high end low power?

[edscdk]

I was thinking I might spend some money and stick on a high end gfx card, that in all likley hood will never be used...

can the new high end (~£200) cards be set up with a non gaming profile so they use very little hower / kick out less noise / heat...

ta for looking...

 

[Tealc]

High end cards usually have a low power while at idle setting. I believe my HD6950 (£200) uses about 18W at idle as it downclocks to 250/150Mhz instead of standard 810/1250Mhz. I think most (if not all) cards these days do this. While the stock cooler was fitted to the card it was putting out about 45 degrees in my low airflow case.

Power savings are recuced if you run multiple monitors as cards will ramp the clockspeed to drive them adequately. Idle then is about 60 watts, as it adds a good 40 Watts to my power draw.

Still seems a bit pointless buying a high end card if it will never be used.

 

[edscdk]

Still seems a bit pointless buying a high end card if it will never be used.

might stick on a few games, currently im jsut hording cash and after a friend died I was thinking it was pointless may as well spend some...

 

[d_brennen]

Power consumption of graphics cards in normal home computing is inconsequential. Turn the lights off when not needed, walk the half a mile to the local shop, skip that latte at lunch etc and don't worry about it

 

[Operation]

If you won't be gaming, go Nvidia.

 

[coupe69]

If you won't be gaming, go Nvidia.

A strange comment

 

[SouthEastBlue]

I would have thought it would be the higher end AMD cards that drew less power, not Nvidia.

 

[Operation]

The 560 ti is perfect. Not quite got the gaming performance of the 6950 but probably a better all rounder and draws the same power as the ati at low loads.