Single-Slot Graphics: Whose Card Is Fastest?

[jers]

Following Jadavis and Rottingsheep, I think it would have been fair and good to add a Galaxy or KfA2 GTX 460 Razon Single slot. Just saying.. Makes sense

 

[lb45]

Earlier in the year I built a matx build and was in the market for a single slot graphics card. I looked at the MSI 450, the XFX 5770 and the Galaxy 460razor. The Galaxy was listed as "deactivated" at NewEgg and was over $200. The XFX won because it was on sale w/a MIR as well.

I needed a single slot video card to enable the use of the remaining slots for a wireless card, a tv-tuner card, and a sound card carried over from a previous build. This wasn't a power gamer build, just a desktop that I wanted to have better than average graphics response.

It's a shame single slot cards more powerful than the basic entry level card get no love anymore. We don't all need/want the 3 slot $700 ultimate gamer cards and double slot cards kill a matx or itx build by taking up so much space.

Thanks to Toms for at least staying on top of these few cards, maybe they can stay after the manufacturers to not abandon those of us who need a good mid-range single slot card.

 

[warezme]

[citation][nom]blibba[/nom]Single slot GTX 570.[/citation]
cool but you would still need to 3 to run 3 monitors in vision surround so a single 2 slot card would still be more efficient in that case.

 

[compton]

Thanks for another interesting article. I had been researching single slot cards for a while. I knew of Galaxy's GTX460, but not AFOX. I'd never heard of AFOX. Kudos to them for powering the 6850 off of the PCIe slot alone. As far as I knew PCIe x16 could only supply 75 watts. I guess PCIe 2.0/1 can supply more, but no one uses for compatability reasons? I think it's kinda cool that AFOX went on a limb to try something different --- especially since smaller cases can always use less cables. I'd switch to the AFOX in a heartbeat except for one issue no single slot card can escape --- god awful noise.

 

[jemm]

Cool article!

 

[cobra5000]

So, due to no 6-pin connector the 6850 wont be good in Crossfire?

 

[Crashman]

[citation][nom]cobra5000[/nom]So, due to no 6-pin connector the 6850 wont be good in Crossfire?[/citation]I would have loved to test that, but I didn't have two cards. I'm going to GUESS that it really depends on the board.

Another option would be to pair a regular (6-pin powered) 6850 and this one in a system that has three slots of mounting space.

 

[dalauder]

Thanks for the article Crashman...but I really would like a comparison between these cards and their reference counterparts at identical clock speeds.

I think the power, noise, temp, & efficiency comparison could be really interesting. It would probably be worth still doing this since you already have the test data for the above cards.

Also, I cannot find a definitive answer on RAM speeds & timings for gaming. If you could expand on the 1600CL9 being necessary statement in a future article, that would be great! I saw that mentioned in the system builder that once and have recommended 1600CL9 ever since in the forum, but I'd like a thorough test to corroborate that tidbit of evidence (since I like to cite reasons for my choices).

 

[wolfram23]

That 6850 is impressive.

 

[Gman450]

GT 440 and GTS 450

 

[Gman450]

True, Witcher 2 should be used a benchmark as of now.

 

[Gman450]

[citation][nom]Gman450[/nom]GT 440 and GTS 450[/citation]
I meant GT 440 and GTS 450

 

[vider]

Single slot GTX 570.

Yeah, that'll fit well someone who has "hearing impaired" problems with deep enough pockets, to get him self an EATX as well while his at it.

 

[youssef 2010]

[citation][nom]assmar[/nom]Cool. where can I get 4?[/citation]


hello.....6850 don't support CrossfireX

 

[chriskrum]

That 6850 is nice. Glad to see a manufacturer pushing the envelope a little with their designs. Sweet performance from a card with no extra power connector.

 

[allomancer]

[citation][nom]blibba[/nom]Single slot GTX 570.[/citation]

That's pretty impressive, but I would be surprised if they ever end up selling that. I mean, what the hell kind of PC that needs a single slot card has room for a card over a foot long?

 

[eddieroolz]

The graphs were intense. Such beautiful linear scaling!

 

[Guest]

Another great article I was wondering about single slot cards a few days ago for my HTPC build where space is very limited. Very helpful.

 

[mariushm]

That Afox card is really dangerous - I'm sure it will be bought by lots of people wrongly thinking it uses less power and can be combined with their old power supplies without PCI express power connectors. Or, people may buy them thinking they'll be able to run 3 in Crossfire using a 500-600w power supply.

Otherwise, motherboards can't really deliver 150 watts per slot - that power has to come from somewhere and it won't come from the 4-8 pin CPU connector, that power is usually only for processors (though I think those motherboards with 4 way crossfire/sli do use a part to power slots). So it has to come from the ATX connector, which has only two wires for 12V.

You can't really put more than 10-15A of power on each one and even that depends on the gauge of each wire, so we're looking at best at around 350 watts through those two wires... but that's pushing it. They connector would probably start smoking and wires would probably start to melt the insulation.

So considering the motherboard itself uses about 40 watts, imho one card may work but two cards is seriously pushing it.
I really don't see the need to remove that connector, it's not like it would mess up the "1U" height.

 

[cyb34]

256bit vs 128bit... hmmm

 

[someoneelse]

HQV benchmarks would be good.

Seeing as these cards might end up in media/game pcs.

(For those who don't know HQV test dvd/blu-ray video playback quality)

Please.

 

[Kaboose]

Dont the EVGA gtx580 hydro copper count as a single slot card?

 

[Crashman]

[citation][nom]Kaboose[/nom]Dont the EVGA gtx580 hydro copper count as a single slot card?[/citation]That depends, does the entire cooler fit into a single slot?

 

[Doom3klr]

No such thing as afox in Cali so must be a new company.

Would of been nice if it was a known company

 

[cronos177]

Same here ( witcher 2 as Benchmark), also this 6850 single slot as 4X CF