Sub £50 and passively cooled graphics card?

[Shmee150]

What is the best graphics card that is sub £50 (looking at Scan prices I suppose) that is passively cooled. Best in terms of performance verses heat - the colder the better. Only going to run an 800x600 display, but might want to run something goodish on it

I've started by looking at the 128MB XFX 7300LE, being a low card, preventing air flow resriction within the case, which is always a good thing! http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Produ...oductID=396724

Thanks in advance for the ideas!

ShMeE

[DanceswithUnix]

It does rather depend on what you intend doing. The 7x00 series are pretty good on performance per watt, but the one you have there is 64 bit memory interface which does limit what games it can play.

Next up is probably the 7300GT which is already out of your price range and on the slippery slope to "I might as well spend an extra 9 quid and buy a 7600GS as that will play just about anything."

Of course, the 7300GT is a very new card in this country, so the price may drop down into your range before long when some competition turns up.

[Shmee150]

It's to run a 3rd screen, alongside something like a 7950GX2, so I'm not worried about it being very powerful.

I'm guessing at £35 it wil do exactly what I want problem free, and it's probably easier sticking with nvidia, but what would be the ATi equivalent?

ShMeE

[DanceswithUnix]

I have read posts from people trying to get Nvidia and ATI cards playing together, and it doesn't sound much fun.

It does sounds like a 7300 is ideal. I notice the XFX is on Scan's today only today, so with free postage that would be a bargain. The Gigabyte 7300GS looks a tad more industrial with a bigger heatsink, but as you say it might cut down airflow to your more expensive components.

[machinist]

This card is your friend

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Produ...oductID=428735

[cheechy]

How does the Nvidia 7300 compare to something like an old 9700 ATI card in terms of processing power?

[Dark Horse]

From what I gather a 7300gt is similar to a 6600GT so ~3000 in 3dmark 05.

A 9700 gets ~<2000 and a 9700 pro ~>2000.

[cheechy]

Pretty impressive. I was going to create an HTPC with my old 2800+ AMD and the sapphire 9700. The 7300 looks a good buy but it also looks like Nvidia have cut loose AGP completely - is the ATI x1300 of similar power to the 7300 (I take it the naming similarities aren't just a coincidence)?

[fullfat]

i was going to say the 7300gt but ive been beaten to it great little cards