foolycooly :
I love the V2 so far...the only issue I have with it is trouble coming out S3 sleep mode...but this is a known issue with a lot of x58 boards. I just turned my sleep mode off in windows since I like to keep messaging programs up 24/7 anyway.
The installation of the gtx295 did have me sweating profusely. I couldn't even get it in the PCIe slot to begin with. It didn't look like it was lining up correctly at all, but I eventually got it in. Then I had the issue you were describing where it was drooping because I couldn't get the tool-free clips on the cm690 to secure over the card bracket. However, with some force I was able to secure the clips and the card is rock solid...my suggestion to you if you're having this problem is either to use screws to secure it to the expansion slot or make sure w/e clips your case has are secured well.
So the S3 issue is more common than I thought then. I don't really use S3 sleep mode in a desktop PC, other than my laptop as it takes so long to boot up. So hopefully that won't be a problem for me, unless Asus fixes it with a BIOS update and maybe by then I'll try it out.
It sounds like you had the same concerns about installing your graphics card I'm having. I have the ATI 4870 X2, this thing is literally two bricks stuck together end to end. In my Lian-Li A17B case, it's the only plug-in card where I can barely (I mean
barely) get the two screws in to tighten it up at the back of the case. On my Lian-Li instead of screw-driver screws, it uses thumb screws to tighten up plug-in cards.
It sounds like your case is better than mine by having a card retention mechanism, my card is purely held in by the two thumb screws at the back of the case, the right side of my card dips down a few millimeters. I'm thinking of putting some tension on the PCIE 6-pin and 8-pin power cables for the card, and use those to sort of "pull" the card up slightly. I don't know what else to do in order to give it support.
I've tried looking for a third party heatsink for this card, nothing exists. I will admit I'm worried about the long term effects of this card dipping at one end, other than using the plug-in cables as support I'm not sure what else to do.