Good, quiet bang for buck graphics card?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jeff Conescu
  • Start date Start date
J

Jeff Conescu

Hi,

I'm putting together a system that's going to be located in a bedroom and
frequently used for watching TV on. Accordingly, it's in a Sonata case with
120mm fans and doesn't make much noise. I've got all the components selected
apart from the graphics card. Bang for buck is the main objective, so the
budget won't stretch beyond a radeon 9800se, and I'd rather go lower and
spend the savings on other components if I can. I assume this points towards
a 9600pro.

Can anyone recommend a decent *quiet* video card to fit this brief? There's
a real lack of online information available detailing how noisy particular
cards are.

All suggestions appreciated.

[follow-ups set to alt.comp.periphs.videocards.ati only]
 
I bought this card for a backup SFF machine(Shuttle type) for use in
our family room for the kids until I settle on what the media center will
look like in a few months to a year and I was nicely surprised...

http://microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0172732



Hi,

I'm putting together a system that's going to be located in a bedroom and
frequently used for watching TV on. Accordingly, it's in a Sonata case
with
120mm fans and doesn't make much noise. I've got all the components
selected
apart from the graphics card. Bang for buck is the main objective, so the
budget won't stretch beyond a radeon 9800se, and I'd rather go lower and
spend the savings on other components if I can. I assume this points
towards
a 9600pro.

Can anyone recommend a decent *quiet* video card to fit this brief?
There's
a real lack of online information available detailing how noisy
particular
cards are.

All suggestions appreciated.

[follow-ups set to alt.comp.periphs.videocards.ati only]
Click to expand...
 
Jeff Conescu said:
Hi,

I'm putting together a system that's going to be located in a bedroom and
frequently used for watching TV on. Accordingly, it's in a Sonata case
with 120mm fans and doesn't make much noise. I've got all the components
selected apart from the graphics card. Bang for buck is the main
objective, so the budget won't stretch beyond a radeon 9800se, and I'd
rather go lower and spend the savings on other components if I can. I
assume this points towards a 9600pro.

Can anyone recommend a decent *quiet* video card to fit this brief?
There's a real lack of online information available detailing how noisy
particular cards are.

All suggestions appreciated.

[follow-ups set to alt.comp.periphs.videocards.ati only]
Click to expand...

The gigabyte 6600gt with passive heatpipe cooling. Needs lot's of space and
don't expect to overclock it much!
 
Jeff Conescu said:
Hi,

I'm putting together a system that's going to be located in a bedroom and
frequently used for watching TV on. Accordingly, it's in a Sonata case
with 120mm fans and doesn't make much noise. I've got all the components
selected apart from the graphics card. Bang for buck is the main
objective, so the budget won't stretch beyond a radeon 9800se, and I'd
rather go lower and spend the savings on other components if I can. I
assume this points towards a 9600pro.

Can anyone recommend a decent *quiet* video card to fit this brief?
There's a real lack of online information available detailing how noisy
particular cards are.

All suggestions appreciated.

[follow-ups set to alt.comp.periphs.videocards.ati only]
Click to expand...
I would suggest you not come to NVIDIA NG's asking questions on ATI cards.
 
Jeff said:
Hi,

I'm putting together a system that's going to be located in a bedroom and
frequently used for watching TV on. Accordingly, it's in a Sonata case with
120mm fans and doesn't make much noise. I've got all the components selected
apart from the graphics card. Bang for buck is the main objective, so the
budget won't stretch beyond a radeon 9800se, and I'd rather go lower and
spend the savings on other components if I can. I assume this points towards
a 9600pro.

Can anyone recommend a decent *quiet* video card to fit this brief? There's
a real lack of online information available detailing how noisy particular
cards are.

All suggestions appreciated.

[follow-ups set to alt.comp.periphs.videocards.ati only]
Click to expand...

I believe sapphire do some passively cooled high end radeons (they call
them their 'ultimate' series)

9600 Pro : http://www.sapphiretech.com/vga/9600proult.asp
9700 Pro : http://www.sapphiretech.com/vga/9700proult.asp
9800 Pro : http://www.sapphiretech.com/vga/9800proult.asp

They cost more though (obviously needing more technology to achieve the
end result - heatpipes, big good quality heatsinks etc.)
 
Jeff said:
Hi,

I'm putting together a system that's going to be located in a bedroom and
frequently used for watching TV on. Accordingly, it's in a Sonata case with
120mm fans and doesn't make much noise. I've got all the components selected
apart from the graphics card. Bang for buck is the main objective, so the
budget won't stretch beyond a radeon 9800se, and I'd rather go lower and
spend the savings on other components if I can. I assume this points towards
a 9600pro.

Can anyone recommend a decent *quiet* video card to fit this brief? There's
a real lack of online information available detailing how noisy particular
cards are.

All suggestions appreciated.

[follow-ups set to alt.comp.periphs.videocards.ati only]
Click to expand...

I believe sapphire do some passively cooled high end radeons (they call
them their 'ultimate' series)

9600 Pro : http://www.sapphiretech.com/vga/9600proult.asp
9700 Pro : http://www.sapphiretech.com/vga/9700proult.asp
9800 Pro : http://www.sapphiretech.com/vga/9800proult.asp

They cost more though (obviously needing more technology to achieve the
end result - heatpipes, big good quality heatsinks etc.)
Click to expand...

I'd stick an Arctic Cooler on a standard ATI card (as indeed I have
done). Macho fan setting for overclocking or "silent" setting if you
are a big girl's blouse.

