If you’re looking to build a small-form-factor gaming PC, in this guide, we’ve listed seven of the best low-profile video cards at various price-points and performance levels to help you find the right option for your system.
Up until the rise in interest in small-form-factor systems started a few years back, there weren’t a lot of options for mini or low-profile components. Nowadays, more and more PC hardware and components are becoming available in smaller sizes.
Graphics cards are no different.
While there still aren’t an enormous amount of mini or low profile graphics cards on the market, there are definitely more available now than there have been in the past. And, that means that, if you are looking to build a small-form-factor gaming PC, you’ve never had more potential to build a high-end system inside of a smaller case as you do today.
In this guide, we’re going to take a look at seven of the best low-profile video cards across a range of price points and performance levels. So, if you are planning on building a smaller system, there are compact graphics card options below that will suit your needs regardless of whether you have a larger budget or a lower budget.
*NOTE: It should be noted that in this guide, we’ve taken a look at two different styles of small-form-factor video cards: mini graphics cards, and low-profile graphics cards. Low-profile graphics cards aren’t as long or as tall as standard graphics cards, and mini graphics cards aren’t as long as standard graphics cards, but typically come in similar heights. So, if height clearance will be an issue for your build, you might want to stick to looking at the low-profile options below.
Table of Contents
1. Quick-Look: Top Mini Video Cards
2. High-End: ZOTAC GTX 1080 Ti
3. Best Low-Profile: ZOTAC GTX 1050 Ti
A Quick Look at the Best Low-Profile Video Cards
In order to help you make your decision as easy as possible, we’ve provided a quick look table below that lists our top picks for the best low-profile and mini video cards at a variety of categories. We’ve chosen our pick for the best high-end mini video card, the best-overall low-profile video card, the best mid-range option, and the best affordable low-profile graphics card.
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|
NAME | SPECS | RATING | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
HIGH-END
|
 |
ASUS RTX 3060 |
|
/10 | |
|
BEST LP
|
 |
GIGABYTE GTX 1650 |
|
/10 | |
|
MID-RANGE
|
 |
ZOTAC GTX 1660 Super |
|
/10 | |
|
CHEAP LP
|
 |
Gigabyte GT 1030 |
|
/10 |
*If you want to read our full overview on each of the graphics cards listed above, click on the “Read Review »” and you’ll be taken to our write-up on it. You can also read overviews on our Honorable Mention picks by scrolling further down on this page.
1. ASUS Phoenix RTX 3060
The best mini video card
Who says big things don’t come in small packages? ASUS’s Phoenix RTX 3060 is currently one of the most powerful mini graphics cards on the market. And, if you’re looking to build a high-end mini gaming PC that can push games on a 4K monitor or a 1440P 144Hz monitor, then the ASUS Mini RTX 3060 is a solid option.
Of course, at a little over $400, the Mini RTX 3060 won’t come cheap. But, if you are working with a larger budget and you want the most powerful smaller graphics card around, then the ASUS Phoenix is an option you’ll want to check out.
The card measures in at 177mm long and 128mm tall, which definitely makes it the largest option on this list. And, if you’re looking to build a system inside of a slim-designed case, or a case where GPU clearance height is an issue, this card (and any other mini-style card) won’t be an option.
Still, though, this RTX 3060 is small enough to fit in a number of popular mini-ITX cases, including the Lian Li Q58, the Phanteks Evolv Shift 2, the NZXT H210i, and plenty of others.
Ultimately, ASUS’s Phoenix RTX 3060 is one of the most powerful mini graphics card currently available.
*It should be noted that, due to the fact that a lot of mini-ITX cases are being design to hold larger graphics cards, you could potentially fit a higher-end GPU (like an RTX 3070, 3080, or 3090 and their Ti variants) into your build. But, the ASUS Phoenix is a true mini graphics card for people who need a compact option.
2. GIGABYTE GTX 1650 Low Profile
The best low profile graphics card
If you need a graphics card that is shorter in height, you’ll find that there aren’t many higher-end GPU options out there. In fact, the most powerful GPU that is available in a low-profile form-factor is a GTX 1650. Fortunately, though, a GTX 1650 will offer decent performance and should be able to play most games on at least medium settings on a budget-friendly 1080P monitor.
Currently, there are a few different low profile GTX 1650s, but of the available options, GIGABYTE’s stands out as being the best option, mostly because it comes in at ~$20 cheaper than the other low-profile GTX 1650s, and secondly because it has a dual fan cooler, whereas the other options only have single fans.
The card comes in at 167mm long and only 69mm tall, meaning that it will be a good option for slim-style mini cases as well.
Overall, while the GTX 1650 won’t allow you to jump into ultra-high-resolution gaming, or be able to push a 1440P 144Hz monitor, if all you want is a solid in-game experience on a 1080P monitor, this graphics card should work for you.
3. ZOTAC GTX 1660 Super Compact
A solid mid-range mini video card
If you do have room to fit a taller graphics card in your system, the ZOTAC GTX 1660 Super 6GB would be a nice upgrade over the GIGABYTE GTX 1650 listed above for about ~$40 more.
The ZOTAC GTX 1660 Super comes in at 174mm long and 112mm tall, so it won’t fit in a lot of super slim cases, but it will fit in quite a few of the “boxier” mini-ITX cases out there.
