diff --git a/frontend/src/v2/components/Activity/ActivityCard.vue b/frontend/src/v2/components/Activity/ActivityCard.vue
index 385d3703c..13d9f3708 100644
--- a/frontend/src/v2/components/Activity/ActivityCard.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/v2/components/Activity/ActivityCard.vue
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ defineProps<Props>();
         :alt="romName"
         width="100%"
         aspect-ratio="2/3"
-        cover
+        contain
       />
       <RChip
         color="success"
diff --git a/frontend/src/v2/components/Dialogs/DeleteRomDialog.vue b/frontend/src/v2/components/Dialogs/DeleteRomDialog.vue
index ad4970616..f53dfe9fb 100644
--- a/frontend/src/v2/components/Dialogs/DeleteRomDialog.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/v2/components/Dialogs/DeleteRomDialog.vue
@@ -334,7 +334,9 @@ function closeDialog() {
 .r-v2-del-rom__cover img {
   width: 100%;
   height: 100%;
-  object-fit: cover;
+  /* Show the whole cover at its natural aspect (no crop); the slot stays a
+     uniform width so the delete list's rows keep their alignment. */
+  object-fit: contain;
   display: block;
 }
 .r-v2-del-rom__cover-placeholder {
diff --git a/frontend/src/v2/components/Dialogs/RefreshMetadataDialog.vue b/frontend/src/v2/components/Dialogs/RefreshMetadataDialog.vue
index e738c6729..1a44329ae 100644
--- a/frontend/src/v2/components/Dialogs/RefreshMetadataDialog.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/v2/components/Dialogs/RefreshMetadataDialog.vue
@@ -681,7 +681,8 @@ function closeDialog() {
 .r-v2-refresh__cover img {
   width: 100%;
   height: 100%;
-  object-fit: cover;
+  /* Whole cover at its natural aspect (no crop); the slot stays uniform. */
+  object-fit: contain;
   display: block;
 }
 .r-v2-refresh__cover-placeholder {
diff --git a/frontend/src/v2/components/Gallery/GameListRow.vue b/frontend/src/v2/components/Gallery/GameListRow.vue
index 596f8b7b4..e44894e63 100644
--- a/frontend/src/v2/components/Gallery/GameListRow.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/v2/components/Gallery/GameListRow.vue
@@ -317,6 +317,7 @@ onBeforeUnmount(() => {
         <GameCard
           :rom="rom"
           size="xs"
+          fixed
           :webp="webp"
           decorative
           :show-title="false"
diff --git a/frontend/src/v2/components/GameCard/GameCard.vue b/frontend/src/v2/components/GameCard/GameCard.vue
index 023216b37..42b39a578 100644
--- a/frontend/src/v2/components/GameCard/GameCard.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/v2/components/GameCard/GameCard.vue
@@ -74,6 +74,11 @@ interface Props {
    *  not a separate scale), so `hero` + any `size` paints the 16:9
    *  shape at that tier's footprint. */
   size?: "xs" | "sm" | "md" | "lg" | "xl";
+  /** Keep the tier's fixed width×height footprint (cover cropped via
+   *  object-fit) instead of the default fixed-height/natural-width. For
+   *  dense aligned layouts — list-row tables — where a uniform cover
+   *  column matters more than showing the cover's true shape. */
+  fixed?: boolean;
   focused?: boolean;
   webp?: boolean;
   showPlatformIcon?: boolean;
@@ -369,6 +374,7 @@ function onStaticKeydown(e: KeyboardEvent) {
       size !== 'md' && `r-gc--size-${size}`,
       {
         'r-gc--hero': hero,
+        'r-gc--fixed': fixed,
         'r-gc--focused': focused,
         'r-gc--static': static || decorative,
         'r-gc--no-hover': noHover || decorative,
@@ -529,21 +535,25 @@ function onStaticKeydown(e: KeyboardEvent) {
   color: var(--r-color-fg);
 }
 
-/* Default (gallery) card: fixed art height (a 2/3 cover's height at
-   `--r-card-art-w`), natural width from the cover's own ratio. Same height,
-   varying widths. Size tiers + hero keep their fixed footprints. */
+/* Non-hero, non-fixed cards render at a FIXED HEIGHT with NATURAL WIDTH —
+   same height, varying widths, never cropped. `size` just picks the height
+   (the default derives it from the reference width; tiers set it directly).
+   `hero` (16:9) and the `fixed` opt-out (dense aligned lists / tables that
+   need a uniform cover column) keep their fixed w×h footprint. */
 .r-gc:not([class*="r-gc--size-"]):not(.r-gc--hero) {
   --r-card-art-h: calc(var(--r-card-art-w) / 0.6667);
+}
+.r-gc:not(.r-gc--hero):not(.r-gc--fixed) {
   width: auto;
   display: flex;
   flex-direction: column;
 }
 /* Width follows the cover (overrides GameCover's base `width: 100%`). */
-.r-gc:not([class*="r-gc--size-"]):not(.r-gc--hero) .r-gc__art {
+.r-gc:not(.r-gc--hero):not(.r-gc--fixed) .r-gc__art {
   width: auto;
 }
 /* Label fills the cover's width and ellipsises, without widening the card. */
-.r-gc:not([class*="r-gc--size-"]):not(.r-gc--hero) .r-gc__label {
+.r-gc:not(.r-gc--hero):not(.r-gc--fixed) .r-gc__label {
   width: 0;
   min-width: 100%;
   max-width: 100%;
diff --git a/frontend/src/v2/components/GameDetails/InfoGrid.vue b/frontend/src/v2/components/GameDetails/InfoGrid.vue
index 14020815c..044aa3c3d 100644
--- a/frontend/src/v2/components/GameDetails/InfoGrid.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/v2/components/GameDetails/InfoGrid.vue
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ const visible = () => props.sections.filter((s) => s.items.length > 0);
    surfaces feel like siblings. */
 .r-v2-det-infogrid {
   display: grid;
-  grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fill, minmax(240px, 1fr));
+  grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fill, minmax(240px, auto));
   gap: 18px 24px;
   width: 100%;
 }
diff --git a/frontend/src/v2/components/Scan/ScanPlatformRow.vue b/frontend/src/v2/components/Scan/ScanPlatformRow.vue
index 2ad2a1344..9d7b296ce 100644
--- a/frontend/src/v2/components/Scan/ScanPlatformRow.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/v2/components/Scan/ScanPlatformRow.vue
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ function coverFor(rom: SimpleRom): string {
       :alt="displayName"
       :width="36"
       :height="48"
-      cover
+      contain
       class="r-v2-scan-platform__cover"
       :class="{ 'r-v2-scan-platform__cover--reveal': coverPop }"
       @load="onCoverLoad"