Question Vertical GPU Top IO Placement-Issues?

[Joe_182]

I have been seeing more and more cases where the GPU gets mounted vertically with the IO at the top of the case. I have also seen a bunch of comments and posts on potential issues mounting this way, and many GPUs performing terribly in this configuration, as much as 10-15c higher temps. Something to do with the heat pipes and how they function.

Is there truth to this? I have a few cases I am interested in, but am concerned about this. I have an ASUS 4070 Super Tuf.

Thank you!

 

[Aeacus]

Vertical mount is only for eyecandy, while it can produce all sorts of issues.
E.g

Main issue is using the riser cable. There have been countless of instances where riser cable alone, either doesn't make proper connection to the GPU (reduced GPU performance) or GPU isn't detected at all. But once riser cable is removed from the system, GPU works fine.

Another issue is airflow, since many riser brackets put the GPU close to the transparent side panel. But with this, you'd be block GPU fans and essentially choking the fans for airflow intake. Thus, GPU temps are far higher than normal.

Most vertical GPUs are located at the bottom left of the MoBo, but i've seen different GPU locations as well. E.g:

But with that setup, my question would be, how can you get your monitor cable to the GPU? Since GPU is dead smack in the middle of the PC and monitor ports are at the PCI bracket of the GPU.

Something to do with the heat pipes and how they function.

GPU orientation doesn't matter.

Sure, in horizontal (normal) mounting the layers from top to bottom would be:
GPU backplate
GPU PCB
GPU die
GPU cooler cold plate
GPU heatsink
GPU fans

But if you look CPU coolers, namely air coolers, there, the common configuration would be, from right to left;
heatsink and fans - CPU cooler cold plate - CPU - CPU socket - MoBo PCB - MoBo backplate - MoBo tray (PC case).

And now, if you flip the GPU into vertical, it has the same order of layers, from right to left;
GPU fans - GPU heatsink - GPU cooler cold plate - GPU die - GPU PCB - GPU backplate.

 

[Joe_182]

Vertical mount is only for eyecandy, while it can produce all sorts of issues.
E.g

Main issue is using the riser cable. There have been countless of instances where riser cable alone, either doesn't make proper connection to the GPU (reduced GPU performance) or GPU isn't detected at all. But once riser cable is removed from the system, GPU works fine.

Another issue is airflow, since many riser brackets put the GPU close to the transparent side panel. But with this, you'd be block GPU fans and essentially choking the fans for airflow intake. Thus, GPU temps are far higher than normal.

Most vertical GPUs are located at the bottom left of the MoBo, but i've seen different GPU locations as well. E.g:

But with that setup, my question would be, how can you get your monitor cable to the GPU? Since GPU is dead smack in the middle of the PC and monitor ports are at the PCI bracket of the GPU.


GPU orientation doesn't matter.

Sure, in horizontal (normal) mounting the layers from top to bottom would be:
GPU backplate
GPU PCB
GPU die
GPU cooler cold plate
GPU heatsink
GPU fans

But if you look CPU coolers, namely air coolers, there, the common configuration would be, from right to left;
heatsink and fans - CPU cooler cold plate - CPU - CPU socket - MoBo PCB - MoBo backplate - MoBo tray (PC case).

And now, if you flip the GPU into vertical, it has the same order of layers, from right to left;
GPU fans - GPU heatsink - GPU cooler cold plate - GPU die - GPU PCB - GPU backplate.

Thank you. But when I say Vertical mount. I mean in a case like the Tower 200. Where the GPU is literally vertical top to bottom with the IO port of the GPU sticking up at the top of the case. (No riser cable is used)

Lots of tests have been done, particularly by XTIA because their case uses this design and they noticed really bad GPU temps for a lot of GPUs that didn't like being "upside down". So they made a bracket to flip their entire case around making the IO on the bottom. I just wasn't sure how common this was, or if it was specific GPUs or something?

Some other cases that use this design are the Corsair 2000D and Xproto. Both with a GPU "Hanging" upside down with the IO at the top of the case.

