Gone are the days when we had to deal with huge graphics cards that only feature a few gigs of VRAM and demanded an immensely large power supply.
Manufacturers like Zotac, Asus, and Gigabyte introduced some of the best low-profile graphics cards that you can fit inside your mini/Micro-ATX and SFF cases.
These low-profile graphics cards are quite popular among those who own either a mini-ATX or a pre-build SFF PC like Dell Optiplex 7060 SFF because these low-profile GPUs fit perfectly in there.
Fortunately, there are many low-profile graphics cards in the market but only a handful of them was able to make it to the top of the lists.
We’ll be counting down some of the best low-profile graphics cards for gaming so bear with us till the end.
Our Top Picks
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What Is a Low Profile GPU?
Low-profile GPUs are quite smaller than standard-sized graphics cards. These graphics cards can fit into small cases where regular ones won’t. Unless you’re willing to cut your case into small pieces to make some space for your regular graphics cards!
Ideally, these low profile graphics cards are made for small form factors (SFF) cases and Mini/Micro-ATX cases that are quite small and this is where low profile graphics cards come in.
Sometimes, people who own a budget-friendly PC or those who travel a lot also prefer a low-profile graphics card because gaming has become a part of our lives, isn’t it?
Are low profile Graphics Cards Good For Gaming?
Low-profile graphics cards might be smaller in size but their performance is quite exceptional. These low-profile graphics cards are very much suitable for 1080p gaming.
Some high-end low-profile graphics cards like RTX 2060XC can easily handle 2K gaming on high settings.
Furthermore, low-profile graphics cards are just as good as regular ones and they offer phenomenal performance backed by an eye-melting display.
It really depends on the specifications of the graphics card on how it is going to perform. If your budget is above $300 then RTX 2060XC is an excellent option but if you can only spare a hundred bucks then RX550 got you covered.
Want to enjoy casual gaming on your compact PC? These low-profile graphics cards will come in handy.
Best Low-Profile Graphics Cards
1. GeForce RTX 2060 XC
Overkill
RTX 2060 is undoubtedly one of the best graphics cards ever made, and the low-profile version, the GeForce RTX 2060 XC also offers some excellent performance without degrading the image quality.
This single-fan RTX 2060 could fit inside an SFF case but if you’re packing things inside a mini-ATX tower then things will go quite smoothly for you.
GeForce RTX 2060 XC features 6GB of VRAM with a boost clock speeds of up to 1755MHz.
Overclocking your GPU inside a small case is not ideal because the airflow inside the case is not efficient at all and the temps will be going through the roof.
If you don’t want to turn your GPU into piping hot lava then we’d suggest not overclocking anything under the hood.
The low-profile RTX 2060 is surely not as good as the standard version but it is an excellent option if you’re aiming for 60fps+ on a 2K display.
Whether you want to play RPGs, MOBAs, MMOs, or first-person shooters, the RTX 2060 should handle any. However, you might not want to push any of these to 4K.
Its cooling system is not as robust as its full-sized brother, so it’s better to keep it all vanilla.
The RTX 2060 XC is a bit more expensive than the standard version and we don’t believe that with RTX on, you won’t get much better performance than your current PC setup.
However, with just a few decent low-profile graphics cards in the market, RTX 2060 XC is surely one of the best.
Price Point: Around $400
Tech Specs
- VRAM – 6GB GDDR6
- Base Clock Speed – 1,365MHz
- Memory Bus Width – 192-bit
- Cuda Cores – 1920
- DirectX – 12
- ROPS – 48
- Dimensions – 7.48 x 2.75 x 4.38 Inches
Pros
- Low Temps
- Memory Bandwith of Up to 336 GB/s
- G-SYNC Compatibility
- Ray-Tracing
Cons
- Very Expensive
2. GeForce GTX 1060 SC
Best 1080p Graphics Card for SFF
If you’re willing to pay up to $250 to get a beast for your compact build then the GTX 1060 3GB SC is really an excellent choice. This one will fit perfectly in your small form factor case, and the best thing about this single-fan graphics card is that the temps remain on the down-low.
Although the airflow inside these cases isn’t the best, the GTX 1060 SC still runs at very low temperatures. The low-profile GTX 1060 SC features 3GB of GDDR5 memory, a 192-bit memory interface, and base clock speeds of 1607MHz which could be boosted to 1835MHz.
