Sparkle - Graphic Cards SXT2201024D2G-NMP (Nvidia GeForce GT220)

I was looking for a graphics card passive (fanless), based on Nvidia and ATI not (in order to test for CUDA VST effects) and more powerful than the G210. Only problem: all PCI and PCI Express on my PC were already occupied, and all cards that I had previously found a radiator very thick and therefore condemned the location next to ... until I came across this very specific model (Sparkle should be the only manufacturer to use this technique).

This card has a heatsink behind the card, connected to a heat pipe chipset by copper (see photo), and is therefore "single slot" unlike any other. As the PCI Express x16 for graphics card is often the closest to the processor on the motherboard, this heatsink fairly thin "fit" without problem on the processor, leaving all the other available slots.

With this card, so I can run GPU plugins, no extra noise without having to remove anything from my PC. Even if it is slightly more expensive than some other passive GT220, I can heartily recommend that you if you're a bit short of space as me.

The only (small) downside is the lack of VGA port beside the DVI and HDMI. on the other hand, a DVI-VGA is well supplied with the card and lets you use a screen or an older KVM Switch VGA (much cheaper than DVI KVM). This forces you cons, if you work in dual screen and use a second screen rather old, to connect the first HDMI (possibly through a DVI-HDMI cable). Her "little sister" low-profile SXT2201024S3L NMP (your wish!), Slightly more expensive (80 € at present), has precisely this additional VGA port. The radiator has air cons a little thicker than mine.

I tested with VST specific GPU, all free (Free to Acustica Audio Nebula, and filtrate the Reverberate LE LiquidSonics, GPU and GPU Chorus Delay Nils Schneider), with excellent results. The CPU in my PC thanks me for

PS passive graphics cards based on Nvidia chipset will (excluding cooling) until the GT240 included. The choice in passive cooling is much broader (and cheaper!) In ATI, but for now (November 2010) no specific VST plugin ATI has been developed. Nils Schneider those mentioned above directly use pixel shaders and not CUDA, so they should also run on ATI (untested).