Typically when PC builders, well build a PC they have to deal with a nasty enemy known as cable management. Improper cable management can rob any PC Case of airflow, cause all sorts of issues like getting stuck in your fans and overall, just looks trashy. This goes double for those who have a window on your case. I can speak for myself that I literally take hours trying to get my cable management just right, whenever I swap out a motherboard or video card. Well, it seems that EVGA is stepping in and at least addressing cable management leading up to the video card.
Over at EVGA.com, they’re advertising a promotion that is currently available for anyone who has recently picked up an EVGA branded GTX 1060, 1070 or 1080, can score a free EVGA PowerLink. But what the heck is a Power Link? Let me try to explain. With most video cards, you have either a single 8-pin PCI-E connector or a double 8-pin PCI-E connection. These are required to have power supplied via the computer’s power supply, otherwise, you’d get no signal from the card. At the most, you’ll have a messy bunch of cables running across your motherboard or slicked behind the PC case and over to the video card. What the PowerLink does is essentially do away with this, for the most part anyway.
The EVGA PowerLink™ has one primary function: to make your PC look even more awesome. This adapter allows you to reroute the power inputs for your graphics card, giving you improved case airflow, a lower profile height, and best of all, cleaner wiring setup. It even supports a unique configuration system allowing you to mix and match power input types to match your EVGA graphics card. The EVGA PowerLink™ is the best way to revolutionize your cable management.
The EVGA PowerLink is an L-shaped device that you simply fit over the video card PCI-E connection, which forms a nice and neat connection. You then feed the PSU connections to the base of the PowerLink, which allows for a neater presence. All you do is add the correct PCI-E connector into the PowerLink, screw and then plop it onto the video card. It’s pretty ingenious and makes me wonder why no one else had thought about this before. The only potential with this is that in smaller cases, such as the one I use for my HTPC, the Cooler Master Elite 130, there might not be enough vertical clearance. And while this is being developed and produced by EVGA, there’s little reason to think that it wouldn’t work with other video cards.
Currently, the PowerLink is only available via the ongoing EVGA promotion and is not for sale as of yet. Though I’d wager that they’ll go on sale eventually or you likely find some on Ebay, from those looking to make a quick dollar via this promotion. I’ve reached out to EVGA regarding the timeframe that we can expect this to go on sale as well and will update this article once we get a reply.
Lastly, since I did recently pick up an EVGA video card, I’ll have one of these to test in the near future. When I did apply for one, I was told it would take 5-7 days for the order to be processed and no time was given on when I can expect it to be shipped. Still, it’s a pretty interesting piece of tech that I look forward to trying out. If you recently purchased an EVGA GTX 1060, 1070 or 1080, make sure you jump on this deal by following this link or heading to the EVGA website.