This article is misleading: The cards are already “AI accelerators” they just come in monstrous sizes and coolers that aren’t suitable for cramming more than one into a computer (server) case.
What the Chinese chop shops are doing is removing the components and resoldering them on to smaller PCBs and putting on smaller (but more powerful and jet-engine loud) exhaust-style coolers.
Basically it’s just old fashioned harvesting and re-using of PCB components. A common thing during the shortages of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Not sure exactly what you’re asking, but usually servers are built in a way that several units can be stacked on top of each other in a rack, which makes it important that air comes in from the front and exits from the back. The smaller coolers then allow you to cram more GPUs next to each other since the higher heat density won’t matter due to the airflow speed inside the case.
It made sense. There were also university CS departments doing the same thing. The Cell processor in the PS3 was pretty damn powerful for the price at the time.
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