Graphics card clearance issues between motherboard and card

[slobbertygobblet]

I'm in the market for a new video card. I have plenty of space from the back of my case to the HDD enclosure up front, but I am wondering about clearance issues from my motherboard.

I measured out my existing graphics card length and it was 8.5 inches. approximately a half inch from the end of the card are two SATA ports. My rough estimate is that they protrude about a half inch from the surface of the motherboard. Is there enough clearance between those two ports and the side of whatever graphics card I may choose to install there to not cause any issues? If they touch and do not prevent the video card from seating properly in its socket, will that be a problem?

Or am I out of luck and stuck with simply obtaining an identical card? The model and brand of the card are irrelevant-- I haven't found an nVidia or ATI card from them or any of their contractors that's under 9 inches long and that I want to buy.

Here's a diagram.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Sunius]

Why don't you take a photo instead? .

 

[slobbertygobblet]

I did. I don't think they're any more enlightening than my diagram, but here you go. Apologies for their unseemly size. Here's a link to the imgur album if that's more your speed.

http://imgur.com/a/nrVcY#qokcN

Anyway, you can see the graphics card on the left (XFX Radeon HD5770) and you can see the two SATA ports on the right. A (very) rough measurement with a crappy ruler seemed to say that those plugs protrude about a half inch from the face of the motherboard.

I would like to think that some sort of standard exists for ensuring clearance, but then again I don't know what to think anymore.

 

[smorizio]

a longer card going to sit at the same height as the old card. the card only going to go in to the top of the copper pins on the video card. the sata port look to be the same height as the caps that are already under the old video card.

 

[smorizio]

http://www.geforce.com/hardware/desktop-gpus/geforce-gtx-660-oem/specifications
it only 1/2 inch longer then the old card should not be and issue.