Connector Asus GC-HPWR allows connecting video cards to motherboards in the BTF 2.0 format. It enables the creation of video cards compatible with both BTF and conventional motherboards.
The BTF PC component connection standard was created to hide power and connection wires. Initially, BTF was designed only for motherboards and included connectors that were moved to the other side of the board or discreetly hidden by a heatsink. Later, Asus developed a special PCIe-based power connector that allowed connecting video cards with up to 600 W power. This design was used only in a few Asus video cards, which were more a proof of concept than a real mass product.
The new GC-HPWR connector develops and refines the idea in the BTF 2.0 format. It allows the use with a motherboard of both special video cards and those equipped with the standard 12VHPWR / 12V-2×6 connector. Additionally, BTF video cards can use the new cable-free connector or hide it when it is not needed.
The updated connector has a metal housing, uses a lot of copper on the contacts for better connection, reduced resistance, and temperature. The maximum power has been increased to 1000 W. Consequently, the video cards with it become more versatile and can be connected in conventional systems. Asus has not yet announced any new video cards or motherboards compatible with BTF 2.0.
Sources: VideoCardz, Tom`s Hardware