- Chinese company transforms RTX 5090 cards into two-slot AI accelerators using custom PCBs
- Factory Automation in China Converts NVIDIA game GPUs to Hardware for Data Center
- Export restrictions bypassed when RTX 5090 boards are reworked for rack-clear AI modules
A video circulating in Bilibili shows how enterprising Chinese technicians convert GeForce RTX 5090 graphics cards to high-efficiency AI accelerators bypassing export restrictions in the process.
Instead of using retail -GPUs as it is, a local manufacturer GB202 chips and memory modules from the game plates remove.
The components are then transferred to custom two-slot PCB and paired with fan-style cooling, optimized for server rack environments.
Production of large scale
The operation seems to be run on a scale at factory level. Robot arm’s extract GPU modules, pick-and-place systems are reassembled them on redesigned plates, and automated soldering equipment ends the electrical work before visual inspection systems confirm adjustment and build quality.
The process is fast, repeatable and effective, far beyond what could be expected of a small workshop, but what makes this business even more remarkable is the large volume of the RTX 5090 card seen in the video, despite restrictions on their exports to China.
Nvidia has not officially released the 5090D variant, designed to comply with US sanctions, and yet shelves with full power RTX 5090 units can be seen undergoing retrofit.
Gaming models with three-fan cooling are too large for server chassis, and their power plugs are often placed awkward for rack use, so the cards are physically modified to fit data center restrictions.
The redesigned fan cards change the power entrance to the end of the tail of PCBs, simplify cable routing and avoid the risk of overheating.
From a hardware point of view, GPUS works identically.
By changing them on slimline, server-compatible boards create Chinese companies essentially their own advanced AI accelerators.
If hardware intended for players can be easily adapted to AI research and model training, questions about the effectiveness of the current export control must definitely be asked.
It is clear from the extent of the operation in the video that there is a strong demand for AI accelerators built of recycled RTX 5090 cards.
For AI developers in China, this means they can get the computing power they need, without having to rely on official supply channels.
Via Guru3d.com
