The advent of the modular power supply unit has been a godsend for PC builders who like to tidy up their systems, but why stop there? Seasonic has chosen not to and is finally bringing a cleverly designed PSU to market that it first showed off at Computex in 2018.
Initially dubbed SCMD (system cable management device), the new Seasonic Connect comes with what is “essentially a backplane that is mounted on the PC case with magnets.” The main 24-pin power cable coming from the PSU plugs into the accessory, and the rest can be connected to what is basically a hub.
In short, Seasonic repositioned the modular connectors from the PSU’s body to the backplane, which sits behind the motherboard tray (see image above). Cables are then snaked from the backside of a case to the front, presumably through cable cutouts (depending on your case).
It’s a neat idea, though its overall utility depends on what case you are using, and how good (or not so good) you are at cable management. A lot of modern cases utilize chambered designs that hide the PSU (and its cables) inside a barrier at the bottom of the chassis.
Still, the Connect could make it easier to reach places that might otherwise prevent you from a snaking a cable from the back of the motherboard tray to the front. The 8-pin/4-pin supplementary CPU cable comes to mind. These connectors are often located in the upper left corner of a motherboard, and depending on your PSU and case selection, you might not have enough cable length to route the cable around back and then to the front.
Clever accessory aside, the Connect is a 750W PSU that is 80 Plus Gold certified. It comes with a main 24-pin connector, two 8-pin/4-pin EPS12 connectors, four 8-pin/6-pin PCIe connectors, eight SATA connectors, three 4-pin peripheral connectors, and two SATA-to-molex adapters. It’s cooled by a 135mm fan.
Seasonic did not say when the Connect will be available to purchase or how much it will cost. However, it did say it’s backed by a 10-year warranty.