4350 compared; passive heatsink sizes

xen · Post by **xen** » Sat May 23, 2009 4:06 pm

I'm looking to build a new system in an old case that poor airflow (I might just mod the case with another 80mm fan) - and I have my sights set on a ATI HD 4350 graphics card.

My requirements are:
- low heat production / power consumtion
- analog TV out
- enough gaming capability to run Blizzard games (Starcraft 2, Diablo 3).

Starcraft 2 is supposed to run on systems as low performing as the ATI 9800 which should be comparable to the HD 3200, ie. 780G chipset. I'm hoping that Diablo 3 will run on HD 3300 / HD 4350, otherwise I may need to replace my gfx card when the time is due.

There are two 4350 cards that fit the mark:
- Club 3D CGAX-4352 [website]

- XFX HD4350 [website]

As you can see, the Club 3d has a much larger heatsink, taking up two slots. I'm concerned that the XFX will run too hot with such a puny heatsink. Of course, it is worth noting that while the XFX heatsink is smaller, it has more and smaller fins, which may make for comparable surface area.

The downside of the two-slotter is that (if I choose a microATX motherboard) I will be left with just 2 expansion slots, one being taken by my tv card, leaving just one PCIe*1 slot.

I have no clues whether I will ever be needing extra expansion cards, but this system is supposed to last me at *least* 8 years. I'm sure the planned obsolescence designers will have thought up a new way of making my system obsolete, by then. Like, a new USB v3, a new digital audio port, 9.1 surround speaker setups, you name it.

.

Do you think the XFX card will run cool enough, or is it worth the expansion slot to purchase the Club3D card?

xen · Post by **xen** » Sat May 23, 2009 4:33 pm

Incidentally,

would a 3450 doing Hybrid Crossfire with the onboard 3200 have comparable performance compared to 4350?

edit: I see now that the hybrid graphics gain is minor if you don't have a quad core Phenom in your system... Not a viable option.

KansaKilla · Post by **KansaKilla** » Sun May 24, 2009 9:08 pm

in short, if you aren't gpu folding or running the card at max for hours on end in a cramped case with very low airflow, you should be just fine with either. i don't know if you could run them in a fully passive system with no fans, but if you have decent airflow (still can be silent with the right fans and case) you're probably good to go. i burnt up a 4350 folding recently, but games like you mention should not be too much of a problem (it's not an 8400).

Vibrator · Post by **Vibrator** » Sun May 31, 2009 9:59 am

Well consider this.

XFX has double lifetime warranty, so even if it does break, you're not totally screwed.

xen · Post by **xen** » Sun May 31, 2009 11:06 am

Double lifetime, so my warranty is always twice the lifetime of the product. If it breaks after 3 years, my warranty is 6. Ingenious.

The Club3d card has dual output over either of the three outputs; vga, dvi and tv-out. The XFX card has dual output over dvi+tv-out or dvi+vga only, but you can do vga+tv using a dvi to vga adapater.

Vibrator · Post by **Vibrator** » Sun May 31, 2009 12:38 pm

xen wrote:Double lifetime, so my warranty is always twice the lifetime of the product. If it breaks after 3 years, my warranty is 6. Ingenious.

The Club3d card has dual output over either of the three outputs; vga, dvi and tv-out. The XFX card has dual output over dvi+tv-out or dvi+vga only, but you can do vga+tv using a dvi to vga adapater.

Double lifetime means you have a lifetime warranty and can transfer it to someone else if you choose to sell the card.

Adds resale value. (Though a 4350 won't go for much regardless)

Tzeb · Post by **Tzeb** » Mon Jun 01, 2009 6:21 am

Have you taken into consideration a 4550?
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATI/ ... ve/23.html

I'm not sure diablo 3 will run ok on a 4350.

Vibrator · Post by **Vibrator** » Mon Jun 01, 2009 8:28 am

Tzeb wrote:Have you taken into consideration a 4550?
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATI/ ... ve/23.html

I'm not sure diablo 3 will run ok on a 4350.

The 4550 really isn't that much of an improvement over the 4350

It's a 4350 with slightly faster memory, is all.

Cistron · Post by **Cistron** » Mon Jun 01, 2009 8:53 am

How about settling for an integrated graphics solution now and upgrading to a suitable card once the games are released?

xen · Post by **xen** » Mon Jun 01, 2009 9:28 am

Hm that's not such a bad idea, Cistron.

I wanted to have TV-out on my card, so that I can watch anime and film on my tv until such time that I buy a new TV, ..but, given that I've hardly made use of my tv out until now (my monitor actually gives a better picture than my tv), I think I can wait the time.

I think I will buy a new TV before the year is done...

Allright, thanks, I will wait.