The mini version of GeForce GTX 1060 can handle extreme gaming and if you’re into battle royales like Warzone or Fortnite, this baby will get you satisfactory fps on high settings.
It will have a hard time running graphics-intensive games like Assassin’s Creed and the likes, but as long as you’re willing to sacrifice quality, you should be able to hit a steady 60 fps.
You do get a choice of video outputs like HDMI ports and Display Port, giving you the versatility to use this card for dual monitor setups.
Your choice of power supply will not be an issue here as it’s only rated at 120W. Putting it on the PCIe slot on your motherboard should be a quick and painless process.
Although the low-profile version is not nearly as good as the regular one, this one won’t disappoint either, especially when it comes to extreme gaming and maintaining good fps throughout the game.
Price Point: $300 to $350
Tech Specs
- VRAM – 3GB GDDR5
- Base Clock Speed – 1,607MHz
- Memory Bus Width– 192-bit
- Cuda Cores – 1152
- DirectX – 12
- ROPS – 48
- Dimensions – 6.80 x 1.50 x 4.38 inches
Pros
- Low profile power consumption
- Flawless texture details
- Can run all the latest games
Cons
- Noise
3. GeForce GTX 1650 OC
Low-Profile Card for Competitive Gamers
NVIDIA’s GTX 1600 series was praised around the world for its efficient performance on very low power consumption. These low-budget graphics cards were able to compete with some of the best graphics cards from their competitors.
GeForce GTX 1650 OC is definitely an amazing machine that displays vibrant colors while keeping the temps on the down-low.
GeForce GTX 1650 OC also features a low-profile version which also features twin fans but they’re very small in size that allows you to easily fix them in mini-ITX cases.
GTX 1650 OC features 4 gigs of GDDR5 video memory and a 128-bit memory interface. The standard version of 1650 OC also features the same specs but there might be a minor difference between the performance of the two because low-profile versions draw less power and the output is also quite less.
However, don’t let this fact fool you since it does have faster clock speeds, up to 1710MHz. It’s even faster than the vanilla GTX 1650 as those only come with 1665MHz boosted. Quite a powerful low profile monster!
It’s on the thin side compared to other graphics cards on this list, but you do have a choice of ports to use for video output like HDMI ports and a dual-link DVI-D.
Furthermore, GeForce GTX 1650 OC is another great option if you’re looking for a low-profile graphics card that can last a while.
Price Point: $200 to $250
Tech Specs
- VRAM – 4GB GDDR5
- Base Clock Speed – 1,695MHz
- Memory Bus Width– 128-bit
- Cuda Cores – 1280
- DirectX – 12
- ROPS – 32
- Dimensions (LxWxH) – 6.57 x 2.72 x 1.54 Inches
Pros
- Power-efficient
- Budget-Friendly
- Overclockable
- NVIDIA ANSEL compatible
Cons
- Noisy
- Build quality is just Ok
4. AMD Radeon RX570
Best Low-Profile Graphics Card for Low-Voltage PSU
The original version of Radeon RX570 is ruling millions of budget build around the world and the low-profile single-fan version is also turning some heads.
The AMD Radeon RX570 low-profile card also features 4GB GDDR5 memory along with a memory interface of 256-bit.
This range of low-profile GPUs is completely overclockable but don’t expect the temperature to remain in the normal range when you’re taking things up a notch.
For casual gaming, AMD RX570 is an excellent choice and We really recommend this card for it.
Many pre-built PCs are equipped with low voltage PSUs and you can hardly find a 6-pin connector to power up a graphics card.
Most of the GPUs in the market require 6+2-pin connectors but if you’re also running a low-voltage PSU then RX570 will fit right in.
Small motherboard designs do not give you a choice when it comes to PCIe slots, but it doesn’t matter with this graphic card since you just need to slide it in.
The single-fan design also fits well here since it should be an easy choice for those building a low-profile gaming PC.
You won’t have to worry about power consumption because RX570 is ideal for limited power consumption but banging performance.
Price Point: $200 to $300
Tech Specs
- VRAM – 4GB GDDR5
- Base Clock Speed – 1,244MHz
- Memory Bus Width– 256-bit
- Cuda Cores – 2048
- DirectX – 12
- ROPS – 32
- Dimensions (LxWxH) – 10.50 x 6.50 x 2.50 Inches
Pros
- Power-efficient
- Very cost-effective
- A bit slower
- Overclockable
Cons
- Hard to find
5. Nvidia GTX 1050Ti
Best Nvidia-Based Low-Profile Graphics Card
This low-profile version of GTX 1050 Ti has been around for quite a while now and we only heard good things about this one.
