Customizing a 3D-printed GPU fan housing with a DDR5 slot slot doesn't grant the ability to boost VRAM, but it certainly offers an aesthetically pleasing appeal.
In the world of gaming and technology, the concept of upgradable GPU memory has been a relic of the past for quite some time. However, a recent creation by an unnamed modder has brought this idea back to the forefront, albeit in a unique and modern way.
The modder, who appears to have taken inspiration from the Asus Dual-series design, has 3D-printed a fan shroud for a GeForce RTX GPU, incorporating a single DDR5 memory slot. This innovative design places the DDR5 slot at the front of the modded graphics card, a departure from the traditional placement of memory slots.
Skilled GPU repair technicians and modders have been upgrading modern Nvidia and AMD GPUs with larger capacity memory ICs, but the DDR5 slot in this creation is not for adding new memory slots. Instead, it's for adding larger capacity memory ICs to existing GPUs, a practice known as memory modding.
Despite the allure of upgradable memory slots, modern-day GPUs do not natively support adding extra memory like DDR5. This is due to cost, complexity, performance requirements, and cooling issues, as was the case in the 2000s when upgradable GPU memory was no longer a common feature.
The ATI 3D Rage II, a video card from the 90s, was one of the graphics cards that featured an upgradable memory slot. Users could double the card's memory capacity with this slot. However, today, the closest thing to expandable memory in GPUs is memory modding.
It's important to note that the modder has wired the RAM slot with power to allow RGB-equipped DDR5 memory to light up, adding a visually appealing touch to the white ROG-branded graphics card. The end result is a GPU that boasts a RAM stick on the side, complementing the GPU's internal RGB lighting, assuming the RAM stick installed has RGB capabilities.
While the modder's 3D-printed creation might have been made just for fun, it serves as a nostalgic nod to the past when graphics cards with upgradable RAM were a reality. DDR5 memory, although incorporated in this unique mod, is significantly slower than GDDR7, the type of memory commonly used in modern GPUs.
In conclusion, while upgradable GPU memory is no longer a common feature in today's GPUs, this 3D-printed mod serves as a testament to the creativity and ingenuity of modders in the gaming community. It's a fascinating blend of the past and the present, showcasing what can be achieved when technology meets innovation.
