The Graphic Confrontation!
CPU cooling advantages aside, BTX is far behind when it comes to oversized graphics cooler compatibility. The problem actually stems from the continued popularity of ATX, because it has caused graphics card producers to choose ATX-friendly designs. While this very problem continues to plague several members of our Forumz, Gateway's brilliantly simple solution is to use a specially-selected cooler from a different card! One can see that the forward edge of Gateway's X1950 Crossfire Edition card narrowly misses contact with the CPU sink.
A closer look at the cards confirms our suspicions that Gateway's "custom" X1950 Crossfire Edition card cooler is simply the earlier X1900XTX cooler applied to the newer graphics processor. The second X1950XTX uses the model-correct part.
The other change needed to make the older cooler and newer card fit properly was the use of a single-slot bracket. Gateway modified the case by adding a row of vents above the uppermost slot as a substitute for the card's original ventilated slot panel.
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