MSI Unveils PROJECT ZERO Motherboards With Hidden Connectors On The Back

Peter_Brosdahl

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Putting connectors on the backside of motherboards seems to be the new trend for 2023 as MSI has uncovered its Project Zero series motherboards. A few months back ASUS began revealing its prototype which is now heading to market, and GIGABTYE has its own version as well. MSI is launching its Project Zero series with the B760M for Intel, and the B650M for AMD processors. A leaked specifications slide from earlier this week has shown that a Z790 offering could be arriving soon also.

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How does this work, a quick check on most of my cases would not accomidate the connectors being plugged in with that configuration. The connector + cable would be too tall to do that.
 
You'll need a case that is specifically compatible with the board. Most boardmakers are making their own that work with their stuff, SilverStone is working on one that will work with multiple board makers boards. Case compatibility will be an issue with these until there's some sort of standard that everyone plays along with.

Here's as couple pictures I got at Computex that may help...




1698527791993.png20230531_161339.jpg
 
I like the theory - but something like this always needs some time in the cooker before it's ready for prime time.

And with motherboards already as expensive as they are, I don't see these gaining quick uptake either.
 
I like the idea personally. My next build will be one of these boards if I can get a compatible case that I like to fit the water loop I want to build with it.

However, I don't see it being possible with how picky I am on case choices. I really like my current case which I intended to reuse for my next build (8950x when it launches) but I got a feeling my current case wont work with them.
 
David_Schroth said:
You'll need a case that is specifically compatible with the board.
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Yeah this was what I figured, which makes it pretty DOA IMHO.
About 1% of the cases actually look good, and why would I care about this feature... because of looks.
So vendor lock-in and expensive (and mostly ugly) cases will mostly likely be the end result.
A standard for this would be nice, as it does look nice and make cabling a bit easier. =)
 
@theblackangus Aahh okay, so your name is NOT "the black anus", I just got dislexic for a second. Cool, gotcha.

I bought a graphics card from a dude on [H] once, one of his names (heatware or email or paypal or something, I forget) was "trevorsass" cuz his name is "Trevor Sass" but that is NOT how I read it...

Well this post was certainly on topic for the thread.

EDIT:
Putting connectors on the motherboard's underside is certainly very interesting, but indeed, that would really limit case choice. Pretty weird/neat idea though.
 
DrezKill said:
@theblackangus Aahh okay, so your name is NOT "the black anus", I just got dislexic for a second. Cool, gotcha.

I bought a graphics card from a dude on [H] once, one of his names (heatware or email or paypal or something, I forget) was "trevorsass" cuz his name is "Trevor Sass" but that is NOT how I read it...

Well this post was certainly on topic for the thread.

EDIT:
Putting connectors on the motherboard's underside is certainly very interesting, but indeed, that would really limit case choice. Pretty weird/neat idea though.
Click to expand...
OR it would up your Dremel game. I swear the kids building computers today just don't know their local ER well enough....

Did nobody else race their dremels launching spinning CD's to see who had the faster dremel?
 
The main advantage I see is for folks with air coolers. Big towers make working around those top two EPS12V connectors as well as any fan/RGB connectors pretty painful.

The disadvantage I see is that it will make the case wider, overall - have to have room for the connectors and the plugs. At this point I'd almost prefer something completely different: put the connectors flat, but instead of having them pointed away from the board, have them pointed inward. This way the power cables will be 'flat' against the back of the motherboard, instead of sticking out toward the right side panel, which should make case width easier to keep in check.
 
Neat concept, but not enough for me to change out everything I currently have.
 
LeRoy_Blanchard said:
LMAO

Sorry, that was a funny joke.

Just like standardizing RGB. Right?
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The RGB headers are all standardized. In fact, they were standardized largely outside of the computer industry. The issue is that the controllers which drive them are all different between manufacturers. This is why we don't have a unified software that can control them. Either something third party, or open source.

On the topic at hand, ASUS will most likely win this fight with whatever they push standard wise. They generally seem to lead the market with whatever they do. (Right or wrong, by force, or whatever.)
 
Yea for my system update with new motherboard/CPU/Ram and maybe Storage... I might look at one of these reverse mounted standoff motherboards. What would be REALLY nice with one of these is a template so I can mark where I would need dremel cuts outs to make my own holes.
 
Grimlakin said:
Yea for my system update with new motherboard/CPU/Ram and maybe Storage... I might look at one of these reverse mounted standoff motherboards. What would be REALLY nice with one of these is a template so I can mark where I would need dremel cuts outs to make my own holes.
Click to expand...

Speaking of templates. Does anyone know of a template for standard ATX stand-offs?

Making a custom motherboard tray out of acrylic and it would be a lot easier to use a printed piece of paper instead of the actual motherboard on where I need to drill the holes.
 
I mean you could always get a piece of poster board and make a template....
 
LeRoy_Blanchard said:
Making a custom motherboard tray out of acrylic and it would be a lot easier to use a printed piece of paper instead of the actual motherboard on where I need to drill the holes.
Click to expand...
I'd just get one of those cheap US$25 'workbench' things that has them, assuming you don't want to use a donor case. Lot of precision needed there though with acrylic, not sure how I'd approach that personally!
 
Its not as precise as you think really. I had to drill holes for a SM board on one of the aluminum extrusion cases I am using. It's just clumsy and awkward getting the board to not move around while you mark all the holes using pen/pencil long enough to reach through the holes and onto the acrylic. The stuff on the back of the boards makes it not sit flush, or level.

After doing it that way with a non-standardized standoff hole on that board I was hoping to find an easier way with a standardized ATX hole pattern that I can easily just tape to the acrylic and start drilling.

Now I am looking into buying a laser cnc machine. I don't know what's wrong with me to be honest. LOL
 
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