Are you on the search for the best low profile video card in the market? This is also because they are numerous options available that it becomes difficult to pick one. Before buying the best low profile video card, you have to figure which one has the most suitable price, requirement, and performance. It’s not really easy to choose the right one only based on specifications. You must look into all the details, which is exactly what we plan on doing in this review.
In this article, we will discuss some of the best low profile graphic cards, so the decision to make your purchase becomes easier! Let’s begin, shall we? First, have a look at this table. It gives an overview of the comparison between some integral features. This is essential if you plan to buy the best low profile video card.
What is a Low Profile Graphics Card?
Low-profile graphics cards usually have shorter PCB (printed circuit board) as well as lower height (width) and thickness compared to standard cards. The PCIe card MD2 standard defines low-profile cards as cards with a max length of 167.64 mm and max height of 64.41 mm, including the edge connector.
Height defined in the MD2 standard usually represents width when it comes to official dimensions found on manufacturers’ websites. Thickness isn’t defined but we presume that low-profile cards should have a single-slot form factor. Again, official dimensions on manufacturers’ websites label MD2 standard thickness as height.
We’ve included low-profile cards that fit into the MD2 standard but we’ve also included gaming models. These aren’t true low profile cards since they have a regular height (width). But they have shorter PCBs in order to fit SFF (small form factor) cases. They also usually have two-slot coolers.
We’ve tried to include only cards with length up to 200mm but our high-end gaming pick is a bit longer. Despite its length of 209.6mm, it should fit into virtually any Mini ITX case, even the ultra-compact ones. When it comes to height, our gaming picks cannot fit into HTPC cases, which, in most cases, can fit cards with width (height in the MD2 standard) up to about 70mm. Now that we explained what exactly low-profile cards are, let’s check our eight best low-profile graphics cards.
- ASUS GTX 1650 Low Profile OC
Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 1650 is currently the most powerful low-profile graphics card available in the market. The reference GPU for the GTX 1650 has a base clock speed of 1485 MHz, and a boost clock speed of 1665 MHz, whereas this card – the ASUS GTX 1650 Low Profile OC – has a base clock speed of 1515 MHz and a boost clock speed of 1740 MHz, so despite its low-profile size, it is still significantly more powerful than Nvidia’s original reference GTX 1650. Other than that, it has a dedicated hardware encoder, which is optimized for OBS streaming software, so you can stream or record your gaming sessions. It has IP5X dust resistance certification which ensures the cooling power and longevity of its two fans, as well as a protective backplate to prevent flex and maintain structural integrity.
- MSI Gaming GeForce GTX 1650
Taking everything into consideration: price, the ability to watch and stream 4K resolution videos, the ability to create a workstation that can handle more demanding programs, and also have the chance to game every once in a while, this card has the best overall value. If you’re looking to upgrade your SFF computer’s graphics card, the MSI GTX 1650 Gaming LP is the perfect choice to do so. It has a boost memory speed of 1665 MHz, 4GB of GDDR5 V-RAM, the standard 896 CUDA cores, two 40mm fans, and 8 Gbps memory speeds.