Question Do I have to use a riser cable? New 5090 build.

[Franknj229]

Let me start by saying, I had never even heard of riser cables until about 2 days ago. I was watching some of the first reviews of the 5090 and someone mentioned potential issues with using gen 3 or gen 4 riser cables with the 5090. So then of course I had to do some research on riser cables, which led me to additional questions.

I'm going to be building in a Thermaltake Tower 600, likely on an X870-E Aorus Pro Ice., with a 360 aio cpu cooler. The gpu hangs down from the top of the case, but can be rotated, so it can either have the fans facing the front, or the side. Can I avoid using a riser cable depending on the configuration?

My goal was to have the fans facing the side for continuous airflow from right to left across the case. I think it looks pretty cool having the gpu fans facing the front, but that seems odd to me from an air flow standpoint, right? Thoughts on this would be appreciated too.

 

[Lutfij]

Can I avoid using a riser cable depending on the configuration?
You've answered your own question by stating this;
The gpu hangs down from the top of the case, but can be rotated, so it can either have the fans facing the front, or the side.

The case allows for either orientation;
https://www.thermaltake.com/the-tower-600-mid-tower-chassis.html

 

[Franknj229]

Can I avoid using a riser cable depending on the configuration?
You've answered your own question by stating this;
The gpu hangs down from the top of the case, but can be rotated, so it can either have the fans facing the front, or the side.

The case allows for either orientation;
https://www.thermaltake.com/the-tower-600-mid-tower-chassis.html

Yes, but that's my question. Does one configuration require the riser cable, and the other way doesn't?

In one video, the guy said, "We're mounting the gpu this way so we don't have to use a riser cable." But 4 minutes later he says, "Ok, now we have to attach the riser cable..."

Either he misspoke and never corrected himself, or I'm missing something.

Is it fans-to-the-side that avoids the riser cable in this case? Just trying to decide if I need a different case. It just seems like fans-facing-front is weird for airflow. Seems like it would just be blowing warm air against the front glass and back into the case.

 

[CountMike]

Yes, but that's my question. Does one configuration require the riser cable, and the other way doesn't?

In one video, the guy said, "We're mounting the gpu this way so we don't have to use a riser cable." But 4 minutes later he says, "Ok, now we have to attach the riser cable..."

Either he misspoke and never corrected himself, or I'm missing something.

Is it fans-to-the-side that avoids the riser cable in this case? Just trying to decide if I need a different case. It just seems like fans-facing-front is weird for airflow. Seems like it would just be blowing warm air against the front glass and back into the case

Unless GPU card is not plugged directly in PCIe x16 slot on MB, it needs x16 riser cable,