GPU rack density bands from 10 to 100+ kW
A facility's maximum rack density is not the same as a deployable design. Ask how many racks can operate at that density in one row or suite, what diversity is assumed and how the cooling capacity is measured.
Air, containment, RDHx and direct-to-chip
| Cooling approach | Best fit | Questions to resolve |
|---|---|---|
| Air cooling | Lower GPU density or a small number of engineered racks | Supply temperature, airflow, containment and sustained rack limit |
| Hot or cold aisle containment | Improved air efficiency at moderate density | Row layout, return-air path, fire suppression and cabinet compatibility |
| Rear-door heat exchanger | 20 to 60+ kW racks where facility water is available | Water temperature, pressure, redundancy, door weight and leak response |
| Direct-to-chip liquid | Dense AI clusters and 40 to 100+ kW racks | CDU ownership, secondary loop, fluid, controls, maintenance and warranty |
Usable power is not allocated power
A quoted 100 kW block can describe reserved utility capacity, UPS output, breaker capacity or usable IT load. Normalize every proposal to continuous usable IT kW at the cabinets, with the redundancy design and any operating headroom stated. Then verify whether the power can be concentrated at your required rack density.
Ten racks allocated 20 kW each do not automatically support two 80 kW GPU racks. The row busway, whips, cooling distribution and floor loading still need to match the actual concentration.
Rack weight and floor loading
GPU systems, manifolds, CDUs and rear-door heat exchangers can push rack weights beyond a conventional enterprise cabinet. Provide the final loaded weight, dimensions, center of gravity and service clearances. Confirm slab loading, point loads, anchoring, delivery route, freight elevator capacity and equipment handling before ordering.
Typical high-density pricing by market
These monthly rates are planning bands for roughly 10 to 40 kW deployments. Larger clusters may price differently. Cooling infrastructure, density concentration, network, tax and one-time engineering costs are not automatically included.
| Market | Planning range | Current sourcing status | Market page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashburn | $180 to $300/kW-mo | Provider confirmation required | Pricing and availability |
| Dallas | $140 to $240/kW-mo | Provider confirmation required | Pricing and availability |
| Atlanta | $160 to $285/kW-mo | Provider confirmation required | Pricing and availability |
| Chicago | $160 to $260/kW-mo | Provider confirmation required | Pricing and availability |
Planning bands synthesize public 2026 high-density market estimates. They are not provider quotes or evidence of live capacity. Pricing is normalized only after the deployment design is known.
GPU colocation deployment readiness checklist
- Initial and full-scale IT kW, rack count and ramp dates
- Server model, loaded rack weight and power-cord configuration
- Expected sustained and peak kW per rack
- Cooling approach, facility-water temperatures and CDU responsibility
- A/B distribution design and acceptable maintenance conditions
- Fabric topology, carrier bandwidth, cloud access and cross-connect count
- Staging, burn-in, remote hands and spare-parts requirements
- Future adjacent expansion and any required contractual rights
Find GPU-ready capacity that fits the actual design.
We will source across Ashburn, Dallas, Atlanta and Chicago, then normalize usable power, cooling, delivery and total commercial terms.