Passive card for Civilization 5

[Dirge]

Hi guys has anyone got a suggestion on a passively cooled graphics card for Civilization 5?

Official Civilization V Minimum Requirements

CPU: Intel Core2 Duo @ 1.8GHz / AMD Athlon X2 64 @ 2.0GHz
Memory: 2.0GB
Video Card: nVidia GeForce 7900GS / ATi HD2600 XT / Intel Core i3 integrated graphics
DirectX: DirectX 9.0c

Official Civilization V Recommended Specs

CPU: Quad-core processor @ 1.8GHz
Memory: 4.0GB
Video Card: nVidia GeForce 9800 / ATi 4800
DirectX: DirectX 11

[Das_Saunamies]

If i3 integrated is the minimum and last-gen is recommended, I'm willing to wager a 5770 would be plenty power-wise. I used to run Bad Company 2 on one, and it got the job done on Low at 1680x1050.

Since they're not the most expensive cards in the world, you could buy an Asus CuCore for example (location of core, no stacked connectors) and slap on an Arctic Cooling S1R2. If you want to keep the warranty, Gigabyte has their Silent Cell series for example.

I've always made my own passive and semipassive cards, so I have no personal experience with any of the commercial models, but I've heard positive impressions about the GB cards. The massive heatsink with heatpipes in the picture looks convincing too.

[Modo]

The demo (DX9 version) runs fine on my rig with maximum settings (Core 2 Duo, 4 GB of RAM, Radeon HD 4850). A 5770 should be more than enough, and many cheaper cards will do good as well (just turn the settings down). I'd take more care with the CPU and OS. Tere's a lot to compute, especially later in the game, so a quad core CPU and 64-bit OS are sensible recommendations. There's a more detailed performance quide at GameSpot.

[lm]

OP: did you try with your current card? Those recommendations look like the game is really low on demands and you did not even mention what resolution and detail levels you want to run?

[Dirge]

Hi yes I tried with my original card but it is an old passively cooled GF 7300GT I have held onto. Unfortunately it had no chance.

I would like something that exceeds the minimum requirements as they are often set a bit low. I guess the resolution I would like to run at is 1920 x 1080.

[Scoop]

Well Gigabyte has their passively cooled HD5770 heatsink monster. I've been thinking about getting it. But I do like to overclock every possible part and I'm not sure how well it would do in that regard.

[~El~Jefe~]

well, you should get it.

Then all you need is a side fan blowing form outside onto it. 5770 just needs regular air, stock coolers suck so bad it makes it seem like it's a hot running card.

[silentplummet]

I've been playing Civ 5 for a few days with a C2D @ 3.1 GHz and ATI 5770 (with my aftermarket passive cooler). All settings maxed except for AA 2x. (I have a 22" 1920x1200 so its already quite smooth display). My impression of the situation is that this should be more than enough hardware to handle the game, but it is quite buggy and extremely poorly optimized. Framerates are fine in the beginning but as you progress a few hundred turns in 10-15 FPS is normal, and sometimes it's a slideshow. However just moving the map view around pegs both CPU cores to 100% so I suspect there is something wrong with the game programming. There are many other bugs and issues that make me think so. On paper, the 5770 chip should be more than adequate to handle this game.

I am playing the DX11 mode which might be part of the problem. If I cared about my FPS the first thing would be to dial tessellation down. I haven't tested DX9.

[Chang]

Like any game, it depends a lot on your resolution, how much eye candy you want, and what FPS you're willing to put up with. I played through the demo a bit with the integrated HD4200 at 1920x1200. IIRC, it was very choppy at medium settings and very playable with most everything (aside for the resolution) turned down.

[Tetreb]

HD5750 is enough for me at 1980x1200. All settings are maxed and I use 8xAA too. As you progress, the CPU becomes too slow, yes.

[mark314]

I'm using a C2Q Q6600 and an old 8800 GTS video card. 3Gig ram.

The game was sluggish from the start, but once I left Medieval and moved towards Industrial/Modern era, it becomes like what silentplummet said - a slideshow. This is on DX9, all settings at med or low, no AA at all.

The game shows all combat in revealed areas - barbarians and all of the civilizations. These themselves are slow, but when the screen is panning from combat to combat it just ...drags.

Plus, It freezes randomly on a click here and there, for 45sec - 1 min.

Conclusion: Terrible, buggy code.

Actually what I hate the most is how the screen automatically pans from unit to unit after you move them. That, combined with slow performance, means sometimes I click and it doesn't respond, and it sends the wrong unit half way across the map!

Grr.