Sapphire has finally unleashed its X870EA Nitro+ PhantomLink motherboard series, featuring a GC-HPWR graphics card power connector, just like Asus’ BTF boards. This means you won’t need to plug a 12V-2×6 into your GPU if you use a compatible PhantomLink graphics card, as it will be able to get all its juice from the motherboard instead.
PhantomLink motherboards aim to make GPU installation hassle-free when it comes to cable tidying, while also removing worries that come with this notorious cable connection. This system from Sapphire was originally showcased at Computex 2025, alongside compatible PhantomLink Radeon RX 9070 XT graphics cards, but it’s now had a proper launch.
The new series is available in two motherboard flavours. The X870EA Nitro+ PhantomLink offers a black PCB topped with grey heatsinks, while the X870EA Nitro+ PhantomLink Polar rocks a white PCB with light grey heatsinks for those who prefer white-themed builds. Both share the same specs, including support for AMD’s latest AM5 CPUs, 8,400MT/s DDR5 memory in capacities up to 256GB, and PCIe 5.0 connections.
Speaking of which, the X870EA PhantomLink comes equipped with three full-size PCIe slots, two running at Gen 4 x4 speed, plus one at Gen 5 x16 speed. The board also houses four M.2 slots, two of which run at Gen 5 speed, while the rest make do with Gen 4 links. And in case four drives aren’t enough, there is always the possibility to add another, slower drive via any of the four SATA III ports.
Most notably, these PhantomLink boards boast Asus’ GC-HPWR header – located next to the primary PCIe slot. This new connector allows compatible graphics cards to take all their power through it without needing any 8-pin or 12V-2×6 cables. Instead of connecting your graphics card to the PSU, the motherboard plays the intermediary role, taking 12V power from its 12V-2×6 header and feeding it to your GPU via the GC-HPWR connector.
The idea is to make graphics card installation easier while offering a cleaner build, free of dangling cables that break the look. The GC-HPWR is also seen as a safer option than the problematic 12V-2×6 socket, thanks to its thicker contact pads and lower risk of improper connection. Unlike Asus’ BTF boards, though, Sapphire hasn’t completely embraced the backside power design, leaving all other power connectors facing up.
Moving to I/O, we find a healthy selection of USB ports, including two USB 40Gb/s Type-C, four USB 5Gb/s, four USB 10Gb/s, and two USB 2.0 ports. These sit alongside 5GbE LAN, HDMI, 3.5mm analogue audio, Wi-Fi 7, and Bluetooth 5 connectors. Meanwhile, more USB ports can be added via the internal headers.
How much will this feature set cost you? Well, both versions of the X870EA Nitro+ PhantomLink can be found new on eBay for around £420, imported from China. This is a hefty price that can hardly be explained by the GC-HPWR addition. That said, this is not an official MSRP, so we can expect the card to cost less money if and when it becomes officially available outside China.
