Buying Guide

The Best Quiet Graphics Cards

From the ASUS TUF 5060 OC to the ASRock RX 9070 XT Steel Legend: five graphics cards ranked on video memory and card length, with who should skip each one.

By , PC Hardware Editor

12 min read5 products evaluated

PC components laid out on a workbench ready for a build
Illustrative image

Thicker coolers move the same heat with slower fans, which usually means less noise. Every pick has a cooler of 2.7 slots or thicker, ordered from the lowest price.

Our comparison rests on published figures for GPU, VRAM and memory; nothing here was tested in-house, and where a maker leaves out length, we say so.

Quick Picks

Which of the 5 picks to look at first. Tap a name for the full analysis.

  1. Lowest Price Here

    ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 5060 8GB OC Edition

    A lower price than the Sapphire Nitro+ 7800 XT and the rest when we checked.

    Best for: Keeping the cost under $1000.

    Check price for ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 5060 8GB OC Edition on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
  2. Strong Alternative

    ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 8GB OC

    Military-grade components.

    Best for: Buyers who want military-grade components.

    Check price for ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 8GB OC on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
  3. Largest Video Memory

    Sapphire AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT 20GB

    The largest video memory here (20GB).

    Best for: Buyers who put video memory first.

    Check price for Sapphire AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT 20GB on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
  4. Slimmest Cooler Thickness

    ASRock Radeon RX 9070 XT Steel Legend 16GB

    The slimmest cooler thickness here (2.9-slot).

    Best for: Buyers who put cooler thickness first.

    Check price for ASRock Radeon RX 9070 XT Steel Legend 16GB on Amazon (opens in a new tab)

Our Picks

Lowest Price Here1 of 5

ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 5060 8GB OC Edition

The ASUS TUF 5060 OC stands out for military-grade components with a protective PCB coating, and it adds ASUS GPU Guard support hardware.

Best for

Keeping the cost under $1000.

Skip if

Worth skipping when 8GB of VRAM may force lower texture settings in some recent games is a problem.
ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 5060 8GB OC Edition

Why we like it

It also offers an 8GB video memory and offers a 3.1-slot cooler thickness. It matches the ASUS TUF RTX 5060 Ti 8GB on video memory (8GB). On cooler thickness it ties with the ASUS TUF RTX 5060 Ti 8GB at 3.1-slot.

No other pick in this guide offers an RTX 5060 gpu; compare the Sapphire 7900 XT, which has an RX 7900 XT gpu. It shares GDDR7 memory with the ASUS TUF RTX 5060 Ti 8GB; the Sapphire 7900 XT goes with GDDR6 memory. You get a 2677MHz (OC mode) boost clock here, which sets it apart from the Sapphire Nitro+ 7800 XT and its a 2565MHz boost clock.

The ASUS TUF 5060 OC occupies 3.1 slots, but no length is published, so check the maker's spec page against your case. It undercut the Sapphire Nitro+ 7800 XT and every other pick on price at the time of writing.

Key specs

GPU
RTX 5060
VRAM
8GB
Memory
GDDR7
Thickness
3.1-slot
Boost clock
2677MHz (OC mode)

Pros

  • Faster GDDR7 memory
  • Military-grade components with a protective PCB coating
  • ASUS GPU Guard support hardware
  • RTX 5060 gpu, the only one here

Cons

  • 8GB of VRAM may force lower texture settings in some recent games
  • Its 3.1-slot cooler covers the slots below
  • Video memory of 8GB, behind the Sapphire 7900 XT (20GB)

The catch

The maker doesn't give its card length; if that figure matters, the ASRock RX 9070 XT Steel Legend comes in at 298mm.

Also Consider2 of 5

Sapphire Nitro+ AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT

Sapphire's Nitro+ is a 320mm, 3-slot triple-fan RX 7800 XT with a 2565MHz boost.

Best for

Buyers who want 2565MHz boost clock.

Skip if

Pass on it if its 3-slot cooler covers the slots below rules it out for your setup.
Sapphire Nitro+ AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT

Why we like it

On video memory it ties with the ASRock RX 9070 XT Steel Legend at 16GB. It matches the Sapphire 7900 XT on cooler thickness (3-slot). You get an RX 7800 XT gpu here, which sets it apart from the ASRock RX 9070 XT Steel Legend and its an RX 9070 XT gpu.

Like the Sapphire 7900 XT and ASRock RX 9070 XT Steel Legend, it has GDDR6 memory, while the ASUS TUF 5060 OC uses GDDR7 memory. It is the only pick here with a 2565MHz boost clock; the ASRock RX 9070 XT Steel Legend has a 2970MHz boost clock instead. Its power connector and recommended PSU are not published, so confirm both for the Sapphire Nitro+ 7800 XT with the maker. When we checked, only the ASUS TUF 5060 OC cost less, and the ASUS TUF RTX 5060 Ti 8GB cost more.

