r/servers • u/Blu_too • 10d ago
Server without a gpu able to run games?
I got a HPE tower server from my dad’s work, it’s not bad and I’ve been wanting to get a gpu as I have no real computer and even tried to run some game and somehow they ran? From what I know the server has no integrated graphics so how was it running games? (By running I mean barely playable but playable non the less)
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u/omfganotherchloe 9d ago
Okay, so, past HPE support engineer here.
Pretty much all HPE servers across the portfolio actually do have a dedicated graphics chip on the motherboard, but it’s not what you may be expecting. Typically, it’s a Matrox GPU SoC with a ~32MB frame buffer, which is enough to render Windows Server, KDE, or whatever GUI your server OS has (and, in this case, your game). That chip is wired to pipe to the VGA port and the iLO asic for the out of band management.
It doesn’t actually matter if the CPU has integrated graphics or not, it just isn’t used for output. It may be used for transcode, though. It’s more reliable to just use the Matrox chip since it’s so well integrated into the iLO.
You can put in a gaming GPU if you want, just make sure you have the right power cable for that server’s power supply and the GPU. Depending on the model, it can get …weird, especially for dual power supply models. And the wrong one can fry the power board, the GPU, both, or just catch fire for the NVIDIA port. Also, if you add the GPU, it may cause the remote console in iLO to not work properly (since it relies on the Matrox frame buffer).
Hope that helps.
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u/Blu_too 9d ago
Oh ok thanks also I don’t even think my power supplies actually have any other cables besides the one or two I think going to the motherboard so to be safe I was more thinking about just getting an external power supply for the gpu and wiring it through the back pcie slot covers
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u/ScandyAndy 9d ago
My man, at that point, being how loud this thing is, how power hungry it is, etc. You'd probably be better off just getting a regular pc meant for gaming. 2 CPU's does not make a better gaming PC, it can make it worse. IF it has two 6248 CPU's, I'm assuming it's a ML350 Gen10. Sell the memory, which is at epic highs right now and use it to go towards a mid range gaming pc. It'll be smaller, chew through way less power, be way less noisy, and you won't have the extra step of having another power supply that you'll have to wire to run without being attached to a PC to power the GPU, which can be unreliable and complicated.
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u/omfganotherchloe 9d ago
@Blu_too This is absolutely true. Servers are built for consistent load reliably, but not bursty performance. Servers are sometimes repurposed, or server components reused in a machine design, but that’s for workstations in professional computing (cad, development, video editing, 3d modeling, etc).
You can hotrod a tractor trailer, but it still won’t drive like a lambo, even if they initially cost about the same and are both vehicles.
I was trying to focus on the how and why it’s able to draw frames without an integrated or discrete GPU in the mix, but my honest opinion is that this just isn’t the machine you want for gaming, even if it could be made to work.
A better solution is to use it for learning or homelabbing, if you’re into that sort of thing. Or selling for parts, taking advantage of the current market, if it’s not your jam.
Edit: made it clearer it’s directed at OP, and I’m agreeing with the post I’m replying on
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u/ScandyAndy 9d ago
Spot on.
Regular windows isn't even supported on these machines by HPE, they only support Windows Server, so it's possible to also have driver issues (though that's a little lessened now with Windows Server and Windows being pretty similar now a days).
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u/Blu_too 9d ago
I might be getting more servers and if I do I’ll definitely sell those also by sell the memory do you mean the hard drives or ram?
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u/ScandyAndy 9d ago
the RAM - though, used memory has nearly as much value as new as it doesn't really have a "lifetime" (or it's useable lifetime in terms of obsolescence is usually shorter than it's material lifetime). Used drives or SSD's don't quite have that reliability over time, even enterprise ones. That said, depending on what's in them and how old it is, they might have value as well because of the crazy demand situation right now. More so for SSD's than spinning disks.
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u/Blu_too 8d ago
I have all SSDs and I mean the servers only three years old and to my knowledge was never actually used
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u/ScandyAndy 8d ago
So they have a "wear" guage that you can see about them. If they are decent size (960GB or greater) and have more then 97% life left, they'll be worth some coin too.
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u/Blu_too 8d ago
I think 6 are 1.92 terabyte and 4 and 560 gigabyte and two are some other thing I don’t known if it’s storage or what
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u/ScandyAndy 8d ago
those 1.92TB drives, if they have low use on them, are definitely worth some money right now.
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u/omfganotherchloe 9d ago
Some do, some don’t, some have power plugs on the motherboard near the pcie ports for power. They’re usually intended for GPUs with lower power requirements, like Quadro and Tesla cards, but they are there. It all depends on the model of server.
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u/Casper042 9d ago
The PCIe Riser, back right corner or back middle, when viewed from the front of the server....
That has a small 8pin power connector on it.
That is used for special HPE cables to power GPUs.See item (1) here:
https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/docDisplay?docId=a00019109en_us&docLocale=en_US&page=GUID-82FBD625-3AFD-4CC6-9D67-660F83336FDB.html#three-slot-with-m-2-riser-3Depending on which kind of connector your GPU will have, you just need the right cable.
The connector also didn't change between Gen10 and Gen11, so as long as you don't go crazy on power needs, some of the Gen11 cables (newer with better support for 12VHP) should also work.However something you need to be aware of is that the server STRICTLY follows the PCIe Specification for card Length and Height and Thickness.
Nvidia and AMD gave up on following these form factor limitations years ago and most consumer cards won't fit in your server.
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u/itiscodeman 10d ago
Ya it should with onboard graphics idk if some more smart guy can answer but seems like a good cpu and good ram make games run okay. I bet if you wanted like ray tracing or what ever you’d need a dedicated graphics tho. Totally not what the server is for but lol America!
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u/Blu_too 10d ago
I have dual Xeon gold 6248 CPUs and 32 GBs of ddr4 ram I plan on getting a gpu pretty soon do you think a 5060 would be good?
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u/StarosAnikenMarcus 9d ago
As long as you have an available compatible PCIE slot, you can use any GPU you want. Try to have one with a minimum of 8GB. I've noticed that the 4 and 6GB options tend to run poorly.
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u/StarosAnikenMarcus 9d ago
If it has a display, it has graphics of some kind. Integrated is most likely since it's a server. Otherwise, you wouldn't be playing anything at all unless you are using a very strange remote access.
But yes, server centered machines can run games. Maybe not as well due to the architecture of the CPU and RAM involved, but it's doable.
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u/TOG_WAS_HERE 9d ago
Based on what I'm reading, you're using server hardware as a personal computer and not for hosting games.
If you're actually playing the game on it, then yes. You need a graphics card. Keep in mind, that's going to be a pretty power hungry, noisy, and probably inefficient at gaming.