Are videocards going to keep getting bigger?

What's the pattern on new videocards?  Does a series start out big while newer version become smaller and more powerful?

The 8800 gtx is huge, and the new ati card will probably be even bigger.  Why are manufacturers making videocards so big now?  I don't want to buy a case now, just to find out that I need to buy a bigger one in the future.

How big are the 8 series cards?dbowman

Big enough if you ask me.

Here is a picture of mine sitting below my motherboard for scale. 

How big are the 8 series cards?dbowman

Search for integrated GPU on CPU, there is a lot of rumor that some day GPU's will be implemented into the CPU. That would make the videocard dissapear. The other way around is not always getting bigger videocards. The longer the PCB, the longer a signal has to travel, which slows down the performance.DirkVDV01

[QUOTE="DirkVDV01"]Search for integrated GPU on CPU, there is a lot of rumor that some day GPU's will be implemented into the CPU. That would make the videocard dissapear. The other way around is not always getting bigger videocards. The longer the PCB, the longer a signal has to travel, which slows down the performance.jnhay

It is feasible, but a loooong ways off. DAAMIT themselves don't see the end of the video cards in the foreseeable future.

Innovation within our market is moving at a tremendous pace, but you can still see a solid place for dedicated GPUs into the foreseeable future.John Byrne

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/editorial/display/interview_amd_byrne_2007_2.html

R700 will be a multicore GPU, with one master core and a number of smaller cores around it. It will be easily scalable and cost effective, allowing manufacturers to easily produce and hardlaunch a large number of different models that fall within all price ranges.

http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=35818 

i think there wont b any cards bigger than the GTX.r3351925

you cant trust the inquirer as a source of legit infohollin24

Umm... yes you can. They have been very accurate the past 3 generations. 

[QUOTE="r3351925"]i think there wont b any cards bigger than the GTX._0V3RKI11_

you cant trust the inquirer as a source of legit infohollin24