[afcwhizzer]

Hi Tech Guys

I am in the market for a new more powerfull graphics card, but remembering the last time I bought a new GPU CARD, I turned my silent running pc into a whurring monster truck o a machine.

While this is not set in stone, The chipset I am looking at is the NVIDIA GTX275. I can get this for around about my budget of £200 ish.

my current card is PNY NVIDIA 8800GT while this card is a great entry level gaming card perfectly capable of running GTA IV (which it's system requirements are amazingly demanding).
My big problem with this card is that it's NOISY, the fan whurrs away sounds like 100% untill I play demanding games then the thing lets you KNOW IT'S THERE!!!

I recently bought a new machine which had a NVIDIA G100 card pre installed, this little lad was silent as a mouse, and it's specs were very close to the 8800GT, since it is supposed to be a renamed 9400 it should be better??? Allas tho it cannot run GTA IV, and it struggles with FALLOUT 3 on Medium quality settings.

SO I whipped IT out and popped in my 8800GT and runs all my games with no problem (well apart from my boot time is increased the BIOS splash screen now can take up to 45seconds before windows boots, and this may be down to my card failing, although thats a different issue we don't need to worry about just now), but I now feel I need to keep a foot on the machine to stop taking off (ok I exagerate).

At this point I might mention that I have tried RIVATUNER & SPEEDFAN & XBIOS EDITOR, maybe I don't know how to use them, but i can't get them to queit down the fan..........



So back to my original question, put straight.

Can I get a reasonably powerfull graphics card, but with a quiet fan, and one that can atleast be slowed down when my PC is Idle or I am just browsing?
After all if the chip gets hot and the fan needs to be on full tits to cool things down, then obviously I'm not going to complain, but if I downloading a big file with monitor switched off. I don't want my PC drownin out the T.V while i am trying to watch the late night movie with the volume down low, coz the missus is in bed!!!

any advice would be greatly apreciated

TA Keith

[BG-0]

Get a Radeon 4870 or 4890 instead, then if the noise is bothering to you, it shouldn't be, stuff this onto it. http://www.arctic-cooling.com/catalo...th=2_0&mID=101
A bit better solution for the card(the Accelero twin turbo is a bit on its edge on a 4870 or 4890) would be: http://www.arctic-cooling.com/catalo...ath=2_&mID=105 plus one or two 120mm fans onto it. Noctua NF-P12s would be optimal for a very low noise, optimal performance solution. This would also be quieter than the Twin Turbo by quite a few desibels. Noctua fans are almost inaudible.

[daniel_b2380]

a lot of the time it's NOT just the fans - it's the case NOT being of a very good quality which lets the noise of the fans seem to be even louder
there are also REPLACEMENT fans for the vid card's fans

i'm using 4 @ 80 mm, 2 @ 60 mm and 1 @ 120 mm case fans - dual power supplies with a fan in each - and the vid cards' fans - all stuffed into an older enlight server tower - little noisey - but surely NOT like sitting at the end of the runway at lax either

there are a number of good cases on the market for 'quietening' a pc's operation - the type of fan makes a difference also - as does the power supply

just google for 'quiet pc operation' - whole lot of info out there
- warn you though, the better quality hardwares aren't cheap - so you might think of just incorporating those things into your plans when building a new pc


edit:
hey - hey bg-0[zero]
[now i'm the slow typer]

[BG-0]

BTW, do you really need a better card? You could just stick the Accelero S1 Rev 2 onto your 8800 GT and leave it passively cooled. The G100 is NOT anywhere near 8800 GT, the 9400 is around the level of 8500GT (complete waste of a card, integrated ones are as good for anything that it handles properly).
Or then, even the Radeon 4850, Geforce GTS250, whatever, a slight improvement from 8800 GT, but at least it's not breaking down...

Also, the bootup hang could be simply caused by a crappy cheapo motherboard that usually are used in the factory-built boxes.

[afcwhizzer]

thankyou very much for your quick responses guys,


also there is much for me to think about there, although you could say the noisless cooling with the Accelero S1 Rev. 2 Should really be a no brainer, just that would mean dismanteling the card, and fitting a new part..... still its a twenty quid option as opposed to a two hundred quid purchase, I might even try that.

Seems whatever the case STOCK fans on NVIDIA cards are just crap, and you think the ATIs are better? Never even looked at them!!!

fanless cooling.... who'd a thought it/!

[BG-0]

Not all nvidia stock coolers are crap, not all ati stock coolers are great. Both companies have outed horrible and good stock cooling solutions.

[afcwhizzer]

Originally Posted by BG-0

Not all nvidia stock coolers are crap, not all ati stock coolers are great. Both companies have outed horrible and good stock cooling solutions.

So is it a hit or a miss, or do you buy the more expensive card that has the chip that you want?

are ASUS better than PNY, or GIGABYTE better than any1 else per say!!


