Meldon
asked on
Half height/low profile graphics card - where can I get one?
I have built myself a nice small form factor PC in a MicroAtx desktop case. The on board graphics on my motherboard (S3 Prosavage DDR) are actually quite good for 2D work, even in games, but I would now like to find a decent 3D card so I can play some more heavy duty 3D games. Unfortunately I am limited to low profile AGP cards becasue of my case and these are proving rather difficult to find. I have found a few where the card itself is half height, but the backplate is full height. I don't want to cut this down as it would invalidate any warranty. They also seem to be based on older chipsets. Does anybody know where I can get a reasonably good low profile AGP card (fanless would be great but is just a luxury, not essential)? I am based in the UK so UK suppliers would be best.
Thanks for any advice.
Thanks for any advice.
Flametop: that used to be the case, but lately more and more motherboards that have onboard video do also have agp4x slots. Especially those based on via km266 and the like. Most manufacturers have realized of late that this is a desirable feature in an entry-level system, and, as such, have started to offer it.
Also, re: the S3ProSavage, any motherboard manufacturers who use Via chipsets will likely have S3 ProSavage in them as Via bought out S3 a little while ago, so it could be ANY brand motherboard on the market OTHER than intel, basically.
As for Meldon's issue: Sorry Meldon, most graphics card manufacturers make only cards with normal height backplates. those plates, however, are removable, just undo the small bolts on either side of the video port (the same bolts you screw the monitor cable into), and if you can find some smaller height backplates, you should be in luck.
Several manufacturers make inexpensive, low-profile cards. You can find a good quality, low-profile GeForce FX 5200 128Mb DX9 card for around $80u.s., which, while entry-level by today's standards, blow away the performance of your S3 ProSavage 32Mb . . .
Good luck,
Also, re: the S3ProSavage, any motherboard manufacturers who use Via chipsets will likely have S3 ProSavage in them as Via bought out S3 a little while ago, so it could be ANY brand motherboard on the market OTHER than intel, basically.
As for Meldon's issue: Sorry Meldon, most graphics card manufacturers make only cards with normal height backplates. those plates, however, are removable, just undo the small bolts on either side of the video port (the same bolts you screw the monitor cable into), and if you can find some smaller height backplates, you should be in luck.
Several manufacturers make inexpensive, low-profile cards. You can find a good quality, low-profile GeForce FX 5200 128Mb DX9 card for around $80u.s., which, while entry-level by today's standards, blow away the performance of your S3 ProSavage 32Mb . . .
Good luck,
No cooling? That could slow down your framerates if you do too much. I would use any card whose box is as thick as a really low-quality card. That would be pretty much any Radeon at about 9200 or so. Also, any GeForce card that's about a 2 MX or FX 5200, as was previously stated. If you don't want to use an expansion slot for video cooling, and your card doesn't come with cooling, then you can get a small fan that you screw onto the heatsing of your card. It should do some more cooling than your card would do wthout it. Look around for the best performance, seeing as how all such fans cost about the same price.
ASKER
Flametop1: My mobo is an ECS K7VMM+. It does have an AGP slot and I can disable the onboard graphis. This is something I checked before buyingthe board as I knew that I would want to add a card when budget allowed. Shame I didn't do more checking about the availability of half height cards!
AlbertaBeef: Thanks for the suggestions. I'll have a look around for an FX 5200 as that sort of level and price sounds like what I'm after. I'll have to try a few local computer shops to see if I can get a low profile back plate. Otherwise I might be able to make something serviceable with a small piece of metal and a drill. I've checked what you said about how easily the backplates come off and it dooesn't look like it would be too hard to make something if it comes to it. Or even mod the backplate from an old, unwanted card.
radomirthegreat: No cooling was just a nice thought as I've noticed some of the older cards seem to have just heat sinks. A fan on the card won't stop me getting it and if I do get a card without then I have a small fan I could fit if things geta bit warm.
Thanks for all the comments so far. If anyone has any particular models they know are half height (even with a full height backplate) then that will help narrow down my search. In the meantime I'll check out some GeForce FX5200 boards and put a post here when I find one that fits the bill.
AlbertaBeef: Thanks for the suggestions. I'll have a look around for an FX 5200 as that sort of level and price sounds like what I'm after. I'll have to try a few local computer shops to see if I can get a low profile back plate. Otherwise I might be able to make something serviceable with a small piece of metal and a drill. I've checked what you said about how easily the backplates come off and it dooesn't look like it would be too hard to make something if it comes to it. Or even mod the backplate from an old, unwanted card.
radomirthegreat: No cooling was just a nice thought as I've noticed some of the older cards seem to have just heat sinks. A fan on the card won't stop me getting it and if I do get a card without then I have a small fan I could fit if things geta bit warm.
Thanks for all the comments so far. If anyone has any particular models they know are half height (even with a full height backplate) then that will help narrow down my search. In the meantime I'll check out some GeForce FX5200 boards and put a post here when I find one that fits the bill.
