• Competitor rules

    Please remember that any mention of competitors, hinting at competitors or offering to provide details of competitors will result in an account suspension. The full rules can be found under the 'Terms and Rules' link in the bottom right corner of your screen. Just don't mention competitors in any way, shape or form and you'll be OK.

Unhappy with Card Spacing...

RedvGreen

RedvGreen

RedvGreen

Soldato
Joined
2 Dec 2009
Posts
4,018
Location
Midlands


Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Just bought 2 x 6970 cards to replace my 2 x 5870. Between the 5870 was around 7-9mm and the rear intake vents.

As seen from the photo, the 6970s have 1mm spacing and no rear intake vents.

This would essentially cause them to overheat very easily AFAIK?

I would have tried the 3rd PCIE16x slot, however the Corsair PSU does not allow for a card of this size in that slot.

Any ideas or thoughts?!?

I have taken the cards out, and not even attempted to turn the machine on with them in to avoid any potential overheating damage.
 
Last edited:
i i have the same, i cant use the bottom space due to the pci-e slot being only 4x, my top card is about 10-15C hotter ive managed to make a 3mm gap by wedging something between them, but not 100% happy either
 
Turn it on and check the temps, can't see them overheating.

If at idle temps are acceptable then try a game, again monitor the temps with MSI Afterburner, then if you're unhappy either sell one or you could get a new motherboad with better spacing?
 
Garyj881 said:
Turn it on and check the temps, can't see them overheating.

If at idle temps are acceptable then try a game, again monitor the temps with MSI Afterburner, then if you're unhappy either sell one or could you get a new motherboad with better spacing?
Click to expand...

Motherboard spacing won't matter surely? This is the ATX form factor and the PCIE slots match with the spacing on ATX compatible cases.

Plus this is the Cosmos S case (aka huge) and a Rampage II Extreme Motherboard, which is built for this!
 
that looks like pciex16-pci-pciex16-pci-pcie
you get boards with pciex16-pci-pci-pciex16....
 
Surely your 5870s would have had the same spacings? I've got a 5870 in my PC now, and a 6950 next to it, and both cards are identical in size and shape.
 
5870 has a tapered end which allows the fan to suck air through an aperture of around 2cm diminishing to around 1cm.

The 5870 also has rear intake vents, the 6970 is totally sealed.
 
well here's my crossfire in my Lian-li pc50b

loads of room

sdsdsds.jpg
 
kylew said:
Surely your 5870s would have had the same spacings? I've got a 5870 in my PC now, and a 6950 next to it, and both cards are identical in size and shape.
Click to expand...

Why have you got a 5870 and a 6950 in at the same time?

Personally, i would get a bigger case or look into liquid cooling
 
I had to learn this the hard way aswell, I had to sell my 800D to upgrade. Not much you can do, not sure if there are better dual slot aftermarket coolers out there, but by the time you buy them, you might aswell get a new motherboard or case. Motherboards with 3 x 16 slots are becoming more common, i got the haf-x case because it has 9 pcie slots from when i had 2x 5770's (in my old case the temp difference was nearlly 20degrees). I since then upgraded to a 580 with xtreme plus and i got the option i adding another one with ease and temps will not be a prob cause it idle's at 28 and while gaming only reaches 41 at 20% fan speed.
setup004.jpg
 
Last edited:
I have a similar issue on mine atm (same case and MB) but im am using 580's.

Top card is between 10-30 degrees hotter than the bottom which maxes at 60ish under load.

Toyed with the idea of a new case to use the bottom pci-e slot or a new mb with better spacing, but in the end im in the process of putting together a water cooling build.

photo.jpg
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom