Ads

Tom's Hardware > Forum > Graphics & Displays > Graphics Cards > [Shopping] How do I know Graphic Cards- single slot or dual slots?

[Shopping] How do I know Graphic Cards- single slot or dual slots?

Forum Graphics & Displays : Graphics Cards [Shopping] How do I know Graphic Cards- single slot or dual slots?

I have no problem finding single-slot graphic cards on online shopping such as newegg or tigerdirect. However, I am unable to buy one online.
I am planning to go to Best Buy store (its the only biggest store nearby home).

While looking at graphic cards, I noticed most brands don't sell same card specs. Some sell single-slot card, other sell dual-slot card (added improved features).
I have looked at pictures from Google Images of graphic cards' product box and noticed they don't mention 'single-slot' or dual-slot' or whatsoever.

I have the old graphic card (ATI Radeon 9550) product box, and nothing mentions of single/dual slot, card size, or even a picture of what the card look like.

The question is how do I find a single-slot graphic card? I don't want to buy the wrong graphic card (dual-slot).

Edited to add:

ASUS P5QPL-AM | Pentium® Dual-Core CPU E5500 @ 2.80GHz | Intel® G41 Express Chipset | Dell Monitor 1440 x 900 | 2 x 2GB | 500 GB Space

SLI ready: No | CrossfireX: No

Form Factor: MicroATX (9.6in x 7.6in | 24.4cm x 19.3 cm | 243.84mm x 193.64 mm)

Message edited by wnetwork on 09-16-2011 at 10:27:28 PM

Reply to wnetwork

Well, most online stores have a gallery room of pics for each videocard. With that, you should be able to tell which ones are single or dual slot. Which card are you looking after?

Reply to BlackHawk91

You do know a dual slot card just takes the room of two slots but actually just uses one slot ? ( maybe stupid question but some people think they do need two pcie slots on the mobo )

Message quoted 1 times

Reply to robjordy

The website wasn't able to tell me which cards available or not at the store location.
I noticed there are many GT 240 graphic cards (from different brands). I can afford to buy a nicer card if available.

Reply to wnetwork

robjordy wrote :

You do know a dual slot card just takes the room of two slots but actually just uses one slot ? ( maybe stupid question but some people think they do need two pcie slots on the mobo )

I would prefer to have a single slot if i need the other slot.

http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/I [...] ifications
Expansion Slots:
1 x PCIe x16
1 x PCIe x1
2 x PCI
Support PCIe 1.1 Architecture

Message quoted 1 times

Reply to wnetwork

If you have a phone with internet you could just grab a box google the part number and I'm sure it'd pop right up.

Message quoted 1 times

Reply to elpcavy21

elpcavy21 wrote :

If you have a phone with internet you could just grab a box google the part number and I'm sure it'd pop right up.

That would be hard to do since my cellphone screen size width is 2 inches. I suppose I could go to the store (delay buying) to write down part numbers then go home to check them online.

Reply to wnetwork

wnetwork wrote :

I would prefer to have a single slot if i need the other slot.

http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/I [...] ifications
Expansion Slots:
1 x PCIe x16
1 x PCIe x1
2 x PCI
Support PCIe 1.1 Architecture

You don't have another slot.

You only have one GFX card slot on your MoBo. What Robjordy was saying is that s double slot card will use the one single GFX card slot that you have (1 x PCIe x16) on the MoBo but where it mounts to the case, you will have to take 2 of the metal slot covers out (one where your existing card is plus the one below) so that the card can be mounted.

The 9550 that you have requires removing only one metal slot cover. If you have an empty silver metal thingie in your case below where you have connected the DVI cable to your GFX card, you should have no problem fitting in a double slot card. Look here:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814130662

The extra slot is where the vented grill is .... it allows the hot air to be blown out.

Message edited by JackNaylorPE on 09-16-2011 at 10:04:41 PM

------------------------------ If a man speaks in the forest and no woman hears him, is he still wrong ?
Reply to JackNaylorPE

Hmm- PC Wizard 2010 show:
Slot PCI-Express : 32-bit [3.3v, Shared Slot Opening] - Empty
Slot PCI-Express : 32-bit [3.3v, Shared Slot Opening] - Empty
Slot PCI : 32-bit [3.3v, Shared Slot Opening] - Empty
Slot PCI : 32-bit [3.3v, Shared Slot Opening] - In Use

I will have to open the case and look in it.
I plan to take few pictures of inside.

Reply to wnetwork

Best buy will rape you, do you have a Fry's Electronics near you? Looks like most GT 240's are single slot and run around 60$

Message quoted 1 times

Reply to tychoblu

tychoblu wrote :

Best buy will rape you, do you have a Fry's Electronics near you? Looks like most GT 240's are single slot and run around 60$

Nope- there isn't one here. I have no issues with Best Buy and been going there for over 15+ years.

Reply to wnetwork

I uploaded images:

[img=http://img855.imageshack.us/img855/3555/0916011729.th.jpg]
[img=http://img641.imageshack.us/img641/7374/0916011728.th.jpg]
[img=http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/1338/0916011727c.th.jpg]
[img=http://img831.imageshack.us/img831/867/0916011727b.th.jpg]
[img=http://img850.imageshack.us/img850/2149/0916011727a.th.jpg]
[img=http://img407.imageshack.us/img407/4797/0916011727.th.jpg]

Reply to wnetwork

I would ask why you can't shop online. If it's because you don't have a credit card, contact Newegg (or another online store) and see if they accept Visa Gift cards (I would think they do, but have never tried). If they do, buy a gift card for yourself and use that to purchase online. Save on sales tax (depending on where you live) and possibly some extra on the cost.

Otherwise, just look at the card image online and then check to see if it's in your store or go to the store, get a list of cards available in your price range, come home and research them online.

I think it's safe to say that this card at Best Buy is the same as the one at Newegg (yes, I know this is a dual slot card - just an example).

Looking at your images, a dual-slot card will cover the top PCI slot. I wouldn't worry too much about needing that as the PCI-Ex1 slot is available above the PCI-Ex16 slot.

-Wolf sends

Message quoted 1 times

------------------------------ All Purpose System Specs: GA-H55M-S2V Intel CoreI5 760 8 Gig RAM NVidia Geforce 8800GTS-640 Windows 7
HTPC System Specs: ASRock 760GM-GS3 AMD Athlon II X2-240 G.Skill 4 GB (2x2GB) Radeon HD4670 Ceton InfiniTV4 TV Tuner
Reply to Wolfshadw

Wait, just saw your psu now ; it's only 350W so you'll be very limited in what gpu you can put in. So no need for big fans and casings i think.

Message quoted 1 times

Reply to robjordy

Wolfshadw wrote :

I no longer have a credit card. I have PayPal account but limited amount available at this time (enough for a budget card). I prefer (plenty of cash) to shop at Best Buy so this way I can buy a better card than I could on Newegg with PayPal.

Reply to wnetwork

robjordy wrote :

Wait, just saw your psu now ; it's only 350W so you'll be very limited in what gpu you can put in. So no need for big fans and casings i think.

I will buy a new PSU once I know the card to buy.

Reply to wnetwork

So I can get a dual-slot card?

Another question: At Nivida website (http://www.nvidia.com/content/HelpMeChoose/fx2/HelpMeChoose.asp?lang=en-us), it ask for size of which the graphic card can be put in the case. Is it length?

Message quoted 1 times

Reply to wnetwork

Going for a new psu would be smart. Yes you can get a dual slot, i don't think you'll use the other slot anyway.
And yes it's asking for the length, when you move the slider you can see the cards getting longer or smaller.

Reply to robjordy

wnetwork wrote :

There is nothing stopping you from getting a dual slot card from the pics you showed. It may be advantageous too, as most dual slot cards cool better. The only card I've had actually die on me was a single slot card (9800gt).

------------------------------ i7 920 @ 4.0Ghz, Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD3R, MSI Nvidia GTX 680, 6 Gb Kingston HyperX @ 1333 Mhz, Antec 850 PSU, 2X WD Cav Black HD 1Tb, Silverstone Hawk 2 RV02B-W Case, 27" ACER HN274Hbmiiid 3D monitor
Reply to bystander

Well- thanks to you guys, I'm updating the list of graphic cards to include dual-slot cards and feeling more comfortable to go (not going nuts) and pick the right card.

Next week, I will buy a graphic card (and a new PSU if needed).

Reply to wnetwork

I went to Best Buy today and did not end up buying a card.

They have high-end (pricey) and low-end cards (pricey as well). There was only one mid-range card but the length was too big.

There were cards on sale but prices were still a bit high. Some labels for cards were mislabeled, or wrong specs (didn't match provided specs from ati or nvidia websites).

Sooooo I'm going to buy a card from newegg.

*This thread can be closed.

Reply to wnetwork

This topic has been closed by Mousemonkey

------------------------------

http://img545.imageshack.us/img545/3995/bl11.gif

Reply to Mousemonkey

Related content

See all topics related to "[Shopping] How do I know Graphic Cards- single slot or dual slots?"

Tom's Hardware > Forum > Graphics & Displays > Graphics Cards > [Shopping] How do I know Graphic Cards- single slot or dual slots?

Go to:

Help |
Forum rules

There are 1775 identified and unidentified users. To see the list of identified users, Click here.

Page generated in 0.735 seconds

Please mind

You are about to answer a thread that has been inactive for more than 6 months.
If you still wish to proceed, please ensure that your posting is original and does not duplicate or overlap any prior responses to this thread.

Add a reply Cancel