The cooling systems of the NVIDIA DGX Station and DGX Spark differ significantly due to their design and power requirements.
DGX Station Cooling System
The DGX Station, particularly the older models like the DGX Station A100, employs a sophisticated refrigerant-based cooling system. This system includes cold plates mounted to the GPUs and CPU, a single circulation pump, plumbing to interconnect components, and a heat exchanger unit with a refrigerant reservoir. The system is designed to be maintenance-free, eliminating the need for water level checks or refills, and it operates quietly with a noise level below 37 dB. This cooling setup allows the DGX Station to handle high GPU and CPU temperatures efficiently, making it suitable for office environments without requiring extensive infrastructure like data centers[2][7].
The newer DGX Station models, powered by the NVIDIA GB300 Grace Blackwell Ultra Desktop Superchip, likely continue to utilize advanced cooling solutions to manage the high performance and power consumption of these systems. Given the emphasis on water-cooling in previous models, it is plausible that similar or enhanced liquid cooling methods are used to maintain optimal operating temperatures[10].
DGX Spark Cooling System
In contrast, the DGX Spark is designed as a compact, power-efficient solution with a much lower power consumption of 170W compared to the DGX Station's higher power requirements[4][9]. The DGX Spark does not require a complex cooling system like the DGX Station. Instead, it likely relies on air cooling or a simpler thermal management system, given its smaller form factor and lower heat output. This makes it suitable for connecting to a regular electrical socket and operating in typical office environments without the need for specialized cooling infrastructure[9].
Overall, the DGX Station's cooling system is more advanced and capable of handling higher power and heat loads, while the DGX Spark's cooling is simpler and more suited to its compact, lower-power design.
Citations:
[1] https://nvidianews.nvidia.com/news/nvidia-announces-dgx-spark-and-dgx-station-personal-ai-computers
[2] https://www.robusthpc.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/nvidia-dgx-station-a100-system-architecture-white-paper_published.pdf
[3] https://www.guru3d.com/story/nvidia-grace-blackwell-chips-based-dgx-spark-and-station-unveiled/
[4] https://www.maginative.com/article/nvidia-unveils-dgx-spark-and-dgx-station-desktop-ai-supercomputers-for-the-developer-masses/
[5] https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/gpus/nvidia-ceo-admits-next-gen-dgx-systems-necessitate-liquid-cooling-and-the-new-systems-are-coming-soon
[6] https://ghsitefinitytesting.blob.core.windows.net/atg-cms-work/docs/default-source/pdf-downloads/manuals/463555dgdgxpilotignitioniommarch2006-(1).pdf?sfvrsn=6131ebae_9
[7] https://images.nvidia.com/content/newsletters/email/pdf/DGX-Station-WP.pdf
[8] https://www.techpowerup.com/334300/nvidia-announces-dgx-spark-and-dgx-station-personal-ai-computers
[9] https://www.pcmag.com/news/what-is-nvidias-dgx-station-a-new-specialized-desktop-line-for-ai-work
[10] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nvidia_DGX
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2025/03/18/gtc_frame_nvidias_budget_blackwell/