Gigabyte and Palit seem to think that small GPUs require small graphics cards.
Generation after generation, graphics cards have become more powerful, enabling more realistic gaming. Alas, while energy efficiency is also improving, this is not enough, and the latest graphics card releases have confirmed just how overweight these cards tend to become: in fact, it's above all in the cooling system that the dimensions have become completely insane, with models over 35 centimetres long occupying 3 or even 4 PCI Express slots within the PC!
Videocardz
The release of the GeForce RTX 4060 - the youngest member of NVIDIA's new generation - was seen as a way of changing the situation a little and bringing about truly compact cards. The GeForce RTX 4070 and 4060 Ti had already marked a certain reduction in volume, but this was far from sufficient, and the very low heat-up of the AD107 GPU powering the RTX 4060 opens the way to significant improvements. After a series of very classic products, Palit and then Gigabyte took it in turns to present models that we're more likely to slip into small PCs.
Videocardz
The StormX is the "planed" model in Palit's RTX 4060 range, alongside the more normal RTX 4060 Dual and RTX 4060 Dual OC. Presented by Videocardz, the StormX is based on a single-fan cooling system and, as a result, the card's length is significantly shorter than that of the other models: we're talking about a length of 17 centimetres, whereas the shortest GeForce RTX 4060s have hitherto measured around 20 centimetres. Interestingly, Palit has also reduced the length of the PCI Express connector. It's now a true x8, which poses no problems of performance (the RTX 4060 uses only 8 PCIe lines) or compatibility (an x8 card fits neatly into an x16 slot).
Videocardz
Gigabyte, for its part, takes the GeForce RTX 4060 in the "other direction". While Palit disappoints with a full-height card, Videocardz reports that Gigabyte is thinking of the many mini-ITX or HTPC cases that are ultra-thin and therefore cannot accept standard graphics cards: they need low-profile cards. Naturally, to reduce the height of its board, Gigabyte had to redesign the PCB and cooling system. The latter is still based on three fans - like most of the brand's RTX 4000s - but these are much smaller (around 60 millimeters in diameter).
Videocardz
Videocardz
Alas, whether we're talking about the Palit RTX 4060 StormX or this Gigabyte, which doesn't even seem to have a name, we still have no details as to when they will be available in France. Fingers crossed, ultra-compact case owners!
