Best/Coolest FANLESS Graphics card.

[jamesgalb]

So I am helping my GF with an extreme audio build to help with her audio production.

One thing that is being focused on is the sound levels, as it will be used in the same room/area as the recording takes place... Because of this, I am looking for a fanless GPU.

Needs:
-Able to run 2 monitors regularly
-Able to play Blu-Ray video
-Possibly able to play 4k video in the future
-Running cool is extremely important, as the case will only have 1 fan

Right now I am looking at the HD 6450, as it seems to be one of the lowest TDP options on the market at 18w. However, I still see lots of reviews on all models of 6450 (and 5450) claiming high operating temperatures.

So the qestions would be:

1) Will the fanless HD 6450 run cool enough under hours of dual monitor use? Are these reviews of high temperatures likely from people trying to game on it?

2) How does the GT 730 stack up? Does it support 2 displays as well?

3) Are there any resources someone knows for information on this?

 

[happy medium]

Palit gtx 750ti KalmX 2gb fanless is the best I could find. 83C at full load.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Palit/GTX_750_Ti_KalmX/

There are semi passive cards too. Watch the video for the gtx 750ti.

http://www.tuicool.com/articles/yq6feq

gtx 780 semi passive and R9 280 semi passive

http://hexus.net/tech/news/cooling/70345-asus-demonstrates-0db-strix-gpu-fan-technology-video/

I don't think with a higher end card the fans would ever spin for what your doing.

 

[Granseth]

the gtx 970 have models (ASUS Stix, and some of the others) that don't use the fan until it hits some threshold (about 65°C), so as long as you do the tasks you describe it will be as good as a fanless GPU.

But I am not sure if you need as much GPU-power to do the needs you describe.

 

[Insert_Nickname]

Palit gtx 750ti KalmX 2gb fanless is the best I could find. 83C at full load.

That'd be my pick. Even has a H.265 decoder, which may be important in the future.

 

[xthetenth]

I wonder if you'd be able to underclock that 750 Ti to bring the power down further if you need it and what would happen if you did. A bigger card underclocked might be really capable as far as power/heat ratio goes. I kind of wonder what a 970 rigged up with a 70 or so celsius limit and a fan power curve that keeps them off up to that point would be able to do compared to the more traditional passive options.

 

[Cerb]

1) Will the fanless HD 6450 run cool enough under hours of dual monitor use? Are these reviews of high temperatures likely from people trying to game on it?

The 6450 will use basically no power. High temps are due to lack of circulation and/or weak heatsinks.

2) How does the GT 730 stack up? Does it support 2 displays as well?

Yes.

You'll need to verify the ability to do 4K on HDMI or DP on a per-card basis, though, with either one.

Running cool is extremely important, as the case will only have 1 fan

What case? Also, what CPU? The video card won't create much heat, but the case will matter a lot, here, and you might end up better off with more than 1 fan...

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

I believe you're adding an unnecessary complication. Unless she's recording in a closet and trying to record the tribal foot music of mice, most microphones are incapable of recording a 40 db case/gpu fan at 12 feet or better with the exception of directional mikes that wouldn't be pointed at the computer anyways. The point is, your money could be better spent elsewhere.

 

[SirCanealot]

As a bass player who plays metal, the noise floor on a modern PC in idle mode is the least of my worries in a studio as the poster above has stated.

 

[bystander36]

That said, if you don't need a powerful GPU, you might as well get a passively cooled one, and a passively cooled CPU heatsink. She obviously do not need GPU power, so you might as well limit it.

 

[Cerb]

^ I agree. To me, the OP is putting up red flags that have little to do with the video (making sure 4K over HDMI/DP is possible is about all that should really matter, GPU-wise). With no GPU, many aftermarket coolers, in any number of cases, a PC can be made to not even reach 40dB@1m under sustained full load, much less idle, at little cost over a very loud PC. But, one of those right coolers and cases needs to be had, and only using one fan will only work for a pretty small number of them.

 

[jamesgalb]

With the one fan thing... From what I know, positive pressure helps keep cooler air moving into the case, and hot air both expands and rises. The theory is that if I have a good intake near the bottom bring in cool air, and enough ability for hot air to escape out of the top, that I would be pretty good on cooling so long as my components were not excessively hot or pushing their limits.

At the end of the day, I was hoping to run a fanless PSU (Rosewill), a fanless heatlink on an I7-4770S (low wattage), and look for a low heat GPU... Seems that a 750Ti at half-mass would be lower in heat than something inferior, so that is the way to go.... What say everyone? Can I keep that cool on one fan?

But this has brought me to another crossroad it seems... I am now very interested in the possibility of a front-facing MB, in order to have media connectivity facing the front along with my media drive and a front bay media port. Since this PC isnt for me, it will make practical plug-and-play application much easier for the lady... If I can find a solution for this, I may go the route of getting fanned heatsinks with passive cooling and low sound...

 

[Cerb]

The MB and cards facing the rear is fine. If you need more front connectivity, there are 5.25" drive docks, front USBs, front audio, external audio interfaces, etc. etc..

You likely will have no need for the low-wattage CPU. With a good CPU cooler, and the ability to set TDP yourself (you can set short-term and long-term TDPs on most mobos, these days), I don't think it's a good idea.

:$ I'm seriously considering getting what I think is the same PSU, just out of interest, though I doubt it will make a difference ("oh, I'll make my PC 'quiet enough,' and leave it alone." Hah! That only worked for half a year...).

Positive pressure is fine, just that with a case that holes all over the place, you could end up with dead space, and laminar flow areas. There are lots of good cases out there for such a setup, but many that will not work right, or require modding that would have been unnecessary with a different case. FI, it could be quite the chore in a Corsair 300R.

 

[Cerb]

At the end of the day, I was hoping to run a fanless PSU (Rosewill)

While OT, a bit, if you were planning on the Silent Night 500W, and are definitely building this PC, it's $100 AR, right now.

 

[blastingcap]

So I am helping my GF with an extreme audio build to help with her audio production.

One thing that is being focused on is the sound levels, as it will be used in the same room/area as the recording takes place... Because of this, I am looking for a fanless GPU.

Needs:
-Able to run 2 monitors regularly
-Able to play Blu-Ray video
-Possibly able to play 4k video in the future
-Running cool is extremely important, as the case will only have 1 fan

Right now I am looking at the HD 6450, as it seems to be one of the lowest TDP options on the market at 18w. However, I still see lots of reviews on all models of 6450 (and 5450) claiming high operating temperatures.

So the qestions would be:

1) Will the fanless HD 6450 run cool enough under hours of dual monitor use? Are these reviews of high temperatures likely from people trying to game on it?

2) How does the GT 730 stack up? Does it support 2 displays as well?

3) Are there any resources someone knows for information on this?

What's the CPU? If it's Ivy Bridge or later, you could do fine with the built-in/on-die GPU. E.g., a i5-3570K's built-in GPU is way, way better than a fanless HD5450.