Will Any Graphics Card Fit in My Case?

[Bulldog17]

I'm ready to upgrade the wimpy OEM graphics card that came with my Dell mini-tower computer. (It's an nVidia G310.) What I have in mind is a Sapphire Vapor-X HD5770 1GB. I'm comfortable with working inside my computer, but I am concerned about whether this card will fit inside the case. Here's a look at my current graphics card:

As you can see, there's some electronic 'stuff' directly in front of the existing graphics card, and what looks like small cooling fins. I'm particularly concerned about the two pairs of 'silos' (forgive me), as well as the next card slot and the button battery. Is all this stuff going to make it impossible to fit the new graphics card into my case?

Here's another question: The front edge of the card is going to have to pass underneath the SATA cables going to my hard drives (2) and DVD reader. Is there any problem with draping these cables over the top of the new graphics card?

Thanks so much for your help. Tom's forums are what turns amateurs like me into confident technicians.

 

[hunter315]

How high up do the capacitors(silos) stick up? If they dont make it above the PCI-E slot it will still work, but what actually concerns me more is the chipset heatsink, how high up does that stick? If it goes up above the bottom edge of the card you will be restricted to cards with single slot coolers which greatly limits your options.

 

[Bulldog17]

Aha...so they're capacitors, and that's the chipset heatsink. Good to know.

I'll need to open up my case again and measure how high these things are. then I'll report back.

Re: the capacitors...even if they are higher than the PCIe slot, it may not matter. That would depend on whether my prospective new video card bulges out at that point. It might be difficult to know until I actually try to put it in.

Thanks for your help.

 

[Bulldog17]

The capacitors are certainly higher than the PCIe slot, but just by a bit. I'll need to measure very carefully before choosing a new graphics card. For example, my first choice - the Sapphire Vapor-X HD5770 - seems to have nothing more than PCB at the place where the capacitors are sticking up. The cooling system doesn't start until about a half-inch further on. But like I say, I'll have to measure carefully, and look for a good return policy. A shrouded card is definitely not going to work.

The heatsink's cooling fins are quite short. I couldn't measure exactly, but I would say that they are shorter than the PCIe slot.

Thanks again for your help.

 

[davcon]

Have you considered a single-slot gpu?
XFX HD-577X-ZMF3 Radeon HD 5770 -8.8" x 4.4"
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150501

 

[someguynamedmatt]

^That still looks like it may interfere with the Capacitors right next to his PCIe slot...

I'd say you got it right, and that the Vapor-X looks like a good choice (Given that it will fit inside the case). By the looks of it, the shroud begins up above where the capacitors would sit. I'm not sure about length, but I don't have any dimensions, either...

UPDATE:
Whoa, whoa, whoa... is that case low-profile? If so, then you're not going to be putting a 5770 in it. Sorry...

[strike][strike]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814261078
I'm not sure whether or not that would fit with those Capacitors there, but it's worth looking into. Closest low-profile card I could find to the 5770...

Do you even have a PCIe 6-Pin PCIe Power plug in that computer, before I go any further?
If not, then this is the best you'll do:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127523&cm_re=hd_5670-_-14-127-523-_-Product
If it isn't low-profile, but doesn't have a power connector, then go for a full-size version of that.

If it's both full-profile and has a power connector, then ignore everything I've just said and continue looking at 5770's.[/strike]

I'm stupid. I wasn't looking at the cable that leads to the VGA port on that card, which means that it's full profile. Sorry 'bout that. The question still remains whether or not you have an auxiliary 6-pin PCIe plug (or two Molex, the big 4-pin plastic connectors) that you could use to power a 5770, though... if you have Molex plugs, you could buy an adapter to go along with your new card.

If neither, a new Power Supply or a 5670 is in order...

 

[Bulldog17]

Actually, my case can accommodate a full-height card, so no problems there.

About the XFX...I'm trying to find worthwhile reviews on it. I thought a 5770 wouldn't be sufficiently cooled with a single-slot fan. At least, all the 5770's I've seen so far have cooling that needs two slots worth of space. Still, I'll check out the XFX.

I haven't had a good look at available power cables yet (but I should.) I figure one way or another - like with an adapter - I'll be fine. My PSU is nominally 350 watts, but many people say that Dell understates their PSUs and card makers exaggerate their minimum PSU requirements.

 

[jockey]

First, the 5770 will only extend to about the third memory dimm slot, so it will fit. The 6-pin power connector is at the HDD end of the card, and should also fit. The 5770's come with a double 4-pin molex to 6-pin PCI-e adapter. Why go with the single slot card when you have room for a double? It would only block 1 of the PCIe x1 slots, and you'll have the extra cooling.

 

[s9y143]

here i got your Answer cheack out this and look carefully

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102898&cm_re=5770-_-14-102-898-_-Product

there are two problems you are concerning about 1st the Capacitors 2nd the Heatsink of the chipset han???

the answer is the capacitors fitted just on the point are less than 1.4Cm.. and the height of the sink is not more than 1.5 Cm .. and the height of the pci Xpress slot is almost 1.3Cm..
now look at the pic of the card, the distance from the pins (pci Xpress pins) which will fit in the slot(pci) to the heat sink of Card is about 1cm so the total distence from the Mobo(ur Motherboard) to the Heatsink of card(after Fitting) will b 1.3(pci Xpress slot) +1cm = 2.3 and the height of the capacitores is almost 1.5.. than too you have about 0.8room left.. so Problem of Capacitors is resolved.. now for the Heatsink of the Chipset after clear measurements i done that total height of Chip set HSink is less than 1.8 and the point above that chipset where the card will come on have about above 2cm space(from ur Mobo to the Heat sink of card at that position after fitting) (look at the Pic of the Card) so you than too will have some room .. so the Problem no 2 is resolved .. you can easily Fit that card in that pc..ok..
and Psu Requirement i cant say much but Acc to Me you Can go for the card you have choosen without any problem including space nd Power requirement.
No Problem at All

there might b any Spelling or sentence mistakes Plz Neglect..

(and in short you can easily fit that card)

 

[Bulldog17]

This is great! Thanks to all of you for your help...I really appreciate it.