8800GTS Too Thick for some adjacent cards??

[jzjz]

I'm trying to pick a GeForce 8800 to go on an Asus Pk5-e or similar motherboard I am getting. I need 3 PCI slots for older cards I own. I looked up the 8800GTS and after much searching I think it's 32mm thick. Actually it seemed they had more than one version of the GTS? They just have so many, :lol:

But if I'm right it's 32mm thick (1.259inches). At that thickness it would butt right up against the adjacent PCI slot. I'm actually worried I won't be able to install my other PCI card. The PCI card is not very thick, but do they expect people to give up the near by slot or is it designed to work even though it's that tight? Could I realistically expect to use the PCI slot with this version of the 8800?

Next I looked and found this EVGA GeForce 8800 GT (512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI express 2.0) card that appears to be 1/2 the width or 15mm(.57inches). Is it a lot slower than the GTS? Someones review claims it's a very good card and got 16,000 on 3dmark06 with a Q6600 and motherboard like what I want to get.

My question is, how much performance am I really losing by going with this thinner card? If it's not much, I wouldn't care. I hate big, hot cards anyway. I'm assuming the thicker card is hotter, but please correct me if I'm wrong. I will be reading and researching more, but I was hoping someone here with lots of experience with these cards could give me a better idea of what to expect for size, speed and heat etc.

The fat GTS - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130082

The thinner one - http://www.mwave.com/mwave/skusearch.hmx?SCriteria=AA72272
I think this one is the same thing with a better picture, only boxed differently
http://www.amazon.com/XFX-PVT88PYDF4-GeForce-Express-S-Video/dp/B000XQHBEE


My goal is to get a good GeForce type card without getting so extreme that it's either too big or too hot. I still need to OC the system and I don't want to mess that up by over heating the case. Any suggestions anyone?

 

[random1283]

Ok First of all the 8800GTS cards are a dual slot design therefore they take up two slots no more no less and second there are infact 4 8800GTS types in chronological order
8800GTS 640 80nm
8800GTS 320 80nm
8800GTS 640 80nm with extra shaders
8800GTs 512 65nm
The first three you can forget about as they are outdated and too expensive but all 4 are dual slot and require one 6 pin p-cie power connector
the second choice you have is an 8800GT 512 65nm slightly less powerful (than the 8800GTS 512 65nm) but has a single slot design and is louder an should be cheaper.
This should be the choice for you as you need a single slot design. they should be about $215 us (just so you know im an aussie so im not sure) try getting one of newegg.com

 

[jzjz]

No wonder I thought they were tight, LOL. They are dual slot design but didn't say that. I kept hoping, somehow they might just fit next to the PCI. But thanks VERY much for explaining that to me. It will make my search a lot easier. I just wish the single slot versions weren't loud since I'm trying to avoid fan noise. But if I'm playing a game, I don't mind at all. Most of the time my machine is idle and I'm reading things on the net, so maybe the card won't be hot and the fan won't run as much. Hopefully. I will look into the GT 512 65nm versions then. Thanks again

 

[Trioxin]

<-- Hardware noob.
Hm, I've been thinking of getting two 8800 GTS and SLI them. Do they require some kind of special motherboard? Don't really know what dual slot means

 

[dev1se]

What do you need the PCI slots for????

I dont know anybody these days who uses that many PCI slots! Most motherboards have all the features you need to not warrant any PCI card installation!

 

[boonality]

What do you need the PCI slots for????

I dont know anybody these days who uses that many PCI slots! Most motherboards have all the features you need to not warrant any PCI card installation!

I use 2, sound card and wireless card.

 

[boonality]

<-- Hardware noob.
Hm, I've been thinking of getting two 8800 GTS and SLI them. Do they require some kind of special motherboard? Don't really know what dual slot means

yes you need a motherboard that is SLI compatible. The most popular are the 680i-790i chipsets. Dual slot just means that a card uses up two of those removable covers where you slide cards into the back of your computer. typically one is for the video cable and the other is for the fan vents.

 

[dev1se]

He could go for the ASUS P5N-E SLI Board... its really cheap and offers similar performance to the 680i boards but a fraction of the price.
It's what I have in my newest build and its fine... quad core compatible too.

 

[L1qu1d]

btw the 8800 GTS 320 and 640s were 90 nm not 80 nm

 

[jzjz]

What do you need the PCI slots for????

I dont know anybody these days who uses that many PCI slots! Most motherboards have all the features you need to not warrant any PCI card installation!

