We've done an unboxing of the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080, but it looks like someone's already popped the RTX 3090 into a PC case. In a recent forum post on Chiphell.com, a user posted an image of what looks like the RTX 3090 Founders Edition installed into some unknown computer chassis.
Considering how huge the RTX 3090 looks inside the chassis, the case appears to be a standard ATX tower. In the picture, the card is long enough to use the adjacent HDD cage as an anti-sag device. I'm sure whoever made this computer chassis never intended the cage to be used in such a way, but, hey, it works.
So what does this tell PC enthusiasts and builders? As Nvidia's next attempt at the best graphics card, the RTX 3090 Founders Edition is no joke. It's a ginormous graphics card, so if you you don't have a large case already, it's a good idea to check out the dimensions of the card to ensure proper compatibility. Nvidia specs the card to be 12.3 x 5.4 inches (313 x 138mm), plus its three slots thick, meaning you'll need three PCIe slots open at the minimum. If you're installing this card in one of the few ITX chassis that can support triple-slot cards, make sure you have enough breathing room for the card to get fresh air.
Expect the RTX 3090 to be a pretty beefy card in terms of weight. We know the RTX 3080 weighs in at 1.355kg, so expect the RTX 3090 to be heavier than that. This may very well make GPU sagging a real problem (many of today's aftermarket cards come bundled with an anti-sag device already). So if you have your eyes on an RTX 3090 Founders Edition or even the RTX 3080, you'll probably want to consider a cheap anti-sag support bracket. Graphics Card sag can add extra wear and tear to your PCB, and in worst case scenarios, severe sagging will cause heatsinks to lose contact with your GPU and PCB components -- enough so to cause overheating.
The RTX 3090 really is the "BFGPU," as Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said in the Nvidia keynote announcing the Ampere cards. This is definitely the largest card Nvidia has ever produced. And that's not to mention the several aftermarket cards coming that'll dwarf the Founders Edition in size.
