Best Single Slot Video Card

I'm looking to upgrade my video card.

Unfortunately, my motherboard can only use a single slot GPU, Pre-built from HP so not sure of the brand (I know I should have built my own).

I recently upgraded the PSU to a 750w antec (got a deal on it on black friday)

Currently running with an intel core 2 duo e7500 with 4 gb of RAM. (and an ATI 4650 512mb as my video card)

I was looking at the xfx 5770 series on newegg, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150501&cm_re=5770-_-14-150-501-_-Product

I would like to be able to play WoW and SC2 at close to high settings and diablo 3 and the old republic when they come out at medium to high settings if possible.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

EDIT: Forgot to include budget, I would like to spend under $250

What do you mean by "one slot"? A PCIe 2.0 x16 slot?xsubtownerx

I guess this card.

I guess this card.

lordreaven

That's indeed the best option. Otherwise, I'd stuff my piggy-bank for a while longer and opt to swap both mobo and GPU for something more hefty...

[QUOTE="xsubtownerx"]What do you mean by "one slot"? A PCIe 2.0 x16 slot?Mafiree

So you're saying that your case literally doesn't have room for the GPU to have a larger fan? Or that your motherboard only has one free slot?

EVGA GTX 580 FTW is the best single slot that exists, by a large margin. Just throwing that out there, not that you should get it.

[QUOTE="xsubtownerx"]What do you mean by "one slot"? A PCIe 2.0 x16 slot?Mafiree

[QUOTE="Mafiree"][QUOTE="xsubtownerx"]What do you mean by "one slot"? A PCIe 2.0 x16 slot?millerlight89

Single or double slot cards don't refer to the PCI slot, but to the backslots of the computer case, just to make that clear. When a mobo (for example a µATX) has but two PCIe slots, it usually has a third PCI slot inbetween the PCIe slots, so when inserting a doubledecker (or two in SLI/Crossfire) you can't use that PCI slot anymore. A single card would not hide that extra PCI slot...

[QUOTE="millerlight89"][QUOTE="Mafiree"] I mean a card that only requires one PCI slot (as opposed to the higher end GPUs that require an additional slot for the fan.)GummiRaccoon

[QUOTE="GummiRaccoon"]

[QUOTE="millerlight89"] I am confused. What cards require two PCI-E slots?millerlight89

Hey, then quit provoking him... err... sorry bout that :lol:

[QUOTE="millerlight89"][QUOTE="GummiRaccoon"]

JimmyJumpy

Hey, then quit provoking him... err... sorry bout that :lol:

its a micro-atx box and probably doesnt have a second backplate for the mounting of a dual height card and or its in use by something else

he needs a card with only 1 backplate bracket ideally not beyond those height parameters either

the xfx 5770 is the best you could get without burning your money on a galaxy gtx 470 sc saber which preforms more like its cousin the 465 but with the heat and power problems of a 470 :P

beyond those two palit has a low profile gts 450 and powercolor has a low profile 5770 aswell

EVGA GTX 580 FTW is the best single slot that exists, by a large margin. Just throwing that out there, not that you should get it.

Human-after-all

Yes. You only need one actual PCI-E slot for a dual slot card. A dual slot card will just make it impossible for you to use the PCI slot right next to your card because the dual slot card's fan will block it.

For example, my board has a PCI-E slot for the GPU, and no slot right next to it because my board was designed with dual-slot GPUs in mind.

Now, for your budget of $250, you could get a gtx470 which will play all your specified games at maximum settings no problem. Probably a little overkill though.. Those games aren't very demanding.

Even a gtx460 could max out all your specified games. I used to have a gtx460 and played SC2 at all max settings at 1920x1080 resolution no problem. Average FPS was somewhere around 70fps, which is more than enough.

Oh and also, your processor may bottleneck these higher cards. For example, Starcraft 2 is very cpu-intensive. I think you would still have to leave all your CPU settings in SC2 (Physics Effects, etc.) at low or medium even with a high-end GPU.

Now, for your budget of $250, you could get a gtx470 which will play all your specified games at maximum settings no problem. Probably a little overkill though.. Those games aren't very demanding.

