Quietest 6600GT

j-azn · Post by **j-azn** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 5:45 pm

Hello,
First time making a post in this section. I currently is thinking of purchasing a 6600GT. I've read some reviews about some of the 6600GTs. I am ready to buy the MSI 6600GT-VTD128.

Before i go and buy the card, I want to make a final check on which 6600GT is quietest.

Please give me some suggestions as i really need some. hehe

Thx, jazn

Ian Brumby · Post by **Ian Brumby** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 6:45 pm

If you haven't already checked out Anandtech's comparison of 6600GT noise, then go here:

http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=2295&p=19

The MSI is the second quietest, however it is still 43.5 db! That's still unacceptably loud IMHO.

My opinion is get the cheapest card and mod it.

Ian.

Tyrdium · Post by **Tyrdium** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 7:32 pm

Those are the PCIe cards, not the AGP cards. The AGP version of MSI's 6600GT has a different, quieter cooling system,

Mariner · Post by **Mariner** » Sun Jan 09, 2005 2:33 am

I know that Gigabyte make some passively cooled 6600GTs (i.e. totally silent). I don't think that they offer a passively cooled AGP version, though - just PCI-E versions.

petrolhead · Post by **petrolhead** » Sun Jan 09, 2005 8:45 am

Was about to start a new thread when I saw this.

I have the MSI6500 gt and its not quiet.

Whats the quietest cooling for it. I see Zalman do two types

j-azn · Post by **j-azn** » Sun Jan 09, 2005 10:00 am

THE MSI 6600GT is suppose to be the QUIETEST 6600GT offered..

Mariner: I know they have a passively cooled PCI-e, it is unfortunately they are not making a passively cooled AGP version of it. Atleast not at the moment

Petrolhead, is ur MSI 6600GT the PCI-e or the AGP version. The cooling system for them are different. THe AGP has a fancy heatsink cover where as the PCI-e have a plain clear one. Also the PCI-e version is not as quiet as the AGP version.

Thx

rei · Post by **rei** » Sun Jan 09, 2005 10:40 am

i love my agp 6600gt from msi.

firingsquad.com on jan4 rounded up agp 6600gt and remarked on how quiet the msi was too.

petrolhead · Post by **petrolhead** » Sun Jan 09, 2005 11:15 am

Mine is the PCI-e

Any mods for it?

j-azn · Post by **j-azn** » Sun Jan 09, 2005 1:27 pm

SWEET, i guess AGP MSI6600GT is my best bet

petrolhead · Post by **petrolhead** » Sun Jan 09, 2005 1:38 pm

So, back on line

What options are there for the quietest cooling then?

j-azn · Post by **j-azn** » Sun Jan 09, 2005 1:57 pm

My friend gave me a couple suggestion. The Zalman 80D or the Artic Cooler. Unfortunate for me, the ZALMAN not compatible with my 6600GT (or so i heard) and the artic cooler is not available within my reach. ><

petrolhead · Post by **petrolhead** » Sun Jan 09, 2005 2:03 pm

What make is you VGA card j-azn

falcon26 · Post by **falcon26** » Sun Jan 09, 2005 2:14 pm

Why don't you try the Zalman VF700 cooler for your card......its great...

falcon26

SometimesWarrior · Post by **SometimesWarrior** » Sun Jan 09, 2005 3:21 pm

The MSI 6600GT-AGP has a nice heatsink, but its fan is small and whiny. So if you have a couple free PCI slots below the AGP card, do what I did: replace the fan with an 80mm one. You're guaranteed to get lower noise, and you can have higher airflow too if you don't undervolt the fan too much. It's certainly cheaper than buying a new heatsink, and the installation is safer and faster because you're not fiddling with the heatsink itself.

j-azn · Post by **j-azn** » Sun Jan 09, 2005 4:25 pm

I got LOTs of space below my AGP slot. I saw your post earlier and thought about it too. Since you're here, I might as well ask you a couple questions.

