TL;DR
If you’re planning to install an RTX GPU into a Dell R740 or similar 2U server, you should keep in mind:
- Card Size: Keep it within strict 2 slots and ~112mm in width.
- Power: Aim for GPUs under 300W TDP (you can restrict power if needed)
- Bigger GPUs? Get ready to saw the air shroud and possibly remove Riser 2
- Performance: Tested RTX 4070 FE + Xeon Gold 6130 x2 + 128GB RAM ran Battlefield 2042 in 4K Ultra at 50–60 FPS (with DLSS) via Moonlight.
Why I Did This
Thanks to the amazing communities over at r/homelab and r/sffpc, I decided to give my R740 server a GPU boost using an NVIDIA RTX 4070 Founders Edition. Here’s a breakdown of everything I learned—what works, what doesn’t, and how to avoid the major pitfalls.
1. Choosing the Right GPU
Dell’s R740 supports up to 300W per PCIe GPU (75W from the slot + 225W from the cable). Here are a few things to keep in mind:
- The RTX 4070 Ti runs close to the limit at 285W.
- If you need more power, you could experiment with extra PCIe power lines or even an external power supply—but YMMV.
- I went with NVIDIA because I’m using Proxmox VE and need CUDA support. AMD cards might work, but QEMU PCIe passthrough success stories are rare.
- Blower-style GPUs are nearly extinct. While you can get 4070–4090 blowers, they’re often absurdly expensive and no longer officially supported by NVIDIA, and only sold from suspicious sellers.
2. Fitment: Size Matters
Want a smooth install without modding your server?
- Stick to 290mm (L) x 42mm (H) x 112mm (W) or smaller.
- Note: many RTX GPUs have the power connector right in the middle, which may force you to bend the cable harshly or use a 90-degree power connector.
- If you’re okay with modding: removing the upper section of the air shroud can give you room for up to 300mm cards. Note this is a non-GPU shroud, whereas the GPU shroud might have to be completely removed, as they tend to extend longer towards the rear of the chassis.
- Bigger than 2-slot width? You’ll lose airflow shrouding and only be able to use Riser 1. This also affects where you can run your power cables.
- The height must not exceed 112mm. There is a small wiggle room, yet most modern gaming GPUs won’t fit.
3. GPU Passthrough on Proxmox
Passthrough worked perfectly using The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to GPU Passthrough.
I experienced minimal performance loss, likely due to older CPUs. Still, it’s good enough to run Battlefield 2042 on Ultra Settings (4K) with DLSS, hitting 60 FPS through Moonlight on my MacBook’s 4K 60Hz display. Generally, even with virtualization the performance loss is within expectation.
If you’re thinking of going AMD: beware. I found tons of unsolved [HELP] threads, especially for RX 7000 series cards.
4. Controlling Those Loud Fans
From 14th Gen Dell servers onward, and if you’re running iDRAC v3.30.30.30 or higher, IPMI won’t work. Here’s what you can do:
- Use: bashCopyEdit
racadm set System.PCIESlotLFM.<#>.LFMMode disabledReplace<#>with the PCIe slot number (1 to 7). - This disables only the third-party fan response—your fans will still spin up a bit due to airflow interference.
Want full control? You’ll need to downgrade iDRAC to v3.30.30.30 and use IPMI commands. More on these topic on this Dell community thread.
Also, while testing my R7525 for other purposes, I found out that using Standard / Silver fans instead of Gold ones (which are required for GPU-enabled servers) has no issues with iDRAC / Dell whatsoever. If the fans ramping up is making you crazy, you may simply buy low-power standard fans and swap them out.
5. Power Cables You’ll Need
Search for the Dell 0TR5TP power cable. There’s a version with dual (6+2)-pin connectors too—handy for modern GPUs.
Recommended GPUs That Fit
Confirmed working / should fit:
- ✅ NVIDIA RTX 4070 (SUPER) FE
- ✅ NVIDIA RTX 4060 Ti FE
- ✅ Most blower-style cards (even RTX 4090s, physically fits)
- ✅ Small form-factor RTX 4060s or lower
Might Work (Check Dimensions):
- ⚠️ Inno3D RTX 4070 Twin X2
- ⚠️ Inno3D RTX 4070 Ti X3
- ⚠️ Gigabyte RTX 4070 Ti Windforce
- ⚠️ Gigabyte RTX 4070 Ti Eagle V2
- ⚠️ Other ~270mm cards around 110mm
For a comprehensive compatibility guide, check out this SFFPC GPU Size Spreadsheet (courtesy of r/sffpc).
Final Thoughts
Putting a modern RTX card into a rackmount server isn’t as wild as it sounds—it just takes planning, maybe a little modding, and the right community advice. If you’re looking to transform your homelab into a hybrid gaming-and-virtualization beast, I can say this build is 100% worth the effort.
Happy tinkering! 🔧🖥️🎮
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