Overview
There are numerous factors to consider when choosing the best low-profile graphics card for your current or upcoming setup. The fact that they can practically fit into any case is the key reason, though. Because of this, the low-profile graphics card is not only adaptable but also takes up less room.
Even though we don't necessarily consider the low-profile graphics card to be a premium piece of hardware, it has nonetheless seen significant technological development. Consumers can purchase a half-size GPU with all the punching power needed to play AAA gaming titles with a good FPS output, so it's not just top-tier GPUs that receive all the attention.
We, therefore, go through a list of the top low-profile cards that are now offered to the general public. This best list includes both AMD and Nvidia, bringing their high-end, low-profile products to the table.
Top Picks
Check out our list of Best Low Profile Graphics Cards suggested by Experts.
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Best Overall Low Profile GPU: MSI GTX 1050 TI 4GT LPÂ
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Best Low Profile GPU For Gaming: ZOTAC GeForce GTX 1650 LP 4GBÂ
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Best Value Low Profile GPU: MSI G1650VXS4C Gaming GeForce GTX 1650
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Best Nvidia Low Profile GPU: MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
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Best AMD Low Profile GPU: ASRock RX 6600 XT Challenger ITX
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Best Affordable Low Profile GPU: EVGA GeForce GT 1030 SC 2GB GDDR5
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Best Budget Low Profile GPU: Gigabyte GV-N1030OC-2GI
Reviews
1. ZOTAC GeForce GTX 1650 LP 4GB
Specifications:
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Clock Speed: 1590 MHz (Boost)
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VRAM: 4GB GDDR6
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Memory Bus Width: 128 bit
Product’s Highlight:
This article rated ZOTAC's GeForce GTX 1650 LP GPU as the best and fastest low profile GPU, with good cause. It boasts the capacity to run less demanding AAA games at 60 frames per second in 1080p. When you take into account the overall size of this card, it's pretty good.
It is the fastest processor in this guide and ideal for any gamer trying to construct a tiny form factor PC because it comes with a 1590 MHz boost clock speed out of the box. The 1650 is a member of Nvidia's GeForce 16 series and is built using the Turing GPU architecture that we often see in more expensive GPUs.
This graphics card has 4GB of GDDR5 VRAM and 896 CUDA cores, so it's no joke. The 1050 Ti, its next-closest competitor, is about 25% slower than it.
This card includes a dual-fan thermal design from ZOTAC, which the company claims covers more of the heatsink and provides a far more effective cooling solution.
In the end, there is no need to go any further if you want the best low-profile GPU money to buy. Any newcomer wishing to enter the gaming world will find the GTX 1650 the ideal light gaming small form factor PC.
Pros
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Great 1080p gaming at 60FPS.
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75 Watt power consumption.
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Outstanding dual fan cooling solution.
Cons
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Quiet expensive.
2. Gigabyte Geforce GTX 1050 Ti OC Low Profile 4GB
Specifications:
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Clock Speed: 1328MHz Base, 1442MHz Boost
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CUDA Cores: 768
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Memory Size: 4GB GDDR5
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Dimensions: 37mm x 167mm x 69 mm
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PSU Required: 300W
Product’s Highlight:
Contrary to popular belief, the Gigabyte 1050 Ti, which features 4GB of GDDR5 VRAM, is an excellent choice for anyone wishing to assemble a tiny form factor PC that can handle games.
The Gigabyte 1050 Ti is incredibly versatile, supporting up to four display outputs, including dual-link DVI-D connections, one DisplayPort, and two HDMI connectors. Achieving passable FPS on some less resource-intensive AAA titles is most possible thanks to the 4GB of GDDR5 VRAM. Consider games like CS: GO and Fortnite.
Despite having a single fan thermal design, it nonetheless offers excellent cooling during demanding graphical operations and is almost entirely silent. We'll overlook the card's length of 167mm because it boasts the second-highest clock speed on this list.
This card is already overclocked out of the box, so you don't need to worry about fiddling with the BIOS settings to get more performance. You already have it completed! Using Gigabyte's Xtreme engine tool, you can easily activate OC mode to increase the clock speed from 1328Mhz to a delicious 1442Mhz.
With good cause, the Gigabyte 1050 Ti Low profile graphics card is ranked second in this list of the top products. This LP GPU excels in performance, attractive design, and intense cooling.
Pros
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Great performance.
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Extremely quiet operation.
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Efficient cooling system.
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Low power consumption.
Cons
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Quite pricey.
