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What's a small video card?

Forum Graphic & Displays : Graphics Cards - What's a small video card?

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Erigion   12-23-2008 at 04:10:54 AM

I have a weird question. I got a pretty good deal on a Gateway PC and it was cheap enough that I thought it'd be worth it to buy and throw in better parts. What I quickly found out that it wasn't worth it at all.

I got an ASUS EN9800GTX+ DK and found out it's too damn big to fit in my case because the HDD connections were blocking it. So I'm asking for your help to find a smaller video card. I don't need the video card to be that much smaller, just a few inches would do. But I'd like to find one on the first try because returning cards is a hassle and would add up.

Aside from the size requirement I don't have too many other things I care about. It doesn't matter if it's ATI or Nvidia and I'd like to spend less than $200. So what are my options?

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buzznut   12-23-2008 at 04:18:57 AM
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hmm. Exact dimensions would help. Smaller video cards are typically in the midrange performance, Many higher performance cards are larger probably because of die size and so forth.
I've noticed when they do a die shrink some of the older cards which were originally monsters got cut down in size considerably. Sounds like you may be somewhat performance limited.
You could always get a new case, they aren't that expensive.
I'm guessing length is the deciding factor?

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Erigion   12-23-2008 at 04:27:49 AM
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Looks like the Asus is about 10 inches long and 4.5 inches wide. Yes, length is the limiting factor.

I would get a new case but i can't seem to pry the HDD out of it's place in the crappy Gateway case. If I could do that I'd be able to move it up one slot and the video card would fit just fine.

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V3NOM   12-23-2008 at 04:37:31 AM
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yeah thats what i was going to suggest...

has the case got a tool-LESS drive bay system or screws? you may have to undo screws on both sides (requiring taking off hte right hand side panel)

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buzznut   12-23-2008 at 04:41:08 AM
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good suggestion. Is it a cage in the gateway?

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Erigion   12-23-2008 at 04:43:14 AM
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No cage, it only has 2 screws on the left side and none on the right holding it in place and when I removed the screws the HDD doesn't budge. I checked around for a good 30 minutes for a latch that might release it but I saw nothing.

 

Trust me, the last thing I wanted to do was to return the card and eat the restocking fee. But it looks like that's what I'm going to have to do.


Message edited by Erigion on 12-23-2008 at 04:43:46 AM
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zodiacfml   12-23-2008 at 04:50:25 AM
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i think you should try move the HDD somewhere else.

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buzznut   12-23-2008 at 04:54:17 AM
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I know, its a stupid question but did you check to see if there were any screws holding it in laterally like from the top or bottom from an adjoining chassis frame piece? I've seen the like in dell and gateway computers. My guess is there's a screw somewhere that you just haven't found yet.
One prefab confuser I worked on required me to take the whole damn frame apart just to get the dang hard drive out. I then hurled the case out of my garage in fury! take that gateway!

If not, do you have any way of cutting the hard drive out? As you say, it would be a shame to send such a nice card back...

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buzznut   12-23-2008 at 04:56:35 AM
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oh, another thing to try. if the hd is behind a 3.5 inch bay you could remove the bay and try to shove it through from the front. Might get better leverag than trying to tug from behind, or maybe it only moves one way..

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buzznut   12-23-2008 at 05:00:41 AM
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or THROUGH the front rather.

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Erigion   12-23-2008 at 05:08:10 AM
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I looked all around, it was just those two screws and I shoved every which way and pushed and pulled everything that looked like it might have been holding the drive in.

Emailing Gateway for a solution to moving the drive was also useless.

Reply to Erigion
buzznut   12-23-2008 at 05:18:58 AM
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wow, major bummer. Could you install another hard drive, then move the data to that one and pitch the other? or maybe use the gateway in another capacity?

Well, I am not sure where to find data on card length. I thought it would be listed under the specs on the egg but I didn't find that info on the video cards' data sheets. I know you could fit a 4670 in there, but beyond that I'm not real sure.
They really do make the cards ridiculously big these days.
good luck, I'll try back if I find any more info.

Reply to buzznut
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