Best ITX size video card yet

T

theGryphon

[H]ard|Gawd
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Nov 21, 2011
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I'm not neither a fan nor hater of Sapphire, and it's been a long time since I used a Sapphire video card, but I'm truly impressed with what they did with the R9 285. Of course, kudos goes to AMD as well.

http://www.overclockersclub.com/reviews/sapphire_itx_compact_r9_285_oc/

http://www.eteknix.com/sapphire-r9-285-2gb-itx-compact-oc-edition-graphics-card-review/

I guess until Maxwell line-up shows up, this is the best ITX sized GPU. Heck, we don't even know they can beat R9 285 at this form factor!
 
Maxwell lineup should be introduced late next week, if you want to wait for that. September 19 is the latest rumored date.
 
Interestingly, the card has a rearward-facing power connector, so it can fit in thinner cases than those short GTX 760 cards.
 
I'm in. As I've mentioned elsewhere a million times, I've been waiting for a Maxwell mini ITX card with performance greater than, or similar to the 680 and 770.

As of now, we only have the new Sapphire R9 285 ITX (and ITX OC) > ASUS 670 Mini (discontinued) > MSI 760 ITX (and ASUS 760 Mini, never available in the US).


Today, the reference 970 photos were leaked, showing a short PCB (unfortunately surrounded by a huge full-size blower cooler)..

X7hZYml.jpg


So, I'm really hoping Nvidia AIB partners have mini ITX 960 and 970 boards in the works, and hopefully, ones that are actually ready to ship at launch next week and not something we have to wait another damn year for (otherwise, I'll be buying this R9 285 ITX OC).
 
No way they're gonna release ITX versions of Maxwell at launch... The long batch will be reference boards with reference and AIB coolers. Then, bigger badder reference boards will surface. Finally, you may see ITX boards, maybe by next summer. No hard info, just gut feeling... and historical evidence :)
 
^^ Yeah, I know.

I guarantee you we'll see stupid oversized 3-fan coolers on the 150W 970, before we see the smaller, proper-sized ITX coolers on them :(
 
So the ITX GPU spec on amazon
Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 2.5 x 6.5 inches ; 1.5 pounds

PNY NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 1GB GDDR5 2DVI/Mini-HDMI PCI-Express Video Card VCGGTX6501XPB
Product Dimensions: 12.5 x 2.5 x 6.2 inches ; 1.4 pounds

I see nothing to get excited over.
 
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edward78 said:
So the ITX GPU spec on amazon
Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 2.5 x 6.5 inches ; 1.5 pounds

PNY NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 1GB GDDR5 2DVI/Mini-HDMI PCI-Express Video Card VCGGTX6501XPB
Product Dimensions: 12.5 x 2.5 x 6.2 inches ; 1.4 pounds

I see nothing to get excited over.
Click to expand...

:confused: Those are the dimensions for the boxes the cards come in.

These particular ITX cards are all around 6.5" in length, and considerably more powerful than a 650.
 
AFD said:
I guarantee you we'll see stupid oversized 3-fan coolers on the 150W 970, before we see the smaller, proper-sized ITX coolers on them :(
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The GTX 750 Ti cards haven't had good example of ITX coolers IMO. Large, impressive size - I don't mind multiple fans if it means they can spin slower and keep the noise down, but I've seen very little evidence of manufacturers sitting down saying "What does a 65W card need?" vs "What do our buyers want? I know - a big card to brag about to their friends".

I'm currently trying to get hold of a Gigabyte low-profile 750 Ti to see how noisy the fan is, but it feels like manufacturers aren't trying. Add a couple of heatpipes, slow the fan down, and have something quiet that cools 65W no problem.
 
Harnser said:
"What does a 65W card need?" vs "What do our buyers want? I know - a big card to brag about to their friends"
Click to expand...

This. I can understand using larger fans and a larger cooler to decrease noise output, but manufacturer's also shouldn't neglect the other end of the spectrum.