 

[Aeacus]

These are mini-ITX cases and with them, there is always cooling issues. For one, all components are cramped together, heating up the small space considerably. For another, such small mini-ITX cases doesn't have many fan mounts to well ventilate the air. Not to mention airflow restrictions when everything is cramped together. And if you fill the PC case with high-end hardware, that outputs a lot of heat, you'll have a true "hot box".

How the GPU is oriented inside there, doesn't matter. But if you were to flip the case on it's side, it may open up more/better airflow paths, thus making the whole system running cooler.

If you want to have small footprint PC case, better to get PC case that is well ventilated with lots of fan mounts. E.g Tt Core V21,
specs: https://thermaltakeusa.com/collections/chassis/products/core-v21-ca-1d5-00s1wn-00

Nice cube case. Most versatile cube case i know. Also, stackable with another V21 to create higher vertical tower, without compromising on cooling, but adding more internal space.

 

[Joe_182]

These are mini-ITX cases and with them, there is always cooling issues. For one, all components are cramped together, heating up the small space considerably. For another, such small mini-ITX cases doesn't have many fan mounts to well ventilate the air. Not to mention airflow restrictions when everything is cramped together. And if you fill the PC case with high-end hardware, that outputs a lot of heat, you'll have a true "hot box".

How the GPU is oriented inside there, doesn't matter. But if you were to flip the case on it's side, it may open up more/better airflow paths, thus making the whole system running cooler.

If you want to have small footprint PC case, better to get PC case that is well ventilated with lots of fan mounts. E.g Tt Core V21,
specs: https://thermaltakeusa.com/collections/chassis/products/core-v21-ca-1d5-00s1wn-00

Nice cube case. Most versatile cube case i know. Also, stackable with another V21 to create higher vertical tower, without compromising on cooling, but adding more internal space.

I've actually built a couple SFF over the years, actually using the V1 one time, the smaller brother of the one you mentioned. I had it in a MAME arcade cabinet I was building. You can still get good thermals with a well thought out build. It just depends on the case and components in it. (I'm not a noob to the hobby or SFF)

This issue is more than a SFF issue that I am asking about. It's a mechanical issue with how these GPUs cool and how the orientation does matter for some of them. There is a thread here, where XTIA themselves responded about the research they found with mounting GPU's vertically. It was so bad, they actually made a new bracket to mod their own cases to be upside down so the GPU IO was at the bottom of the case and not top. Lots of people decided to do a test and turn their own cases on their side to put the GPU upside down and they saw 10c degree spikes in temps. For some reason certain GPUs struggle with with being mounted like that. I was hoping to get more information about it here and if certain GPU traits are established at this point that cause this. It's worth looking into if you're not familiar with the situation. (I had no idea until I was looking into the XTIA Xproto case for example)

While it is a reddit post, XTIA is a case maker, and they make great cases, and they researched the issue pretty extensively. They shared their findings.

https://www.reddit.com/r/sffpc/comments/ljsn04/psa_xtia_xproto_after_having_3_different_aib_rtx/

I'm likely going with a Mechanic Master C28 to avoid the issue completely.

 

[Aeacus]

For some reason certain GPUs struggle with with being mounted like that. I was hoping to get more information about it here and if certain GPU traits are established at this point that cause this. It's worth looking into if you're not familiar with the situation. (I had no idea until I was looking into the XTIA Xproto case for example)

Vertical GPUs in such smokestack tower cases are actually quite rare in PC scene, so, not many people talk about them. And since it's a niche, there aren't many (if any) thermal tests made either. Most thermal testing is done with conventional layout.

When GPU is in the true vertical position, with GPU I/O up, the gravity does affect the heatsink of it, since half the heat pipes would go from the cold plate directly up and other half directly down. While i don't think it would cut the heatsink cooling effectiveness into half, it still would have cooling performance impact. As of how much impact there is, that depends on the GPU heatsink and if GPU is open-air or blower-type. Thus, further testing needs to be done. But those who would care about such testing, are few and far apart, only those few who have that smokestack tower case.