ASUS’s ProArt lineup is always about clean design and high-performance parts. The black and gold color combo gives out a premium yet minimalistic feel, while the available choices of hardware include the cream of the crop selections, from motherboards to GPUs. So it might be wise to think that the creator-focused family of products is both durable and powerful, but one user has proven that it is not exactly the case.
According to Videocardz‘s follow-up report from Gamer Forums, a Taiwanese user using the ProArt X870E-Creator WiFi motherboard has developed visible discoloration following around 6 months of use with an ROG Astral GeForce RTX 5090, with the case being a ProArt PA602.
The discovery was made when the GPU was taken out for maintenance and cleaning, and the user found out that the motherboard’s PCH heatsink, which sits directly underneath the GPU, had lots of discoloring stains.
He added that part of the discoloration could be reduced by wiping the area with a wet cloth while applying pressure, suggesting some of the mark may have been residue rather than permanent damage. However, the heatsink did not return to its original appearance, indicating that at least some of the discoloration remained.
Despite the cosmetic change, the RTX 5090 itself was reportedly functioning normally with no visible signs of damage or other issues. At the time of writing, there is no indication that the discoloration affected the motherboard’s operation, nor has the exact cause been determined.
