Need help quieting my EVGA GeForce GTX 550ti

They make noise, too.

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KiddCabbage
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Need help quieting my EVGA GeForce GTX 550ti

Post by KiddCabbage » Wed Jan 21, 2015 11:54 pm

Hey guys,

I'm trying to get my PC reasonably quiet, because right now it isn't and it'd be really great to be able to record audio directly into my computer without it picking up noise, instead of using my outboard gear.

My computer has three main noisemakers... the PSU, the CPU fan, and the GPU fan. But I replaced my CPU fan to a very quiet one recently and I plan on going to a passively-cooled PSU. So that just leaves my GPU. I'd prefer to keep my current graphics card, since it's got the outputs I need and can handle some decent output... but the fan is KILLING me. Easily the loudest thing in my system. And this is even after I've turned it all the way down with EVGA Precision (it only goes down to some 40%), and it's still sitting hot at around 73C.

So I need a solution to this card, anything will do, but like most things, the cheaper the better...

Any ideas? Is it even going to be possible to tame this card, or am I going to have to take a massive downgrade in the graphics department by buying a new passive card?

CA_Steve
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Re: Need help quieting my EVGA GeForce GTX 550ti

Post by CA_Steve » Thu Jan 22, 2015 9:33 am

Welcome to SPCR.

You can go a couple of routes. The GTX 550 Ti has a 116W TDP.

- See if you can remove the fan shroud and fans and then replace the fans with quieter/better ones iether hooked up to your gfx card or Speedfan or mobo.
- replace the stock cooler with a quiet to silent aftermarket one (ala Arctic Cooling). Others on the site can lead you to the best one.
- replace the gfx card with a much more efficient and quiet one.
- The HD 7750 is in the same ballpark of performance, has an 83W TDP and is available in passive versions...that said, depending on your case airflow, you might need to strap on a silent low rpm fan.
- The GTX 750 is a nice upgrade in performance and has a 50W TDP. Not available as a passive, but there are a couple of very quiet versions.
Here's a performance comparison.

What's the specific gfx card/CPU/mobo/case in your system?
What apps/uses are driving the need for a gaming gfx card?

KiddCabbage
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Joined: Wed Jan 21, 2015 11:48 pm

Re: Need help quieting my EVGA GeForce GTX 550ti

Post by KiddCabbage » Fri Jan 23, 2015 9:38 pm

CA_Steve wrote:Welcome to SPCR.

You can go a couple of routes. The GTX 550 Ti has a 116W TDP.

- See if you can remove the fan shroud and fans and then replace the fans with quieter/better ones iether hooked up to your gfx card or Speedfan or mobo.
- replace the stock cooler with a quiet to silent aftermarket one (ala Arctic Cooling). Others on the site can lead you to the best one.
- replace the gfx card with a much more efficient and quiet one.
- The HD 7750 is in the same ballpark of performance, has an 83W TDP and is available in passive versions...that said, depending on your case airflow, you might need to strap on a silent low rpm fan.
- The GTX 750 is a nice upgrade in performance and has a 50W TDP. Not available as a passive, but there are a couple of very quiet versions.
Here's a performance comparison.

What's the specific gfx card/CPU/mobo/case in your system?
What apps/uses are driving the need for a gaming gfx card?

Hey Steve, thanks for the response.

Well first off, to answer your specific questions:
GFX Card: I actually believe it's this PNY Geforce GTX 550 ti, and not the EVGA one.
CPU: Core 2 Q6600
Mobo: ASUS P5KC LGA 775 - very outdated, been putting off replacing it for way too long.
Case: I can't believe they're still selling my Rosewill case
PSU: Antec TP3-650

And the uses for a gaming GFX card are actually only the second purpose of my PC... I make audio for games, so audio creation is the primary purpose - but I would like something that is powerful enough that I can still play games on the PC. Seems silly when I put it like that, but I'd rather not have a separate audio PC and gaming PC at this point.


Now to respond to your suggestions, I always have a hard time replacing my stuff unless it's an upgrade - so I'm hesitant to buy an HD 7750 if it has similar performance. I'd rather see if there is a way to modify or cool my current card with a much quieter solution. On the GTX 750, when you say that there are quiet versions, what is quiet in that context? 20db? 35db?

CA_Steve
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Re: Need help quieting my EVGA GeForce GTX 550ti

Post by CA_Steve » Sat Jan 24, 2015 9:07 am

Ok, first off, I goofed. There are two passive GTX 750 cards. Palit Kalm X and Zotac Zone. Here's a review at Hardwareluxx. Amazon has the Zotac card for $120.

Now that I've gotten you to show more of your cards, here's some comments.
- A passive gfx card needs some case airflow in order to keep the temps down. Not sure your Rosewill case with its two tiny fans will do the job.
- Yep, that's an old CPU and mobo. (Ok, I just replaced my E8400 a year ago - I know the feeling).
- Upside to the GTX 750 - it's much faster than your current card, uses much less power, it'll be silent. Downside: if you are INTO gaming, and plan to play at 1080p, then the GTX 750 is as low as I'd recommend. You'd have to turn down the image quality to get decent framerates...depending on the game....and then your 2.4GHz Q6600 will be the limiter. Then, when you upgrade the CPU to a current gen, the 1GB GTX 750 will be the limiter. :)

Cheapest solution is to try and remove the fan shroud and the single fan. Strap a pair of $10ish case fans to the cooler and be done. Sound easy, but could be a pita. Need to measure the heatsink cooler to see what could fit. Need to look at the fan connector on the gfx card for size/number of wires(2? 3? 4?). Probably end up using a Zalman Fan Mate 2, a y- connector, and a fan connector to molex cable that should have come with your PSU. Plus cable ties and something to isolate the fans from the heatsink (adhesive furniture pads or the fuzzy half of adhesive backed velcro.

xan_user
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Re: Need help quieting my EVGA GeForce GTX 550ti

Post by xan_user » Sat Jan 24, 2015 11:40 am

CA_Steve wrote:Ok, first off, I goofed. There are two passive GTX 750 cards. Palit Kalm X and Zotac Zone. Here's a review at Hardwareluxx. Amazon has the Zotac card for $120.
theres also the ASUS GTX750-DCSL-2GD5 GTX 750 2GB
129.$

CA_Steve
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Re: Need help quieting my EVGA GeForce GTX 550ti

Post by CA_Steve » Sat Jan 24, 2015 11:51 am

Didn't see that one - nice.

KiddCabbage
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Re: Need help quieting my EVGA GeForce GTX 550ti

Post by KiddCabbage » Sat Jan 24, 2015 11:15 pm

CA_Steve wrote:Cheapest solution is to try and remove the fan shroud and the single fan. Strap a pair of $10ish case fans to the cooler and be done. Sound easy, but could be a pita. Need to measure the heatsink cooler to see what could fit. Need to look at the fan connector on the gfx card for size/number of wires(2? 3? 4?). Probably end up using a Zalman Fan Mate 2, a y- connector, and a fan connector to molex cable that should have come with your PSU. Plus cable ties and something to isolate the fans from the heatsink (adhesive furniture pads or the fuzzy half of adhesive backed velcro.

Awesome. I'll look into this first. I'll go ahead and take out my card to check this out and post measurements soon.

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