1. What 80mm fan do you recommend using for this simple mod?
2. Where can I get those rubber nails u got connecting the fan to the heatsink?
3. I have a sonata without any MOD, would be there sufficient AIR intake for this?

SometimesWarrior · Post by **SometimesWarrior** » Sun Jan 09, 2005 7:40 pm

j-azn wrote:I got LOTs of space below my AGP slot. I saw your post earlier and thought about it too. Since you're here, I might as well ask you a couple questions.

1. What 80mm fan do you recommend using for this simple mod?
2. Where can I get those rubber nails u got connecting the fan to the heatsink?
3. I have a sonata without any MOD, would be there sufficient AIR intake for this?

1. Any quiet 80mm fan you have handy.
2. Apparently, they are designed for sliding metal file drawers, to keep the folders in place. I discovered them in my desk at work one day, and since they looked exactly like fan isolators, I "reassigned" them. Where can you get them? I don't know, but if you don't want to buy your own isolators, some kind of squishy foam like an earplug might be a good replacement.
3. My system runs with an abysmal amount of case air. It's virtually fanless, so if it works in my case, it will work anywhere.

Another option is to somehow dangle the fan in place, or hang it either vertically or at an angle, pointed at the card from the side or the front. For example, there are two holes in the card PCB at the corners. take some string and run it between those holes and the fan mounting holes, then tie the other end of the fan to something else in order to angle it properly. In case you can't tell, I've never bothered with good-looking silencing solutions.

j-azn · Post by **j-azn** » Mon Jan 10, 2005 6:06 am

Hahaha, well as long as its easy and it works I will give it a try. Im not really an hardcore silence obsessed individual, YET. So I guess this is a pretty good solution to it. I havent gotten my hands on the 6600GT yet (unfortunately out of stock) and I'll see how it reacts in my case first.

Thx for the advice

petrolhead · Post by **petrolhead** » Tue Jan 11, 2005 9:59 am

Well today I got some time to have a look at my PC and the noise isse and can confirm thet the VGA card is one of the main culprits the CPU fan being the other so will loof for ways of having a quieter fan

j-azn · Post by **j-azn** » Sun Jan 16, 2005 2:55 pm

aHHHH!H!H!HH!H!H!
this is HORRRRRRRIBLE.... i am very very disappointed.
I just got my MSI6600GT VTD128 and its LOUD! MOTHER LOUD!!!

Couldnt find any MSI apps that could control the fan speed.
Are there any programs that will allow me to change the fan speed??

MAJOR Help needed

Thx

SometimesWarrior · Post by **SometimesWarrior** » Sun Jan 16, 2005 3:08 pm

j-azn wrote:aHHHH!H!H!HH!H!H!
this is HORRRRRRRIBLE.... i am very very disappointed.
I just got my MSI6600GT VTD128 and its LOUD! MOTHER LOUD!!!

I told you so.

I don't think you can control the fan speed in software, so you'll have to hook the fan up to a Zalman Fanmate or something to ramp it up and down. Or, do one of the simple fan mods that I and others have mentioned.

j-azn · Post by **j-azn** » Sun Jan 16, 2005 3:38 pm

ahh *^%$,
The thing is, most reviews say the MSI AGP is the quietest 6600GT on the planet. I shud've gotten the XFX 6600GT and stick a vga cooler on it instead... !!!!

Edward Ng · Post by **Edward Ng** » Sun Jan 16, 2005 4:28 pm

Why did nobody heed my comments about it sounding like a VGA Silencer on High?

-Ed

SometimesWarrior · Post by **SometimesWarrior** » Sun Jan 16, 2005 5:12 pm

Edward Ng wrote:Why did nobody heed my comments about it sounding like a VGA Silencer on High?

Wow, the VGA Silencers are that noisy on high-speed setting?

Edward Ng · Post by **Edward Ng** » Sun Jan 16, 2005 7:41 pm

Maybe one to two dBA lower in volume, but not as smooth, so in the end it balances out. The rougher signature means peaks and valleys in volume, so overall or average volume is possibly a tiny bit lower, but the loudest part of the noise signature is at least as high.

-Ed