SOLVED Can I Cut GPU

[Mayhemster]

Hi All 

 

I’m working on a mid to mount my GPU vertical. So for so good, but the tab in front of the SLI bridge is making contact with the radiator at the exhaust. I want to cut it down a bit but am warriors this will damage the card. 

 

Any done a mod mod like this before?

[Mayhemster]

This is a Gigabyte GTX 1080TI extreme addition. 

[LienusLateTips]

Not a good idea, since there might be traces in a inner layer.

[Cyracus]

I can't see very well in the picture, but looks like some traces run up there. I have no clue what they might be for, could be important and brick your card, could be only related to sli in which case it would depend on if you care... chances of destroying your card if you cut it... ~67%

[Valkyrie Lenneth]

if u wanna void ur warranty forever and risk breaking it at the same time, cut ahead

 

if u give any kind of shit about the card then dont cut it lol

[Moress]

Never cut a PCB unless you want to kill a card.

[Lord Nicoll]

13 minutes ago, CUDA_Cores said:

1. It looks like there are traces where you want to cut. If you proceed with this mod, it is very likely you will kill your card. 

 

2. If this is juat a mod for a aesthetic reason, don't cut your card to begin with. No mod is currently worth the price of a 1080 ti. In 5 years that will change when we can get 1080 tis for $50, but for now this is what you have to live with. 

I wouldn't circumcise a GPU for looks. 
 

 

27 minutes ago, Mayhemster said:

snip

It looks like a couple of ground planes, but that means there are probably some buses underneath them. That PCB will have like 6 internal layers, without the board view files, I cannot say if there is anything there or not, however don't do it, there are no keep out zones there, there could be a lot of internal traces. I can already see 3 vias going to internal grounded points and a voltage probe point right beside it. 

[Mayhemster]

2 minutes ago, Lord Nicoll said:

I wouldn't circumcise a GPU for looks. 
 

 

It looks like a couple of ground planes, but that means there are probably some buses underneath them. That PCB will have like 6 internal layers, without the board view files, I cannot say if there is anything there or not, however don't do it, there are no keep out zones there, there could be a lot of internal traces. I can already see 3 vias going to internal grounded points and a voltage probe point right beside it. 

Excellent info - wasn’t sure if these were multi layered or not. I was concerned they might be. 

 

I cant mont the card atm - but I think I may be able to modify the radiator.

 

that’ll be the next rabit hole. 

 

Chees 

[Lord Nicoll]

Just now, Mayhemster said:

Excellent info - wasn’t sure if these were multi layered or not. I was concerned they might be. 

 

I cant mont the card atm - but I think I may be able to modify the radiator.

 

that’ll be the next rabit hole. 

 

Chees 

you'd be taking less of a risk to cut and solder in a new piece to the rad than to cut the PCB. 

[m0k]

i think you should look into modding your case slightly - so you can move the radiator a few millimeters instead 

[Mayhemster]

2 minutes ago, mok said:

i think you should look into modding your case slightly - so you can move the radiator a few millimeters instead 

Yeah - I haven’t figured out a good solution to do that yet. With my current mounting method I am as far back as I can be. My PCI bracket is making contact with the mother board.

 

It can be done, it just wouldn’t be as clean and could be much less secure the the method I am using. 

 

I’ll have to se once I’ve got everything in its final location. Certainly still an option though. 

[Cyracus]

if you don't have a matx board you could just put your card in the second pcie slot. Even if it's only pcie 3.0x8 you'll see the exact same performance out of the card...