COMMUNITY INPUT NEEDED: I "screwed up" on GPU choice, need recommendations for good card for "Cooler Master Elite 130"

[curios_observer]

Recently I put together my second ever custom-made PC, using the following:

1. Intel Core i5-4430 Quad-Core Processor
2. Gigabyte B85 "Phoenix" Mini-ITX Motherboard
3. G. SKILL Ripjaws 8 Gb (2 x 4Gb) DDR3 1600 Memory
4. SeaSonic M12II 620W Bronze Modular Power Supply
5. Western Digital BLACK Series 1 TB 3.5" HDD
6. Cooler Master Elite 130 Mini-ITX Case
7. ASUS 24x DVD Burner
8. Windows 8.1 64-bit OEM

and last but not least......

9. Sapphire "Dual-X" Radeon R9 280 3 Gb 384-bit

Basically, since I saw all those YouTube videos with people putting in "big" cards such as Gtx 780 and r9 290 into their own "Cooler Master Elite 130" I figured a r9 280 would work just fine/wouldn't be an issue. But the more that I think about it, maybe I made a mistake due to the "open air cooler" design on this massive card. Upon new information, I've been told that "blower" coolers are ideal for cases such as the one I chose. The more that I think about it, the more it seems to make sense..... a blower cooler keeps the hot air from getting into this already cramped case.

So basically where I'm at now is I un-packaged the r9 280 for the first time yesterday and after some fighting with my case, wasn't able to get it in with the power connectors bumping up against bottom of DVD-drive cage. After much frustration I decided to put the card back in the box and get a second opinion, it's still early so I can still return the card for something else. I imagine if I could somehow "remove" the cage surrounding the DVD-drive it would fit perfectly, but I don't know if the "DVD-cage" can be removed.

Because the card is pretty much still new, I am contemplating returning it or exchanging it for a more compact card, maybe the MSI mini-ITX Gtx 760?? I just don't know....... since this is a fresh build and it's still early I want to make good decisions to ensure longevity.

Here's where I could use some suggestions:

What are some good low-heat and/or ideal cards for this particular case?

Other relevant info:

- I intend to use stock cooler on i5-4430

- I don't intend to "overclock" anything, I will just be using both CPU and GPU at stock speeds

- system itself booted up just fine and I am actually writing this post from it, it has no issues that I know of...... it's just missing the GPU until i decide on what to do

- I'm not a particularly "hardcore" gamer, I usually don't go crazy or care too much about settings etc (ex: i played BF3 on "Medium" settings last computer w/ HD 7850) and typically average 4-6 hours gaming a days where i have the time

- my budget for a video card is about $250, i chose the r9 280 because it was the best performance/price in this range

Discuss.

 

[TStahler]

You can buy a 770 for about $299 right now at Microcenter, and you might be able to get a 760 for a little less. You could get a 660 or 660 ti that would fit your needs for around your $250 price as well.

On Ebay, I see used 680 GTX cards selling for less than $200. That might be a good price point as well and the cards seem to be smaller in physical size than the new R9 280, depending what brand and model you buy.