$100 silent/full passive card recomendations.

[sleepygrad]

The deal was, I built up a new computer a couple years ago and never upgraded my video card. Well, now it seems like its having some issues pushing some of the movies I try to watch in 1080p. So it seems like it may finally be time to upgrade.

99% of the time I do massive graduate research and web browsing. (insane ram use. I run firefox, Opera, and Chrome, all at once for different uses.) So silent, most of the time but needs to have better kick than the 7600gt im using now.

Setup

i5 quad core. (w/thermaltake massive heatsink, w/ duct and two 120fans connected to zalman fan speed adjusters.)
Antec Solo
Nexus Value 430 psu
8gb ram
Currently using gigabyte 7600gt 256mb (OLD)


Pushing Benq G2400w (w/ broken power button, :<)
1920 X 1200

Needs: Watch HD movies 1080p, blue ray stuff. Maybe, someday, I would like to play Diablo 3 and skyrim at medium-high settings but not ultra high. Is this possible for under $100?

Location: Midwest USA

Possibilities:

SAPPHIRE Ultimate 100326UL Radeon HD 6670 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready Video Card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6814102950

HIS H657H1G Radeon HD 6570 1GB 128-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready Low Profile Ready Video Card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6814161374

Thanks in advance!

[Abula]

For watching movies Intel HD2000 is more than enough for 1080p playback, and that will be the best bet in terms of not having another component that draws power and creates heat inside the case. Now if you are into 1080p with madVR, then i would go with Nvidia GPU, something like ASUS ENGT440 DC SL/DI/1GD3 GeForce GT 440 (Fermi) 1GB 128-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready Video Card could work, and its fanless and below your $100 target. Now this is not a gaming gpu, more a htpc dedicated gpu, so gaming will be possible but at lower res / quality settings. That said, blizzard is known for releasing games that dont requiere the best gpu to have a decent experience, so if Diablo 3 is all you want to play and willing to go lower quality, you might be fine.

Now for pure gaming, i think the saphire would be better bet, but AMD isnt that great for madVR and intel HD2000 is more than enough if you dont care about madVR so in essence would be more for gaming this gpu.

As an option for a little more than your budget you also have the Sparkle SXS4501024D5SNP GeForce GTS 450 Video Card - 1GB, GDDR5, PCI-Express 2.0 (x16), Dual DVI, Mini HDMI, DirectX 11, Dual-Slot, SLI Ready $120, this comes with GDDR5 and would be better performer than the GT440 for gaming. If you feel its worth the extra money, get it asap, as its being discontinue, no stock on newegg, amazon and circuitcity.

Remember if you go passive, you will still need some airflow inside case.

[kuzzia]

Now this is not a gaming gpu, more a htpc dedicated gpu, so gaming will be possible but at lower res / quality settings. That said, blizzard is known for releasing games that dont requiere the best gpu to have a decent experience, so if Diablo 3 is all you want to play and willing to go lower quality, you might be fine.

I agree, simply look at Starcraft 2 which indicates how Blizzard balances CPU and GPU requirements for their games. Usually only stresses two CPU cores and not that demanding on the GPU front.

http://www.techspot.com/review/305-star ... rformance/

Skyrim also depends much on CPU performance, and shouldn't be that demanding on the GPU.
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/sky ... ,3074.html

Intel CPU's are way better then Phenom II, core count doesn't matter. At medium detail, no AA, 8x AF, even a Geforce 240 managed min. 44 fps. Geforce 550 Ti got 63 fps, and Radeon 5770 (same as 6770) got 75. So a 6750, which can be cooled passively, is able to run Skyrim.

[CA_Steve]

You can spend $60 and get the passive 6570 -> that'll be great for all the 2D content you want to see. It's not a game card.

For medium quality gaming at 1920x1080, you'd need to get up in the 6750 range for Diablo 3. Skyrim, probably the same. 6770 is better*. Sorta depends on your CPU. Blizzard games (so far) and Skyrim are tuned for 2 cores. FPS is linear with CPU speed. Probably want to see 3GHz at 1920x1080 for decent fps from CPU. Gigabyte has a passive 6770 for $140 that I'd probably still strap a silent low rpm fan onto (unless you've got great airflow) so call it $150. Or, you could get a low noise fanned 6770 like the MSI Twin Frozr for ~$140.

Here's the Skyrim benchmark at Tom's. You can dial in what you want for fps vs picture quality/resolution/card.

* with 3GHz e8400 and 5770, I see 60fps in WoW at high quality 1920x1080. Starcraft II...this'd be closer to 30-40fps.

[skeeder]

Depending on your need...the 550Ti, with an 'silent' solution might be okay...(using rivatuner).
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6814125367
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6814127573

Of course these will be louder under load than your passive counterparts, however its a good 'bang of the buck'. I only point it out because of the mail-in rebate on the gigabyte....550Ti for $109.

[sleepygrad]

I just wanted to thank everyone who replied to this thread. I'm still considering which one to get and you have all been very helpful.

I still welcome any and all other cards that would be silent or easy to make silent for right around $100.