- Mounting SSDs on a GPU limits your capacity to improve graphics and storage independently
- Shared PCIe bandwidth creates extra issues than advantages for many desktop system builders
- Colourful iGame Extremely mid-range GPU is making an attempt to do an excessive amount of with too little justification
Colourful has revealed a curious hybrid product at Bilibili World 2025: a graphics card from its iGame Extremely collection which options two M.2 SSD slots mounted straight onto the PCB.
The combination of storage and graphics processing might seem environment friendly for compact methods, but it surely raises questions on practicality and long-term worth.
Colourful has not confirmed the GPU’s structure, though observers imagine it’s primarily based on Nvidia’s GB206 or GB207 silicon, presumably aligning with the RTX 5050 or 5060.
An built-in method to graphics and storage
This configuration positions the cardboard firmly within the mid-range class, removed from what most would think about the very best GPU tier.
The standout characteristic of this card is the presence of twin M.2 SSD slots on its bottom, close to the I/O bracket, permitting customers to put in drives with out separate cabling.
These slots are supported by mounting factors for heatsinks and are cooled by the identical dual-fan system that manages the GPU itself.
By utilizing PCIe bifurcation, the cardboard splits a single x16 slot into eight lanes for graphics and 4 lanes every for the SSDs.
This setup goals to protect bandwidth for each capabilities whereas lowering the necessity for added enlargement playing cards.
For builders working with restricted motherboard M.2 slots or compact ITX instances, this might appear to be a space-saving answer.
The cooling association additionally means that SSD thermals will likely be actively managed below load – nevertheless, the advantages of this format might not justify the compromises.
Attaching storage on to a GPU introduces extra layers of complexity in system configuration, together with BIOS assist, lane sharing, and improve constraints.
Storage and graphics are sometimes upgraded on separate timelines, and mixing them on a single board limits that flexibility.
Visually, the cardboard adopts a clear, matte-white aesthetic that stands other than the extra widespread darker GPU designs.
Whereas this will attraction to customized PC builders who prioritize look, the core efficiency concerns stay unchanged.
The SSD slots are unlikely to assist the biggest SSD capacities or ship the very best SSD speeds in the marketplace, and the GPU itself, primarily based on its possible structure, just isn’t aimed toward top-tier efficiency.
This places the product in a slim use case, providing integration with out delivering management in both class.
As of now, the corporate has not offered detailed specs or pricing, and with out this data, the cardboard seems extra experimental than sensible.
This system is technically fascinating, however it’s not but clear why such a product must exist past novelty.
For customers who care about maximizing storage capability, pursuing the very best GPU efficiency, or constructing for future flexibility, this design might provide extra limitations than benefits.
By way of Guru3d