How hot is this Graphics card gonna be?

[ryan7777]

Hi I got this Asus GTX 550 card. Here's a link for it:

Canada Computers | Video Cards | Asus ENGTX550 Ti DC/DI/1GD5 nVidia GeForce GTX 550Ti Chipset (910Mhz) 1GB (4104Mhz) GDDR5 DVI-I/VGA/HDMI Port PCI-Express 2.0 Graphics Card

I don't know what all the specs mean so I figured a $140 card wasn't the most powerful compared to some of the $200+ cards. Then I read this "Graphics Performance" list sticky(on this forum) that says the 550 would place somewhere between 5 and 6 in terms of power.

1. HD6990
2. GTX 590
3. HD5970
4. GTX 580
5. GTX 570
6. GTX 480

My concern is the heat coming off the card...on the box it says "20%" cooler but compared to what? I ask because I remember when the 360 first came out (2005) people said that it ran really hot. Does the same amount of power run cooler with more recent cards or is it still going to make my PC a heat tank?

I haven't installed it yet and thought I should ask before opening the box.

Ryan from Canada,

 

[Roark]

First off the Graphics Performance list we have is a little out of date.
I've been using OCN's GPU Ranking List until ours gets updated, which puts the 550Ti at #51.

The "20% cooler than" is usually a comparison to the reference design cooler (looks like a brick with a fan on one end).
As long as you have decent air flow in your case it shouldn't be a problem.
Unless Canada Computers has a "no open box" return policy I'd say use it and see.

 

[Trotter]

First off the Graphics Performance list we have is a little out of date.

I am looking for volunteers to get it up date...

 

[ryan7777]

I can't open it first, that's why I'm double checking other options.Was wondering would a card like this be heat free if it has no fan? :

As us EN210 SILENT/DI/512MD3(LP)
NVIDIA GeForce 210 Chipset (589Mhz) 512MB (1580Mhz) GDDR3

Canada Computers | Video Cards | Asus EN210 SILENT/DI/512MD3(LP) NVIDIA GeForce 210 Chipset (589Mhz) 512MB (1580Mhz) GDDR3 DVI/VGA/HDMI PCI-Express 2.0 Graphics Card

Also there are other 1GB cards that are way cheaper and have a smaller fan, are they of lower quality or would they deliver just as much power with less extra stuff? :

Asus ENGT430/DI/1GD3/MG(LP)
nVidia GeForce GT 430 Chipset (700Mhz) 1GB (1200Mhz) GDDR3

Canada Computers | Video Cards | Asus ENGT430/DI/1GD3/MG(LP) nVidia GeForce GT 430 Chipset (700Mhz) 1GB (1200Mhz) GDDR3 DVI-I/D-Sub/HDMI Display PCI-Express 2.0 Graphics Card


thanks for any feedback.

 

[Roark]

Every graphics card will produce heat.
If it doesn't have a fan it just means it is quieter, and usually not as good at moving the heat away from the card.

A cards performance relies (in Nvidia's case) strongly on the number of stream processors, not on how much memory they have (though it can be important).
So the 550Ti @ 192 SPs is > the GT430 @ 48 SPs is > the GT210 @ 16 SPs.

What case are you using? Heat may very well be an issue you won't have to worry about.

 

[ryan7777]

My PC invoice list this:

Delight ATX Middle tower case with 450w power supply CSCCOOO484.

If you wanted to add extra cooling is that something that can be added to any case if need be?

Thanks for the stream processor tip, 'cause now I won't think all 1gb cards will run Games just as well. New to graphics cards.

Also, if heat becomes an issue...can I just dissable the card from being used while it's still installed so there is no power going to it? I know there something about that in the 'Device manager" if I'm remembering that right, but is that good for your system to turn it off and on like that?

 

[Roark]

I can't find that case anywhere, I can't even find that case manufacturer.

You should be able to add more fans, even if you have to jury-rig something.
EG: In one of my cases I have a fan velcro'd to the base pushing air up toward the graphics card.

I've never heard of turning a video card off while its installed and the computer is on.
You can disable it, but as far as I know it will still be on and idling.

 

[Lotusgeek]

Your gtx 550 Ti is actually not a hot card with only 110w heat coming from the board. so it is noew depends on the air ventilation in your case and how you set the fan speed on the cooler with software. If the card actually become hot when you are playing games, just buy an aftermarket cooler then you should be fine.

 

[Sean W.]

a bajillion gazillion kazillion degrees Celsius...

 

[S0ULphIRE]

Ha, a bajillion isn't even a real number! Caught you out!