I was in lack of a graphic card the other day, so I decided to get my hands on the cheapest graphic card that I can find. – the Sapphire HD3450, featuring the low-end HD3450 from ATI’s 3 series GPU.
The Appearance
Basically it’s a really simple graphic card. Low-profile make on a blue PCB with a neat aluminum heatsink on the card itself with no fans on it.
The card comes with DVI, VGA and S-video output.
The Bundle
– S-Video converter
– DVI-VGA converter
– Composite TV Video Cable
– Installation guide & driver CD.
Card Details
Here’s a summarized detail of the card.
| GPU | HD3450 |
| GPU Code Name | RV620 LE |
| Memory Type | DDR2 |
| Memory Bandwidth | 64-bit |
| Memory Capacity | 256MB |
| Core Clock | 600Mhz |
| Memory Clock | 500Mhz (1Ghz DDR) |
More details at the official product page
Test Setup
The computer setup used for this review.
| Processor | Intel E2140 Overclocked @ 3.2ghz |
| RAM | 2x 2GB OCZ DDR2 PC2-8500 Reaper HPC Edition |
| Motherboard | Albatron PXP35 |
| Cooler | Xigmatek HDT-S963 |
| Monitor | 20″ Dell Ultra-sharp Wide-screen LCD |
| Operating System | Windows XP (SP2) |
| Driver Version | ATI Catalyst 8.4 |
The Performance
The Sapphire HD3450 runs at 600Mhz core clock and 1000Mhz memory clock. Overclocking? It’s a low end card, I wouldn’t even bother overclocking it. 🙂
3Dmark06
Default setting.
| Card | Score |
| Sapphire HD3450 | 1791 |
Lost Planet : Extreme Condition
Graphic Detail : Default
| Resolution | Snow (Average) | Cave (Average) |
| 800 x 600 | 18.4 | 26.2 |
| 1024 x 768 | 12.6 | 18.3 |
F.E.A.R.
Graphic Detail : Maximum
| Resolution | Average |
| 800 x 600 | 15 |
| 1024 x 768 | 10 |
Bad? Once I disabled anti-aliasing the game actually is playable, with
| Resolution | Average |
| 800 x 600 (no AA) | 81 |
| 1024 x 768 (no AA) | 59 |
| 1280 x 1024 (no AA) | 40 |
Company Of Heroes : Opposing Fronts
Graphic Detail : Custom
| Resolution | Average |
| 800 x 600 | 46.3 |
| 1024 x 768 | 32.9 |
World In Conflict
Graphic Detail : Medium
| Resolution | Average |
| 800 x 600 | 21 |
| 1024 x 768 | 13 |
My take of the graphic card? It performs decently well for low resolution. Do note that I’m not having those games going at low details yet, going low would increase the framerates. 🙂
Interestingly, the game worked VERY WELL with Dawn of War : SoulStorm. I could have the graphic setting to HIGH at 1680×1050 and the game is still very playable. Supreme Commander : Forged Alliance on the other hand was slow, even with details set to low resolution and details set to ALMOST-UGLY.
Operating Temperature
The card runs at 44°C on idle and 61°C on load. Readings were taken when ambient temperature was around 25°C. It’s actually a good temperature, considering it’s using a fanless heatsink.
Conclusion
This card was more than I hoped for. I’m actually impressed by what I could get out of this card, considering I got it at RM 120 and it’s now going for less than that.
What’s nice about this card is that it works just like any other HD3xxx series card. Yes, it even comes with ATI HD Audio to cater for HDMI output. Too bad they didn’t bundle any DVI-HDMI converter.
It also supports ATI’s CrossfireX Technology. 🙂 This means you can pair it with a 780G-chipset motherboard and gain some graphical processing boost.
Definitely a great card for someone who doesn’t want to break the bank – BE WARNED that you shouldn’t be expecting much from this card.
nice review.. 🙂
hey..heard you got sunbeamtech cooler in your hand…will any review about it?
Yes, there will be. 🙂 I just installed it last night.
how much the price..
reply me back.
Ahhh? Not selling mine la.
I have teh same card but with 512mb memory, and the Memory Clock is set only to 400Mhz but stays on 50°C and if I play a game goes to 61-67°C.
Whit the latest ati drive 10.2 I can play deacently latest AvP game,Stalker and even GTA4.
I tryed some overcloks with the overdrive from Ati control center, but temps got to 75-80°C in games, and that wasn’t good, becouse I got more frames in games.
Someone said that you culd put a fan on that aluminium, for the overclok to work nice.
I disable the overcloking becouse I don’t won’t to lower the life of this card.
To bad I don’t have a mainboard for the crosfire.
Love your blog I’m gonna to subscribe