Looking for a quieter graphics card..

[Cuffz]

Hi,

I'm looking for a specific card that is known to be quiet and has a working fan controller unlike the hairdryer Gigabyte HD4670 I have, it can be either an ATi HD4670 or nVIDIA 9600 , maybe it has a p reinstalled quieter 80mm fan, that would probably be best, no more than £100.

Thanks...

[staffsMike]

If you have some case airflow this would be nice
http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/1GB-G...-DL-DVI-I-HDTV

Probably quiet
http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/512MB...xDL-DVI-I-HDTV

you could always get a new cooler for the HD4670 you have.

[Webby]

The Powercolor 4670 PCS is quiet see here for some numbers http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/P...D_4670/25.html you can get it from eBuyer for £61 http://www.ebuyer.com/product/150851

Review for the ICeQ Mike linked (noisier than the Powercolor) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/H..._Turbo/25.html

[Cuffz]

Thanks.. I don't fancy voiding warranties hehe so I'm getting a new one, looks like the powercolor is a great choice.

[staffsMike]

Seems to be the best choice.

[Cuffz]

Yupz ordered the powercolor, +1 thanks for webby .

[Cuffz]

Cancelled - I really need an NVIDIA card for one specific app.
So I'm looking for the quietest 9600GT with a fan+ability to control it .

Edit: can also be a 9800 GT card .

[Webby]

Gainward 9600 GT Bliss £84 http://www.ebuyer.com/product/150573 or Scan http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/512MB...-DL-DVI-I-HDTV

That should fit all your criteria quiet at stock (from reviews saying its quiet no hard and fast numbers I'm afraid) and it has a 4 pin fan connector so can be controlled manually as well if you want to do that.

You are unlikely to find a 9800GT with a non-stock cooler that isn't the palit hurricane card for less than £100. The stock cooler while not really loud is not quiet either. So you are looking at £110 for the Inno3d IChill (3 slot cooler though) http://www.ebuyer.com/product/149065 uses a very good quiet cooler not sure if its speed controllable but you wont need to

My only qualm with buying a 9800GT for £110 is that a 4850 can be had for £5 more and knocks its socks off performance wise, what do yuo need an nVidia card for?

[Cuffz]

Thanks ... Second Life works much better with NVIDIA cards. I've seen the numbers on the 9600/9800GT.. afaik its only 5-10% fps difference in a lot of real world games, sometimes its even.

[Jagleman]

Nvidia System tools allow you to control the fan speed in Nvidia Control Panel - so you can adjust speed/noise to taste on the latest Nvidia cards - works fine on my 8800GT.

[Cuffz]

Nvidia System tools allow you to control the fan speed in Nvidia Control Panel - so you can adjust speed/noise to taste on the latest Nvidia cards - works fine on my 8800GT.

Great, I hope there's no popular brands that have non functioning fan control.. on my gigabyte hd4670 its available in software but non functioning. .

[staffsMike]

Or just eliminate fan noise altogther...
http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/512MB...-DL-DVI-I-HDTV

[Cuffz]

Or just eliminate fan noise altogther...
http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/512MB...-DL-DVI-I-HDTV

My case doesn't have a 120mm fan or any fan in the front ;p I want to keep it to my 1200rpm 80mm cpu fan and my 120mm psu fan as the only ones in there, there's a crappy 80mm fan which I don't use that is drilled into the back of the case with a metal mesh - I don't fancy buying a new case for this PC...

but for some, that card will be a good one :>.

[staffsMike]

could always strap another 80/120mm to it.. would take up space but you are in total control of the noise and cooling that way.

[Cuffz]

could always strap another 80/120mm to it.. would take up space but you are in total control of the noise and cooling that way.

I guess so.

I'm most confident about this card "MSI GeForce 9800 GT" - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814127379.. it has a 4-pin fan, but I can't find it to buy in the UK
Still looking for other cards with 3-4pin fans, checking the gainward card mentioned here.

theres also - http://www.quietpc.com/gb-en-gbp/pro...x9800gt-zilent but at £165 its over the top.. £90-125 is about right I think.

[Webby]

How do you feel about changing the cooler yourself?

If you buy a card manufactured by EVGA you get a lifetime warranty and it is not voided if you remove the cooler (as long as you do not damage the card doing so) so £105 gets you the 9800GT http://www.microdirect.co.uk/Product...roductID=38654 has the stock cooler my suggestion would be get that try it with the stock cooler if it is too noisy then get an after market cooler, the only problem with aftermarket coolers is that they are not normally controllable via the graphics card but if you have controllable 3 pin headeres on your motherboard or a fan controller you can hook them up to one of those. With that said most of the coolers would not require adjustment as they will be to quiet to worry about anyway even running at full speed.

Or as I said before the Inoo3D IChill comes with very good after market cooling £110 (ebuyer, linked above in one of my posts) but does become a 3 slot cooling solution.