I just bought a Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1080 Gamer G1 8GB to replace my 1070 card in my Aurora R7. Everything fits fine with the 1080 card except when I attempt to put back the black plastic “graphics-card bracket” as these service manual calls it. It seems that my new 1080 is too thick to accommodate the bracket. I can’t push it in all the way over the 1080 like I could with my 1070. When I leave the bracket out, the cage closes nicely and locks firmly over where a screw would normally secure a pcie card.
But I’m worried that the bracket was there to prevent sag on the GPU card. That’s why I’m asking if it’s ok to leave it out.
Edit: from the pics, the screws are flat heads, so that is good.
It's really just there because the computers get shipped (always roughly).
If you ship the computer, you might want to remove the (expensive) GTX-1080.
Dell Rockstar
Microsoft Windows and Apple iOS Developer (Retired) - Like many of you, I can appreciate a good game-engine. - I answer questions here, but I'm not a Dell employee. - Consider giving posts you like a "thumbs-up" - Posting models-numbers and software versions speeds trouble-shooting. - Click "Mark as Accepted Answer" on any post that answers your question best.
You can find brackets on amazon, thin and long metallic ones that any pc other than Dell uses. They are a smaller profile than the plastic one that comes with the Alienware Aurora and will have no problems with fitting.
But the feet would be too wide for the aurora as they would extend beyond the side panel.
Take a look at this one, shows a better example of how it works with a card using more then the one fan. The rubber support piece on this specific bracket can be moved. Obviously this bracket would be sitting beside and under your card in the aurora case, and not directly under as shown in the pic. I still believe it will work just fine, as long as it will secure to the case without the screws.
Check out this unrelated post by a redditor, you can see in the pics that he was able to secure a bracket just like the ones I showed you (for a different use obviously).
You can get some pretty cool looking custom ones as well, with rgb lighting and whatnot, but obviously useless in the aurora cases. The link I provided would be the one I would pick up if it were me with a spacing issue.
Luckily my Vega 64 just barely fit with the plastic bracket...barely.
I do wonder about the screws used in those brackets though. The aurora doesn't have screws in that area, more just a "fit and close" type system. It should still work and be secured when the case is closed just like any other pcie bracket would such as your graphics card.
If it by chance doesn't fit, you can also find brackets that stand up inside your case and support your card.
But my opinion is that the bracket I linked you, should work without any issue.
There’s 2 things that bother me - where to place the rubber gaskets that hold the card from the bottom. And the screws would have to be flat head screws so the case closes. I’ll have to ask around Amazon and closely look at the pics to see if the screws would be ok. Additionally, my Gigabyte card had 3 fans where the rubber gaskets need to sit. I don’t know if that’s possible with the card I have.
However, if you insist ... I think I would just take a hack-saw, Dremel, or file to the existing black-plastic one.
Dell Rockstar
Microsoft Windows and Apple iOS Developer (Retired) - Like many of you, I can appreciate a good game-engine. - I answer questions here, but I'm not a Dell employee. - Consider giving posts you like a "thumbs-up" - Posting models-numbers and software versions speeds trouble-shooting. - Click "Mark as Accepted Answer" on any post that answers your question best.
Tesla1856
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Posted October 20th, 2018 12:00
No, it is not required.
It's really just there because the computers get shipped (always roughly).
If you ship the computer, you might want to remove the (expensive) GTX-1080.
Dell Rockstar
Microsoft Windows and Apple iOS Developer (Retired)
- Like many of you, I can appreciate a good game-engine.
- I answer questions here, but I'm not a Dell employee.
- Consider giving posts you like a "thumbs-up"
- Posting models-numbers and software versions speeds trouble-shooting.
- Click "Mark as Accepted Answer" on any post that answers your question best.