Video Gamer is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Prices subject to change. Learn more
If you’re looking for the best low profile graphics card for a compact gaming rig, we’ve got you covered right here with our top picks.
There are several advantages to getting a great low profile graphics card. These GPUs will fit into just about any PC case. This could mean that you can upgrade your rig without having to completely rebuild it.
The best case for the RTX 4080 and other large cards are also often fairly expensive in and of themselves. This means that you have the opportunity to save money as well as desk space by going for a low profile option.
These smaller cards are less powerful than the big gaming beasts that make up the best GPUs for 4k, or the best Nvidia GPUs. However, these cards can still be very capable and handle the latest triple-A games, making them a savvy choice for gamers with limited budgets or desk real estate.
To make your choice easier we’ve offered a detailed description of each graphic card on our list, letting you know where their strengths lie. Let’s get into it.
-
01Best Low Profile Graphics Card for Gaming
-
02Best low profile graphics card for gaming (runner up)
Best low profile graphics card
Speaking from early 2024, the best low-profile graphics cards tend to be from older generations, though not exclusively. You won’t see the likes of the RTX 4080 or RX 7900 XTX on this list, as their incredible gaming power makes it essentially impossible to package them into a low-profile frame without guaranteeing constant overheating.
However, you’ll still see some of the best graphics cards making a feature. We’ve also included some budget-friendly options, so there should be something that’s within your price range here.
1. ZOTAC GeForce GTX 1650 LP 4GB
ZOTAC GeForce GTX 1650 LP 4GB
Base Clock
1,485Mhz
Boost Clock
1,665Mhz
VRAM
4GB
Dimensions
160 x 111 x 34mm
Recommended PSU
250w
- High clock count
- Low PSU
- Can run hot
If you were under the impression that a low profile GPU would mean having to compromise on performance, fear not! The ZOTAC GeForce GTX 1650 is a wonderful bus-powered graphics card which can take smaller systems to the next level of gaming.
The GTX 1650 has 4GB of GDDR6 memory, with a bandwidth cap of 192 GB per second, meaning that you’ll be able to enjoy the vast majority of current AAA titles at ultra settings. The GPU itself runs at a base clock frequency of 1,410 MHz, boostable to 1,590 MHz while under pressure (more than 11%).
It might lack the ray-tracing cores that feature in some of the best GPUs for ray tracing, but nevertheless, the amount of memory alongside 896 shading units, 56 texture mapping units, and 32 render output units means you can still expect some incredible visual fidelity, even in some of the more demanding popular titles.
Physically, it’s a dual-slot card, and that’s probably the smallest form factor you can expect with a GPU with decent performance. It has a TDP of 75W, which is delivered entirely by the PCIe BUS, which will allow for even tidier cable management, too. In fact, it only requires a PSU of 250W, which is almost unheard of for new GPUs!
2. GIGABYTE RTX 4060 OC Low Profile Graphics Card
GIGABYTE RTX 4060 OC Low Profile Graphics Card
It’s fairly rare for a next-gen GPU to be low profile, but here is an example of just that. The RTX 4060 boasts Lovelace architecture, which brings with it powerful features such as DLSS3 and next-generation ray tracing cores. Thanks to these breakthroughs the RTX 4060 has excellent frame generation and upscaling capabilities which makes this card the most powerful low-profile GPU on our list.
It’s brilliant to see the power of Lovelace packaged into a low-profile card. When the RTX 4090 and RTX 4080 were announced, one of the most common criticisms of them was their behemoth size.
By contrast, this Gigabyte RTX 4060 is just 182 x 69 x 40mm, meaning it will fit snuggly into much more compact builds than many modern GPUs ever could.
3. Gigabyte GTX 1050 Ti OC LP
Gigabyte GTX 1050 Ti OC LP
Base Clock
1,291Mhz
Boost Clock
1,392Mhz
VRAM
4GB
Dimensions
145 x 111mm
Recommended PSU
250W
- Reasonable price
- Low PSU requirement
- Performance dips above 1080p
At one time the GTX 1050 was close to the gold standard for consumer GPUs and, although things might have moved on, these low-profile GTX 1050 TI cards are still more than capable of delivering some very enjoyable gaming sessions. I should know, I still use one myself!