GTX 1050 Ti features 4 gigs of GDDR5 but its biggest perk is that it only draws 75w from the PSU. Moving on, it also features a 128-bit memory interface, a 1291MHz base clock which can be boosted to 1392MHz. The mini GTX 1050 Ti is a bit too small and can easily fit in Sff cases.
GTX 1050 Ti features a single fan design that can be a bit noisy but it might not be a big deal for most.
Finding a twin-fan low-profile is actually quite difficult and with very little space inside these sff cases, airflow isn’t the most efficient but GTX 1050Ti’s 2x fans will keep everything under control.
Aside from its cooling abilities, if not maxed out, you could probably enjoy mid-setting gaming, typical with most low-profile GPUs.
The dimensions of this graphics card are 7.09 x 2.72 x 3.5 inches. If you think that a 7in GPU can fit in your mini-ATX or Micro-ATX then this GTX 1050Ti should be in your top 3 best low-profile GPUs list.
Price Point: Under $150
Tech Specs
- VRAM – 4GB GDDR5
- Base Clock Speed – 1,291MHz
- Memory Bus Width– 128-bit
- Cuda Cores – 768
- DirectX – 12
- ROPS – 32
- Dimensions (LxWxH) – 7.09 x 2.72 x 3.5 inches
Pros
- Twin-Fans
- Readily available
- Premium build quality
- HDMI Port
Cons
- Outdated
- Slower
6. AMD Radeon RX560
Best Budget-Friendly Low-Profile Graphics Card
A 2GB low profile graphics card might not seem like a big deal these days but for those who are building an entry-level rig, AMD Radeon RX560 is surely an excellent choice.
Although it might only feature 2GB of GDDR5 memory and a 128-bits interface, this low-profile graphics card can handle 1080p gaming on low to mid settings.
For just under $100, you can get your hands on this but if you’re willing to spare a few more bucks then the 4GB variant should be the one that you should also check out which is a tad more costly.
This low-profile single-fan GPU might not be the fastest graphics card around and you could do better but for this price tag, you will be getting yourself a fairly excellent deal.
The build quality and overall performance of this GPU will exceed your expectations. Instead of enjoying a perfectly rendered slideshow, you will be getting some adequate fps in the latest AAA titles.
AMD Radeon RX560 also offers quick rendering with Adobe apps and 3D designing apps like Blender and Unity. If you’re also looking for a cheap setup for some graphic designing then RX560 will come in handy.
In case if you don’t want a 2GB graphics card then a 4GB variant of RX560 is also available in the market. Make sure to take a look at both of them before choosing the right one for yourself.
Price Point: Under $100
Tech Specs
- VRAM – 2GB GDDR5
- Base Clock Speed – 1,203MHz
- Memory Bus Width – 128-bit
- Cuda Cores – 1024
- DirectX – 12
- ROPS – 16
- Dimensions (LxWxH) – 9.50 x 6.60 x 2.10 inches
Pros
- Very Cost-Effective
- Low temps
- Solid build quality
- Multiple Displays up to 5
Cons
- Frame drops
- No Warranty
7. Nvidia GeForce GT 710
Cheap Graphics Card Under $50
A budget-friendly NVIDIA-based low profile graphics card is something that you don’t hear much often because all their cards are quite expensive.
However, the old GeForce GT 710 is still going strong and it is quite famous among those who could not spend anything above $60 on a graphics card.
GT 710 features 2GB GDDR3 memory with an interface of just 64-bits. We know that it won’t be able to handle most AAA games from the past few years but if you’re into games like Fortnite and GTA V, you can definitely enjoy them on 720p low settings with this one.
Most people don’t really buy this graphics card for gaming anymore because this one is very outdated.
A 64-bit memory interface really could not handle much and it’s better to buy this one just to watch movies on a 1080p or 2K display.
The NVIDIA’s GT 710 is very small, even for low-profile GPUs, with dimensions coming in at 5.75 x 0.75 x 2.72 inches.
It should fit quite easily into any small factor or Micro-ATX case. It’s one of those half-height graphics cards that will save you a lot of space for other components.
