Blocking PCIe slots on a 4090 motherboard
Blocking PCIe slots on a 4090 motherboard
Hi everyone, I'm setting up a dual 4090 GPU build and need advice on using the PCIE slots without blocking them. I'm planning to use a Supermicro H13SSL-NT motherboard inside a Sliger CX4728 chassis. I've looked into several riser cables—like the Amazon PCIE 4.0 X16 Riser Cable, the High Speed PCIE 4.0 X16 Extender Riser Cable, and others—to potentially utilize the blocked slots. However, I'm worried about performance or thermal issues. Does anyone have experience with this setup? Any tips or alternatives would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
Thanks for your input. It seems this challenge is more complex than expected. I’ve already bought the chassis, which is making things a bit tricky. I was planning to use the deeper 4728 model for better flexibility. I was thinking about installing a 4090 in each of the first and last positions to keep the middle slot open. Then I’d look for a riser cable that can free up two slots—one for each card. These slots would be needed for SAS and NVME expansion cards, and they wouldn’t require any external connections.
Could it be feasible to install these cards internally? For example, with a custom mount or a 3D-printed solution so they don’t create electrical shorts? Their thermal needs should also be manageable. Another option is to route at least one 4090 with a riser cable and find a suitable internal location—this would block just one slot at the very least.
I’ve heard about vertical mounting for GPUs, but I’m not sure if it would work in my chassis.
I keep this in mind. Personally, I’d rather skip water cooling since I think it would need more upkeep and have more chances of failure. Still, I believe they’re more dependable than what I initially thought, making it probably a solid choice. However, if it’s possible, I’d prefer to avoid it. Do the ideas from my earlier message sound realistic to someone familiar with this topic?