For performance, you can expect to max out any game (even today’s top titles) on a 1080P monitor with the GTX 1660 Super. And, while budget-oriented gamers might be better off with an AMD RX 6600 at a similar price-point to a GTX 1660 Super 6GB because of the option to pair it with an affordable 144Hz FreeSync monitor, unfortunately, there are no mini RX 6600s out there. (However, there is a small RX 6500 listed in our first Honorable Mentions section that would make a good choice for anyone who wants to pair their system with a FreeSync monitor.)
Also Read: G-Sync vs FreeSync: Which Adaptive Sync Tech is Better?
But, while you can’t pair this build with a FreeSync monitor, you can pair it with an NVIDIA G-Sync monitor. True G-Sync monitors will cost you quite a bit, but we have put together a list of somewhat affordable G-Sync displays and you could always opt for a G-Sync compatible monitor, too.
Ultimately, though, if you don’t quite have the budget to get an RTX 3060 mini graphics card (or even a mini RTX 3050), but you want something that will be able to max out games on a 1080P monitor, and you have a case that will accommodate it, this mini GTX 1660 Super 6GB video card would be a worthy option for you.
4. Gigabyte GT 1030 Low Profile
Affordable low profile graphics card
For those of you that are looking for an affordable low-profile video card that will offer them acceptable in-game performance on a 1080P monitor, then the Gigabyte GT 1030 low-profile graphics card might be the choice for you.
The MSI RX 560 measures in at 150mm long and 69mm tall, making it one of the smallest options on this list. As for performance, the GT 1030 is by no means a high-end option. However, it should hold up well for 1080P gaming as it is powerful enough to run pretty much any game on at least lower settings on a 1080P monitor.
If you play games like Rocket League, or League of Legends, or Dota 2, or any other non-demanding esports title, the GT 1030 will offer you more than enough performance.
Ultimately, the GT 1030 isn’t going to give you high-end in-game performance. However, it will allow you to play more demanding games on an affordable 1080P monitor and it will easily handle non-demanding titles. And, of course, it is pretty affordable and it comes in a low-profile form factor, making it a great option for budget-friendly slim gaming PC builds.
5. EVGA RTX 2060 SC GAMING
Honorable Mention #1
Another mid-range mini graphics card option is this EVGA RTX 2060. When compared to the ZOTAC GTX 1660 Super, this RTX 2060 will offer a small bump in performance and also offer raytracing functionality.
Also Read: NVIDIA RTX vs GTX: Is RTX the Better Option?
And, it’s only ~$10 more expensive.
However, at 190mm long and 112mm tall it isn’t as small as the ZOTAC GTX 1660 Super and is one of the larger cards on this list. So, if you’re looking for as compact of a card as possible, it probably isn’t the best option for you.
But, if you are choosing a smaller case that has a little bit more room in it, the EXGA RTX 2060 would be a more powerful alternative to the GTX 1660 Super.
6. ASUS Phoenix RTX 3050
Honorable mention #2
If you like the ASUS Phoenix RTX 3060 but you don’t have over $400 to spend, a slightly more affordable option is ASUS’s Phoenix RTX 3050.
The RTX 3050 won’t offer nearly as much performance as the RTX 3060. However, it is no slouch and will be able to handle any game at 1080P resolution on max settings, all while maintaining a solid average framerate.
And, if you choose this slightly weaker card, you’ll save nearly $100 over the more powerful Phoenix RTX 3060.
So, in the end, if all you’re looking to do is game on a 1080P display, the RTX 3050 might be the mini graphics card that’s right for you.
7. PowerColor RX 6500 XT ITX
Honorable mention #3
If you’re looking for a cheaper mini graphics card alternative to the ZOTAC GTX 1660 Super, this RX 6500 XT from PowerColor might be worth checking out.
It won’t give you as much in-game performance, but it costs nearly ~$70 less. And, it should hold up fine for 1080P gaming—especially if you’re mainly playing non-demanding titles.
This card measures in at 165mm long and 125mm tall, so it’s not quite as long as the 1660 Super, but it is a bit taller. (This probably won’t cause a clearance issue in the majority of cases, but the extra height could render it incompatible for the case of your choice.)
Ultimately, if you don’t need a true low profile style graphics card and you’re looking for a cheaper alternative to the GTX 1660 Super, this PowerColor RX 6500 XT is a solid option to consider.
8. XFX Speedster SWFT105 RX 6400
Honorable mention #4
Unfortunately, our budget low profile graphics card pick (the GIGABYTE GT 1030) isn’t a very powerful option. It will serve well as an entry-level video card, but you shouldn’t expect ground-breaking performance out of it.
On option that will provide slightly more performance is this RX 6400 from XFX.
However, we’ve chosen it as an Honorable Mention because, while it will provide a small performance increase, that difference in performance isn’t big enough to justify the nearly 2x higher price tag.
In fact, this card is only ~$40 cheaper than our pick for the best low profile video card (the GIGABYTE GTX 1650.) And, the 1650 will provide quite a bit more performance. So, unless the RX 6400 comes down significantly in price, we’d recommend looking at the other two low profile options on this list.
Is A Mini or Low-Profile Video Card Right for You?
If you’re planning on building a gaming computer inside of a mini-ITX or micro-ATX case and you need a smaller graphics card that will fit inside of it, one of the options above should work for you. If you want to check out higher-end options, or even just some standard-size graphics cards, check out our two guides below for more video card options.
