- Chinese companies convert RTX 5090 cards into two-slot AI accelerator using custom PCB
- China Factory Automation converts Nvidia gaming GPU to data center hardware
- Export restrictions are bypassed as RTX 5090 boards are reworked into rack-enabled AI modules
Videos circulating Bilibili show that enterprising Chinese engineers are converting GeForce RTX 5090 graphics cards into highly efficient AI accelerators, bypassing export restrictions on the process.
Instead of using retail GPUs, local manufacturers are removing the GB202 chip and memory modules from the game board.
Next, you transfer the components to a custom 2-slot PCB, combined with blower-style cooling optimized for server rack environments.
Large scale production
The operations appear to be performed at a factory level scale. The robot arm extracts the GPU module, reassembles the pick-and-place system into a redesigned board, and an automated soldering device completes the electrical work.
The process is fast, reproducible and efficient, far beyond what you might expect from a small workshop, but what makes the company even more noteworthy is the enormous amount of RTX 5090 cards seen in the video despite export restrictions to China.
Nvidia has not officially released the 5090D variant designed to comply with US sanctions, but you can see the shelves of the full-power RTX 5090 units undergoing renovations.
The 3-fan cooling game model is too large for a server chassis. Power connectors are often awkwardly placed for use in racks, so the cards are physically altered to fit the constraints of the data center.
The redesigned blower card shifts the power input to the PCB tail end, simplifying cable routing and avoiding the risk of overheating.
From a hardware perspective, the GPU works the same way.
By shifting to a slim line of server-compatible boards, Chinese companies are essentially creating their own high-end AI accelerators.
If hardware for gamers can adapt very easily to AI research and model training, questions regarding the effectiveness of current export controls should definitely be asked.
The scale of video operations clearly shows strong demand for AI accelerators built from reused RTX 5090 cards.
For Chinese AI developers, this means they can get the computing power they need without relying on official supply channels.
via guru3d.com
