fromthemotherboard,whichwillhavea side-mountedSATA
powerconnectorneartheSATAdataports.
Thereasonwhythisnewplatformiscurrentlyonlyfor
commercialsystembuildersisbecausethechangesrequire
newPCstocommittoeitherATXorATX12VOwithmultiple
components.Insteadoftryingtomanagemultipleparallel
productsforATXorATX12VO,it’seasierformotherboard
companiestocommittobigordersforoneproduct,rather
thanthedozensofmodelsneededfortheDIYretailchannel.
NodoubtIntelrememberstheBTXdebacle,anditwon’tbe
keentomakethatsamemistake.
WesawtwobigchangestoPCPSUsinthemid-to-late
2000s.Firstly,the 80 Plusinitiativewasextremelysuccessful
atimprovingefficiency.Secondly,PSUsstartedtomainly
focusononlyAC-to-12VDCconversion,thenconverting 12V
to5Vand3.3V,asthelatterareminorrails.ATX12VObasically
removesthislatterstagefromthePSUcompletely,letting the
motherboardhandlevoltageconversion(whichit canalready do
anyway).Theendresultisanimprovementinoverallplatform
efficiency,whilereducingthenetcost.Thiscostadvantage is
likelyminimalfora DIYPCbuilder,butit willsoonadd up for
systembuildersshippingthousandsofPCs.
Ofcourse,thisshifttoa newPSUstandardwon’tbeentirely
smoothforDIYbuilderssuchasourselves.While
somemodularPSUscouldsimplybeupgraded
witha new10-pincable,it’slikelythatnotall
modelswillhavesuchcablesavailable,and
PSUcompanieswon’twanttobelumbered
withthecostofvalidatingthesecables.There’s
alsoplentyofoldSATAdrivesstillinusethat
need3.3V,butit won’tbeclearwhichones.It’s
possibletoovercometheseproblemswithadaptorsornewcables,
buttheseaddmorelayersofcomplexity,costandconfusionto
upgraders,withonlya smallsavingsadvantage.
Themainadvantageformewillbesayinggoodbyetothe
incrediblyugly24-pinATXcable.Withthehugesheetsof
glasssurroundingPCcasesnow,itwillbegoodtobeable
tomakePCswithcleanerinternalcabling.Butlet’snotstop
there!Theedge-mountedpowerconnectorsongraphicscards
arealsohideousandneedtogo.Whoiswithme?Formore
information,youcanstudythenewATX12VOspecification
foryourselfatcustompc.co.uk/ATX12VOPOWERFUL CHANGES
Say goodbye to 3.3V and 5V on your PSU. Richard Swinburne explores
the new ATX12VO specificationRichard has worked in tech for over a decade, as aUKjournalist,onAsus’ROGteamandnowasanindustryanalystbasedinTaiwan @ricswi
Intel has removed the
3.3V and 5V rails, so
the PSU will only
provide 12V power