Nvidia has updated the list of compact SFF-Ready video cards – of all the RTX 5090, only the reference Founders Edition is included there

Nvidia has updated the list of video cards that comply with the SFF-Ready concept – powerful video cards for compact PCs. The list now includes models of the new GeForce RTX 5000 series. It is noteworthy that many of the video cards presented in this list have not yet been officially announced by manufacturers. This makes it possible to evaluate which cards from Nvidia’s partners should be available for sale in the future.

Image source: NVIDIA

It should also be noted that most SFF-Ready GeForce RTX 5000 series cards are RTX 5070 cards. These cards, with a TDP range of 250 to 300 W, are easier to develop and require significantly less complex cooling systems compared to the higher-end RTX 5080 and RTX 5090. By the way, the company has added GeForce RTX 5000 video cards to the SFF-Ready list Nvidia has added its own RTX 5090 Founders Edition. It is curious that among all the RTX 5090 presented so far, it is the only one that fits the SFF-Ready classification. The thickness of the reference version of the RTX 5090 is two expansion slots – all other solutions from the company’s partners have a thickness of three expansion slots.

The list of those eligible for SFF-Ready classification also now includes the reference versions of the RTX 5080 and RTX 5070. The reference RTX 5070 Ti was not included in the list because Nvidia will not release it in the Founders Edition. When developing the GeForce RTX 5000 series of graphics cards, Nvidia made significant innovations in PCB design, minimizing their footprint, and also optimizing airflow. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang himself describes these cards as a “giant fan.” The image below explains why this is the case without further ado.

The SFF-Ready classification includes accelerators whose length does not exceed 304 mm, height is no more than 151 mm, and width is no more than 50 mm (2.5 expansion slots). These specifications did not cause problems for Nvidia’s partners when developing cooling systems for new cards.

Most manufacturers have decided to resort to the use of vapor chambers as part of cooling radiators and thermal pads with phase change, which help maintain acceptable low temperatures of video cards, even despite the increase in their power consumption compared to previous generation models.

A complete list of Nvidia video cards that qualify for the SFF-Ready classification can be found on the Nvidia website.