Riser card

IBM PS2 MCA Model 55 SX, slot riser card

Riser card

A riser card is a printed circuit board that allows a computer expansion card to be installed parallel to the motherboard, rather than perpendicular to it. This is particularly useful in situations where space is limited, such as in 1U and 2U rack-mounted servers, small form factor (SFF) computers, and other compact systems.

Functionality

Riser cards are used to extend the PCI Express (PCIe), PCI, or AGP slots of a motherboard. They can also provide additional slots for expansion cards, allowing for more hardware to be installed in a system. Riser cards can be passive, simply extending the slot, or active, incorporating additional circuitry to manage signals and power.

Types of Riser Cards

There are several types of riser cards, including:

• PCI Riser Cards: Used to extend PCI slots.
• PCIe Riser Cards: Used to extend PCIe slots, available in various configurations such as x1, x4, x8, and x16.
• AGP Riser Cards: Used to extend AGP slots, though these are less common due to the obsolescence of AGP.

Applications

Riser cards are commonly used in:

• Servers: To maximize the use of limited space in rack-mounted systems.
• Small form factor (SFF) PCs: To fit expansion cards in compact cases.
• Mining rigs: To connect multiple GPUs for cryptocurrency mining.

Installation

Installing a riser card involves inserting it into the appropriate slot on the motherboard and then attaching the expansion card to the riser card. Care must be taken to ensure proper alignment and secure connections to avoid damage to the components.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages

• Allows for the use of expansion cards in compact systems.
• Can provide additional slots for more hardware.
• Facilitates better airflow and cooling in densely packed systems.

Disadvantages

• Potential for signal degradation, especially with longer riser cards.
• Additional points of failure due to more connections.
• May require additional power connectors.

Related Pages

• Motherboard
• PCI Express
• Small form factor
• Server (computing)
• Graphics processing unit