Key specs

GPU
RX 7800 XT
VRAM
16GB
Memory
GDDR6
Length
320mm
Thickness
3-slot
Boost clock
2565MHz

Pros

  • 16GB of VRAM for high-resolution textures
  • 2565MHz boost clock
  • 3-slot triple-fan Nitro+ cooler
  • Cooler thickness of 3-slot, ahead of the ASUS TUF 5060 OC

Cons

  • Its 3-slot cooler covers the slots below
  • Costs more than the ASUS TUF 5060 OC at the time of writing

Strong Alternative3 of 5

ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 8GB OC

The ASUS TUF RTX 5060 Ti 8GB is the fastest chip here and suits high-refresh 1080p.

Best for

Buyers who want military-grade components.

Skip if

Skip it if this is a deal-breaker for you: 8GB of VRAM may force lower texture settings in some recent games.
ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 8GB OC

Why we like it

Its 3.1-slot cooler is large for this class, so check the slot below. On video memory it ties with the ASUS TUF 5060 OC at 8GB. It matches the ASUS TUF 5060 OC on cooler thickness (3.1-slot).

An RTX 5060 Ti gpu is unique to it among these picks, while the Sapphire Nitro+ 7800 XT uses an RX 7800 XT gpu. Like the ASUS TUF 5060 OC, it has GDDR7 memory, while the Sapphire 7900 XT uses GDDR6 memory. No other pick in this guide offers a 2692MHz (OC mode) boost clock; compare the ASRock RX 9070 XT Steel Legend, which has a 2970MHz boost clock.

It also comes with military-grade components and a protective PCB coating. It was priced above the Sapphire Nitro+ 7800 XT and below the Sapphire 7900 XT at the time of writing.

Key specs

GPU
RTX 5060 Ti
VRAM
8GB
Memory
GDDR7
Thickness
3.1-slot
Boost clock
2692MHz (OC mode)

Pros

  • Faster GDDR7 memory
  • Military-grade components
  • Protective PCB coating
  • The ASUS GPU Guard

Cons

  • 8GB of VRAM may force lower texture settings in some recent games
  • Its 3.1-slot cooler covers the slots below
  • Video memory trails the Sapphire 7900 XT (20GB)

The catch

It gives ground on video memory, where the Sapphire 7900 XT offers 20GB.

Largest Video Memory4 of 5

Sapphire AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT 20GB

Sapphire's 7900 XT keeps a USB-C display output alongside two DisplayPort and one HDMI port on a 3-slot cooler.

Best for

Buyers who put video memory first.

Skip if

Skip it if this is a deal-breaker for you: its 3-slot cooler covers the slots below.
Sapphire AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT 20GB

Why we like it

Its 320-bit memory interface feeds 20GB of VRAM, and it takes three slots. It uses PCIe 4.0 and takes three slots, so check your case clearance. Nothing else here matches its 20GB video memory; the Sapphire Nitro+ 7800 XT comes closest at 16GB.

It matches the Sapphire Nitro+ 7800 XT on cooler thickness (3-slot). An RX 7900 XT gpu is unique to it among these picks, while the Sapphire Nitro+ 7800 XT uses an RX 7800 XT gpu. Like the Sapphire Nitro+ 7800 XT and ASRock RX 9070 XT Steel Legend, it has GDDR6 memory, while the ASUS TUF 5060 OC uses GDDR7 memory.

The Sapphire 7900 XT occupies 3 slots, but no length is published, so check the maker's spec page against your case. It was priced above the ASUS TUF RTX 5060 Ti 8GB and below the ASRock RX 9070 XT Steel Legend at the time of writing.

Key specs

GPU
RX 7900 XT
VRAM
20GB
Memory
GDDR6
Thickness
3-slot
Outputs
2 x DisplayPort, 1 x HDMI, 1 x USB-C

Pros

  • 20GB of VRAM for high-resolution textures
  • USB-C display output
  • 3-slot reference-style cooler
  • Cooler thickness of 3-slot, ahead of the ASUS TUF 5060 OC

Cons

  • Its 3-slot cooler covers the slots below
  • Costs more than the ASUS TUF 5060 OC at the time of writing

The catch

There is no published card length figure, whereas the ASRock RX 9070 XT Steel Legend comes in at 298mm.

Slimmest Cooler Thickness5 of 5

ASRock Radeon RX 9070 XT Steel Legend 16GB

ASRock's RX 9070 XT Steel Legend is the AMD route to 4K, with 16GB of GDDR6 and a reinforced metal frame.

