cheap passive agp 4x video card for an old system

[amdwilliam1985]

Hi, I'm looking to rebuild my old system into something that's "okay" for my little brother.

I got everything setup so far except for video card, the system currently has a mx4000 card, I would like to give it something in the range of Radeon 9x00 with dx9 compatible, so it can do a little gaming.

I like the card to be around 50$ with passive cooling that can be run with agp 4x.

Thanks in advance.

 

[nightscope]

Alright, I found a couple of cards that will more than suit your needs for a good price, they are a bit over your budget, but nothing that can't be handled.

9600 XT
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102043

A good card for the price that will suffice much of your needs. It is 10 bucks over your budget, so I found another one, the 9600 pro:

9600 Pro
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131227

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102410

The 9600 XT is clocked slightly higher than the 9800 pro, I think it's core is clocked 100 mhz faster than the pro. So...yeah, that's the best I could find with that price. So for 10 more bucks I would probably go for the 9600 XT if I were you. It's core is clocked even higher than my little brother's 9800 pro

 

[amdwilliam1985]

Thank you for your links, but you forget that I like them passive cool with no fans.
I know it's a lot of specifications I'm asking for. But I thought lower profile cards like the 9x00 cards should be easily passive cool due to their "weak powers".

 

[randomizer]

But they are like 150nm chips, so they use a bit of power, meaning heat. You could get a separate passive cooler, but then that would just add to the cost. Why do you want it passive anyway? (apart from the obvious reason)

 

[nightscope]

Thank you for your links, but you forget that I like them passive cool with no fans.
I know it's a lot of specifications I'm asking for. But I thought lower profile cards like the 9x00 cards should be easily passive cool due to their "weak powers".

Well...this is probably the best one I can find with no fan:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814153028

Or this, but it's $20 more than your budget.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102428

Hope this helps.

 

[FOX2PRO]

an old 6200 AGP would work. If you can find one.

 

[amdwilliam1985]

Thanks, I forget they're made with large nm. The reason I'm insisted on passive cooling is because that system is now super quiet with an Antec NSK 4400, I just don't want to break the silent, hehe.

How about 9250 cards, I found quite a few on newegg cooled with passive heatsinks. How powerful they are relative to mx4000, or how weak they are relative to the 9600. Thank you.

 

[nightscope]

Thanks, I forget they're made with large nm. The reason I'm insisted on passive cooling is because that system is now super quiet with an Antec NSK 4400, I just don't want to break the silent, hehe.

How about 9250 cards, I found quite a few on newegg cooled with passive heatsinks. How powerful they are relative to mx4000, or how weak they are relative to the 9600. Thank you.

Well, the 9600 has a good 85 mhz core higher than the 9250 I see on newegg without the fan. If you can give me links you've found, that would help

 

[amdwilliam1985]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161151

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131255

2 9250 cards at different price point, both with passive heatsink.

 

[fender22]

I got a passive 9250 in AGP 4x... Works fine and no heat issues in my oven.. I have a 2200+ with some dump PSU that cranks my temps up aLOT, and the 9250 still runs great....

 

[nightscope]

Yeah the 9600 should run faster.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814153028

Should run a bit faster due to the higher core. So yeah, it's the best passive video card I could find for the money. Now if you change your mind and go for a video card with a fan on it...there will be much more options to choose from.

 

[amdwilliam1985]

Would it matter for the fact that it is a "Mobility Radeon"?

 

[randomizer]

The mobility cards are like the geforce Go's, slowed down clocks (from the normal desktop cards) and lower voltages to lower heat output so they can be used in laptops. Should be compatible with a desktop mobo, but I dont know for sure as I dont use them.

EDIT: I believe it also has less pixel pipelines

 

[nightscope]

Would it matter for the fact that it is a "Mobility Radeon"?

Nope, would work in a desktop just fine. And it is a bit underclocked compared to the 9600 pro and xt, but for the price/being passive, it's a very good card for the price.

 

[amdwilliam1985]

thank you for all the helps.

 

[cleeve]

Should run a bit faster due to the higher core.

A 9600 will always destroy a 9250, not so much due to clockspeeds but due to architechture.

The 9600 is a newer DirectX 9 architecture based on the R300, but the 9250 is basically a rebadged Radeon 9000, which in turn is based on the Radeon 8500... an older DirectX 8 architecture.

 

[pauldh]

You may be able to luck out and score a used His ice Q or Artic cooled 9800 pro for $50. It will trounce the 9600 series never mind lower. It's not passive, but downright near silent on low RPM setting and honestly hard to notice any difference switching to the high speed. I had one in my HTPC for a while and while being a quiet system, I could not distinguish any fan noise from the artic cooler on either speed.
http://www.guru3d.com/article/content/83/6/

There are also the passive cooler Sapphire Ultimates, but they would be even harder to find: But who knows, you may luck out. http://www.hothardware.com/viewarticle.aspx?articleid=472