Nvidia is touting its new data center design, which runs servers at scorching temperatures of up to 45°C, claiming it can nearly eliminate water usage.

The move away from traditional air cooling towards full liquid cooling is part of a broader push by cloud providers and operators to build more efficient facilities. As Gizmodo points out, Nvidia’s blog doesn’t mention the costs associated with this approach but asserts that 'every cloud provider and data center operator building for Rubin is making the transition.'

In contrast, Amazon has highlighted higher heat tolerances as a way to make air-cooled data centers more efficient. With Nvidia’s system, heat is captured directly at the chip and transported through liquid loops, allowing for outdoor dry coolers that work efficiently much of the year.

According to Nvidia's head of sustainability, Josh Parker, this design can achieve up to a 100% reduction in water use compared to conventional cooling-tower-based systems. The efficiency gains are attributed partly to running AI servers hotter than usual, but this move doesn't address all concerns about the power generation and construction impacts.