Steve said:
Take your pick:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=
100007709%20600007323%20600062521&IsNodeId=1&name=GeForce%20GTX%
20460%20%28Fermi%29
http://preview.tinyurl.com/28vtsp7
My choice:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814261076
Palit NE5X460HF1102 GeForce GTX 460 (Fermi) Sonic Platinum
Overclocking Edition 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready
SLI Support Video Card
Because it's shorter than the others.
s
There are two kinds of GTX 460. Ones with 1GB 256-bit interface, and
ones with 768MB 192-bit interface. The difference is, the memory bandwidth
on the latter of those two, is going to be lower, and perhaps Nvidia could
have used a separate part number for that configuration. There is
a price difference between those two types as well (because one would
have more memory chips soldered to the card, than the other one).
The person running this web site, made separate entries for the cards.
And that is not something they always bother with.
http://www.gpureview.com/videocards.php
So that means, I should check out a head to head comparison of the cards.
This shows the memory choice, also affected how many "raster operators"
are enabled on the GPU. So you wouldn't just casually pick "the cheapest"
card. You'd pick the cheapest one, that still has a 256-bit memory interface.
http://www.gpureview.com/show_cards.php?card1=632&card2=633
When buying video cards, you check the power supply first, to see if
has enough PCI Express connectors, and connectors of the right type.
PCI Express come in six pin (2x3), eight pin (2x4), and 6/8 pin (where
two pins unhook from the rest, to convert from 8 pins to 6 pins). You
want to make sure there are the right connectors, for a seamless
install (no cursing and swearing because connectors are wrong). The
Newegg web site has pictures, were (as long as they don't mix up
the pictures) you can verify the connector scheme used.
The GTX 460 uses 141 watts of power when gaming.
http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/video/display/nvidia-geforce-gtx-460_6.html#sect0
http://www.xbitlabs.com/images/video/gainward-gf-gtx460-glh/gw460_power.png
Xbitlabs usually include a table of current draw numbers as well, which
you can compare to the rail ratings of the supply. (Power supplies
with so-called independent rails - you want to know which rail goes
to which connector, to work out the total loading on each.)
http://www.xbitlabs.com/images/video/gainward-gf-gtx460-glh/gw460_plines.png
(Numbers collected while playing Crysis Warhead)
Slot 12V rail - 2.3 amps (flows over the main power connector)
PCI Express 6 pin - 6.0 amps (there are two aux connectors on the card...)
PCI Express 6/8 pin - 3.4 amps
I think you could run one of those off the NXZT supply.
For more info on 6 pin and 8 pin PCI Express power connectors, see
http://www.pcisig.com/developers/ma...c_id=fa4ec3357012d69821baa0856011c665ac770768
When you click that link, a document entitled "Electromechanical_Updates.pdf"
should download. Page 7, shows how a video card with an eight pin auxiliary
power connector, can sense whether a six pin is plugged in, or an eight pin
power supply connector is plugged in. The video card gets to decide whether
it really needs an eight pin, or can run with either an eight pin or a six pin.
If the video card uses nothing but six pin connectors, the choices are more limited.
So the least confusing situation, is a card with six pin connectors. The current
draw in the above Xbitlabs table, suggests the card design would be quite happy with
two six pin connectors.
*******
For comparison, if we look at a GTX 480 (more expensive card), the
current draw is higher.
http://www.xbitlabs.com/images/video/gigabyte-gf-gtx400/gtx480_plines.png
(Numbers collected while playing Crysis Warhead)
Slot 12V rail - 3.4 amps (flows over the main power connector)
PCI Express 6 pin - 6.2 amps (there are two aux connectors on the card...)
PCI Express 6/8 pin - 12.8 amps
(Total power including the 3.3V tiny alot load, is 261.7 watts)
In that case, the eight pin has twice the current draw of the six pin.
Only an eight pin connector is going to satisfy that one. You'd expect
to see a six pin and an eight pin on the card, and only an eight pin
from the power supply should be used with the eight pin on the card.
And if the two power supply connectors were coming from the same
rail, you'd be getting close to the current limiter on that rail
(for supplies with so-called separate rails).
This is a GTX 480, and there is a six and an eight on the end. The card
is also quite long (from memory, 10.6" maybe???), and such cards
can bump into the hard drive connectors or hard drive cage. That's
why Steve was pointing out the length of the card he picked, as a long card
can be a pain to deal with.
http://images17.newegg.com/is/image/newegg/14-130-551-Z05?$S640W$
When measuring the space needed to insert a video card, you need a bit
of wiggle room, to be able to seat the card vertically. So you can't be
satisfied with a "flush fit" (jamming 10.6" long card in 10.6" long hole).
You'd want a fraction of an inch more space, to be able to rock it from
end to end, when seating or unseating the card.
HTH,
Paul
