Cooling solutions for gaming GPUs that use a blower-type design are becoming outdated. Despite this, due to the price difference between GeForce gaming and RTX workstation solutions, many researchers, or individuals who require additional computing power, may still choose gaming GPUs. However, NVIDIA is actively making it more challenging for such people by restricting the functionality of gaming cards or prohibiting board partners from creating blower designs.
It appears that Gigabyte may have included a blower fan in their RTX 4090 design. An image discovered by MEGAsizeGPU showcases an RTX 4090 board design, probably borrowed from the RTX 4090 WindForce model. This design includes a dual-slot blower fan. Additionally, the leaker has also revealed the full specifications of this card, confirming that it is indeed the RTX 4090 GPU, featuring a 450W TGP and a single 16-pin power connector.
The card is shipped with NVIDIA reference clocks, and there is no indication that this card will perform well with a power target higher than 450W, even though it comes with a quad 8-pin to 16-pin adapter.
It is possible that Gigabyte’s RTX 4090 with a blower fan may not be an official design. If the card is using a reference PCB design, some companies may be selling their custom cooling designs for existing models without the involvement of the board supplying company. This could be why the label on the PCB indicates that it’s a WindForce card, although it’s evidently not one.
Source: MEGAsizeGPU