Imagine the following scenario. You just bought a new RTX 30XX series card. While trying to install it, you suddenly realize there is not enough room. If that is not a nightmare, I don’t know what is. So, what do you do? Buy a smaller GPU? I don’t think so. You buy a larger case.
Today we will talk about something lots of people are interested in – Can a 3-fan GPU fit in a mid-tower? Good question, and here is the answer:
Generally speaking, some three-fan GPUs will fit in a mid-tower while others won’t. It all depends on the specific GPU and case dimensions. This is why you should always check case specifications before buying the GPU.
As you can see, this is the shortest answer we can give you. However, there is so much more to keep in mind, and reading only this is not nearly enough to make the right decision, so keep reading.
How do I know if my GPU will fit in the case?
‘Is there enough room?’ is by far the most important consideration when selecting a case. In the past, hard drives were once one of the most important elements that required space. If you wanted any kind of file storage, acquiring many hard drives, which all need a place, was far more cost-effective.
The more drive bays you have, the greater your tower. This is no longer an issue with today’s lower-footprint SSDs, particularly M.2 NVME drives. SSDs are installed on any flat surface, such as case side panels, while NVME drives are installed neatly on the motherboard. There’s no need for large drive bays anymore.
So what are we referring to when we ask, “Is there enough room”? Well, two things: CPU cooler and graphics card. In this article, we will only talk about the latter.
When it comes to GPU dimensions, length, and thickness are the most important. Length is easy to understand as you cannot fit in a card that’s longer than your case. The width or the thickness is mostly referred to in either millimeters or slots. When we say slots, it refers to the number of PCIe slots your card will cover.
Today, your card will probably be dual or triple slot (these are mostly top-tier models). In most cases, GPUs are dual slots with their variations. While some GPUs will occupy no more than two slots, others can range from 2.2 to 2.75 slots. The bad news is that their sheets do not always highlight these differences.
Also, always check your width in millimeters, too, as two cards can be categorized the same in terms of slots, but their width in mm is different. For instance, ASUS RX 6600 Dual and RX 6900 XT are both categorized as 2.5- slot cards. However, the first is 47mm while the latter is 50mm.
Here is the crucial note: check the card’s dimensions before buying. After that, using a ruler, measure the distance between the PCI-E slot and the side panel and then the distance between the rear expansion slot and the front of the case.
Maximum cooler height may already be a suitable measurement when measuring from the slot to the side panel. Furthermore, most cases will specify the maximum size of a GPU that will fit in a case.
If your preferred GPU does not fit, consider purchasing a vertical mount with a riser cable. Do not use the one that comes with your case since it is too close to the side panel to provide enough air.
The alternative is to go to the PCPartPicker and check your hardware compatibility. Their results are pretty solid. However, don’t thank them as a guarantee. This is why I always recommend doing a quick Google search and measuring your case. Nevertheless, if you are not tech-savvy, PCPartPicker can be a good alternative.
Will a 3-Fan GPU Fit In a Mid Tower?
After understanding how to know if your GPU will fit in your case, it is quite easy to tell whether a three-fan GPU you plan on buying will fit or not. As you can see, here is all about the specific case. Not all three-fan GPUs have the same dimensions, nor do all mid towers.
After lots of research, I concluded that most mid-tower cases offer 350-400 mm, which is sufficient for most 3-fan GPUs. If you want water cooling, go for the big case possible.
However, let’s take some of the most popular GPUs and answer whether or not they should fit in mid-tower cases.
RTX 3060 Ti (3-Fan Versions)
| GPU | GPU Length | Mid Tower Compatibility |
| ASUS RTX 3060 Ti Gaming OC | 317 mm | Mostly yes |
| AORUS GeForce RTX™ 3060 Ti MASTER 8G | 290 mm | Yes |
As we can see, RTX 3060 Ti will fit in most mid-tower cases without problems.
RTX 3070 (3-Fan Versions)
| GPU | GPU Length | Mid Tower Compatibility |
| ASUS TUF RTX 3070 OC | 300 mm | Yes |
| Gigabyte RTX 3070 Eagle OC | 282 mm | Yes |
| MSI RTX 3070 VENTUS 3X OC | 305 mm | Yes |
As we can see, RTX 3070 will fit in most mid-tower cases without problems.
RTX 3070 Ti
| GPU | GPU Length | Mid Tower Compatibility |
| ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX™ 3070 Ti | 300 mm | Yes |
| Gigabyte RTX™ 3070 Ti MASTER 8G | 324 mm | Mostly yes |
| Gigabyte RTX™ 3070 Ti GAMING 8G | 320 mm | Mostly yes |
| MSI RTX 3070 Ti GAMING X TRIO 8G | 323 mm | Mostly yes |
As we can see, RTX 3070 will fit in most mid-tower cases without problems. However, always check both GPU and case specifications before buying.
RTX 3080 (3-Fan Versions)
| GPU | GPU Length | Mid Tower Compatibility |
| MSI RTX™ 3080 GAMING X TRIO 10G | 323 mm | Mostly yes |
| ROG Strix RTX™ 3080 12GB GDDR6X OC EVA Edition | 319 mm | Mostly yes |
| TUF Gaming GeForce RTX™ 3080 12GB | 300 mm | Yes |
| GeForce RTX™ 3080 GAMING OC 10G | 320 mm | Mostly yes |
As we can see, RTX 3080 will fit in most mid-tower cases without problems. However, always check both GPU and case specifications before buying.
RTX 3090 (3-Fan Versions)
| GPU | GPU Length | Mid Tower Compatibility |
| ROG-STRIX-RTX3090-O24G-GAMING | 319 mm | Mostly yes |
| EVGA GeForce RTX 3090 XC3 BLACK GAMING | 286 mm | Yes |
| MSI RTX™ 3090 GAMING X TRIO 24G | 323 mm | Mostly yes |
As we can see, RTX 3090 will fit in most mid-tower cases without problems. However, always check both GPU and case specifications before buying.
RTX 4080 (3-Fan Versions)
| GPU | GPU Length | Mid Tower Compatibility |
| MSI RTX™ 4080 16GB GAMING X TRIO | 337 mm | Mostly yes |
| ROG Strix GeForce RTX™ 4080 16GB | 358 mm | Depending on the case |
| ZOTAC GAMING GeForce RTX 4080 16GB Trinity | 356 mm | Depending on the case |
| AORUS GeForce RTX™ 4080 16GB MASTER | 357 mm | Depending on the case |
As we can see, RTX 4080 will fit in some mid-tower cases while in others won’t. However, always check both GPU and case specifications before buying.
RTX 4090 (3-Fan Versions)
| GPU | GPU Length | Mid Tower Compatibility |
| INNO3D GEFORCE RTX 4090 X3 OC | 336 mm | Mostly yes |
| ROG Strix GeForce RTX™ 4090 OC 24GB | 358 mm | Depending on the case |
| MSI RTX 4090 SUPRIM X 24G | 336 mm | Mostly yes |
As we can see, RTX 4090 will fit in most mid-tower cases, while in some won’t. However, always check both GPU and case specifications before buying.