Why are AGP Video Cards NOT Manufactured the other way up ?

[thorin]

Is there some good reason that AGP cards are designed to face the PCI slot(s)? Why aren't they designed so that the GPU (heat source) faces into the open area of the case? I know this would mean that the CPU (heat source) was facing the CPU but it isn't as if it would be crowding the CPU and there is far more circulation in the open area of the case then there is between AGP and PCI (1). This would also allow for a better HSF to be placed on the GPU and not block a PCI slot.

Thorin

 

[AndyHui]

Not a very technical explanation, but you have to remember that AGP really is just a fancy PCI slot. All PCI cards face in the same direction...away from the processor, in opposition to ISA cards.

While I admit that it may be theoretically better to put everything on the other side of the PCB, look at the way the bracket is mounted....the card is essentially an L shape when you take into account the bracket. Everything is then inside the L.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

It's most likely a spec issue. Most of the PC's space limitations are governed by specs involving how much they can go from certain points and how far certain points must be from others. Granted you can always write your own spec

But notice how virtually all cards that have stuff on both sides has about a 0.1" max highth on one side? There is an allowance for pins to stick through, so they slap on some low slung SMT ICs and can use that 0.1" for parts. You don't want to have the AGP's HSF getting in the way of that Alpha 8052 do you?

 

[RBS]

I was always under the belief that the AGP is rotated to reduce the likelihood, that someone would try to stick a PCI card into the slot.
With the current alignment its clear that a PCI card won't fit, so after joe moves his cup out of the 'CD-ROM' cup holder and finds the 'any' key
he won't go plugging his PCI sound card into the AGP slot.

Just my observation for whatever its worth...

 

[Shalmanese]

I dont see how the orientation of the slot has anything to do with the components being placed on the bottom.

Maybe its a spec for mATX cases or something to save room.

 

[Barnaby W. Füi]

prolly the same reason that ISA and PCI are opposite....so that you can have a "shared" slot where you can have one or the other but not both. however no one makes mobo's with a shared pci/agp.......

 

[Jhhnn]

I don't think that there's any "good" reason at all, and I've often asked the same question myself.

When the guys at Intel originally developed the AGP concept, it was largely an extension of the pci standard with some new stuff thrown in. there weren't really cooling issues with the original intel cards, and the standard stuck. Today, it's more of a formfactor thing- you can't really call it an AGP card if it doesn't conform to AGP standards set long ago when heat dissipation wasn't a factor.

I'm surprised that more makers don't put the AMR slot between the AGP and the first PCI slot. Not as effective as just putting the stuff on the other side of the agp card, but a definite improvement. Even with an amr card installed, they're so short that potential cooling for the video processor is still a lot better....

 

[Demon-Xanth]

I just checked, the AGP pro spec has a solder side limit of 2.67mm (0.105"). It's reasonably safe to assume that the AGP spec is similar in this aspect.

Edit: and the AGP Pro spec also mandates that two PCI slots are next to the AGP slot so the card can use those for power, ground, and mechanical support

 

[CTho9305]

<< Edit: and the AGP Pro spec also mandates that two PCI slots are next to the AGP slot so the card can use those for power, ground, and mechanical support >>


:Q

wow, they were expecting some BIG cards

 

[ElFenix]

if heat is a concern put your NIC in the first pci slot. i haven't seen one that took up much space in years.

 

[RolyL]

AGP components face downwards, therefore don't get anywhere near as dusty.

 

[CTho9305]

<< AGP components face downwards, therefore don't get anywhere near as dusty. >>



thats an excellent point. that would explain why my system is so #$@% dusty.

 

[Scootin159]

<< AGP components face downwards, therefore don't get anywhere near as dusty. >>



That sounds like the best explanation I've heard yet as to the reasoning behind the AGP spec.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

Pointing downwards because of dust doesn't really explain it. Look at the WTX spec as well as some OEM cases. I believe the reason for the spec was based off of PCI mechanically (why change it?)

 

[RolyL]

AGP components face downwards, therefore don't get anywhere near as dusty.

By this I didn't mean to imply this was the reason they are so designed, more a consequence of it.

 

[CTho9305]

<< AGP components face downwards, therefore don't get anywhere near as dusty.

By this I didn't mean to imply this was the reason they are so designed, more a consequence of it. >>


might have to do with why they flipped PCI vs. ISA... along with sharing a slot, of course