Not everyone has either the space or the need for a fancy and a big gaming rig. Some people like it small and compact. The inclusion of low profile graphics card is one way to go when looking for a powerful gaming pc as well as one that is small and quiet.
Although it can be a little hard to look for and find the ideal low profile graphics card to go with your computer, this article brings out the best low profile graphics card that will be a great fit for anyone looking for smaller and effective equipment.
However, refer to the buyer’s guide included in this article to help you find the best low profile graphics card according to your needs, as the right pick can go a long way.
The 7 Best Low Profile Graphics Cards Reviewed:
When it comes to any product, especially that is gaming or computer related, there are so many options that make it nearly impossible, let alone easy, to choose from.
We have compiled this list based on the specifications of each low-profile graphics card and the benchmarks they will give when used and the price they come at.
Now, let’s begin:
1. MSI GTX 1050 TI
When looking for the best low profile graphics card and within a budget, it is impossible to sideline the MSI GTX 1050 TI. This card has been designed on the most recent NVidia’s Pascal architecture and has 4 Gigabytes of Video RAM Memory.
Although this card’s dimensions are a bit lengthy, this card can still fit in even the most compact computers.
The card has double fans, meaning that the heat issue has been well addressed and the cooling can be done efficiently.
It has a dual-slot design, and it can easily be paired with any compact computer you can think of. For a second, don’t think that this is a weak card because it is small in size.
This card has delivered mind-blowing FPS in open-world games like GTA V and Fallout 4 When set on high settings at 1080p Display Resolution.
Even when it offers such a powerful performance, the power requirement of this low profile graphics card is only low 75 watts. However, it is recommended that you use a 300 Watts Power Supply Unit for optimal performance.
To add to the looks, the MSI GTX 1050 Ti comes with RGB lights, which also means that you can keep the looks as well as get the performance on the other hand. No compromises, in short.
This variant has three different kinds of connectivity ports. The options include a Display Port, DVI, and HDMI Ports.
If you are looking for a low profile graphics card, then we prefer that you go with this one as it does everything that you can expect from a graphics processing unit and that too, at a very reasonable price.
PROS
- Provides good FPS on even the new game titles.
- Very Stealthy.
- Extremely low power consumption
- TwinFrozr VI cooler Included.
CONS
- Powerful equipment means the laptop is going to be noisy.
2. MSI Gaming GeForce GTX 1650
The NVIDIA’s 1600 series was made out considering the needs and budget of a mid-range gamer.
The MSI Gaming GeForce GTX 1650 is one of the fastest and most powerful low profile graphics cards of all time that has ever been created.
This card shows off its class as it gives outstanding Frames per second on intensive Triple-A games giving up to 60+ FPS on 1080p.
The Performance of this low profile graphics card, considering its size it’s plain out astonishing.
With a boosted clock speed of 1695 MegaHertz, this low profile graphics card is one of the fastest cards.
This goes without saying that if you are considering an option that is both compact and powerful, the MSI Gaming GeForce GTX 1650 is going to be the perfect buy for you.
The design of this Video Card is based on NVIDIA’s Turing architecture, which was used by NVIDIA in its high-end graphics cards.
The card has as much as 896 CUDA Cores to handle the load effectively. Based on DDR5, The 4GB Video Memory feels adequate for running most of the gaming titles on high settings.
This low profile card is just as fast as the 1050 Ti and definitely faster than most of the low profile graphics card at any price range.
The dual fans used on the card are the ideal thermal design and do a great job at isolating and removing the heat easily.
However, this card is rather more pricey than the other low profile graphics card, but when you look at the specification and performance it delivers, you will find that the price is justified and accounted for.
Nevertheless, this is a great low profile graphics card if you’re out there looking for one and will take you by surprise when you see how good this card actually performs when used.
PROS
- Gives 60+ FPS on Modern Gaming titles.
- Usually consumes only 75 Watts. At max, it consumes 85 Watts.
- Two included fans to keep things cool and provide maximum performance at all times.
- Extremely stealthy and quiet performance.
- Power Efficient
- Barely overheats.
CONS
- One of the most expensive cards even for a mid-range product.
- Doesn’t support overclocking.
3. Gigabyte Geforce GTX 1050 Ti OC
Another one of our top picks, Gigabyte Geforce GTX 1050 Ti, the overclocking version is one of the best low profile graphics cards to have ever existed.
The card is packed with 4 Gigabytes of Video Memory of GDDR5 which is quite famous for the performance it delivers.
This card is a great option for anyone that is looking for a compact yet powerful and strong low profile graphics card and can account for hardware when looking to put together a small factor from PC.
The card can be used with four different display output ports that are present on the card which includes a solo Display Port, a couple of HDMI Ports, and a dual-link DVI port.
So many ports to connect with making it one of the most viable and compatible options that a person can use with their SFF PC.
