Size of GPU's.

4Play · 8 Dec 2009 at 10:51

Im building a new rig very soon but something which im struggling to decide on is a case, mainly due to the way graphics cards are ever increasing in size. I know this is down to the cards becoming more powerful, my question is will this continue over the next 2 years or will we see smaller graphics cards coming out with similar power.

kylew · 8 Dec 2009 at 10:51

Do you mean GPUs or graphics cards?

4Play · 8 Dec 2009 at 11:01

kylew said:
Do you mean GPUs or graphics cards?

Sorry Graphics cards, thinking of so many different things at once because of christmas

gurusan · 8 Dec 2009 at 11:04

I don't think they are going to get any bigger than they already are...but then again I also don't think the top tier GPUs will get any smaller.

4Play · 8 Dec 2009 at 11:25

I would never have thought it before hand but choosing the case has become the hardest part of the build !

Thanks for the replies though ^^

markiejt · 8 Dec 2009 at 12:53

You really need to get a big case now a days, Cpu coolers are getting big graphics cards are getting bigger.

My 1200 will only just fit a 5970 when i get one. also with my cooler it on just fits in aswell, and i would class a 1200 as a big case!

quicksilver · 8 Dec 2009 at 15:39

bringing up a question on a similar subject, how can you find out the dimensions of a graphics card before actually buying?

Seems difficult to find out such info....

cmndr_andi · 8 Dec 2009 at 15:51

quicksilver said:
bringing up a question on a similar subject, how can you find out the dimensions of a graphics card before actually buying?

Seems difficult to find out such info....

If you want the size of Geforce cards, check this link out. Click on the card you want, then the "specifications" tab, the card length in inches is listed if you scroll down a bit.

If you want ATI cards, it requires a bit more hunting - but individual reviews do tell you. Since the lauch of the HD 4000 series, these are the length of the only GPUs to be longer than an ATX motherboard is wide (9.6 inches) are:

4870X2 - 10.5 Inches
5870 - 10.5 Inches
5970 - 12.2 Inches

Gerard · 8 Dec 2009 at 16:37

gurusan said:
I don't think they are going to get any bigger than they already are...but then again I also don't think the top tier GPUs will get any smaller.

Personally i think card length has a good chance of increasing, the 3870x2\4870x2\295 where the cards that people thought were as big as it could go, enter the 5970 which is a good inch and a half longer.

gurusan · 8 Dec 2009 at 16:51

yes but any bigger than the 5970 and they will have to make a new case standard :/

Martini1991 · 8 Dec 2009 at 16:52

5870 is longer than a 4870x2.

Gerard · 8 Dec 2009 at 16:57

gurusan said:
yes but any bigger than the 5970 and they will have to make a new case standard :/

Dunno about that, its possible for cards to slip into the drive bays, one of the engineering sample 5970's was more like 13.5 inch in length as well so theyve chopped a good inch off that. All depends on your case as well, something like a cosmos s swallows a 5970 with ease, its more the midi towers that are having issues.

TAC4U · 8 Dec 2009 at 17:37

The simple answer is to go for the largest case you can practically accommodate. Obviously if you're travelling a lot or using it as a media machine then you'll want something a bit smaller, otherwise it's best to supersize it.

wakayoda · 8 Dec 2009 at 18:22

a GPU is a graphics card - SAME THING

Tom B · 8 Dec 2009 at 18:48

Nope...

By that logic a CPU is a computer.

Schnippzle · 8 Dec 2009 at 18:54

Tom B said:
Nope...

By that logic a CPU is a computer.

I thought a hard drive was a computer. At least that's what all the people at work say

TAC4U · 8 Dec 2009 at 21:15

wakayoda said:
a GPU is a graphics card - SAME THING

Are you being serious? Back to computer school for you!

arc@css · 8 Dec 2009 at 21:22

Schnippzle said:
I thought a hard drive was a computer. At least that's what all the people at work say

I tend to think of it as more of the motherboard.

To the OP : a coolermaster HAF932 will fit any current card in with no problems. Another one to consider would be the new Corsair Obsidian.

james.miller · 8 Dec 2009 at 21:23

the names are interchangable. graphic processing unit = gpu = graphics card = whatever.

since GPU's (as in the cores) aren't interchangable or replacable, its fine to call a graphics card a GPU, as most people do.

Schnippzle said:
Nope...

By that logic a CPU is a computer. p

TAC4U · 8 Dec 2009 at 21:37

No! A GPU is a Graphics Processing Unit, which is the core processor that powers a graphics card. Just like a motherboard isn't a CPU, a GPU isn't a graphics card. Being interchangeable doesn't have any bearing on the issue as CPUs used to be soldered onto motherboards. A dual-GPU card is a graphics card with two core processing chips, which is different to a dual-card setup (like SLI or Crossfire). It's also why a motherboard can have a built-in GPU without the motherboard suddenly becoming a graphics card.

Please guys, let's not have the uneducated masses ruin another term. A GPU is NOT a graphics card.