Price Point: Less than $50
Tech Specs
- VRAM – 2GB GDDR3
- Base Clock Speed – 1,600MHz
- Memory Bus Width – 64-bit
- Cuda Cores – 192
- DirectX – 12
- ROPS – 8
- Dimensions (LxWxH) – 5.75 x 0.75 x 2.72 inches
Pros
- Runs with 300w PSU
- Very Durable
- DirectX 12 Supported
- Can handle 2K display at 60Hz
Cons
- Cannot handle new games
- Very slow and outdated
8. AMD Radeon RX550
Best Bang for the Buck
Haven’t we already discussed all the graphics cards from the RX series? Not really. AMD Radeon RX550 is another decent graphics card in the market that can easily fit into mini-ATX and micro-ATX cases.
It could also be able to fit into small PCs like Optiplex 9010 & Optiplex 9020 because these cases offer 12 inches of space to easily fit a half-height graphics card. Its single-fan design helps a lot here as it ensures that you can use this no matter how small a PC you’re building.
AMD Radeon RX550 also comes in two different variants. 2GB and 4GB variants but in this case, we’re only reviewing the 4GB low profile variant. Radeon RX550 features 4GB of DDR5 memory type coupled with a memory interface of 128-bit.
RX550 is a viable option for an entry-level gaming rig and even when backed with an old chip like Intel i5-3470, this one can show some mind-blowing fps on a 1080p display.
However, if you’re expecting a 60fps gameplay with this one, you may be disappointed. But, for only ninety bucks, you simply could not find a similar graphics card that offers the performance this can offer.
The standard-sized NVIDIA GT1030 is also available at the same price point but it is inferior to this low profile GPU dynamite.
Price Point: Around $100
Tech Specs
- VRAM – 4GB GDDR5
- Base Clock Speed – 1,183MHz
- Memory Bus Width – 128-bit
- Cuda Cores – 512
- DirectX – 12
- ROPS – 16
- Dimensions (LxWxH) – 6.69 x 1.57 x 4.76 inches
Pros
- Can run latest AAA games
- Ideal for SFF and Mini/Micro-ATX cases
- Don’t make much noise
Cons
- Inferior build quality (XFX)
9. Nvidia GeForce GT 1030
Best Low-Profile Graphics Card for SFF
One could really claim that GT1030 is NVIDIA’s best entry-level graphics card and they surely wouldn’t be lying.
The low-profile GT1030 is one of the best-selling low-profile graphics cards around the world and it received praise from all over the world.
Despite the low 2GB VRAM and slow performance, GT1030 is still going strong and sales have only gone higher since its debut.
NVIDIA’s GeForce GT1030 offers 2GB GDDR5 memory and a memory interface of only 64-bit. The GDDR5 memory type is one of the fastest types of VRAM available in the market and it is very fast when compared with the likes of GDDR3 and GDDR4 this is why GT1030’s demand is still on the high.
All the amazing AAA titles from 2017-18 can be easily played on GT1030 with playable fps but anything beyond that is just out the reach of this low profile GPU.
Still, GT1030 would be a good choice for an entry-level PC build. A low-profile graphics card can also fit in a regular case but if you own one then a standard version would make more sense.
Price Point: Around $100
Tech Specs
- VRAM – 2GB GDDR5
- Base Clock Speed – 1,468MHz
- Memory Bus Width – 64-bit
- Cuda Cores – 318
- DirectX – 12
- ROPS – 16
- Dimensions (LxWxH) – 5.90 x 2.71 x 0.59 Inches
Pros
- Maximum Resolution of 4096 x 2160p
- Low power consumption
- One-click Overclocking
Cons
- Non-effiecent heatsink
- Outdated
10. EVGA GeForce RTX 3060 XC Gaming
Best Low Profile Graphics Card with Dual Fan Design
Even though the EVGA GeForce RTX 3060 XC Gaming may not be the smallest on this list, it’s one of the more powerful low-profile GPUs you can get for your mini-ITX build.
Compared to other RTX 3060s, it has a smaller form factor coupled with an efficient cooling system to give you the best performance without compromising operating temperatures.
It’s a dual-slot GPU that’s sized just right to squeeze into the remaining available space of a small form factor PC. This RTX 3060 card comes with 12GB of GDDR6 RAM and a boost clock speed of 1777MHz. You can still push it further by overclocking it to higher clock speeds to squeeze every ounce of performance out of it.
