what are full-length PCI slots?

[Andrex]

All of the AnandTech motherboard reviews count PCI slots and "full-length" PCI slots. How long is full-length? And why are some slots not full-length, when I can't see any obstruction on the boards?

TIA,
Andrex.

 

[Navi]

3 of the PCI slots were designed to be able to traverse the length of the motherboard without interference from the motherboard components

-Navi

 

[paulip88]

Since you ask what may make a PCI slotnot full length, I'll take the opportunity to once again cut up PCChips, the company I love to hate (for good reason).

Some mobo designers only have half a brain and design the board so that the CPU or any standard size HSF will hang over the edge of the PCI slots, effectively making one or two useless for anything bigger than a cheap sound or network card (if even that). This is what I observed with my old PCChips board.

It is also conceivable that with some unique designs, some other components may also block the PCI slots.

 

[Andrex]

So when I'm trying to figure out if a certain motherboard will work with my existing PCI cards, I have to look at my cards and look at a picture of the motherboard and try to figure what boards will run into which components on the board?

For example, I'm looking at the picture of the EPoX EP-8KTA2 in the recent AnandTech review. The review says that of the 6 PCI slots, only 2 are full-length. But the only possible obstructions I can see on the board are the IDE connectors, which I guess could block slots 1 and 2.

 

[Jhhnn]

Very few cards are anything like full length. I have an older isa modem card that's about 8-1/2" and it is noticeably much larger than any other card in my machine. This isn't really much of a consideration anymore, unless you are talking about the AGP or ISA slots. Anything over about 7" leaves room to spare in most cases.

 

[paulip88]

The IDE connectors may interfere with some longer cards, but there are also a large number of cards that will fit. However, since there are 6 PCI slots, there shouldn't be too much to worry about.

You would only need to worry about true full-length cards if you have some older PCI cards that you still want to use (like an original SB Live!). Also, unless you have 4 or 5 full length cars, I really do not see any issues with the Epox.

 

[pyr]

uh.. I have the original SB live and it sure doesnt take up that much room... about the same size as any other standard PCI card.

 

[paulip88]

pyr,

You may be right (and probably are). I'm trying to recall this straight from memory. My bad.

 

[AndyHui]

You were probably thinking of the SB AWE32, but that's ISA.

A Voodoo2 qualifies as a very long PCI card.

 

[rhinox99]

The only pci card that you might have problems fitting into your motherboard would probably be the voodoo5 5500... that thing was more than half the length of my case i recall!