Video Card Suggestion

[fhedman]

Hello all,

I currently have an old desktop I converted to an htpc. I mainly use it for netflix and the Dolphin emulator. I run the onboard graphics via hdmi to samsung 720p flatscreen it works ok but graphics could definitely improve. I was wondering if anyone had a good suggestion for a video card. I gotta have a low profile card due to the case,and hdmi out,no pci slots are currently used. I have a full power supply 450W only running my motherboard and standard dvd drive. I was thinking of this one from newegg: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-784-_-Product


System:

Motherboard: M4A785TD-M EVO
Cpu: AMD Athlon II x4 620
Onboard Graphics: ATI Radeon HD 4200
Case: Silverstone ML03
OS: windows 8.1 Pro

 

[Charlie98]

I have the predecessor to this HD6450, I don't really know the specific differences between mine and the new one, but I expect it's very similar. The price is a little high... you could wait for a sale. I think I got mine for something like $20 after rebate.

It works very well as an HTPC card, not at all if you are planning to game. I bought it in response to poor Netflix playback and sync issues that my Sandy Bridge CPU couldn't handle by itself. It does get hot... mine idles at 50C and runs under benchmarks at about 58C, so in that Silverstone case you will need to have some air going across it or any passively-cooled card.

Here is a new Asus HD6450 for $34 (AR)... that's not too bad.

If you want to go uber cheap... here is a Power Color AX5450 for.... $6 (AR)!

 

[DesiPower]

I would recommend this GeForce GT 640 2GB, ~$75, however I am not sure if 450 watt PSU will be enough or not. Might want to use the calculator to verify.

A GT 630 or above will handle anything you throw at them HTPC wise. 2GB Ram might help out too...

 

[Binky]

The 8400gs linked probably isn't much better (if any) than the onboard graphics. The 5450 and 6450 series cards are the cheapest you will find in low -profile, but they aren't very powerful. They should do fine for most HTPC duties, excluding gaming. I don't know how much power is needed for emulator games.

This R7 240 looks pretty good for $50AR, and it includes a game coupon which you may be able to sell. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814150677

For $10-$15AR, you might just try one of those 5450-6450 cards first, but if I was looking for this setup, I would go for the least expensive Nvidia card in the 430 - 740 range, or the R7 240 I linked above.

Remember that the Nvidia naming convention means that the x40 card is faster than the x30 card in the same generation, and this may even be true when comparing of the x30 card "old" generation (i.e. gt440 may be better than GT530).

 

[poofyhairguy]

OP, that isn't a good card. 8400s shouldn't be bought in 2014.

I recommend a GT 430 card. That is enough power to play every file you throw at it and run Dolphin at 720p. It is twice as good as the HD6450 in both Dolphin and with decoding.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814133427

Dolphin is one of those things that you just can't throw enough power at it. My Dolphin HTPC has a 4.5GHz i5 2500K and a GTX 460, and I still wish I have more power.

 

[fhedman]

Hey guys,

Thank you all so much for the replies, I really appreciate it.

The R7 240 and the GT430 are both pcie 3.0, I can only support 2.0 I know that it is backward compatible but will I take any kind of hit in performance?

 

[poofyhairguy]

but will I take any kind of hit in performance?

Nope, nothing at this range will.

 

[DesiPower]

Hey guys,

Thank you all so much for the replies, I really appreciate it.

The R7 240 and the GT430 are both pcie 3.0, I can only support 2.0 I know that it is backward compatible but will I take any kind of hit in performance?

No it wont, 2.0 has more than enough bandwidth to handle whatever these cards are trying to do