Enclosure for external GPU

There are times when you need to add a GPU, but it won't fit into your PC case. This could be because your PC case only allows half-height cards but your GPU is a full-height card. Or there is only space for a single-slot card in the case and your GPU takes up two slots.

In my case, it was both. The Dell Poweredge R430 rack server that I have only allows half-height, single-slot cards. This limits the options for adding GPUs. I had been thinking of a way around this, and one idea is to use a PCI-E extension card to allow a GPU to be connected from outside the case. The problem is that this would leave the GPU exposed. So I needed some form of enclosure.

Well, I have a 3D printer, and a bit of FreeCAD knowledge. And this is the result.

Basically, I bought a PCI-E extension cable from Aliexpress together with a stand. The 3D-printed enclosure is attached to the stand, and covers the top, front, back, and end of the GPU (the bottom of the GPU is covered by the stand). The goal is not to protect the GPU, but just prevent someone from touching the moving fan or any exposed PCB components. The assumption is that the GPU draws up to 75W of power, all through PCI-E. If additional power is required, the power connector will need to be extended so that it can reach outside the case (the top of the enclosure can be removed to plug in a power connector).

This is the PCI-E extension cable and stand.

Now, all that remains is to find a more powerful GPU to connect to the R430...