I see the chipset GT 275 but then there is 6 differant cards ( this is just on one site) from differant makers, with prices varying up to 50-60£ differance, so I would assume to buy the cheaper one, cause I'm budget minded,
but is it the case? that if i spent the extra fifty quid, I might get a card of better quality maybe even a better cooling solution.

if all else fails and I'm still not happy, I buy an alternative cooling solution, but then I basicly give up any warrant that I might get with the card as stock

I suppose most of the time is a suck it and see, or try googling or posting to find other ppl who have already purchased a particular card and get their opinion on it before purchasing for myself.

Still Whatever, I am not unhappy with my system as it is just noo, just I prefered it when it was silent.

thanks e noo Keith

[BG-0]

Could you post a few sites where you could make your purchase, I'll spend a few quarter hours on them and try to link you the best quality*silence/price choice.

[afcwhizzer]

That would be great .. cheers

[afcwhizzer]

This site, seems to be one of the best sites for prices, and I've bought from them before so I'm happy that they are relaible...

http://www.advancetec.co.uk/acatalog/nv_pcx.html


and this site looks competitive and seems to be linked to from here quite alot

http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Compo...NQZXJQYWdlPSY=

It would be good to compare Nvidias to some ATI, but i do tend to get a bit concrete boots (for no known reason), with these things I'm an AMD man and never considered Intel, so would need to be a good deal to make me choose ATI over NVIDIA.
As I say there is likely no good reason for this these days, but for gaming atleast untill about 2 year ago AMD was certaintly the best and I'm sure NVIDIA was the toughest cookie to beat.
However I know these companys tend to rest on their laurrels and the lesserdogs can take over, I beleive Intel slipped ahead with their core Xtreme CPUs.

Anyway, theres no rush on with this just now I am up to my neck in wedding plans ATM.

OH and I have tracked my STARTUP LAG to my externel USB seagate harddrive, unplug it and my system is up and running ( and responding) on my desktop in 50-55 seconds, plug in the hard drive and the bios splash screen hangs around for anywhere between 20 - 45 extra seconds, but since I have a 640GB SATA I don't really need my 300GIG seagate anymore other than for storing my backups, so I might just remove it!

Ta enoo Keith

[BG-0]

Advancetec has ridicilously high prices, I wouldn't use it...
Now then.
...
Aria also has semi-rip-off prices.
...
Would microdirect be ok?

http://www.microdirect.co.uk/Home/Pr...PCI-E-Dual-DVI
Versus:
http://www.microdirect.co.uk/Home/Pr...l-DVI-HDTV-Out
4890 slightly beats GTX275 in most games at resolution under 2560X1600. GTX275 has the same amount of an advantage at 2560X1600. Both are pretty equal in noise. Both cards' fans' speeds can be controlled as you wish. If you don't want to bother, GTX275 is quieter at full load, while allowing the temps to rise pretty insanely high. (90C in a well cooled case). I would personally go for the 4890, but it's totally up to you.

[afcwhizzer]

THAT'S GREAT THANX BG zero!!

I'll stick that site into my favourites, I had a wee look aroond.

As for the 2 cards you've offered it's a tough decision, the NVIDIA may be a bit quiter, but My 8800 has never been over 71C I don't think I could sit comfertably with a chip running at 90C, but then it's not likely to get that hot on 1280x1024res.

PLus my case isnt that well cooled, and I cannot fit an intake fan to the front of it. So I'm thihnking I'd be most tempted to try the ATI.

Both cards are out of stock on that site just now, so maybe which one comes into stock first by the time I'm ready to buy, or it'll be back to the drawing board

A BIG thasnks to you BG-0 for your advice and help as always!!!

Cheers Keith

[BG-0]

4890's in stock at overclockers, another reputable site that you can order from without doubt.
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showpr...56&subcat=1403
or
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showpr...56&subcat=1403 (this one's cooler might be even better, I'll look into some reviews in a bit)

Yeah, seems to be quieter and cooler compared to the 4890 stock cooler. So, it's a total kick-*** card compared to GTX275s

[afcwhizzer]

SWEET CHEERS MAN!

is the ATI as power hungry as NVIDIA I see the GTX275 requires a min 600watt PSU but doesnt actually tell ma what 12V amps is required.

I currantly have 2x 12V rails with (Ithink) 18amps each, giving me a total of 36AMPS at 12V

It's not super brand PSU but it was recomended as a good quality, and I havent had any problems with "touch wood" and has alway ran my 8800GT hassle free, BTW the SPU is only 400W, but I remember from a previous thread i had going about PSUs that the wattage means next to nothing, so I don't know why they say min system requirements in Wattage and not 12V amps!

Keith

[BG-0]

If a PSU is rated at 400W, then it won't offer stable power output more of that. It's not really safe to load that kind of a PSU with anything like Radeon 4890 and GTX275, no matter how much that output rating is true with the 12V current and how high quality it is...

600W is a good point to aim at... Then get Corsair, Enermax, Seasonic, PC Power & Cooling most preferably. Antec and OCZ are okay...