This card gives rather strong FPS on The new and old Triple-A gaming titles. A solid 60+ FPS is a standard FPS we received when we tested it with one of our PCs.
Regardless of the fact that this low profile graphics card has only one fan, it still has a pretty efficient thermal design, which helps in maintaining the ideal temperatures and keeps the card cool when it is strained with overloaded processes.
Unlike most of the GPUs, you don’t have to worry about tweaking this card from the BIOS should you want to clock it for extra performance.
Our friends at NVIDIA have been kind enough to do everything for us without us asking. With the help of Xtreme engine utility, you can increase the clock speed of this Low Profile Graphics card from 1328 MegaHertz to a fast 1442 Mhz.
All in all, this will make for one of the best low profile graphics card considering the price mark it resides at and the functionality it provides.
PROS
- Perfect for situations where a small and compact Graphics card is required.
- Great cooling mechanism
- Minimal Power Consumption
- Stealthy Operation
- Strong Performance
- Provides Strong FPS on big gaming titles
- No requirement for any additional power connector.
CONS
- A little bulky compared to other units
- A little pricey considered to the other options.
4. Gigabyte GeForce GT 1030
Anyone that has been associated with gaming history long enough will know that the Gigabyte GeForce GT 730 has stuck long enough that it can be called a legend in the history of gaming.
To follow in the feet of the legacy set by its ancestor, the GT 1030 landed in the market and did justice to its ancestor’s name.
This can be considered an entry-level card from NVIDIA which has been designed on the Pascal Architecture.
This low profile graphics card is ideal for low power consumption and for being highly cost-effective when compared to the other Graphics Card at this price range.
The GPU is powered by a GP108 chip and has been built under 14 nm technology having as much as 384 cores
The typical base clock speed of this device is set at 1, 227 Mhz. when used with the turbo clocking option, the card can pull up to an impressive speed of 1, 468 Mhz.
Unlike the many options on our list of low profile graphics cards, this one uses a 64-bit memory bus and provides a 2 GB video memory at 6 GHz. To top the speed, the bandwidth of this card is set at 4.8 Gb/s.
The chip this card uses is used by the other cards on 128-bit versions and with DDR 3 memory.
The card is not an ideal pick if you are looking to run high end and newly released titles on it. This low profile graphics card otherwise, is a great pick for day to day pc usage and picture editing software.
However, this card has its lackings as well. The card has no support for SLI, VR Ready, Game Stream, G-Sync, and other newly released features and technologies.
To conclude, this card is a decent low profile graphics card that will serve to its full capability and is indeed a good choice!
PROS
- Can be found at very affordable prices and is the most cost-effective card on our list.
- Has a power consumption of only 30 Watts.
- Supports and performs exceptionally well with games that require up to DX 11 support.
- One Slot Profile
CONS
- AMD Radeon 550 outclasses its benchmarks by a mile.
5. ZOTAC GeForce GTX 1050 Ti
A Graphics card plays an important role in the world of computing. It enhances your computer’s speed as well as is a requirement for running a few of the resource-hungry programs.
If you are looking for a small-sized and powerful low profile graphics card, then the ZOTAC GeForce GTX 1050 Ti has got you covered!
The GTX 1050 Ti’s have been a great piece of hardware and still reign as one of the best cards in the market giving competition to newer cards like the GTX 1600 series.
From the above-mentioned GTX, 1050 Ti’s this one happens to be a great option as it gave better benchmarks when tested by a few users.
This graphic card is a great low profile graphics card and provides great FPS for triple-A gaming titles and also outperforms the newer games that are coming out recently.
This one comes with two fans instead of one and has been equipped with a great thermal design to let the heat escape and keep the equipment cool and well-performing for a long time.
Although the card is considerably long, the height of the card is rather kept short. The length of the card has been set just enough to fit any of the smallest cases.
The GTX 1050 Ti will allow you to jump your level up to 1440p gaming from 1080p.
All in all, this card is a great option that is looking to up their level from 1080p to the 1440p version.
PROS
- Impressive performance considering the price mark.
- Compact and rather slim
- Puts little to no strain on your computer in regards to power consumption.
- Developed on Pascal Architecture.
- Some Vendors sell with an extended warranty period.
CONS
- None
6. ZOTAC GTX 1080 Ti
The beast in the world of gaming, the Zotac GTX 1080 Ti has been, and always be one of the best cards to have ever been created.
Not only it enhances one’s gaming experiences, but it also comes in a compact style and design which are ideal for anyone looking into making a Small Factor Form PC.
Only consider this card if you don’t have issues spending additional money on a graphics card.
This low-profile graphics card has an amazing big size of Video memory of up to 11 Gigabytes of Video Memory which is just about enough to play any of the games that have been released recently or are likely to come out in the future.
Not only on the 1080p, but this card also gives outstanding results on a 1440p gameplay and even provides solid FPS on a 4K gameplay.