3. ASRock RX 6600 XT Challenger ITX
Specifications:
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Core Clock Speed: 2589MHz Boost, 1968MHz Base
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Stream Processors: 2048
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Memory Size: 8GB GDDR6
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Dimensions: 179mm x 124mm x 40 mm
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PSU Required: 500W
Product’s Highlight
The high quality that Gigabyte's hardware components are made with makes them outstanding. When you buy a Gigabyte product, their newest flagship motherboard, or a low-cost GPU option, you know you're receiving a long-lasting item. There is nothing different about the 1050.
The 1050 has roughly the same features as the 1050 Ti but just half the VRAM. Although it may not seem like much, the 1050's 2GB of GDDR5 instead of 4GB has a noticeable effect on the performance of this card. Despite this, the 1050 can still deliver playable FPS in some games if the settings are precisely adjusted.
This card is exactly the same length as the Ti, measuring 167mm, and it includes the exact same overclocking software for free performance gains. The 1050 OC can really be raised to 1506Mhz, which is seriously astounding given its price tag, whereas the Ti can only be boosted to 1442Mhz.
Pros
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Compact form factor with an efficient cooling system.
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Extremely low power usage.
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Very silent cooling system.
Cons
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 Only 2Gb of VRAM.
4. Sapphire PULSE RX 6400
Specifications:
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Core Clock Speed 1923 MHz base, 2039 MHz game, 2321 MHz boost
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Stream Processors 768
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Memory Size 4 GB GDDR6
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Dimensions 170 x 56.2 x 17.2 mm
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PSU Required 250W
Product’s Highlight
Regarding AMD products, Sapphire's Pulse AMD Radeon RX 6400 is the first to be introduced, presenting a new entry into the smaller market.
The new model is the least expensive one available from the Radeon RDNA 2 RX 6000 lineup. In other words, there are some cheap TBP possibilities even though the present cards' power keeps increasing with a thin, elegant design that keeps the card's thickness low.
In case you're curious, we provide the main characteristics of the RX 6400 specifications. There are 768 processors included, 12 RT cores, and 16 MB of infinite cache. It produces a 107 mm2 chip with 5.4 billion transistors using a 6 nm manufacturing scale. It also includes a 2039 MHz game clock, a 1923 MHz base clock, and a 2321 MHz boost clock. It has 4GB of 128 GB/s bandwidth GDDR6 memory for VRAM.
The card doesn't have the best performance; it might be adequate for gaming at 1080p, but not much more. There are ways to raise its performance further, though. With available in-game and driver-wide options like FSR and RSR for more excellent framerates.
Pros
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Great 1080p gaming performance at 30 to 40 FPS.
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Ray Tracing included.
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Quiet operation.
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 Low power consumption.
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Compact form factor.
Cons
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Only 4x PCI Express bus.
FAQs
Q: What is a low-profile graphics card?
Whether you're a seasoned gamer or looking for advice on how to build a PC, you may have heard of low-profile graphics cards. To put it simply, a low-profile graphics card is a sort of video card that has been specifically built to be smaller than other graphics cards, typically so that it may be used with a computer with a smaller chassis.
Low-profile graphics cards often run at a quieter sound than full-height graphics cards because they are smaller, though this isn't always the case. Additionally, low-profile graphics cards often consume much less power compared to other graphics cards, making them far more energy-efficient. It's also important to be aware that low-profile graphics cards face the danger of overheating because of their lower fan diameters and tendency to emit more heat than their larger counterparts. Low-profile graphics cards, however, are typically able to manage their temperature well without needing an additional cooling system because they have lower clock speeds.
Q: Do low-profile graphics cards have lower performance?
Mini or low-profile graphics cards typically have less power than their larger counterparts, but that doesn't mean they can't still perform admirably. Many smaller graphics cards provide the exact same performance and power as the larger ones. The only distinction is that tiny graphics cards will have slower clock rates and less effective cooling, which will ultimately reduce the graphics card's total gaming performance power.
Q: Is half height the same as low profile?
Half-height and low-profile graphics cards are practically the same, and the terms are sometimes used interchangeably to designate the same product. Both make use of a card's low profile design. However, you should confirm before you purchase that the card includes an additional half-height or low-profile bracket, as this will guarantee it can fit into your system without any problems. Naturally, there is a potential that your small graphics card will work with standard-sized brackets, but this isn't always the case (depending on price and brand), so be sure to check this before purchasing to ensure a simple installation after it is received.
Final Thought
You can now access our comprehensive guide to the best low profile graphics cards. In the end, low-profile graphics cards are primarily used by people who want to assemble a very compact, unnoticeable desktop PC. They were specifically created to squeeze the most performance possible out of the smallest package. We are rewarded with good things that serve a purpose, thanks to recent technological advancements.
After all of this, the crucial question remains: Which card would you choose? Which would suit your petite build the best? Please let us know by leaving a remark in the box below.