Packed with RTX cores, thanks to its Turing GPU architecture, this is a low-profile GPU everyone wants to use on their small form factor systems. It’s for gamers who want to play the latest AAA games at 1440p and 60 fps.
Unlike most other low-profile GPUs in this list, this is capable of 4K gaming, but don’t expect it to give you the smoothest frame rates.
If you’re using it for video editing work, this RTX 3060 video card offers excellent performance, saving you time during rendering. It’s a card that offers better performance than most on this list.
Price Point: Around $500
Tech Specs
- VRAM – 12GB GDDR6
- Base Clock Speed – 1,777MHz
- Memory Bus Width – 192-bit
- Cuda Cores – 3584
- DirectX – 12
- ROPS – 48
- Dimensions (LxWxH) – 7.94 x 1.54 x 4.33 Inches
Pros
- Capable of 4K gaming
- Shines at 1440p or 1080 resolution
- Powerful GPU for small form factor PC
- Ray tracing capabilities for that eye candy
Cons
- On the pricier side
- Small performance gains over RTX 2060 predecessor
11. ZOTAC GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Mini 11GB
Low Profile Overkill 2!
The GeForce GTX 1080 was one of NVIDIA’s flagship, and it’s difficult to fathom how they turned it into a low profile graphics card that can fit into a small form factor rig without undermining much of its performance.
This is undoubtedly the graphics card to get if you’re looking to build a compact PC that can outperform consoles (not the PS5s or the new Xbox).
Even though it’s a few generations old, the GTX 1080 Ti can still hold its own when it comes to performance.
It’s even faster than a lot of the current GPUs, especially low-profile ones. It’s a lot smaller than its full-sized counterparts, but it doesn’t suffer from lower clock speeds.
You can expect the exact same performance AND squeeze it into small form factor builds with mms to spare.
Zotac is not known for its extensive cooling solution, so you can expect it to run a bit hotter than other GTX 1080 Ti graphics cards. But this is a dual fan low profile GPU and with a few extra fans in your PC case, this should handle long hours.
With a boost clock reaching up to 1620MHz and 11GB of GDDR5X of memory, this is one of the most powerful low-profile GPUs you can get.
Playing the latest games should not be an issue with this card as long as you stick to 1080p resolution. However, you can still get away with 4K on a handful of games.
After all, the GTX 1080 Ti was once the most powerful GPU that anyone can get. It’s still a popular choice for gamers and streamers as it still does the job, especially if you’re playing titles that are not as resource intensive.
The GTX 1080 Ti is still one of the best low-profile graphics cards you can get, and this model from Zotac is still worth the bucks that, a top-choice for mini-ITX motherboards.
Price Point: Under $700
Tech Specs
- VRAM – 11GB GDDR5X
- Base Clock Speed – 1,506MHz
- Memory Bus Width – 352-bit
- Cuda Cores – 3584
- DirectX – 12
- ROPS – 88
- Dimensions (LxWxH) – 8.31 x 1.61 x 4.92 Inches
Pros
- Powerful low profile graphics card
- Same power and performance as full-sized GTX 1080 Ti cards
- Excellent 1080p gaming performance
Cons
- Runs hotter compared to other cards
- Loud
12. GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 1660 Super Mini OC
Best Low Profile Graphics Card without Ray Tracing
The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Super is an excellent budget low-profile GPU you can get.
Building on the GTX 1660 architecture and taking it to the next level, this GPU will give you that much-needed performance boost but remain in that budget price range.
This is right on the sweet spot if you look at the spectrum of available low-profile graphics cards. It’s an excellent choice for those building their rig or looking to upgrade their current gaming PC setup.
The GTX 1660 Super is based on NVIDIA’s latest Turing architecture, although it does miss out on the ray-tracing core.
It still comes with a boost clock of 1800MHz and has 6GB of GDDR6 RAM. This graphics card will not even break a sweat with light gaming. Even though it’s smaller in size, it does not run with lower clock speeds and edges out quite a few full-sized counterparts.
To get it to flex its muscle power, you’ll need to crank your games up to medium settings at 1080p. Graphics-intensive games may fall slightly below 60 fps, but you should not have any problem for most.
Playing games at 1440p can be a bit selective, but there are a few titles where it should be able to handle it, like GTA V, Forza Horizon 4, Hitman 2, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, and others.
