Best available *Low-Profile* PCI and PCIe GPU's?

[Mumps]

I happened into (also now known as "GregK'd" :-) ) an old workstation. It's a Lenovo Think Centre (MT-M6073-ATU) with two Low Profile slots. A single PCIe X16 and a single PCI. Combine that with the non-standard style 280 Watt PS, that doesn't even have an extra Molex plug for a second hard-drive, much less any 6 or 8-pin ones, I'm wondering if there's anything that will crunch that can get installed in it. I'm not having much luck finding GPU's that do Low-Profile. So, 9500GT or GT 520? Or maybe the 6570?

The one caveat I did previously run in to is that the ThinkCentre PC's (at least the older ones like this) refuse to work with ATI 5000 series cards. Not sure if that extends to the 6000 tough. (My 5770 produced a memory conflict with the BIOS that would not allow the system to even POST.)

Any thoughts?

[Beerdrinker]

From what I can read, the PCI version of GT430 will be at least 1.5times better than the GT520 - since it has more CUDA cores.

So my bet would be the PCI 430 if they comes in Low Profile versions...


2 sec Google:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814121397

Well, what does my eye see???

[DrPop]

Yep. I think Beer nailed it. The GT 430 or 530 has (96 cores) - twice the CUDA cores of the 510/520 cards, so will crunch twice as fast. I think the 430 / 530 are the "fastest" crunching cards you could get at this point that don't require more juice than what the PCI-e or PCI interface can supply.

Wait...take that back. Apparently there is a GT 545 with 144 CUDA cores - that would smoke a GT 430 or 530...and they made a GT 440 that was OEM only - 144 CUDA cores and only 56Watts. Not sure where to find these though?

[DrPop]

Hmmm...looks like there may be a trickle down effect someday. Take a look at the GT 640 OEM here - there are models of the GTX 640 with 384 CUDA Cores, and it only uses 50 - 75W. That is actually pretty cool for older rigs where PSU or mobo or case size (for heat) is way limited. It looks like their "new" 630 is pretty much an O/Ced version of the 430 / 530 cards before it, with 96 cores, just a little faster, @ 65W.
The 620 now has 96 cores, and the 610 is comparable to the older 520 with 48 cores.

Hope that helps a little.

[Mumps]

From what I can read, the PCI version of GT430 will be at least 1.5times better than the GT520 - since it has more CUDA cores.

So my bet would be the PCI 430 if they comes in Low Profile versions...


2 sec Google:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814121397

Well, what does my eye see???

Nice card there Beer. Only problem is the heat-sink/Fan assembly. With the configuration of this silly workstation, that's not gonna work. The HD assembly is right butt-up against the slot, so having the heat-sink stick out that far will be obstructed. But I'll look for other 430 options after the comments.

[Fire$torm]

Does your Think Centre have the option for a horizontal card mount? If so you could use a PCIe extension cable.

[Maxwell]

If you're terribly interested in free, I have a 9500GT I could send you that would work...

[Mumps]

Does your Think Centre have the option for a horizontal card mount? If so you could use a PCIe extension cable.

I doubt it. Nothing I saw while inside would suggest it. If you look at the Maintenance PDF I linked, it's a mini desktop case and I don't see any space that I imagine would even be large enough to frankenstein-mount a card with an extender.

I think I'll take Maxwell up on "free" and spend more time thinking about the next option. I've got a couple other systems I can probably get cards in, it's just that those are only 235W power supplies, so while the case is less restrictive, the PS is more so. But they're also standard style PS's, so upgrading them will be easy.

NOTE: So, the 235W power supplies have extra Molex cables, while the 280W does not. How much sense does that make?

[Fire$torm]

I doubt it. Nothing I saw while inside would suggest it. If you look at the Maintenance PDF I linked, it's a mini desktop case and I don't see any space that I imagine would even be large enough to frankenstein-mount a card with an extender....

OH OK. I asked because I seemed to recall that my old Think Centre M52 had a horizontal slot. Ack, might be recalling a different one.

NOTE: So, the 235W power supplies have extra Molex cables, while the 280W does not. How much sense does that make?

It doesn't..............

[Beerdrinker]

So, the 235W power supplies have extra Molex cables, while the 280W does not. How much sense does that make?

Does not make any sense at all!

But BTW....Those "old" 235W PSU´s where not to shabby from what I can recall. It will probably beat my crappy generic 400W any day of the week...