Side mounted graphics card?

[xeno135]

So i am planning a CM Stormtrooper which has a neat feature in the rear, allowing you to mount a GPU/Fan etc. vertically instead of horizontal using a PCI-E ribbon cable, which would mean my 760 would intake air directly from the vent in the side panel. Opinions, pros and cons anyone? Thanks!

PS: I have attached a picture in case i didn't explain the idea well enough

 

[Janus67]

I don't believe that is the purpose of that slot. Previously when I've seen those it is for mounting a fan that will pull air from outside and vent directly onto the GPU.

If you did mount a card using one of the ribbon cables I believe you would lose some of the processing power.

 

[EarthDog]

Neat. But not sure that is what it is for (gpu mount anyway)?

But it works fine inside the case. The couple of degrees C you may yield from the configuration won't get you anything but that. Honestly, since there are no 'ends' the 'means' (where you locate it) is up to you.

 

[xeno135]

I looked up a few benchmarks using ribbon cables and from what i found there is no (realistically noticeable) impact to performance surprisingly! I thought mounting it like this would decrease the turbulence, and leave more room for the air flow to my radiator.. It will only cost me the amount of a cheap ribbon cable to try this idea, and for a couple of degrees why not

 

[EarthDog]

Again, you gain nothing tangible... but its your choice to spend the money on it.

Do you empirical testing (card in slot, note ambient, test... then card with ribbon, note ambient, same exact test) before and after if you decide to go through with it.

 

[RnRollie]

a decent PCI-E extension ribbon -a shielded one by 3M - is going to set you back at least $ 100,- if you want to play it safe

 

[ATMINSIDE]

Wouldn't you need two openings for a 760 instead of one?

 

[MattNo5ss]

That side expansion slot is for things like rear eSATA, USB, Firewire, fan controller, etc. It's not really meant for PCI/PCIe cards, but I guess it could be used for that with an extension cable.

 

[EarthDog]

a decent PCI-E extension ribbon -a shielded one by 3M - is going to set you back at least $ 100,- if you want to play it safe

Why would he need a shielded one? Plenty of miners use the $12 jobberrs just fine.

Wouldn't you need two openings for a 760 instead of one?

Ohhh, good catch!

 

[bamato]

Wouldn't you need two openings for a 760 instead of one?

^^This.

A friend of mine has the enforcer case (which has one as well) and with 2 GPU's he couldn't fit his sound card in properly as well on the mobo, so we mounted it there with a riser cable.

I think coolermaster intends for it to be some sort of security feature for lan party situations for your peripherals.

 

[Bustos]

I think coolermaster intends for it to be some sort of security feature for lan party situations for your peripherals.

^THIS.

NeweggTV's Review Around 2:35 the guy mentions this.

Funny though, the CM website says nothing about this intended feature which you'd think would be a selling point.

 

[MongGrel]

That side expansion slot is for things like rear eSATA, USB, Firewire, fan controller, etc. It's not really meant for PCI/PCIe cards, but I guess it could be used for that with an extension cable.

Yeah, I always thought they were for a fan controller, etc myself.

I've had a few in the past wanted a slot like that with even single fans.

You could mod it for others things I'm sure, but seems more like it would be a PITA to do it rather than buying a different case to begin with.

*shrug*

 

[RnRollie]

Why would he need a shielded one? Plenty of miners use the $12 jobberrs just fine.

Ohhh, good catch!

Brute force mining might not be affected, i wouldn't know.

But it depends on usage, if you dont mind your screen locking up just as you put the game winning headshot down the range, its no biggie.... If you DO mind thou

Or if you don't mind an expensive milled piece being a few mm off because of a glitch in solidworks...
bad example because i cant see anyone using a GFX 760 for solidworks

See the MAXXPLACK build, it touches on the EMI sensitivity of the extenders

http://www.overclock.net/t/1424387/...e-wall-mount-rig-maxxplanck-v2-completed/0_20

And more specifics here: http://www.overclock.net/t/1427731/pci-express-extender-cables-benchmarked/0_20

 

[torin3]

Hmm...I'd expect the USB ones to avoid this problem. You can get them for about $15-30 each depending on how long you are willing to wait for them to be delivered. But you also seem to be limited to 1x slot connectors.

 

[EarthDog]

Brute force mining might not be affected, i wouldn't know.

But it depends on usage, if you dont mind your screen locking up just as you put the game winning headshot down the range, its no biggie.... If you DO mind thou

Or if you don't mind an expensive milled piece being a few mm off because of a glitch in solidworks...
bad example because i cant see anyone using a GFX 760 for solidworks

See the MAXXPLACK build, it touches on the EMI sensitivity of the extenders

http://www.overclock.net/t/1424387/...e-wall-mount-rig-maxxplanck-v2-completed/0_20

And more specifics here: http://www.overclock.net/t/1427731/pci-express-extender-cables-benchmarked/0_20

Thanks for the links! I didn't read through the first one as that is a build log, but the second was informative.

The unshielded extenders worked quite well in these tests. However, they will cause considerable trouble if they are near EMI sources or have additional riser cables on top of the other....

It looks like he had mixed cables as well as having a lot more going on EMI wise than a typical user/mining rig especially. But there are PLENTY of miners who use several of these, right next to each other, with no issues.