The small form factor also allows you to put it into mini ITX builds even though it’s a dual-slot card. It’s a powerful GPU that offers a lot more value than its price. It’s one of the best low-profile graphics cards you can get where you won’t have to regret it in the future.
Price Point: Around $400
Tech Specs
- VRAM – 6GB GDDR6
- Base Clock Speed – 1,530MHz
- Memory Bus Width – 192-bit
- Cuda Cores – 1408
- DirectX – 12
- ROPS – 48
- Dimensions (LxWxH) – 5.90 x 2.71 x 0.59 Inches
Pros
- Impressive 1080p performance for its price
- Excellent value low profile graphics card
- Not as power-consuming as other cards in its class
Cons
- No RTX features
13. MSI Radeon RX 560 AERO ITX OC 4GB
Best Low Profile Graphics Card with Single Fan
The MSI Radeon RX 560 Aero ITX is an affordable low-profile graphics card that offers modest performance at 1080p.
It’s not the most powerful low-profile GPU on this list, but as long as you’re willing to compromise a bit on graphics quality and dial it down to medium settings, you’re good.
If you have a tight budget for PC gaming, this is one of those cards that you can get that will make a lot of sense.
There are a lot of truly deserving budget graphics cards you can get, but at this price point, you can’t argue with the instant value the RX 560 brings to your rig.
It is a low-profile dual-slot GPU with a single fan. You should have no problem putting this into your compact system.
Despite the size, it comes with multiple video output ports that give you vital support for HDMI ports or external displays.
You’ll be able to expect decent performance thanks to its boost clock speeds that can get as high as 1196MHz.
The 4GB of GDDR5 RAM also helps in the snappy loading of textures making this one of the better low-profile GPUs to get that’s just over a hundred bucks.
Low to medium settings at 1080p would be the optimum configuration for this card. You’ll be able to play games like The Division, The Witcher 3, World of Warcraft, and other similar games at 60 FPS.
Light gaming like League of Legends, Minecraft, Dota 2, CS: Go, and other eSports titles should be easy.
Overall, the RX 560 is the best low-profile graphics card you can get on a tight budget. It’s a value-packed card for PC gaming and even works well on a home entertainment system.
Price Point: Around $100
Tech Specs
- VRAM – 4GB GDDR5
- Base Clock Speed – 1,090MHz
- Memory Bus Width – 128-bit
- Cuda Cores – 896
- DirectX – 12
- ROPS – 16
- Dimensions (LxWxH) – 6.1 x 4.4 x 1.5 Inches
Pros
- Incredibly affordable graphics card
- Does not need an external power connector
- Decent 1080p gaming performance at lower graphics settings
- Lower power consumption compared to other GPUs
Cons
- Not a powerful graphics card
14. PowerColor Radeon RX 5600 XT ITX
Best Value Low Profile GPU
If you’re looking for a reliable low profile graphics card that can handle 1080p gaming perfectly, the Radeon RX 5600 XT ITX from PowerColor is a hidden gem.
Of all low profile cards in this list, this is the one that will offer you the best performance, and it fits in small form factor builds to boot.
With an affordable price tag, capable of churning high frame rates, and a lot of added features, the only difference between it and the RTX 2060 is ray tracing.
The fact is there are just a lot of graphics cards in the 1080p segment. However, not all of them are in the low profile form factor. These newer hardware components are just too big to fit in a small-sized PC case.
This low profile ITX edition from PowerColor changes that since you’ll be able to enjoy far better performance for its size.
As long as you don’t include ray tracing capabilities, the RX 5600 XT easily beats its NVIDIA counterparts, hands down.
The RX 5600 XT is a beefy card with a 1560MHz base clock and up to 1620MHz when boosted.
You can even turn on OC mode to get more speed out of your card. 6GB of GDDR6 memory seems a bit small compared to its competitors, but it’s a sacrifice needed to keep the price and size down.
Getting this graphics card to run is straightforward. To take full advantage of its features, it’s recommended that you insert it into a PCIe slot 4.0.
There are also 3 display options giving you the versatility to work multiple monitors nice and easy.
If you’re building a gaming rig on a mini-ITX motherboard, this is the card to get. You’ll be able to enjoy 1080p gaming at commendable FPS.
