Affordable external pci-e gen4 expansion box + host card?

High-Performance Computing Workstations & Servers
1

As we all know modern GPUs are terrible in terms of space efficiency and with workstation platforms like WRX80 / WRX90 it’s basically impossible to avoid covering your precious pci-e slots if you use GPU - especially if you use more than one GPU (as single GPU often can be installed vertically on riser, saving pci-e slots).

Since I use multiple GPUs and I already ran out of pci-e slots I’m wondering what are my options now and the most appealing option seems to be external pci-e box.

I found some products but they all seem to be only pci-e gen3:

Are there any gen4 options? Preferably more reasonably priced since that costs more than my entire motherboard lmao…

2

@wendell did a video recently on Liqid’s PCIe fabric, and that could handle this use-case. I’d imagine it is a bit pricier than the card you give. :slight_smile:

Edit: I forgot the link.

3

They require to contact them to get a quote. It’s basically golden rule of thumb that if company requires you to get quote from them, then you can’t afford it XD

4

the one i see talked about is from cpayne. apparently you can use these to add loads of gpus to a system https://c-payne.com/ i’ve seen people put their motherboard on a mining frame all open and then put their gpus on risers there.

1 Like
5

Looks very good in terms of pricing. It probably will require some tinkering with PC case to make it compatible with those seemingly not-very-ATX-compliant mounting holes but seems doable.