Is there a huge difference in noise and heat between various models of 960?

[Dustybin80]

I'm thinking of upgrading my GPU for something that is cool and quiet. I recently built an i3 mini-ITX PC and am using my R9 270 in it. The problem I have is that the card makes the whole system far louder than it needs to be, and at 28cm it is a tight fit and makes cabling awkward.

I am not looking to boost performance massively and am aware that a 960 isn't a huge bump over the 270. What I want to know is does it really make much of a difference which 960 I buy? I'm drawn to the Strix but I can get the ITX Gigabyte for £30 less which is a decent chunk of cash if they run virtually as cool and silent as each other.

If you own a 960 especially in a small form factor could you let me know your experience of its db level. The car should ideally be less than 25cm but i'm not worried about removing a cooler to fit a longer card in my case if I have to.

 

[clutchc]

Yes, some GTX 960s are quieter than others. And any card in a small confined case will get warmer than in a roomy case with scads of airflow. As a result, the card's cooling fan(s) will run faster making more noise. But with the cooler running GTX 960, it should have a slight benefit out of the box. It is only a 120W card whereas the R9-270 is a 150W card. http://www.hwcompare.com/18413/geforce-gtx-960-vs-radeon-r9-270/
Here's a few GTX 960s compared for temp and noise: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/nvidia-geforce-gtx-960,4038-10.html

 

[Dustybin80]

Thanks for the reply, I was kinda hoping for some personal experience but I will accept the answer. Thanks again.

 

[clutchc]

Thanks for the reply, I was kinda hoping for some personal experience but I will accept the answer. Thanks again.

When I had my small ITX board and HTPC system, I didn't have either of those cards to test. But since then I've had both. The GTX 960 is definitely cooler running and generally faster.