Even a gtx460 could max out all your specified games. I used to have a gtx460 and played SC2 at all max settings at 1920x1080 resolution no problem. Average FPS was somewhere around 70fps, which is more than enough.

Oh and also, your processor may bottleneck these higher cards. For example, Starcraft 2 is very cpu-intensive. I think you would still have to leave all your CPU settings in SC2 (Physics Effects, etc.) at low or medium even with a high-end GPU.

deathxxshark

[QUOTE="deathxxshark"]

Now, for your budget of $250, you could get a gtx470 which will play all your specified games at maximum settings no problem. Probably a little overkill though.. Those games aren't very demanding.

Even a gtx460 could max out all your specified games. I used to have a gtx460 and played SC2 at all max settings at 1920x1080 resolution no problem. Average FPS was somewhere around 70fps, which is more than enough.

Oh and also, your processor may bottleneck these higher cards. For example, Starcraft 2 is very cpu-intensive. I think you would still have to leave all your CPU settings in SC2 (Physics Effects, etc.) at low or medium even with a high-end GPU.

Mafiree

Do you see yourself overclocking your GPU at all? I ask because that's the real strength of the GTX 460. They're fast stock, but they get real fast if you take a few minutes to overclock them with a tool like EVGA precision or MSi Afterburner. Most can come close to or match GTX 470 performance with a quick OC.

[QUOTE="Mafiree"][QUOTE="deathxxshark"]

Now, for your budget of $250, you could get a gtx470 which will play all your specified games at maximum settings no problem. Probably a little overkill though.. Those games aren't very demanding.

Even a gtx460 could max out all your specified games. I used to have a gtx460 and played SC2 at all max settings at 1920x1080 resolution no problem. Average FPS was somewhere around 70fps, which is more than enough.

Oh and also, your processor may bottleneck these higher cards. For example, Starcraft 2 is very cpu-intensive. I think you would still have to leave all your CPU settings in SC2 (Physics Effects, etc.) at low or medium even with a high-end GPU.

hartsickdiscipl

Do you see yourself overclocking your GPU at all? I ask because that's the real strength of the GTX 460. They're fast stock, but they get real fast if you take a few minutes to overclock them with a tool like EVGA precision or MSi Afterburner. Most can come close to or match GTX 470 performance with a quick OC.

Thanks for the help guys. So, I don't actually need a second PCI-e slot, to utilize a dual slot video card? If I have room on the backplate, would the dual slot card just have to overhang on the motherboard without resting on another PCI-e slot? I was worried looking at the higher end motherboards and seeing multiple PCI-e slots. I only have one and it is currently being used by my current video card.Mafiree

i don't know if the mainboard has S-ATA sockets. If it does, check where they are as with 'older' mainboards they don't sit at the edge but an inch or so underneath the RAM slots. That could mean that a hefty GPU would block those S-ATA sockets...

[QUOTE="hartsickdiscipl"]

[QUOTE="Mafiree"] Yah, I know my cpu is lacking My monitor is only 1680x1050 so, I don't need anything spectacular. I was looking at GTX 460 (1GB non-SE) and 6850/5850 as possible choices.Mafiree

Do you see yourself overclocking your GPU at all? I ask because that's the real strength of the GTX 460. They're fast stock, but they get real fast if you take a few minutes to overclock them with a tool like EVGA precision or MSi Afterburner. Most can come close to or match GTX 470 performance with a quick OC.

Temperatures aren't much of an issue with the GTX 460. It's one of the coolest-running gaming cards on the market today, even overclocked. It's literally the coolest GPU that I've ever had.

[QUOTE="Mafiree"][QUOTE="hartsickdiscipl"]

Do you see yourself overclocking your GPU at all? I ask because that's the real strength of the GTX 460. They're fast stock, but they get real fast if you take a few minutes to overclock them with a tool like EVGA precision or MSi Afterburner. Most can come close to or match GTX 470 performance with a quick OC.

hartsickdiscipl

Temperatures aren't much of an issue with the GTX 460. It's one of the coolest-running gaming cards on the market today, even overclocked. It's literally the coolest GPU that I've ever had.

