RTX 5090 FE is nowhere in sight... neither are any of the AIB models. That is what's putting my build on hold right now. I'm willing to contemplate a case like @riba2233's MNLT to drastically ease the constraints on CPU cooler and PCIe5.0 riser, I do think a build with that and 9950x3d or future zen 6 16 (24??!) core X3D SKU would be epic, though I haven't even looked into whether it's remotely realistic for any AIB 5090 to be able to fit into one.
There is one b-stock MNLT in stock that I can see! But I'll hold off because the availability of the GPU and the DLSS4 transformer upscaler release has really breathed some more life into my existing system.
As to the above back and forth about U-ITX's ability to handle heat... I don't think there is necessarily any misinformation, i think people just have huge differences in what "acceptable noise" is.
Ever since I became an SFF insane person, I have been willing to drop volume at almost any cost, which includes temps and noise, and that does mean my 3080Ti velka 7 is actually screaming loud in its standard configuration, that is, no extra fans bolted on the side of the case to force feed the GPU. @MarcParis was mentioning at one point 1400rpm on the 4080 being an issue, bro... 1400RPM is whisper quiet... When your temps are shooting to 90 within a minute at 1400RPM you're a lot more willing to crank more RPMs to keep them in check.
As his post also demonstrates, the 1400rpm 65C temps on that 4080 only rise to low 70's C at 1100RPM. That's ... that's in a far away galaxy compared to my 3080Ti flirting with 90C at stock trying to suck in air through the side panel without added high static pressure case fans bolted on top of it. The stock fans max out over 3000 RPM. They get LOUD. Now given those numbers, that 4080 could probably survive at 600 RPM staying in the mid 80's C pushing those 300W... that triple slot FE cooler is a real beast. What is important to understand is that Marc's recommendation to keep the GPU under 250W is under a very strict noise limit for comfort reasons. But some of us are doing SFF because if it isn't under a certain size, we can't bring the rig with us on trips. In most cases I do not care one bit that it is loud, and it is still not nearly as loud as a high end gaming laptop. I would say something like I have my closed back headphones to use, but the truth is that those headphones are far too bulky as well to consider bringing on a trip. Luckily, airpods pros have got this covered, and are a necessity for the airplane anyway.
Sure 5090 will push more heat and sit at a higher temp compared to 4090, but with how thin it is, we'll be able to do lots of things, like space it appropriately away from the panel so it can suck more effectively, and we can do some ducting to keep the flows separated from other components. Not directly blowing its exhaust on anything other than a side panel with lots of ventilation is nearly optimal, and I see essentially zero compromise. I don't have too many qualms pushing GPU core temp to low 80s C, and if we combine that with no upper limit on fan RPMs, I think it's clear the U-ITX is totally fine for a 5090 and should clearly outperform other competing SFFs by eliminating things like exhaust air blasting mobo/SSD, mixing with CPU intake, and so on. When noise is an issue, a healthy undervolt can bring it to a fully tamed 400w power level without losing too much performance. I very much doubt I will find need for bolted on case fans to augment airflow if I do a 5090 U-ITX build.
Anyway what I'm very interested in w.r.t. the U-ITX would be in exploring changing the GPU's orientation to prevent routing the riser near it to maximize flow-through cooling, it's only a need for the 5090FE but a good enough solution might be practical for other high power components such as 4090FE as well. If you have a high quality silicon 4090 it is known to get 10 or even 15% more performance if you pump 600W through it!
From what I can see depending on mobo geometry, such a mount:
may be possible as well, but that will need to move where the PCI bracket will be mounted on the case, which is getting into questionable territory already (not to mention I suspect the PCIe power may impact the PSU with the card shifted over that far). I think the way to go for the U-ITX at least will be to still use a flexible (but very short) riser and do whatever it takes to make the PCI bracket fit into the frame when the card is flipped over.
I keep going back and forth on this but another avenue for 5090 build may be an open build like the xproto, the footprint of a sandwich vertical case is optimal. This property has turned out for me to be one of the velka 7's most delightful features. BTW the adhesive of the rubber feet it came with melted off very quickly since the entire case reaches 50C by my estimation. Super glue did the trick. Still madly in love with my velka 7.
For portability for an open case, then, what i realized was that a custom fabricated protector case/shell may be able do the job, done carefully enough might even be durable enough for air travel, which is a path toward eliminating the single big drawback of an open design without panels. Then during operation we get the optimality of a full open bench setup without panels to impede airflow, and the possibility of also flipping the GPU to exhaust straight out the side provides an elegant space heater use case. During the winter I legitimately wish that my velka 7 had less impeded flowthrough so the warmth could flow at me more directly.
