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DIY-APE Unveils BTF 3.0 With Single 50-Pin Rear Connector for Near Cable-Free PC Builds

Broad availability hinges on industry buy-in despite its ATX 3.0–based, CRPS-style design.

Overview

  • The BTF 3.0 spec consolidates CPU, GPU, EPS and other power into one rear-mounted 50-pin “gold-finger” connector to hide nearly all cables.
  • DIY-APE claims the interface supports up to 2,145W with 1,680W allocable to CPU and GPU, using ATX 3.0/3.1 and retaining 5V/3.3V rails rather than a 12VO-only approach.
  • Transition options include a BTX adapter board for standard ATX PSUs and a right-angle GC-HPWR solution to power non-BTF graphics cards.
  • The proposal extends to unified backside I/O, short-tube AIO coolers, and case designs with pre-routed fan and RGB hubs for simplified assembly.
  • A working prototype built with Colorful and Sego demonstrates the concept, though elements such as final fan/RGB handling and standardization remain unresolved.