What Is SXM?_
SXM is NVIDIA's high-power GPU module form factor that mounts directly onto an HGX baseboard rather than plugging into a PCIe slot. SXM modules support higher power delivery and full NVLink connectivity between GPUs, which is why data-center GPUs such as the H100, H200, and Blackwell parts are deployed as SXM modules in HGX and NVL72 systems rather than as PCIe cards.
Technical Details
The SXM socket delivers more power per GPU than a PCIe card slot can — recent SXM modules draw 700 W or more each — and exposes the full NVLink interface so that GPUs on an HGX baseboard interconnect at full bandwidth through NVSwitch. PCIe GPU variants, by contrast, are limited by slot power and use a PCIe-based or bridge-based interconnect with lower GPU-to-GPU bandwidth. SXM modules are not field-pluggable like PCIe cards; they are mounted to the baseboard with controlled torque and paired with cold plates for liquid cooling or large heatsinks for air. The form factor's power and bandwidth advantages make it the standard for training-class deployments, while PCIe GPUs serve lower-density or inference-oriented servers.
How Leviathan Systems Works with SXM
Leviathan Systems deploys SXM-based HGX and NVL72 systems, handling the assembly, cold-plate integration, and power and cabling work that the high-power SXM form factor requires.
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