[QUOTE="Mafiree"]Thanks for the help guys. So, I don't actually need a second PCI-e slot, to utilize a dual slot video card? If I have room on the backplate, would the dual slot card just have to overhang on the motherboard without resting on another PCI-e slot? I was worried looking at the higher end motherboards and seeing multiple PCI-e slots. I only have one and it is currently being used by my current video card.JimmyJumpy

i don't know if the mainboard has S-ATA sockets. If it does, check where they are as with 'older' mainboards they don't sit at the edge but an inch or so underneath the RAM slots. That could mean that a hefty GPU would block those S-ATA sockets...

EVGA GTX 580 FTW is the best single slot that exists, by a large margin. Just throwing that out there, not that you should get it.

Human-after-all

[QUOTE="Human-after-all"]

EVGA GTX 580 FTW is the best single slot that exists, by a large margin. Just throwing that out there, not that you should get it.

ATLReppa770

[QUOTE="JimmyJumpy"]

[QUOTE="Mafiree"]Thanks for the help guys. So, I don't actually need a second PCI-e slot, to utilize a dual slot video card? If I have room on the backplate, would the dual slot card just have to overhang on the motherboard without resting on another PCI-e slot? I was worried looking at the higher end motherboards and seeing multiple PCI-e slots. I only have one and it is currently being used by my current video card.Mafiree

i don't know if the mainboard has S-ATA sockets. If it does, check where they are as with 'older' mainboards they don't sit at the edge but an inch or so underneath the RAM slots. That could mean that a hefty GPU would block those S-ATA sockets...

I was just mentioning it because HP often use licenced Gygabite boards. The latter had their S-ATA sockets too close to the top PCIe slot so that on my board my then 8800GTS 512MB's butt was sitting in front of the S-ATA connectors...

[QUOTE="Mafiree"][QUOTE="JimmyJumpy"]

i don't know if the mainboard has S-ATA sockets. If it does, check where they are as with 'older' mainboards they don't sit at the edge but an inch or so underneath the RAM slots. That could mean that a hefty GPU would block those S-ATA sockets...

JimmyJumpy

I was just mentioning it because HP often use licenced Gygabite boards. The latter had their S-ATA sockets too close to the top PCIe slot so that on my board my then 8800GTS 512MB's butt was sitting in front of the S-ATA connectors...

well the 5870, 5970, gtx 470 and 480 are compatible wit hthe coolit omni so either of those is fine i think, if u get one of the cards, take off the stock fan and heatsink and just throw the coolit omni on their then BOOM! u have a one slot card now hahaBangerman15

I hope the "BOOM" part doesn't involve smoke and fire extinguishers... :lol:

[QUOTE="Bangerman15"]well the 5870, 5970, gtx 470 and 480 are compatible wit hthe coolit omni so either of those is fine i think, if u get one of the cards, take off the stock fan and heatsink and just throw the coolit omni on their then BOOM! u have a one slot card now hahaJimmyJumpy

I hope the "BOOM" part doesn't involve smoke and fire extinguishers... :lol:

I'm trying to picture a GTX 480 with a single-slot cooler WITHOUT smoke and fire extinguishers. I'm not having much success.

5770 is not the faster single-slot card. This is:

Galaxy GTX 260+ Razor Edition

Review: *Almost has the same temp and noise as dual slot counterparts. Simply amazing.*

http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/3009/galaxy_geforce_gtx_260_896mb_razor_edition_video_card/index15.html

cant find what is the power supply requirements on that card

never mind I found it

Single or double slot cards don't refer to the PCI slot, but to the backslots of the computer case, just to make that clear. When a mobo (for example a µATX) has but two PCIe slots, it usually has a third PCI slot inbetween the PCIe slots, so when inserting a doubledecker (or two in SLI/Crossfire) you can't use that PCI slot anymore. A single card would not hide that extra PCI slot...

JimmyJumpy

Didn't a single slot gtx460 come out recently?

[QUOTE="JimmyJumpy"]

Single or double slot cards don't refer to the PCI slot, but to the backslots of the computer case, just to make that clear. When a mobo (for example a µATX) has but two PCIe slots, it usually has a third PCI slot inbetween the PCIe slots, so when inserting a doubledecker (or two in SLI/Crossfire) you can't use that PCI slot anymore. A single card would not hide that extra PCI slot...

brownwhale