gripe: molex connectors

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I've been building boxes for myself and for some friends and some family for > 10 years now. I am by no means an expert. My boxes are not pretty either but they work. My current gripe has been one for many years now: why hasn't a new kind of connector been developed to finally end the use of the molex connectors. I know SATA drives have "slim" connectors and that's neat, but molex connectors just suck: the leads of the wires often come out, they are ugly, and have been around for ever. Sure they work, why change them but surely something better could be done?
 
My only issue with molex connectors is that they often get stuck together and I have to use a screwdriver to pry them apart. It would be nice if they got replaced by the SATA style power connectors, definitely.
 
Because of backwards compatibility. That is why. SATA connectors do everything a molex can.
 
It's not the connector design that's bad, it's cheaply made connectors and pins, and poorly crimped pins.

I do not like the new SATA power connectors. They are much more fragile.
 
gigatexal said:
I've been building boxes for myself and for some friends and some family for > 10 years now. I am by no means an expert. My boxes are not pretty either but they work. My current gripe has been one for many years now: why hasn't a new kind of connector been developed to finally end the use of the molex connectors. I know SATA drives have "slim" connectors and that's neat, but molex connectors just suck: the leads of the wires often come out, they are ugly, and have been around forever. Sure they work, why change them but surely something better could be done?
Click to expand...

entirely agree with you and have often thought that myself. wondered why they (the powers that be) at least use the smaller floppy MOLEX connectors instead of the fat standard connectors.
will say this about the old standard MOLEX plugs, they make the boring task of cable sleeving fairly easy.
 
oh well. It'd be nice to find a good aftermarket solution, or I guess I'll just need to get more creative.
 
Realistically, in a modern system, you will not have any use for a molex plug.

Optical drive, if you use one: SATA
HDD or SSD: SATA
fans: motherboard
GPU: PCI-e
CPU: AUX ATX

Useless accessory it is. (unless you have a fan controller, water pump, or an onboard extra PCI-e power for SLi or Crossfire)

That's why a modular PSU is worth the money.
 
hmm that's true - still the damn molex connector needs to go
 
magoo said:
Realistically, in a modern system, you will not have any use for a molex plug.

Optical drive, if you use one: SATA
HDD or SSD: SATA
fans: motherboard
GPU: PCI-e
CPU: AUX ATX

Useless accessory it is. (unless you have a fan controller, water pump, or an onboard extra PCI-e power for SLi or Crossfire)

That's why a modular PSU is worth the money.
Click to expand...

what about for when you run out of fan headers on your motherboard? :(
 
+1 for the extinction of molex connectors.
+1 for modular power supplies

There have been two cases where I have ripped all the molex's apart, soldered the wires together, and used heat shrink. Man it looked good, but dang, I wouldnt want to do that upgrade...
 
magoo said:
Realistically, in a modern system, you will not have any use for a molex plug.

Optical drive, if you use one: SATA
HDD or SSD: SATA
fans: motherboard
GPU: PCI-e
CPU: AUX ATX

Useless accessory it is. (unless you have a fan controller, water pump, or an onboard extra PCI-e power for SLi or Crossfire)

That's why a modular PSU is worth the money.
Click to expand...

technically the 20+4 pin, PCI-e, and aux atx are still molex

and i have to agree, the sata style connectors while nice and a step in the right direction, are to thin and fragile. i believe the continued use of standard molex connectors may have something to do with military ruggedness requirements
 
aphasia said:
entirely agree with you and have often thought that myself. wondered why they (the powers that be) at least use the smaller floppy MOLEX connectors instead of the fat standard connectors.
will say this about the old standard MOLEX plugs, they make the boring task of cable sleeving fairly easy.
Click to expand...

The floppy connectors can't handle anywhere near as much current as the standard Molex connector can.
 
I got a scythe fan controler that powers up to 12 fans and it uses the old floppy power pin. So not even fan controllers need molex. the compact floppy pin just as good.
 
Molex would be fine if it were not for how cheap and out of spec the cheapo chinese parts are. That is where most of the trouble comes from. I have see so many cheapo molex connectors that had the pin or femal part so out of whack you could not even put them together without needle nosed pliers.

On the other hand as stated I NEVER in my whole life had a molex connector on a device break. But I have had SATA connectors break. Thats a pretty messed up way to see a hard drive go.
 
rizzuh said:
what about for when you run out of fan headers on your motherboard? :(
Click to expand...


There are dozens of fan controllers that can accomidate up to 12 fans on a single PCB. Or buy or make a couple of splitters.:p

But they generally hook up by means of a molex connector.

Thats where modular PSUs are key.:D You just need to attach one and you can run all your fans from one location.
 
My current build has no need for molex connectors. Wire cutters saved the day! (that and a lot of hiding the cut wires)
 
While unwieldy the Moly's are nice for customizing length and sleeving, and they don't pull off. Sata power connections are nice for hot swap, otherwise too flimsy.
But as stated, if you are using a moly nowadays it is because you chose to.
 
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