Are riserless motherboards more power efficient?

[jmigdlc99]

Been seeing more of those riserless GPU builds which already contain multiple 16x PCIE slots so that you can directly plug your card in.
Here is an example: https://www.tweaktown.com/news/59124/colorfuls-new-mining-motherboard-8-pcie-x16-slots/index.html

Now i'm just wondering if anyone already has experience with these and how they are in terms of power consumption / savings / efficiency?

[Lampaster]

I do not work with these motherboards and you do not recommend. It will be more expensive than under mining second hand old motherboard. For me, one of the most important criteria when assembling the installation is the payback time. I guarantee you that I'll get a setup for mining on 8 GPU 3-4 times cheaper than this option.

[wacko]

Been seeing more of those riserless GPU builds which already contain multiple 16x PCIE slots so that you can directly plug your card in.
Here is an example: https://www.tweaktown.com/news/59124/colorfuls-new-mining-motherboard-8-pcie-x16-slots/index.html

Now i'm just wondering if anyone already has experience with these and how they are in terms of power consumption / savings / efficiency?

Unless you're running either watercooled GPUs in them, or putting them in a case with some super high CFM fans — I doubt you'll save anything in terms of power consumption. The cooler the GPUs run, the less power they consume. It's not too much of a difference usually, but with 8 cards it still might be noticeable. And when you put 8 cards so close together, they're gonna run hot (unless * see the first sentence).

[bathrobehero]

There's literally no reason that it would allow for more efficiency. In fact, it's more the opposite since the cards are so close together that they will have probably throttle themselves due to high thermals. Well, downclocking is almost always more effecient, but you could do that with a properly cooled system as well.

For mining, you either leave a big enough gap between the cards to let their cooling work or you use super loud high performance fans which also uses more electricity, throwing both efficiency and being quiet out of the window. Or water cooling but that costs too much and it's quite finnicky...

[Wotan Wipeout]

Even for watercooled it doesnt make sense.
I have watercooled rigs and 4 GPUs are fine.

https://www.ekwb.com/shop/ek-fc-terminal-x4-acetal

connects 4 GPUs on a MB with 4 x PCI-E.

You would need some space to connect 2 of these.

For 7 GPUs you can use

https://www.ekwb.com/shop/ek-fc-terminal-x7-acetal

But in this case you need 7 1080ti.... single slot.

I like watercooled rigs because they run somewhat quiet and i use mine as a heater....


Wotan

[Wotan Wipeout]

@ Bathroomheater

He could use 1070 Katanas...


Wotan

[bathrobehero]

@ Bathroomheater

He could use 1070 Katanas...


Wotan

Bathroomheater 

The katanas are very loud and hot. Really awful for mining.

[wacko]

Bathroomheater 

Lol'ed hard at this. Still can't stop laughing.

Now i'm just wondering if anyone already has experience with these and how they are in terms of power consumption / savings / efficiency?

I guess they're only good for saving space. You know, when you have to have a closed rig that you put on server rails or something, in a datacenter. Otherwise I don't see the point.

[Wotan Wipeout]

I dont care the loudness. (I dont have any of them but my rigs are always loud)

Mostly i have 3 Scythe Ultrakaze for eacht Rig.

For new rigs i use

SilverStone SST-FHP141 v 2.0

These are the best i have got so far.

@Bathrobehero

Sorry 

I couldnt resist....

[KaydenC]

It's probably negligible. There's tiny losses of power through the riser cables.

In practice, these will use more power because cards are closer and will be hotter.

Hotter equipment are less efficient. OR you use high CFM fans in a server case = more power
But they might make your hot/cold air aisle more efficient, saving cooling energy on your entire warehouse compared to having all open air rigs.

Depends

However I think it's more reliable because one major source of failure is eliminated.

[NameTaken]

Fans just use a few watts and you would be saving the cost of risers, frame, space, complexity, mess.

[wacko]

Fans just use a few watts and you would be saving the cost of risers, frame, space, complexity, mess.

High CFM fans actually use quite a lot, an 8-gpu rig in a case will use at least 3 of them in the front and 3 in the back, like this one: https://i.imgur.com/ZrAQbSD.jpg
6 fans might add up to 40-100W to the system's consumption, depending on RPM, of course.

Regarding the frame cost, you're most likely losing money here, cause a case like pictured above is gonna cost more than a self-made simple open rig aluminum frame.

Totally agree with you about the complexity and mess though, these closed rigs are neat.

[NameTaken]

Fans just use a few watts and you would be saving the cost of risers, frame, space, complexity, mess.

High CFM fans actually use quite a lot, an 8-gpu rig in a case will use at least 3 of them in the front and 3 in the back, like this one: https://i.imgur.com/ZrAQbSD.jpg
6 fans might add up to 40-100W to the system's consumption, depending on RPM, of course.

Regarding the frame cost, you're most likely losing money here, cause a case like pictured above is gonna cost more than a self-made simple open rig aluminum frame.

Totally agree with you about the complexity and mess though, these closed rigs are neat.

A case or frame is not required as you can just use the motherboard or any box to elevate the motherboard so cards can hang over the side.

[0xcosmos]

it can be worth a short but only if the motherboard is priced okay
it can be a good solution for a gpu server rack
but only further test can conclude the above