Need help choosing a new card!

[Tomato]

about a year and a half ago I upgraded my computer system... I will list my current spec: -

Pentium 4, 3.2ghz
1gb ram <- should really get some more but only running XP.
Nvidea GeForce 7600GT
Corsair 520W powersupply

Couldn't tell you the mother board, but it was a fujitsu siemens pc... so, basic.

Overall at the time I was very happy with the system and it can handle the games I play.

The problem I have now, is my pc is now used as a second to a laptop I recently purchased. And I am finding the 7600GT very noisy! That little fan creates a mad amount of fuss over very little!

So, the graphics card now I suppose is classed as dated, and instead of trying to shut it up I may aswell upgrade. I want something with about the same performance.... just less noise!

Any suggestions would be much appreciated!

 

[Trunks9486]

Whats the budget? You can find some passively cooled 8600 and HD3650 cards...

Personally i would go for a HD3850 or 9600GT

 

[Tomato]

Don't really have a budget as long as its not a stupid amount. Was looking at something like this: -

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-033-GI

My monitor is actually a 26" sony bravia, and the most demanding game I play is probly the Elders Scroll Oblivion. That graphics card looks about right. Just questioning whether its compatible with my motherboard. Its a Scaleo "P" series motherboard.

Think 1GB of RAM is all the motherboard can handle but I will go question it in the memory section.

 

[Angilion]

I want something with about the same performance.... just less noise!

Any suggestions would be much appreciated!

Fit a good cooler to your existing card. It'll be at least £70 cheaper than buying the card you are looking at and it will do what you want - same performance, less noise. Much less noise if you buy a really good one.

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=SY-008-ZA&groupid=701&catid=57&subcat=787

I've got one of those on a heavily overclocked 7900GT. It cools enough at the lowest fan speed and I can't hear it unless I take the side panel off and put my head near the card. Just check that it fits your card.

You might want to get some good thermal paste for it, too. I used MX-1 on mine, but MX-2 is out now and looks better. Although any old stuff would probably do well enough for a 7600GT at stock and a cooler will probably come with some.