For the heat design, we give the GTX 1080 Ti full points as it has two cooling fans that will keep the heat out from your graphics card and will enable full performance.
To conclude, this card is the perfect option for anyone that is looking to go a long way without having to change or buy a new graphics card.
PROS
- 11 GB of video RAM
- The Card is future proof
- Provides strong FPS on the latest gaming titles
CONS
- Very High Costs.
7. AMD RX 560
AMD is a great company that has been creating hardware keeping the price factor in mind. One of the well-constructed cards, the RX 560 delivers great performance at a very incredible price.
However, to tell you that you should turn away right now if you are looking for a high-end card. But, still, it gives a very good FPS on 1080p gaming titles.
For games that run on 1080p, the 4 GB of DDR5 Memory proves more than enough for running games like League of Legends and Dota 2 on very good settings.
To conclude, this low-profile graphics card is not a high-end card unlike the GTX 1050s and 1080 Ti on our List, but will also cost you way less when as compared to the other two cards.
The card is rather affordable and should be anyone’s go-to that is low on a budget and requires a heavy performing card.
PROS
- Highly Cost-effective
- A compact size to fit right in.
- Gives A decent FPS on modern gaming titles, even today.
CONS
- None.
What is a Low Profile Graphics Card?
For those who are not affiliated with this term, a low profile graphics card is compact and smaller than the standard or full-sized graphics cards used in a full-sized desktop tower.
They have shorter dimensions than the standard graphics card, which comes in handy if you don’t have a full sized computer or if there is no space to fit in a graphics card that is full-sized.
The manufacturer just makes some changes, such as includes lesser fans than the Founder’s edition so you can fit in the graphics card within your pc, and it provides ultimate performance.
💸 How to Choose the Best Low Profile Graphics Cards?
If you’re considering a low profile graphics card, it is vital to have all the facts and figures to make sure that you make the correct decision as a right choice and a smart decision goes a long way.
When considering buying a low profile graphics card, check for these factors as they will depict how good the product is and how long the product will last and whether it will fulfill the purpose you are buying it for.
[box title=”” bg_color=”#d9edf7″ align=”left”]Physical Size:
The first and foremost thing to look for in a low profile graphics card is definitely its dimensions. The whole reason you are considering buying a low profile graphics card is that you need a compact performing product.
Provided that this article is mainly for gamers, it is a well-known fact that the typical and mainstream graphics cards are huge in size. In a low profile graphics card, the size is relatively cut which allows it to fit in small sizes desktop and computers.
The heatsinks and thermal paste are so well placed on a low profile graphics card that it makes up for great performance and prevents the car from heating up and cause performance issues.
Where for high-end gaming, it is recommended to buy a full-sized card, a low profile card can also serve an important role and provide very good benchmarks for your gaming experiences.
Noise:
A low profile graphics card makes a comparatively low nose than the humungous pieces of the graphics adapter. This is one of the reasons, a person would want to buy a low-profile graphics card.
A low profile graphics card will cut down your noise and provide performance at the same time.
When buying a new laptop be sure that the low profile graphics card that you are considering makes less noise otherwise you are likely to be bothered by the loud sounds of the fan whirring.
This will also be a great help for you as you are likely to be making a small-sized gaming rig.
Power Consumption:
One of the most important reasons that a low profile graphics card will always be able to pull one over a full-sized powerful graphics card is the reason that it draws lesser power than a full-sized and custom edition graphics card do.
The low profile graphics card are operational on low power consumption from the power supply unit, which also accounts for equipment working quietly.
When considering buying a low profile graphics card, check for the power it is going to draw from a computer.
In many cases, a low profile graphics card will not even withdraw any power from the power supply unit. Instead, it will just draw power from the PCI-e x16 Slot it has been put into.
Price:
Last but not the least, when considering buying a low profile graphics card, check for the amount it costs.
A low profile graphics card will cost you way less than a Founders edition one or a customized edition one.
A graphics card’s price is set with regards to its feature that may include: The cores, the fans, the aesthetics, the RGB lights, a thermal cooling design, and the overall performance benchmarks.
It is true that a full-sized graphics card will perform well and have better benchmarks than a low profile graphics card.
But, the reason why low profile graphics card are made is that you need something compact to fit in and low profile graphics card is not ideally targeted for high-end gaming or other resource-hungry programs.
To conclude, a low profile graphics card will perform very well and also cut down your costs by a long margin.
[/box] [box title=”” border_width=”3″ border_color=”#02afef” border_style=”dotted” align=”left”]Also Read: 10 Best Gaming Glasses Review in 2020 – Buyer’s Guide
[/box]📚 Conclusion!
Although it is highly recommended for optimal results that you use OC editions or Founders Editions if you already knew about these and you still want to go for a low profile graphics card.
These are the best options available when considering buying a low profile graphics card. Keep in mind to weigh in the essential factors mentioned to help you pair with the ultimate product that will fit your needs as well.