Still, U-ITX remains at the center of my crosshairs for 5090.
There is one b-stock MNLT in stock that I can see! But I'll hold off because the availability of the GPU and the DLSS4 transformer upscaler release has really breathed some more life into my existing system.
As to the above back and forth about U-ITX's ability to handle heat... I don't think there is necessarily any misinformation, i think people just have huge differences in what "acceptable noise" is.
Ever since I became an SFF insane person, I have been willing to drop volume at almost any cost, which includes temps and noise, and that does mean my 3080Ti velka 7 is actually screaming loud in its standard configuration, that is, no extra fans bolted on the side of the case to force feed the GPU. @MarcParis was mentioning at one point 1400rpm on the 4080 being an issue, bro... 1400RPM is whisper quiet... When your temps are shooting to 90 within a minute at 1400RPM you're a lot more willing to crank more RPMs to keep them in check.
As his post also demonstrates, the 1400rpm 65C temps on that 4080 only rise to low 70's C at 1100RPM. That's ... that's in a far away galaxy compared to my 3080Ti flirting with 90C at stock trying to suck in air through the side panel without added high static pressure case fans bolted on top of it. The stock fans max out over 3000 RPM. They get LOUD. Now given those numbers, that 4080 could probably survive at 600 RPM staying in the mid 80's C pushing those 300W... that triple slot FE cooler is a real beast. What is important to understand is that Marc's recommendation to keep the GPU under 250W is under a very strict noise limit for comfort reasons. But some of us are doing SFF because if it isn't under a certain size, we can't bring the rig with us on trips. In most cases I do not care one bit that it is loud, and it is still not nearly as loud as a high end gaming laptop. I would say something like I have my closed back headphones to use, but the truth is that those headphones are far too bulky as well to consider bringing on a trip. Luckily, airpods pros have got this covered, and are a necessity for the airplane anyway.
Sure 5090 will push more heat and sit at a higher temp compared to 4090, but with how thin it is, we'll be able to do lots of things, like space it appropriately away from the panel so it can suck more effectively, and we can do some ducting to keep the flows separated from other components. Not directly blowing its exhaust on anything other than a side panel with lots of ventilation is nearly optimal, and I see essentially zero compromise. I don't have too many qualms pushing GPU core temp to low 80s C, and if we combine that with no upper limit on fan RPMs, I think it's clear the U-ITX is totally fine for a 5090 and should clearly outperform other competing SFFs by eliminating things like exhaust air blasting mobo/SSD, mixing with CPU intake, and so on. When noise is an issue, a healthy undervolt can bring it to a fully tamed 400w power level without losing too much performance. I very much doubt I will find need for bolted on case fans to augment airflow if I do a 5090 U-ITX build.
Anyway what I'm very interested in w.r.t. the U-ITX would be in exploring changing the GPU's orientation to prevent routing the riser near it to maximize flow-through cooling, it's only a need for the 5090FE but a good enough solution might be practical for other high power components such as 4090FE as well. If you have a high quality silicon 4090 it is known to get 10 or even 15% more performance if you pump 600W through it!
From what I can see depending on mobo geometry, such a mount:
may be possible as well, but that will need to move where the PCI bracket will be mounted on the case, which is getting into questionable territory already (not to mention I suspect the PCIe power may impact the PSU with the card shifted over that far). I think the way to go for the U-ITX at least will be to still use a flexible (but very short) riser and do whatever it takes to make the PCI bracket fit into the frame when the card is flipped over.
I keep going back and forth on this but another avenue for 5090 build may be an open build like the xproto, the footprint of a sandwich vertical case is optimal. This property has turned out for me to be one of the velka 7's most delightful features. BTW the adhesive of the rubber feet it came with melted off very quickly since the entire case reaches 50C by my estimation. Super glue did the trick. Still madly in love with my velka 7.
For portability for an open case, then, what i realized was that a custom fabricated protector case/shell may be able do the job, done carefully enough might even be durable enough for air travel, which is a path toward eliminating the single big drawback of an open design without panels. Then during operation we get the optimality of a full open bench setup without panels to impede airflow, and the possibility of also flipping the GPU to exhaust straight out the side provides an elegant space heater use case. During the winter I legitimately wish that my velka 7 had less impeded flowthrough so the warmth could flow at me more directly.
Still, U-ITX remains at the center of my crosshairs for 5090.
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