The defining factor here is that, even though this is an older card, it still has 4GB of GDDR5 RAM. Playing titles like Yakuza Zero, Rocket League, and Wasteland 2 at maximum settings is going to be no issue here, and you’ll still be able to enjoy other more recent titles at lower settings, too.
It’s a PCIe 3.0 x16 card, with a dual-slot profile and a single fan. Power-wise, it has a TDP of 75W and, like the 1650 talked about above, only requires a 250W PSU. This means that getting the best PSU for this card is far easier and cheaper than getting the best PSU for the RTX 4070 Ti or other similarly profiled GPUs.
With DVI, HDMI 2.0, and DisplayPort 1.4a slots, it’s also a great little card for using multiple monitors with. If you’re in the market for a low profile GPU, this little beauty is still going to provide the opportunity to play some terrific games, all while allowing your system to remain cool and quiet!
4. EVGA GT 1030 SC
EVGA GT 1030 SC
Base Clock
1,290Mhz
Boost Clock
1,544Mhz
VRAM
2GB
Dimensions
68.8 x 169mm
Recommended PSU
200W
- High boost clock
- Compact card
- Low VRAM count
We also wanted to select a budget option for those of you who are feeling the pinch. If a modest GPU upgrade is all you need, the EVGA GT 1030 SC is a fantastic option; with that said, though, you might be surprised by what this thing can actually do.
Let’s talk about the specs first: this near-silent card comes with 2GB of GDDR5 memory, with a bandwidth limit of 48 GB per second. It has 384 shading units, 24 texture mapping units, and 16 render output units. What does this mean for you? A decent-enough gaming card, on paper.
However, the actual performance of this thing is surprisingly good. We’ve seen it run titles like Valorant and Fortnite at recommended settings; in fact, games without heavier requirements in the GPU department (such as eSports titles and AAA games prior to 2018) should run fairly well with this card.
It’s also capable of streaming at 4K, and can be used with Linux. Ok, so it might not be the most impressive feature set you’ve ever read, but this very fairly-priced graphics card only takes up a single slot, has a TDP of just 30W (!), and only needs a 200W PSU. It also has dual output slots (DVI and HDMI 2.0).
This is obviously not the greatest graphics card on the market, but it will tick enough boxes to keep some of you going through less-plentiful times, or even while you just save to build a new PC. With some surprising horsepower, we’d definitely recommend the EVGA GT 1030 SC to anyone on a budget.
How do we pick the best low profile GPU?
Picking any bit of computer hardware, especially gaming computer hardware, involves a lot of number crunching and specs comparisons. We trawled the internet for low-profile GPUs and compared each. With this list, we also tried to offer a variety of options, each with different strengths. These strengths include everything from power, to performance, to price.
This should mean that there is a pick on this list for everyone looking for a capable low-profile GPU. We’re also keeping this article up to date with the latest products from across the web, so you can get your hands on the goods with ease.
Features to consider when buying a low profile GPU
There are a few things it is worth keeping in mind when on the hunt for a low-profile GPU. You want to have a strong sense of the kind of card you are looking for. This will save you time as you can focus your research on the graphic cards that are most likely to fulfil your needs.
Noise level
The reason GPUs tend to be large is to allow for more effective cooling. GPUs are notorious for high power consumption. This high level of power means you need a lot of cooling to keep things running smoothly. Cooling becomes more difficult with a low-profile GPU, as there is less room for airflow. The knock-on effect of this is that low-profile GPUs can often run loud.
To avoid this look at the cooling options any card you’re considering getting has. Or consider how powerful a GPU you need, if you are happy with slower boost speeds, the card is less likely to start heating up and require the noisy fans to kick in.
PSU
Due to their smaller size, LP GPUs generally don’t require too much juice. This not only saves you money on your PSU, but also keeps space to a minimum, something which anyone looking to get a low-profile card is clearly interested in.
Frequently asked questions
There’s a lot of jargon that surrounds GPUs and other gaming technologies. Because of this, there are a few questions that we see coming up time and time again, we’ve tried to answer a few of them right here.
What is a low-profile GPU?
In order to be considered a low-profile GPU, the graphics card must not exceed a height of 64mm and a length of 167mm.
What are the advantages of a low-profile GPU?
Low-profile GPUs can fit into far more PC cases than larger cards can. this saves you money and desk space.