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
Hello Meldon,
i suggest you google to the cards of this company : Sweex
they make a lot of low profile cards for PC, for example : soundcards, networkcards etc.
and if i remember well, they also have low profile grafic cards.
They should also be availeble in a shop in the UK.
Hope this helps you out.
i suggest you google to the cards of this company : Sweex
they make a lot of low profile cards for PC, for example : soundcards, networkcards etc.
and if i remember well, they also have low profile grafic cards.
They should also be availeble in a shop in the UK.
Hope this helps you out.
There's one thing I forgot to mention about this low-profile card thing:
The low-power cards out on the market today have only heatsinks, for the most part. For example, my FX 5200 is now up and running. As a matter of fact, my whole computer is done, and I'm hilariously delighted. Anyway, that was not an example. I just wanted people to read about my beautiful work of silicon art. The example I have is as follows. My FX 5200 has a fan. Every single thing on the card takes up just the AGP slot space. Even though that is true, I can't put in a PCI card right under the FX. That's because the fan would touch it, or at least be close to it. Also, the smallest PCI card, whatever it may be, will not fit either. This is because the goes from somewhere close to the middle to the outside of the PCI card slot. Therefore, any PCI card that I plug in will block the fan. I wish it were farther back.
So, there. You have to get just a heatsink-cooled card. Make sure the heatsink doesn't touch your first PCI card. Also, you can look for dementedly-huge cards, with GPUs far away from the AGP slot. This should be something like a Voodoo 5 5500. It does FSAA. I've only eyed one, so I wouldn't know if the fan is anywhere close to other cards. I only remember it was about 25cm long. Maybe it's because it was a few years ago, and I was shorter then... It's hard to explain. I wish you the best of luck finding a suitable heatsink-only card. Enjoy, and look for smaller FX 5200s, since some don't have fans.
The low-power cards out on the market today have only heatsinks, for the most part. For example, my FX 5200 is now up and running. As a matter of fact, my whole computer is done, and I'm hilariously delighted. Anyway, that was not an example. I just wanted people to read about my beautiful work of silicon art. The example I have is as follows. My FX 5200 has a fan. Every single thing on the card takes up just the AGP slot space. Even though that is true, I can't put in a PCI card right under the FX. That's because the fan would touch it, or at least be close to it. Also, the smallest PCI card, whatever it may be, will not fit either. This is because the goes from somewhere close to the middle to the outside of the PCI card slot. Therefore, any PCI card that I plug in will block the fan. I wish it were farther back.
So, there. You have to get just a heatsink-cooled card. Make sure the heatsink doesn't touch your first PCI card. Also, you can look for dementedly-huge cards, with GPUs far away from the AGP slot. This should be something like a Voodoo 5 5500. It does FSAA. I've only eyed one, so I wouldn't know if the fan is anywhere close to other cards. I only remember it was about 25cm long. Maybe it's because it was a few years ago, and I was shorter then... It's hard to explain. I wish you the best of luck finding a suitable heatsink-only card. Enjoy, and look for smaller FX 5200s, since some don't have fans.
I have found a GeForce4 MX440 that should suit you well.
http://store1.yimg.com/I/komusa_1753_6314724 is the picture of it.
Go to http://www.komusa.com/nvidgefmxses.html to order it.
There are also the following heatsink-only cards that should do just as well:
•http://www.z-buy.com/product.asp?item=VG-ATR7500P
The above is a 128MB version of the Radeon 7500. The clocks are set at 250/266!
•http://www.americancomputech.com/pmoreinfo.asp?iid=1284
That is a GeForce2 MX400 64MB.
•http://www.amamax.com/vdinob555gfx52sa3xx.html
That is an FX5200 with a beautiful heatsink. Just look at this heatsink!
http://store6.yimg.com/I/amamax_1748_9186716 - that's the heatsink picture!
I am amazed.
http://store1.yimg.com/I/komusa_1753_6314724 is the picture of it.
Go to http://www.komusa.com/nvidgefmxses.html to order it.
There are also the following heatsink-only cards that should do just as well:
•http://www.z-buy.com/product.asp?item=VG-ATR7500P
The above is a 128MB version of the Radeon 7500. The clocks are set at 250/266!
•http://www.americancomputech.com/pmoreinfo.asp?iid=1284
That is a GeForce2 MX400 64MB.
•http://www.amamax.com/vdinob555gfx52sa3xx.html
That is an FX5200 with a beautiful heatsink. Just look at this heatsink!
http://store6.yimg.com/I/amamax_1748_9186716 - that's the heatsink picture!
I am amazed.
If you don't know the make and model of the mobo you can find out through an FCC ID search. Just locate the FCC ID# on the mobo and go to this link:http://www.fcc.gov/oet/fccid/
or this one: http://www.perfectdrivers.com/fcc-id-search.html
Good luck and once you have the information post it here and we can help you.
Flametop1