Case xpansion slots

[Preacher]

This isn't a WC-specific question, but I gotta know: Do any of you know why it is that PC cases have gone from 8 slots to only 7?...
I have an older mid-tower case (AT) that has 8 slots on the back; I''ve noticed that nowadays you practically can't FIND an ATX case that has any more than 7. Why is this?...

I know that modern mobo's don't have any more than 7 total slots (multi-PCI, a single AGP, and either an ISA and/or AMR, and/or a NIC slot), but neither did the older mobo's... That really ain't the issue. See, there are several types of add-in cards that have what I call"outriggers": That is, the card itself takes up a slot/bracket, but it has connectors that comprise a separate expansion bracket, or "outrigger". It seems to me a case with 8 slots would add maximum expansion goodness for cards such as these. You could have (for example) yer 5 PCI slots filled, yer AGP graphix card spoken for, and yer old reliable ISA soundcard or modem on hand, and still have that extra slot for whichever of the other cards might have an "outrigger" on it.

Given the fact that mfr'ers tend to err on the side of MORE (rather than LESS) expansibility, I find this trend annoyingly absent in the area of case expansion slots. I'd be most curious to hear your input on the issue. Also, if anyone knows of any case mfr'ers that DO offer 8 slots on their products, please pass that info along to me. Thx.

 

[KrisV]

I don't remember seeing a relatively recent motherboard with more than 7 slots combined. In the past, you needed a case slot for pretty much anything ; the connectors for the parallel and serial ports, the USB connectors, PS/2, ...

On modern cases, these connectors have all been built into the case itself. (i.e. http://www.thetechzone.com/reviews/case/aopen/hx08/REARVIEW.JPG) The result is that you probably have more case slots available on modern 7 slot cases, than you did on the old 8 slots (I always lost two on the serial and parallel ports).

Things that require additional case slots but don't occupy motherboard slots are pretty rare. And since it's not very likely that you'll have 7 cards in your machine, that's not really a problem. Plus, the way the new full ATX boards are designed, it would seem there'd be always some component (CPU, memory) in the way anyhow, preventing you from inserting a connector there.

Also, I believe this 7 slot case design is the ATX standard . <G>

 

[Preacher]

Originally posted by KrisV
Things that require additional case slots but don't occupy motherboard slots are pretty rare. And since it's not very likely that you'll have 7 cards in your machine, that's not really a problem. Plus, the way the new full ATX boards are designed, it would seem there'd be always some component (CPU, memory) in the way anyhow, preventing you from inserting a connector there.

Also, I believe this 7 slot case design is the ATX standard . <G>

...Oh....