--

Julian Richards
computer "at" richardsuk.f9.co.uk

XP Home
L7S7A2 motherboard
Powercolor 9800 SE 8 pipelines 438/364 with Omega drivers
1 GB RAM
10 GB + 80 GB HDs
CD+DVD/CDRW drives
 
budget won't stretch beyond a radeon 9800se, and I'd rather go lower and
spend the savings on other components if I can. I assume this points towards
a 9600pro.
Click to expand...

If you want quiet, go with a AIW 9600 non-pro. It doesn't have a fan so it
makes _no_ noise and if you're not a gamer, you'll never notice the
difference in performance.
 
Julian said:
Jeff said:
Hi,

I'm putting together a system that's going to be located in a bedroom and
frequently used for watching TV on. Accordingly, it's in a Sonata case with
120mm fans and doesn't make much noise. I've got all the components selected
apart from the graphics card. Bang for buck is the main objective, so the
budget won't stretch beyond a radeon 9800se, and I'd rather go lower and
spend the savings on other components if I can. I assume this points towards
a 9600pro.

Can anyone recommend a decent *quiet* video card to fit this brief? There's
a real lack of online information available detailing how noisy particular
cards are.

All suggestions appreciated.

[follow-ups set to alt.comp.periphs.videocards.ati only]
Click to expand...

I believe sapphire do some passively cooled high end radeons (they call
them their 'ultimate' series)

9600 Pro : http://www.sapphiretech.com/vga/9600proult.asp
9700 Pro : http://www.sapphiretech.com/vga/9700proult.asp
9800 Pro : http://www.sapphiretech.com/vga/9800proult.asp

They cost more though (obviously needing more technology to achieve the
end result - heatpipes, big good quality heatsinks etc.)
Click to expand...


I'd stick an Arctic Cooler on a standard ATI card (as indeed I have
done). Macho fan setting for overclocking or "silent" setting if you
are a big girl's blouse.
Click to expand...

Is thermal paste supplied with the arctic cooler?
It is absolutely essential to remove the old thermal paste before
applying the new stuff?
Ive noticed that my 9600XT has two plastic pushpin things for the HSF
(abit model) - does the arctic cooler have just two screws that match up
with these or is mine meant to have four and is non-standard?

im interested in the AC but just a bit concerned about having to do the
replacement of my stock hsf
 
Julian Richards wrote:

Is thermal paste supplied with the arctic cooler?
It is absolutely essential to remove the old thermal paste before
applying the new stuff?
Ive noticed that my 9600XT has two plastic pushpin things for the HSF
(abit model) - does the arctic cooler have just two screws that match up
with these or is mine meant to have four and is non-standard?

im interested in the AC but just a bit concerned about having to do the
replacement of my stock hsf
Click to expand...

I can't remember about paste. I got the old one off using a hair dryer
and it came away pretty clean. I am no techie at all but even though I
worried about it whilst doing it, I had no problems.

I paid over the odds for a 9800 SE but it runs like a 9800XT so it's
not all bad.

--

Julian Richards
computer "at" richardsuk.f9.co.uk

XP Home
L7S7A2 motherboard
Powercolor 9800 SE 8 pipelines 438/364 with Omega drivers
1 GB RAM
10 GB + 80 GB HDs
CD+DVD/CDRW drives
 
Jeff Conescu said:
Hi,

I'm putting together a system that's going to be located in a bedroom and
frequently used for watching TV on. Accordingly, it's in a Sonata case with
120mm fans and doesn't make much noise. I've got all the components selected
apart from the graphics card. Bang for buck is the main objective, so the
budget won't stretch beyond a radeon 9800se, and I'd rather go lower and
spend the savings on other components if I can. I assume this points towards
a 9600pro.

Can anyone recommend a decent *quiet* video card to fit this brief? There's
a real lack of online information available detailing how noisy particular
cards are.

All suggestions appreciated.

[follow-ups set to alt.comp.periphs.videocards.ati only]
Click to expand...
Why ATI? Nvidia cards are better. Geforce 6600gt will suit you fine.
 
Jeff said:
Hi,

I'm putting together a system that's going to be located in a bedroom and
frequently used for watching TV on. Accordingly, it's in a Sonata case with
120mm fans and doesn't make much noise. I've got all the components selected
apart from the graphics card. Bang for buck is the main objective, so the
budget won't stretch beyond a radeon 9800se, and I'd rather go lower and
spend the savings on other components if I can. I assume this points towards
a 9600pro.

Can anyone recommend a decent *quiet* video card to fit this brief? There's
a real lack of online information available detailing how noisy particular
cards are.

All suggestions appreciated.

[follow-ups set to alt.comp.periphs.videocards.ati only]
Click to expand...


Check out the 9550 cards @ Newegg.com. They are slower than the 9600
Pro, but have passive cooling. I just bought one for my HTPC for about
$70, and I am very happy with it. You can google for benchmarks of the
9550 vs. the 9600. Also, avoid the "SE" cards.

This is the particular one that I bought:

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-125-141&depa=0

It is out-of-stock at the moment.

Note that I went with the 128MB version - I don't do much gaming, so
256MB made no sense for me.
 
If you are not playing games, you can get a Radeon VE board for probably
$20 on E-Bay, they don't have fans at all, and they are surprisingly
good cards. The "built by ATI" cards have DVI, VGA and S-Video (TV)
output, any 2 of which can be used concurrently. Look for the "Radeon
VE Dual Display Edition". Although "low end", with only 32 megs of
memory, these are surprisingly good cards for anything in this range,
and they are fine for everything (including office apps, web browsing,
even photography, DVD playback and video editing) EXCEPT 3D games and CAD.

Also, the "built by ATI" Radeon 9600 (no suffix at all) was passivly
cooled (no fan at all) and they are available for under but close to
$100, they also have DVI, VGA and TV out, and are obviously much
higher-end cards.
 
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