Best for

Buyers who put cooler thickness first.

Skip if

Choose another pick if you can't accept this: calls for a 800W or larger PSU.
ASRock Radeon RX 9070 XT Steel Legend 16GB

Why we like it

It uses two 8-pin plugs, which suits power supplies without a 16-pin cable, but the maker recommends 800W. The card measures 298 x 131 x 58mm, and its 16GB of GDDR6 runs at 20Gbps on a 256-bit bus. Outputs are DisplayPort 2.1a and HDMI 2.1b, and the game clock is 2400MHz.

On video memory it ties with the Sapphire Nitro+ 7800 XT at 16GB. On cooler thickness it leads this guide at 2.9-slot, ahead of the Sapphire Nitro+ 7800 XT (3-slot). You get an RX 9070 XT gpu here, which sets it apart from the Sapphire 7900 XT and its an RX 7900 XT gpu.

Like the Sapphire Nitro+ 7800 XT and Sapphire 7900 XT, it has GDDR6 memory, while the ASUS TUF 5060 OC uses GDDR7 memory. At our last price check it topped the group, with the Sapphire 7900 XT the nearest cheaper option.

Key specs

GPU
RX 9070 XT
VRAM
16GB
Memory
GDDR6
Length
298mm
Thickness
2.9-slot
Recommended PSU
800W
Power connector
2 x 8-pin
Boost clock
2970MHz
Outputs
DisplayPort 2.1a, HDMI 2.1b

Pros

  • 16GB of VRAM for high-resolution textures
  • 64 compute units
  • Polychrome SYNC lighting
  • Reinforced metal frame

Cons

  • Calls for a 800W or larger PSU
  • Needs two 8-pin PCIe power cables
  • Costs more than the ASUS TUF 5060 OC at the time of writing

How We Chose These Quiet Graphics Cards

Alex Morgan compared the manufacturer specifications, connectivity, warranty terms and compatibility of every pick. Figures come from the makers unless a third-party source is named; we did not test these products ourselves.

A graphics card's bare circuit board around the GPU die
A graphics card's bare circuit board around the GPU die
How these picks were ranked
We set side by side five cards on GPU, video memory, memory and card length as the makers state them. Nothing was tested in-house; 4 of the 7 fields compared are stated for every pick, while card length and boost clock have gaps.
The shared baseline
All 5, from the ASUS TUF 5060 OC to the ASRock RX 9070 XT Steel Legend, state GPU, video memory and memory.
Where the specs have gaps
The ASUS TUF 5060 OC, the ASUS TUF RTX 5060 Ti 8GB and the Sapphire 7900 XT give no card length; the Sapphire 7900 XT gives no boost clock.
Price range
From the ASUS TUF 5060 OC to the ASRock RX 9070 XT Steel Legend, all sat in the $500 to $1000 tier when we checked.

What to Look for in a Quiet Graphics Card

Key buying criteria so you get the right fit the first time.

  1. Video memory

    Here video memory runs from 8GB on the ASUS TUF RTX 5060 Ti 8GB to 20GB on the Sapphire 7900 XT, a 150% spread. For less, the Sapphire Nitro+ 7800 XT is the runner-up at 16GB.

  2. How much cooler thickness you need

    The ASRock RX 9070 XT Steel Legend tops cooler thickness at 2.9-slot and the ASUS TUF RTX 5060 Ti 8GB sits lowest at 3.1-slot. The Sapphire Nitro+ 7800 XT comes second at 3-slot, in the same price tier as the ASRock RX 9070 XT Steel Legend.

    The circuit board on the back of a graphics card
    The circuit board on the back of a graphics card
  3. How much card length you need

    Across these 2 picks card length spans 320mm (the Sapphire Nitro+ 7800 XT) to 298mm (the ASRock RX 9070 XT Steel Legend). The ASRock RX 9070 XT Steel Legend is the pick for card length. The ASUS TUF 5060 OC, the ASUS TUF RTX 5060 Ti 8GB and the Sapphire 7900 XT give no card length figure, so 2 of 5 picks are compared here.

  4. Memory

    The ASUS TUF 5060 OC and the ASUS TUF RTX 5060 Ti 8GB list GDDR7; the Sapphire Nitro+ 7800 XT, the Sapphire 7900 XT and the ASRock RX 9070 XT Steel Legend list GDDR6. Settling memory first narrows 5 picks to 3 or 2.

  5. Boost clock

    The ASUS TUF 5060 OC lists 2677MHz (OC mode); the Sapphire Nitro+ 7800 XT lists 2565MHz; the ASUS TUF RTX 5060 Ti 8GB lists 2692MHz (OC mode); the ASRock RX 9070 XT Steel Legend lists 2970MHz. Sort out boost clock before price: it splits 4 stated picks into groups of 1, 1, 1 and 1.

