Best single slot VGA cooler?

[Gotaro]

So the video card I've been waiting for (Galaxy GTX 750 Ti Slim) is finally available for sale today, but I now see that the pictures are somewhat deceptive (not entirely their fault) and that instead of having a super slim cooler, it actually has a massive one (for a low profile card), making the card height 40mm.

(Here it is without a cooler.)

The case I'm working with is an Antec ISK 300-150.

What would be a good replacement cooler that could make this card fit in the case?

I know the SAPPHIRE LP 6670 will fit (22mm card height). I'm told the HIS 6670 LP card will not fit (36mm card height).

Thanks!

Edit: I know I asked for the "best" cooler, but as long as it's decent, I would prefer quieter over high performance. I'm not going to be overclocking, and I read that it doesn't take much to cool the 750s. I just don't want a cooler that's going to die on me in 6 months or a year.

Edit 2: Here's an example of the setup.

Edit 3: After testing the Galaxy GTX 750, I was surprised at how hot it gets even with the stock dual slot cooler. It almost hits 80C, so I think it would take an impressive single slot cooler to keep the temps down. In the end, I had to get a bigger case. I originally had an Antec ISK 300-150 (which was unable to power my system anyway) and switched to a Thermaltake SD101.

 

[EarthDog]

the difference in height of the Sapphire 6670 and the Galaxy 750ti is .2 inches... Look up the specs. Is .2 a make or break in that case?

 

[Gotaro]

the difference in height of the Sapphire 6670 and the Galaxy 750ti is .2 inches... Look up the specs. Is .2 a make or break in that case?

Right, clearance is limited to somewhere between the height of the two cards I linked (between 22mm and 36mm), probably closer to the shorter one. I'm not really sure what the standards are for reporting card and cooler height, so I was hoping I could get some help. Some coolers have separate heatsink and fan heights even though it looks like the fan might be inset a little into the heatsink (example), so can I not just add the heatsink and fan heights together? And does card height include more than just the cooler height?

Also, I've never bought a VGA cooler before. Are there different brackets for different cards? Is the 750 Ti too new to have aftermarket coolers available? Or will the same brackets that fit other cards fit this too?

 

[Thekamikazepr]

have you consider a 680 low profile or is it a 780?

I know asus makes a top end low profile card (or made)

 

[EarthDog]

Something tells me, since he is looking at budget cards, a 680 or 780 is a bit out of scope...Its like going to a car dealership looking for a civic and a salesmen showing you an Acura RL...

 

[Thekamikazepr]

Never said budget he just said 750 wanted to make sure there are powerfull low prof cards out there.

 

[Gotaro]

To my knowledge, the 750 Ti is the most powerful low profile card. The GTX 760 Mini was sometimes referred to as "low profile," but really it was just shorter length-wise, whereas "low profile" typically refers to "half height" (which is probably more accurately described as half width), to fit in slim/small form factor cases. Most of the slim cases don't have room for more than a single-slot low profile card (if any at all), which is why I'm kind of confused at the release of low profile dual slot cards (like Galaxy's 750). I've also got serious power limits, as most slim cases only come with 150W PSUs (or less). Luckily there's a 270W PSU that fits my case, but it still doesn't even come with a 6-pin connector for a video card.

With all of that in mind, I'm definitely open for suggestions. I still have a little time before I have to pull the trigger on a card.

 

[EarthDog]

You keep saying low profile... are you talking the HEIGHT of the card (how much it sticks out of the slot), or the width(how many slots the cooler takes up?

Never said budget he just said 750 wanted to make sure there are powerful low prof cards out there.

Again, I dont go into a dealership and ask to look at a Civic if I really want an Acura RL.

As far as those high end cards you listed, they are not in low profile (PCB), but some are two slot coolers.

 

[Thekamikazepr]

To my knowledge, the 750 Ti is the most powerful low profile card. The GTX 760 Mini was sometimes referred to as "low profile," but really it was just shorter length-wise, whereas "low profile" typically refers to "half height" (which is probably more accurately described as half width), to fit in slim/small form factor cases. Most of the slim cases don't have room for more than a single-slot low profile card (if any at all), which is why I'm kind of confused at the release of low profile dual slot cards (like Galaxy's 750). I've also got serious power limits, as most slim cases only come with 150W PSUs (or less). Luckily there's a 270W PSU that fits my case, but it still doesn't even come with a 6-pin connector for a video card.

With all of that in mind, I'm definitely open for suggestions. I still have a little time before I have to pull the trigger on a card.

750ti is the best performance/price ratio by far. but best performance would be this one (not sure by how far)

they actually had the 670 and 760 (which you mentioned) but i saw the images and might be the same issue you mentioned that is length and not height. Also after seeing the price to performance its not worth paying twice as much.


http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/04/asus-geforce-gtx-670-directcu-mini-graphics-card/

 

[EarthDog]

There is a shorty 760 as well.

 

[cullam3n]

There is a shorty 760 as well.

Ooo I just looked at up, didn't know about it. Looks like they just took the GTX 670 Mini and rebadged it to a 760. If I recall correctly however, in another thread he was asking about low-profile cards, as in half height. I think the aforementioned GTX 750 Ti from galaxy is the best player in that arena.

 

[Thekamikazepr]

Ooo I just looked at up, didn't know about it. Looks like they just took the GTX 670 Mini and rebadged it to a 760. If I recall correctly however, in another thread he was asking about low-profile cards, as in half height. I think the aforementioned GTX 750 Ti from galaxy is the best player in that arena.

I wonder if EVGA would release a acx mini.... that would be amazing lol

 

[Gotaro]

You keep saying low profile... are you talking the HEIGHT of the card (how much it sticks out of the slot), or the width(how many slots the cooler takes up?

Again, I dont go into a dealership and ask to look at a Civic if I really want an Acura RL.

As far as those high end cards you listed, they are not in low profile (PCB), but some are two slot coolers.

Haha this is kind of amusing. When manufacturers report the dimensions, low profile refers to width. But it is for some reason standard to colloquially refer to that as half height. If you look at the OP, the Sapphire card actually has pictures of it with a low profile bracket on. The other two show the full size bracket with an extra VGA port on the end that isn't there when you switch to the low profile bracket. The Sapphire card also has a (very strange) dual slot solution for people who want to use VGA.

The cases these are designed for are slim (aka small form factor) cases that normal width video cards can't fit in. Most of those cases attempt to achieve the most compact design possible so they barely have room for a low profile single slot video card, and of course they aren't meant to be powerhouse machines so they have small PSUs. I have no idea why there are low profile dual slot video cards, but this new Galaxy unfortunately is one.

But when I say low profile cooler, I'm talking about height.

 

[Gotaro]

Update: I have yet to to find a single slot VGA cooler that even appears to be sufficient. Here's an article about fitting a FirePro V3900 cooler on the 750 Ti. The author considers it a success, but it is pretty clear that the cooler does not adequately dissipate the heat. I guess it's a short-term option though.

Edit: After comparing the board from the article to my own, the screw holes on mine are closer together. I wouldn't even be able to mount the FirePro's cooler if I wanted to.