P55-UD4 chipset heatsink blocks graphics cards (?)

[OverflowURS]

Can someone please answer if large video cards can fit inside a GA-P55-UD4?

I am concerned about the square chipset heatsink, which looks a little too big. It can obstruct cards from the Geforce GTX 2xx or 4xx series (which are long and have plastic covering taking the space of 2 slots) or even Radeon 5xxx series. You can see in the attached pic below:


The green rectangle on the right (the space occupied by a main video card) is blocked by the chipset heatsink, and if not, it's surely blocked by the white SATA slots on the bottom margin of the motherboard. Or is it possible that such (large) cards can fit ok, and the problem is just in my untrained imagination.. ? The heatsink and SATA slots look pretty raised..

[Dark Mantis]

Hi the motherboard's heatsink over the southbridge shouldn't interfere with your cards as it is fairly low and the cards fit over the top of it and the SATA connectors(they are not USB). It is close but they do fit. If you want to use a card in the top PCIe x1 slot it will foul the Northbridge heatsink unless it is only a short card.

[absic]

Hi,

Not using your board (I have a GA-790XTA-UD4) but the layout is pretty similar. I have a Sapphire Radeon 4850 X2 Graphics card which is one of the larger cards and although I have lost the use of a  PCI-e x1  slots (the small white ones) it fits the motherboard OK.

The ports at the edge of the board are actually the SATA ports and plugging the SATA cables in, can be a bit tricky if you do it after you insert the Graphics card but they also fit OK.

EDIT: Curses DM you beat me again!

[Dark Mantis]

I thought that you were having a siesta this time

[absic]

Check your PM's!

[OverflowURS]

Ok, it's SATA not USB, i forgot

I'm attaching two pictures (one with a large video card, the other with the motherboard tilted). The available space there looks pretty tight

[absic]

Yes the space is tight but you'll be surprised, it will fit. The PCIE X16 slot actually raises the height of the card a bit and there is just enough clearance.

[OverflowURS]

How about the BIOS battery, that looks tall also.. 

[Dark Mantis]

Again it will clear it.

[absic]

Now you're clutching at straws!  

I know it is hard to believe when you are looking at photographs but it will fit. When I got hold of my Graphics Card for the first time and looked at it outside of the case I panicked a little and the motherboard I was using at that time had the SATA ports sitting up not laying down like they do now and it still fitted OK.

EDIT: You beat me again DM!   but I think my answer is better!

[Dark Mantis]

EDIT: You beat me again DM!   but I think my answer is better!

Now who's got the verbal diahorea?

[OverflowURS]

Ok, absic115, your motherboard is similar in certain ways, but i see that its southbridge heatsink is much lower. However SATA ports are pretty much the same height

[absic]

Don't let the pictures deceive you, remember they are only 2 dimensional.
As Dark Mantis and I have both said there isn't a lot of clearance but these big cards do fit......just!

[OverflowURS]

Ok now i'm more relieved. Ok, the pictures are two dimensional, but with the help of google you can browse hundreds of pictures, and see varying angles.




Thanks for your answers

[absic]

No problem,

Google is great for finding pictures and lots of other info but sometimes, you just want to know from someone else that things will go together OK.