Low Profile Graphics Card for HP Compaq PRO 6300 Small Form Factor

[Skipinda]

I need to purchase a PC suitable for a CAD workstation, I want a dedicated Graphics card and understand that the 6300's are limited due to the power supplies being only 240 watts. 

I want a good dedicated graphics card to cope with this PSU.  I have heard the AMD Radeon HD 6450 will work with this are there any better cards?

I don't want a graphcis that are for the purpose of two screens e.g. like the Nvidia NVS 300.

thanks

Mike

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi, Mike:

This card should provide more horsepower and according to the reviews, folks are running it in HP slim tower PC's with P/S's as low as 220W. Read the reviews.

It also comes with low profile brackets.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121397

Also use this handy tool to calculate the P/S requirement of your PC with that video card to be sure.

http://www.thermaltake.outervision.com/index.jsp

Paul

[Skipinda]

Thanks for your supply, I am not familiar with the Nvidia naming convention/scheme.

I was also looking at the Nvidia GT 610 unforuntaly I can't see any spec on recommended PSU's.  Do you think the GT 610 might be o.k?

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.

P/S specs on the 610 GT are 300W.

http://www.geforce.com/hardware/desktop-gpus/geforce-gt-610/specifications

P/S specs on the 430 GT are 300W.

http://www.geforce.com/hardware/desktop-gpus/geforce-gt-430/specifications

So, according to nVidia, a 240W P/S may be under the limit, but other folks are running them with the lower 220W P/S.

Given that info, I would say probably the same would hold true for the 610 as well.

Actually, I think the 610GT would be a better choice... look at the difference in the maximum power draw of the 2 GPU's.

The 610 draws a max of 29W and the 430 draws a max of 49W.

[Skipinda]

I ran the PSU Calculator and I was getting different results, I got 408 watts with what the standard HP build i.e. going through the wizard, this was set with 4 CPU's as I am purchasing a the 6300 with a Quad CPU., then I changed this to 1 cpu and was getting 231 watts..

I think I will go for the GT610 as it seems to a lower power ratting, it's unfortunate that HP don't fit higher wattage PSU's in their business PC's.  Considering the PC will only use what it needs putting a 350watt PSU would be more beneficial for future expansion..

Thanks again for our assistance.

Mike.

[Paul_Tikkanen · Accepted solution]

You're very welcome, Mike.

Yes, you were to use the one physical CPU selection, not based on how many cores it has.

I only buy the CMT's/MT's for the reason of the low wattage PS's in the SFF's.

Even those only have 325W P/S's.

However, that gives me more of a variety of choices to upgrade hardware--and I don't have to make sure the parts come with low profile brackets.

In any event, I think the 610GT will work just fine in the 6300 SFF.

Best Regards,

Paul

[Eij]

Hi Paul,

Does this mean that 300W graphics card would do fine for a HP Compaq PRO 6300?