this post was submitted on 25 Nov 2023
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[–] [email protected] 82 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (2 children)

This article is misleading: The cards are already "AI accelerators" they just come in monstrous sizes and coolers that aren't suitable for cramming more than one into a computer (server) case.

What the Chinese chop shops are doing is removing the components and resoldering them on to smaller PCBs and putting on smaller (but more powerful and jet-engine loud) exhaust-style coolers.

Basically it's just old fashioned harvesting and re-using of PCB components. A common thing during the shortages of the COVID-19 pandemic.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (1 children)

Btw, about the

smaller (but more powerful and jet-engine loud) exhaust-style coolers.

Why not make double-sided racks with fans twice the size, higher cooling efficiency?

[–] [email protected] 16 points 11 months ago

Not sure exactly what you're asking, but usually servers are built in a way that several units can be stacked on top of each other in a rack, which makes it important that air comes in from the front and exits from the back. The smaller coolers then allow you to cram more GPUs next to each other since the higher heat density won't matter due to the airflow speed inside the case.