How to Choose a Quiet Graphics Card

By priority

PriorityConsiderWhy
Keeping the cost under $1000ASUS TUF 5060 OCA lower price than the Sapphire Nitro+ 7800 XT and the rest when we checked
Buyers who want 2565MHz boost clockSapphire Nitro+ 7800 XTA 2565MHz boost clock
Buyers who want military-grade componentsASUS TUF RTX 5060 Ti 8GBMilitary-grade components
Buyers who put video memory firstSapphire 7900 XTThe largest video memory here (20GB)
Buyers who put cooler thickness firstASRock RX 9070 XT Steel LegendThe slimmest cooler thickness here (2.9-slot)

Scroll sideways to see every column.

Key specs side by side

The Sapphire 7900 XT leads on video memory at 20GB, ahead of the Sapphire Nitro+ 7800 XT at 16GB. "Not listed" marks card length where the ASUS TUF 5060 OC, the ASUS TUF RTX 5060 Ti 8GB and the Sapphire 7900 XT leave the figure out.

CardGPUVRAMMemoryLength
ASUS TUF 5060 OCRTX 50608GBGDDR7Not listed
Sapphire Nitro+ 7800 XTRX 7800 XT16GBGDDR6320mm
ASUS TUF RTX 5060 Ti 8GBRTX 5060 Ti8GBGDDR7Not listed
Sapphire 7900 XTRX 7900 XT20GBGDDR6Not listed
ASRock RX 9070 XT Steel LegendRX 9070 XT16GBGDDR6298mm

Scroll sideways to see every column.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the Sapphire Nitro+ 7800 XT compare with the Sapphire 7900 XT on video memory?

The Sapphire 7900 XT leads at 20GB, with the Sapphire Nitro+ 7800 XT at 16GB. The spread runs down to the ASUS TUF RTX 5060 Ti 8GB at 8GB.

Is the ASRock RX 9070 XT Steel Legend ahead of the Sapphire Nitro+ 7800 XT on cooler thickness?

The ASRock RX 9070 XT Steel Legend is lowest on cooler thickness at 2.9-slot; the Sapphire Nitro+ 7800 XT follows at 3-slot, 3% apart. The ASUS TUF RTX 5060 Ti 8GB is at the other end of this group with 3.1-slot.

Which has the shortest card length: the ASRock RX 9070 XT Steel Legend or the Sapphire Nitro+ 7800 XT?

Between the top two, it is 298mm on the ASRock RX 9070 XT Steel Legend against 320mm on the Sapphire Nitro+ 7800 XT, a 7% difference. The ASUS TUF 5060 OC, the ASUS TUF RTX 5060 Ti 8GB and the Sapphire 7900 XT don't state a card length figure, so they sit outside this comparison; 2 of 5 picks are ranked.

Is the ASRock RX 9070 XT Steel Legend worth paying more than the ASUS TUF 5060 OC?

On paper it adds video memory (16GB against 8GB) and cooler thickness (2.9-slot against 3.1-slot). Both sat in the $500 to $1000 tier when we checked, so the gains in video memory and cooler thickness cost little extra by tier.

What makes the Sapphire 7900 XT the Largest Video Memory?

The label rests on the largest video memory here (20GB). The Sapphire Nitro+ 7800 XT is next on video memory at 16GB, so this pick's 20GB is 25% further out. It suits anyone who puts video memory first.

Do the ASUS TUF 5060 OC and the Sapphire Nitro+ 7800 XT differ on GPU?

The ASUS TUF 5060 OC uses RTX 5060; the Sapphire Nitro+ 7800 XT uses RX 7800 XT; the ASUS TUF RTX 5060 Ti 8GB uses RTX 5060 Ti; the Sapphire 7900 XT uses RX 7900 XT; the ASRock RX 9070 XT Steel Legend uses RX 9070 XT.

Bottom Line

Our first pick is the ASUS TUF 5060 OC, chosen for a lower price than the Sapphire Nitro+ 7800 XT and the rest when we checked. Look at the Sapphire Nitro+ 7800 XT for a 2565MHz boost clock, the ASUS TUF RTX 5060 Ti 8GB for military-grade components and the Sapphire 7900 XT for the largest video memory here (20GB) if those matter more to you.

Check the case's slot count and the gap to the power supply shroud before buying a thick card.

About the author

PC Hardware Editor

Alex covers PC hardware, monitors, components, upgrades and peripherals for The PC Journal, with a focus on helping readers understand specifications, compatibility and meaningful product trade-offs.

Covers: Monitors, Graphics cards, Processors, PC components, Peripherals, Upgrades and compatibility

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