Passive Cooled Graphics Card

[Oldjim]

Can you help with a graphics card selection.
Basically it isn't for gaming but will need 256MB onboard ram and a DVI output for working with Photoshop using a 19" LCD screen running at 1280 x 1024 with a vertical scan frequency of 75Hz
I am building a quiet PC based on an AMD Venice 3000+ so I want one with passive cooling.
I was looking at the LN12909 Foxconn PCI-E X600pro which appears, from the picture to have passive cooling.
Is this a good choice or are there better ones.

[Noni]

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Produ...oductID=337850

[Steve A]

For the money that is probably one of the better cards, albeit there isnt alot of choice within the passive cooled cards .. the above card is probably "THE" best passive cooled one , but it depends on the budget you have avalaible ...

Regards

[davidstone28]

If it isn't for gaming, why do you need 256mb of RAM?

If doing some serious photoshopping, your choice of CPU and amount of system RAM will be more important factors.

[Oldjim]

Because thats what Windows Vista is going to require (as far as I can tell) so I am trying to cover the options.
I could go for 128MB and upgrade the graphics card later but the cost difference between 128MB and 256MB seems very small.
The MSI 6600 is an option but it looks like overkill for its expected use.

[davidstone28]

Then its pretty simple - buy a 7900GT and slap on one of these babies

or wait for one of these

or these

or this

TBH, I think you're jumping the gun. Vista won't realistically be available until probably Christmas or maybe even next year....by which time graphics card manufacturers will have got their act together in terms of actively and passively coolers Vista compliant graphics cards.

My suggestion would to buy whatever passive card is around at the moment such as the card 6600 Scan card, or even a 6200 (of which Scan do loads) and then pick up whatever is the most suitable Vista compliant passive card around at the time when you buy Vista

[Oldjim]

The one I asked about in my first post http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Produ...oductID=329251 is specified as having passive cooling - is this wrong?

[scrandman]

Certainly looks passive in the picture.

BTW, the best passive available on the market with 256Mb RAM is the 7600GS, such as this one:

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Produ...oductID=378687

Unfortunately, that is why it's double the price of the X600 you posted.

The 7600 has the advantage of being "Windows Vista ready" over the X600 and 6600, whatever that may mean...