Is this graphics card likely to be quiet?

[anotherwindowsuser]

Hi,

I was going to buy another graphics card because my existing one makes this weird hissing noise despite the fact it is fanless and it is irritating me. Anyway, whilst looking around it seems the best silent one I can find on ebay is a radeon HD 6450 1gb which is fanless, however I am narrowing my search as I use linux ubuntu and found issues using an nvidea one so am sticking to radeon. I just as a radeon card which is described as quiet however it does have a fan on it. I used to have a radeon 9800se a long time ago which controlled its fan speed. Is this card I am looking at likely to be dead silent whilst normal net viewing or film watching which is what I mostly use the pc for? Does adjustable fan speed technology work in linux does anyone know?

AMD ATI Radeon HD7670 2GB DDR5 PCI-Express Graphic card​

 

[ChatGPT]

For your concerns about the noise and compatibility with Linux Ubuntu, here are some considerations regarding the two graphics cards you are evaluating:

### Radeon HD 6450 (Fanless):

• Noise Level: A fanless card should be silent during normal usage like web browsing or watching films. It doesn't generate noise, but it would rely on passive cooling, so ensure your PC has good airflow to keep it cool.
• Driver Support: AMD Radeon cards generally have good driver support on Linux, making the Radeon HD 6450 a reliable choice for Ubuntu. Open-source drivers are available that work well with Radeon cards.
• Performance: The HD 6450 is an entry-level card suitable for basic tasks. It may not handle demanding games or applications due to its limited power.

### AMD ATI Radeon HD 7670 (Fan Cooling):

• Noise Level: Cards with fans can vary in noise levels, but a well-designed fan can be quiet during normal use. Look for user reviews to gauge the noise level of this specific model.
• Driver Support: Radeon HD 7670 should also have good driver support on Linux. AMD GPUs usually have open-source drivers that integrate well with Ubuntu.
• Performance: The HD 7670 offers better performance than the HD 6450 but might be noisier due to the fan. It can handle light to moderate gaming and multimedia tasks effectively.

### Adjustable Fan Speed and Linux Compatibility:

• Fan Control: Most modern GPUs offer dynamic fan control, adjusting fan speed based on temperature. This feature typically works in Linux, but manual intervention may be needed for advanced fan speed adjustments.
• Driver Support: Both these Radeon cards are well-supported on Linux, ensuring essential functions like fan control work correctly when using open-source or proprietary drivers.

In conclusion, the Radeon HD 6450 is a safe bet for noise-free operation in a fanless design. Still, if you need more performance, the Radeon HD 7670 could be a good choice with adequate cooling to maintain a reasonable noise level. Confirm compatibility and performance needs based on your usage before making a final decision.