Need recommendation on a "quiet" video card

[myopicvoid98]

I'm just looking for opinions on a quiet video card. I currently have 7900GTX that when the fan runs it sounds like a jet taking off.

Not a heavy gamer but will play COD4 - MVP2005.

I appreciate any help.

[wyz135]

You can change the cooler on the graphic to a more silent one. Change it to a heat sink based cooler. Take a look at this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186017 This has no fan on it, but the 7900GTX is not stated supported at the specs.

[Radiator]

That card will get quite hot when playing CoD4 with a passive cooler... just crank up the sound... or get a more silent video card ... sell your 7900 GTX and buy a 8800 GT... or a HD 3870 if you want a more silent card , than the 8800 GT .

[myopicvoid98]

Thanks WYZ135 and Radiator for the quick response.

I was looking at a Zalman cooler - the VF900-Cu - I just may give this a shot.

Is the 8800 GT a quiet card? I can't find the noise specs on it?

Thanks again for your help.

[Radiator]

Nope , it's not very quiet (as far as I know)... it's got a single slot cooler , so it's gonna spin around really fast to cool down the core , hence make a lot of noise .
As for the VF900... IMO you should look for something better ... the VF1000 maybe ( if it fits on the 8800 GT , it's late so my memory is rather hazy at the moment ) .

[hdantman]

I don't know about a single 3870, but I'll tell you that the Sapphire x2 is the loudest thing I've ever heard, even next to a 1900 XTX. It overpowers the 9 114 CFM 120mm fans I have running in the case with it.

The 8800GT doesn't seem to work very hard under load, and the cooling on it is more than adequately silent if you maintain stock clocks. Overclocked it is still quite manageable. Plus, it'll blow your old card out of the water for cheap $$. I'd recommend it. I have both the Zalman and the regular XFX Alpha Dog versions, and I've never been so impressed with a video card in my life. The Zalman is louder than the latter, with no noticeable OC gain. Both are tremendous overclockers.

To do the 3870 x2 justice, however, the only time it gets loud is over 40% speed. Below that it's unnoticeable, and due to a flaw in the drivers it doesn't raise/throttle above 40% anyway (must be done manually). 100% sounds like the airplanes flying over my house (next to a major airport).

I hope this helps.