Just compare the 2-fan double-slot EVGA 750Ti with oversized ACX cooler vs the low-profile single-slot ELSA 750Ti (unfortunately, single-slot 750/750Ti are still not being sold here in the US)..

AaeJGmp.jpg
JBvHrn8.jpg


Bigger ≠ better (except burgers and TVs, cause I'm American :D)
 
The limiting factor for this size is heat dissipation. Manufacturers dont go short coolers with GTX 770 because that card in a small case would go above 80 deg C which is uncomfortable. I Wonder what would happen if someone replaced stock 'long' blower of GTX 970 and slapped ITX matching cooler. How would that run in baby towers.
The cooler on that 285 ITX looks amazing compared to ASUS or MSI 760.
We wont see great increase in ITX cards over every year. Next is going to be die shrink? Maybe then?
 
I say someone should take this:
Kuhler_h20_650_1.jpg


Attach it to something like this:
KOMODO-NV-GTX670x600.jpg


So we can slap it on this:
Galaxy-GeForce-GTX-970-4-GB-GDDR5-Reference-635x476.jpg


And call it a day
 
AFD said:
:confused: Those are the dimensions for the boxes the cards come in.

These particular ITX cards are all around 6.5" in length, and considerably more powerful than a 650.
Click to expand...

I know those are box dems. Couldn't find the dems. of the card for the GTX, just saying about the same & A GTX7__ will be about the same. The prob. isn't the cards most times, like take the Element Q, if it had 2 slots, I could slap a mITX board in there, get about any GPU, the 600w Silverstone SFX (I hope more companies start to make 600w SFXs) & a slimline ODD to have one good looking machine I could game on. The heat stuff would require thinking, but it is possible. The mATX & mITX (2 slot) cases seem to close to the same size. I hope the 600w SFX allows for smaller cases that can take a 2 slot card to be made.
 
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I'm excited for the *eventual* release of a short card, but I did just grab my 750ti Low-Profile... Maybe I'll have to do a re-build of my ITX system sooner than I'd hoped.
 
Looks nice. The gray color scheme is nicer than the black and orange one imo!
 
It truly looks like there could be a ITX version of the 970. Hopefully also the 960 (which probably will get really good TDP).
 
huguberhart said:
Gigabyte is out with an ITX 970.
http://www.tomshardware.com/news/gigabyte-mini-itx-gtx970-oc,27915.html
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Less than a day after I buy a MSI 970..

Bought it for my main tower and plan to possibly move it to a custom mini ITX case similar to the A4, next ncase, 'steam machine' form factor. Only if there are better AMD or new Nvidia contenders.

Is there any info on whether it has a fanless mode? This is one of the reasons I bought the MSI one. Don't mind too much but it would change my layout ideas.
 
A full-size GTX 970 would still fit the current iteration of the Steam Machine Ncase, if it ever gets built and if your card doesn't exceed the reference card's dimensions too much. No need for the ITX-version of the card for the purpose of installing it in that case.
 
You misunderstand, I am building my own custom case similar to those ones.

Even if the card doesn't cut the volume down much, it will certainly reduce weight by an amount.
 
Wizzard said:
I'm excited for the *eventual* release of a short card, but I did just grab my 750ti Low-Profile...
Click to expand...
Did you get the Gigabyte one? If so, how's the fan noise? I haven't been able to get one yet in the UK, and with the rest of my setup being virtually silent this matters :)
 
Harnser said:
Did you get the Gigabyte one? If so, how's the fan noise? I haven't been able to get one yet in the UK, and with the rest of my setup being virtually silent this matters :)
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If you are still looking for it OCUK has it in stock
 
rawrr said:
If you are still looking for it OCUK has it in stock
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Aaaah, thank you! Been keeping an eye on Scan, didn't think to look there.

Now to find some decent noise reviews... as that will be the deal breaker between it and a STRIX, however much I want a tiny case.
 
You're welcome!

From what I've seen, OCUK tend to stock a lot of the more niche products that you may not be able to find elsewhere, which is quite nice.

They even had the white pcb version of the KFA low profile 750 ti!
 
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