Price Point: Around $350
Tech Specs
- VRAM – 6GB GDDR6
- Base Clock Speed – 1,560MHz
- Memory Bus Width – 192-bit
- Cuda Cores – 2304
- DirectX – 12
- ROPS – 64
- Dimensions (LxWxH) – 6.9 x 4.3 x 1.6 Inches
Pros
- Best 1080p performance in its class
- One of the more affordable GPUs in its class
- Small size fits just about any PC case
- Low power consumption
Cons
- No ray tracing
- 6GB RAM seems to be not enough for so
15. ZOTAC GeForce RTX 3070 Twin Edge OC
Best Low Profile Graphics Card for Power
The GeForce RTX 3070 is considered one of the best graphics cards on the market for many people. It comes with performance similar to last generation’s RTX 2080 Ti, an ex-flagship GPU.
Thanks to its price point, the RTX 3070 is truly a game-changer as it makes 4K gaming accessible to the whole lot.
This is one of the first cards where you’ll be able to enjoy the beauty of so many pixels at 60 fps or more.
It may not match its more powerful siblings, the RTX 3080 and 3090, but it’s still an impressive low profile graphics card based on its current capabilities.
Being this powerful means it consumes a lot of energy, the RTX 3070 is rated at 220W, but you’ll need a power supply of at least 650W to make sure you have the ceiling to operate this beast of a GPU.
With a boost clock speed of up to 1725MHz and 8GB GDDR6 RAM, playing the latest AAA games at 4K and the highest graphics settings is possible.
Hitting frame rates of 65 to 80 should not be much of an issue. If you’re playing more competitive titles, you can always step down to 1440p and enjoy gaming at an insane 120 to 200 fps although you’ll need a fast enough gaming monitor for that.
It also has an array of video output ports so you can play games and even do some video editing work.
Zotac’s version of the RTX 3070 is a dual fan card that is significantly smaller than the Founder’s Edition or other GPUs.
You’ll be able to squeeze this into any low-profile ITX build so you can enjoy looking at your stunning system while playing your favorite game in all its 4K glory.
Price Point: Around $800
Tech Specs
- VRAM – 8GB GDDR6
- Base Clock Speed – 1,500MHz
- Memory Bus Width – 256-bit
- Cuda Cores – 5888
- DirectX – 12
- ROPS – 96
- Dimensions (LxWxH) – 9.1 x 5.6 x 1.7 Inches
Pros
- Stunning 4K performance
- Low profile GPU with the best value
- Ray tracing at its finest
- Excellent cooling system for its size
- Better performance than standard-sized GPUs in its class
Cons
- Price on the expensive side
- Needs a 12 pin power connector
Choosing the Best Low Profile Graphics Card
If you’re building a small form factor gaming rig, there are a few factors that you need to take into account. The smallest of the low-profile GPUs may not always be the best choice.
PC Case Size
Of course, you’ll need to look at the size you’re working with, and it’s usually the PC case that dictates this.
The only component that you can count on will only be the mini-ITX motherboard. How it fits into the case of your choice is another story.
There are a lot of great PC cases out there that should give you enough room to put in even the largest of the low-profile graphics cards in the market today.
Workload
Another factor that you need to consider is workloads. The heavier it is, the more powerful the GPU you have to get.
The downside here is that beefier graphics cards don’t usually have a single fan cooling system. However, there are a ton of ITX cases that can fit a smaller dual fan GPU.
Power Consumption
One of the more overlooked factors is power supply and consumption.
A problem you’ll face here is that a power supply for ITX builds doesn’t come in high wattage ratings, so putting in the graphics card of your choice may not be that simple.
Heat
Using a small form factor case means that all your hardware components are packed in a tight space. The GPU, together with the CPU, is often the biggest source of heat.
It means that the cooling system of your GPU needs to be incredibly efficient. So none of those passive cooling solutions simply won’t work.
After you figure this out, determining the best low-profile graphics for your specific needs should be easy. So, don’t worry about those extra features like OC mode, get the one that will satisfy your needs.
Low-profile graphics cards are always a compromise. The fact that you chose to go the small form factor route means that’s your priority, and you would have to fit in the best GPU that’s available.
Conclusion
If you’re thinking about building an entry-level PC case, then one of these low-profile graphics cards is made for you.
Some of them will perform better if you’re willing to spend a serious amount of them while most of them are really cost-efficient.
If you’re looking for casual gaming then all of these cards will be able to perform according to their specifications but if you’re into competitive gaming or trying to become a professional gamer then going forward with a proper PC build would be the right option.