You sound like it's hard to believe, but the PCI cards are needed because hardware manufacturers are providing few PCI-e solutions. They've exchanged 2 PCI for 2 PCI-e 1X slots, but almost no one makes cards for those. I use a sound card and TV Tuner card. My sound card ($600), unfortunately, is a high end sound card for studio recording work and actually uses 2 PCI slots. It's also only 1.5 years old. I decided to spend the money and replace my TV tuner with a new PCI-e version, but only found ONE which was pretty lousy. However, they make 7 or 8 older type PCI models in March 2008. So I don't know why there are so few PCI-e choices, but that has forced me to make certain choices. So even if I wanted to spend extra and get PCI-e cards, not all of them are there. But throwing away $600 to $700 isn't a good option either. That said, getting a motherboard that has 3 PCI which is enough, seems like a smarter choice for now.

 

[jzjz]

Thanks to L1qu1d for pointing out the the 8800 GTS 320 and 640s are 90nm. Also thanks to everyone who wrote.

 

[dev1se]

Its a fair point if you require good sound etc... Ive found that USB-TV Tuners do the job fine... that'd save one space surely! Unless you require all the inputs of a card.

 

[jzjz]

I am willing to get a USB-TV Tuner if it's good. I have a hauppauge tuner that works fine to record TV and movies etc. The new version of this does high definition and is offered as a PCI card. I'd like to get that and kind of doubt they offered this in USB. But if I ran out of PCI, I could still get the USB even if it's not high def.

Part of the decision is based on what 8800 card I get and if it's the thick one. I'm building a system and will over clock a Q6600 to 3.6 (or close as possible). I'm trying to avoid too much heat. I have one worry that a 8800GTS will have more over all heat. Also if the 8800GTS is only like 15% better than the 8800GT then it's not a big deal either way. In that case I'd rather have the thinner one. After reading some benchmarks, I'm finding that the 8800GTS is actually being beaten by the 8800GT in 3dMark06. So I may go with the 8800GT anyway.

http://forums.firingsquad.com/firingsquad/board/message?board.id=hardware&thread.id=111118

On saving a slot, the USB is a great idea, but the tuner has to be as good as what I'm giving up. Also I would need inputs from time to time. But I will look around. thanks dev1se.

 

[L1qu1d]

You could always get a USB hub. I don't know if the transfer rate is the same (had one like 3 years ago). But it should give you some extra ports with out occupying the inside!

 

[lcaley]

Part of the decision is based on what 8800 card I get and if it's the thick one. I'm building a system and will over clock a Q6600 to 3.6 (or close as possible). I'm trying to avoid too much heat. I have one worry that a 8800GTS will have more over all heat. Also if the 8800GTS is only like 15% better than the 8800GT then it's not a big deal either way. In that case I'd rather have the thinner one. After reading some benchmarks, I'm finding that the 8800GTS is actually being beaten by the 8800GT in 3dMark06. So I may go with the 8800GT anyway.

http://forums.firingsquad.com/firingsquad/board/message?board.id=hardware&thread.id=111118

That link you have shown is comparing the old 8800 GTS to the 8800 GT. Nvidia did a screwy thing with the naming of the 8800 GTS. The GTS that is better than the GT is the 8800 GTS 512. It has a newer GPU (g92) and has more SP's (I believe its 128 in the GTS 512 and 112 in the GTS 640 SSC, but that may be wrong) than the old one. Even though it has less memory, it is a much better card. The GTS 640's and 320's are outdated now.

 

[crusoe74]

What do you need the PCI slots for????

I dont know anybody these days who uses that many PCI slots! Most motherboards have all the features you need to not warrant any PCI card installation!

I've got a wireless card, and a TV card in mine Can't see many mobo's coming with that onboard

 

[dev1se]

USB my friend.... USB.

 

[crusoe74]

USB my friend.... USB.

True, very true. But if you've got a big FO case, wouldn't it be nice to have everything inside?

 

[jzjz]

Thanks for telling me that lcaley. It's good to know they messed that part up.. I did find more benchmarks on the new 8800GTS. It's faster, but only by about 9 or 10% So I could probably just skip it and not worry that much about it anyway. There is another advantage to it though. It has more room for a fan and is supposed to be a little cooler I heard. But it still uses two slots and I need all the slots I can get unfortunately.

 

[jzjz]

You could always get a USB hub. I don't know if the transfer rate is the same (had one like 3 years ago). But it should give you some extra ports with out occupying the inside!

Nice idea, but I meant inputs like video in etc. Unless you meant a usb hub with video in? Or maybe you meant the usb tuner had them, but meant usb ports? I think I get it now. thanks.

 

[jzjz]

USB my friend.... USB.

I'll be looking

 

[lcaley]

Thanks for telling me that lcaley. It's good to know they messed that part up.. I did find more benchmarks on the new 8800GTS. It's faster, but only by about 9 or 10% So I could probably just skip it and not worry that much about it anyway. There is another advantage to it though. It has more room for a fan and is supposed to be a little cooler I heard. But it still uses two slots and I need all the slots I can get unfortunately.

Yeah, I agree. I just wanted to make sure you were aware of the large differences for the tiny difference in the name.

Cheers.