Looking to upgrade video card

[colinstu]

I have another computer I use for WoW (runs on a 42" TV), playing at 1280x720.

Specs of the machine:
Antec Earthwatts 380
Gigabyte GA-G31M-S2L motherboard
2x1GB DDR2 PNY Ram
Intel E2180 (Just stock, but using the Intel E6400 HSF (has a copper core and is taller vs. the thin, aluminum only one that comes with the E2180))
500GB WD GP drive.
evga 9500GT video card (also just stock clocks).

I've got two upgrades on my mind. New video card and hard drive.

Video card: 9800GT. This is going in a HTPC case that uses a riser card to hold the cards 90o on their side, so a dual slot card *does not* fit. My other ideas were a 9600GT or 9600GSO, or a 3870. So would the 9800GT be a good idea for speed, or would one of these other cards run cooler?

Low heat and low noise cards *are* required.

I'm thinking of throwing in a WD Velociraptor 300GB in there for speed, as it's actually pretty quite and low power usage, and it's fast. But that is expensive, so I'd probably hesitate w/ buying it for now.

Any thoughts?

 

[drleospaceman]

All of them are good upgrades as the 9500gt is basically an 8600 gt. The 9600 gso is the slowest so it will probably run the coolest. If you want the lowest noise possible I'd go with passive cooling like on this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814143169

 

[colinstu]

All of them are good upgrades as the 9500gt is basically an 8600 gt. The 9600 gso is the slowest so it will probably run the coolest. If you want the lowest noise possible I'd go with passive cooling like on this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814143169

Too bad they are all double slot. Case really limits my choices.

 

[drleospaceman]

Too bad they are all double slot. Case really limits my choices.

There's plenty of single slot version of all of those. Check newegg.

9600gt:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814162016
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130328

3870:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102719

edit* See you were talking about passive.

 

[Dangman]

So would the 9800GT be a good idea for speed, or would one of these other cards run cooler?

I'm thinking of throwing in a WD Velociraptor 300GB in there for speed, as it's actually pretty quite and low power usage, and it's fast. But that is expensive, so I'd probably hesitate w/ buying it for now.

Any thoughts?

The 9800GT would be a very good idea for speed. The 9600GSO would probably run cooler but it's not that great of a card IMO unless you're talking about the 768MB GDDR3 versions.

HDD wise, the Velociraptor is not worth it. It's only 10% or so faster than the Western Digital WD6400AAKS 640GB drive, which happens to be the drive I'd recommend. It has been shown to be a quiet and fast hard drive:
http://www.silentpcreview.com/article847-page1.html

 

[BrooksyX]

I would go with a ati 4850. Newegg currently has a sapphire 512mb for $90 after mir. $110 before.