cool quiet GPU recommendations

[ukmgranger]

I have just built a (bedroom) client machine based on the Silverstone LC-02 Case (see link).

http://www.silverstonetek.com/products-lc02.htm

This case is incredibly small! The temps inside are also pretty high. It runs at about 55-58 degrees C (mobo temp and CPU temp). The side of the case where the PSU is located almost gets too hot to touch. But thats all another issue.

I need a graphics card that is passively cooled yet doesn't kick out much heat. It doesn't need to be cutting edge, I'm even willing to use overlay with it if necessary. It just needs to run REALLY cool. I don't want to add any more heat (or noise) to this machine. Maybe something like this:
http://www.yoyotech.co.uk/scripts/pr...idproduct=1456

I have attached some pics of the build for those that want to look.

[waynedunham]

Looks like there's spots on the side vents where you could add one or two fans.

From the looks of that CPU fan and it's location inside the case there doesn't look like much room for it to actually move any air. The top of the cpu fan looks like it's just about touching where the top cover would be.

Other than passive cooling throught the side vents it looks like the only heat getting out of the case is through the tiny vent on the power supply. If the FlexATX PS on my MediaREADY 5000 is any indicator then VERY little airflow is coming out of that area. BTW, how is the PS fan for noise? It's horrible on the MR 5k's PS.

Not sure how quiet you could keep it, but putting a fan in each side, one blowing in and the other blowing out would definitely move some air through the case and get rid of some heat.

I just don't see any way for heat to get out of that case without some fans on the side vents.

[ukmgranger]

I have actually put two 60mm fans in the case. One sucking in air on the left and one blowing air out on the right (looking at it from the front).

The PS fan isn't THAT noisy, but the PS gets HOT. REALLY HOT.

There are vents in the case top right above the CPU. Air is being sucked in by the Zalman CPU fan through this vent.

Future thoughts are to replace the HDD with a laptop drive (This will cut down on both noise and heat) and also to swap out the stock PS fan for a 'quiet' model (no heat change there).

***The main point still remain***
What Video card should I buy?
not cutting edge
runs cool
no fan
??????

[gplasky]

Could try this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814125179



Or a little cheaper:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814125201

They also have a PCI-Express version for both.

Gerry

[ukmgranger]

Originally Posted by gplasky

Could try this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814125179

They also have a PCI-Express version too.

Gerry

I just have a feeling that something like that (as powerful as that) will kick out too much heat from the heat sink.

[salsbst]

I'm actually considering that Gigabyte 6600GT with passive cooling right now, but for a machine that needs to do component output @ HDTV resolutions.

What resolutions and video transport formats do you need the card to support? If it's just SDTV/svideo, then an Nvidia FX5200 should be fine.. perhaps something like this, perhaps: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814140056

[briands]

Originally Posted by ukmgranger

...and also to swap out the stock PS fan for a 'quiet' model (no heat change there).

Sorry for staying off topic, but you seem like the perfect guinea pig...

You could try an external power supply...http://www.logicsupply.com/product_i...roducts_id/254

I'm anxious to see how this would work in a "light Duty" client.

[ukmgranger]

Originally Posted by briands

Sorry for staying off topic, but you seem like the perfect guinea pig...

You could try an external power supply...http://www.logicsupply.com/product_i...roducts_id/254

I'm anxious to see how this would work in a "light Duty" client.

Now that looks interesting!!!

[ukmgranger]

Originally Posted by salsbst

I'm actually considering that Gigabyte 6600GT with passive cooling right now, but for a machine that needs to do component output @ HDTV resolutions.

What resolutions and video transport formats do you need the card to support? If it's just SDTV/svideo, then an Nvidia FX5200 should be fine.. perhaps something like this, perhaps: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814140056

I'm going to be running at a res of 1024x768. As I said, I am happy to run in overlay if I have to. The important factors are heat and noise.

[ukmgranger]

Originally Posted by gplasky

Could try this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814125179



Or a little cheaper:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814125201

They also have a PCI-Express version for both.

Gerry

The second one looks good. The heat sink is small which would suggest that it doesn't kick out that much heat!

[BobPhoenix]

Doesn't the motherboard have built in graphics? If it is a Radeon 9100 type then it has a little less power then the 9250 you linked so why not use the built in graphics if that is the case? A 9100 should work with overlay I would think.

BobP.

[ukmgranger]

Originally Posted by BobPhoenix

Doesn't the motherboard have built in graphics? If it is a Radeon 9100 type then it has a little less power then the 9250 you linked so why not use the built in graphics if that is the case? A 9100 should work with overlay I would think.

BobP.

The board uses SiS Mirage2 for the graphics. I don't think that this is very powerful. It definitely doesn't play nice with Sage.

[BobPhoenix]

Too bad that would be the ultimate in quite and cool if it was a better graphics chipset.

BobP.

[ukmgranger]

Originally Posted by BobPhoenix

Too bad that would be the ultimate in quite and cool if it was a better graphics chipset.

BobP.

Mmmmmm.

Maybe I'm better off getting a motherboard with a better GPU chipset than investing in a new graphics card.

[salsbst]

Originally Posted by ukmgranger

I'm going to be running at a res of 1024x768. As I said, I am happy to run in overlay if I have to. The important factors are heat and noise.

A 9600 non-pro is a great choice for VGA or DVI.

[BobPhoenix]

Originally Posted by ukmgranger

Mmmmmm.

Maybe I'm better off getting a motherboard with a better GPU chipset than investing in a new graphics card.

The advantage to a card is you get more output possibilities (DVI, S-Video, Composite, VGA) and a card will certainly have more graphics power and can be replaced/transferred to another box.


BobP.

[paulbeers]

I agree with the earlier recommendation of a geforce 5200 if you don't mind svideo. I used a geforce 5200 for about a year and thought it was great. It wasn't until I upgraded to HDTV, that I finally went for something more powerful.

[salsbst]

I figured originally that it might be svideo, hence my original 5200 recommendation.

But at the resolution he says, it's probably VGA or DVI. 5200's greatest strength is its svideo (svideo is a weakness in Radeons).... for a cool and fanless VGA/DVI output, I think Radeon 9600 non-pro is a great choice.

[ukmgranger]

Yes the output will be VGA to the LCD.

I am also watching standard def TV and DVD's (no HDTV, yet)

[JUC]

second what salsbst said--a passively cooled 9600 would work great. You could probably even get away with a 9600XT (not passive) if you find one that has software that lets you vary the fans speed. I have a Powercolor 9600XT that lets me set the fan speeds to whatever i want and it is not even audible over PSU and system fans. Then you could run VMR9.
JUC