ZOTAC Goes Slimmer with "2.5-slot" SOLID CORE GeForce RTX 5080 & 5070 Ti Models

[T0@st]

ZOTAC has quietly introduced its brand-new SOLID CORE graphics card design—four GeForce RTX 50-series models appeared on the brand's website at some point last week. An official press release was not issued alongside the fresh publication of product pages. On first inspection, the Hong Kong-based manufacturer seems to be reusing their existing SOLID shroud and backplate setup. As reported by VideoCardz, ZOTAC's engineering team has implemented a very mild shrink in one dimension. Triple-fan cooled SOLID COREs have arrived with a "slimmer profile" 2.5 slot design (56 mm/2.2 inches), albeit with an I/O bracket that still occupies three rows. The original SOLID card is a substantial 3.5-slot prospect; with its shroud's height measured at 68 mm/2.7 inches.

Specification sheets for SOLID CORE GeForce RTX 5080 and RTX 5070 Ti SKUs (standard and OC) advertise familiar feature sets—barring a difference in height, the usual SOLID provisions are present. Highlights include a vapor chamber-based "IceStorm 3.0 Advanced Cooling" solution, BladeLink Fans, 12V-2x6 Safety Light, and SPECTRA RGB Lighting. Circa-CES 2025, NVIDIA and its board partners were keenly advertising some "SFF-Ready" products, but ZOTAC's flagship and high-end "Blackwell" GB203 GPU-based models are distinct space fillers—even in 2.5-slot form. The company's GeForce RTX 5070 SOLID design exists as a proper 2-slot solution; VideoCardz believes that a variation of this shroud will be attached to upcoming GeForce RTX 5060 Ti models.




Here are some extra shots of the SOLID CORE card design, all sourced directly from ZOTAC's website:



View at TechPowerUp Main Site | Source

 

[windwhirl]

Eh, I'd say slim is 1 slot. 2 slots is normal, 3 slots or more is chonk

That aside, I don't see the point of doing 2.5/3.5 slots sizes? Maybe that's just my OCD getting triggered

 

[Shihab]

Eh, I'd say slim is 1 slot. 2 slots is normal, 3 slots or more is chonk

That aside, I don't see the point of doing 2.5/3.5 slots sizes? Maybe that's just my OCD getting triggered

"Slimmer," not slim.

I don't think the target was 2.5 or 3.5 themselves. Probably a mixture of BoM optimisations and TDP constraints.

Fractional heights may have made sense back in SLI days. Not so much today. Hope everyone else sticks to standards.

 

[mate123]

Curious choice as their cards tend to be on the hot/loud side in the las few generations...

 

[Nater]

Are they shorter?

I just lost like 8 hard drive bays with a 5070 Ti install. Too goddamn long.

 

[PerfectWave]

no gpu chip and they made tons of variants

 

[_roman_]

2.5 slots is still 3 slots?

Are there any mainboards wiht 2.5 slot width difference?

Marketing nonsense. They should write Slot Size = 3; Grafic card heigth = 60 mm (or whatever 3 slots are)

Well that graphic card in this article is slimmer as 4 or 5 slots.

 

[Fouquin]

That aside, I don't see the point of doing 2.5/3.5 slots sizes?

A decent number of SFF cases will have an extra slot width for the GPU to allow airflow, but not enough to host a full 3-slot card. By being 2.5 slots the GPU won't be touching the side panel/mesh and can still fit into the case. Zotac shot themselves in the foot unless they include a 2-slot I/O bracket for these cards, but the 2.5 slot form factor does matter in certain circumstances.

 

[FoulOnWhite]

That there is a 3 slot card

 

[Prima.Vera]

"slimmer"

 

[Hereticbar]

This is shrinkflation!

Instead of my candy bars getting smaller for the same price, now my graphics cards are getting smaller for the same price.

 

[Caring1]

Are they shorter?

I just lost like 8 hard drive bays with a 5070 Ti install. Too goddamn long.

It's too big, it won't fit ....that's what she said