Sapphire RADEON HD 5750, (1 GB) PCI Express Video Card
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- Special Features: MPEG Decoder Card HDTV TV-out Support Crossfire Ready
- Graphic Processor: ATI Radeon HD 5750
- Card Interface: PCI Express
- Compatibility: PC
- Installed Memory / Technology: 1024 MB (GDDR5 SDRAM)
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646
Great "Mid-Level" Graphics Card
Pros
Great mid-level graphics card, quiet, CrossFire bridge and DVI-analog connector included
Cons
none yet
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
A great looking and performing graphics card for the mid-level PC user/gamer.
Before I embarked on my first computer build, I wanted everything to be on a budget and middle of the road. Nothing too fancy and nothing already out of date - at least not too much, right? After all, I don't need to over-clock a computer to play hyper-intensive graphic games, nor do I need to tax the machine with intensive CAD or rendering programs. I run Windows 7, Office 2010, play two older games online (i.e. Medal of Honor), use Photoshop and Illustrator - stuff on that level. Again, nothing major.
I have had a seven year old Dell "dino-puter" with Pentium technology, a mere one gig of RAM and an ATI 512 AGP graphics card. I was barely powered up enough to run Windows XP for crying out loud. Laugh if you must. Lately, the graphic images are freezing, the machine often just shuts down and it's all-around slow as molasses. The thing is just tired.
When choosing a graphics card, my first decision was cost. Cards can run anywhere between $100 and $1000 - and that's for one card. There are systems running multiple graphics cards and that can start to set you back the cost of a small Japanese import car.
My second consideration was brand. Should I go with an Nvidia-based card or an ATI-based card? It seems that every year, Nvidia or ATI cards take turns leading the charge in technology's "best - for the moment" category. I read somewhere that Nvidia seems to run better on AMD processor machines while ATI seems to run better on Intel machines. Of course that may or may not be true with all graphics cards/motherboard combinations across each of the brand's lineups. But my last two cards were Intel & ATI-based machines as is the computer I'm building so it was a natural to go with ATI-based technology.
Having said that, there are a myriad of companies that build off of ATI's technology and come up with their own designs and specs for graphics cards. They include MSI, Gigabyte and Sapphire - to name a few. ATI makes their own cards and they're usually more expensive. I chose Saphhire's version because I read that they're a pretty decent card for the price and it just looked great - incorporating a large cooling fan and shield design.
My version of the 5750 card has a DVI (digital video input) on both sides of the business end of the card. Some other company's cards come with one digital and one analog connection. Some come with two digital, one HDMI and one Display. Even though mine comes with an adapter to use an analog monitor, I doubt I will ever need to use an old CRT (thus not needing the analog connection), so having the ability to run two digital HD monitors directly from one graphics card is a plus. There's even a DisplayPort connection for a third (DisplayPort ready) monitor - if needed. The HDMI connection on this card will enable you to send a high-quality digital image to a high-end monitor or large television.
Other considerations are; Will your motherboard/PC case accommodate the double card width? Do you have the space to allow for taking up two PCI slots on the motherboard and the back of the case? Will my power supply be powerful enough?
When choosing a graphics card you'll need to consider how much power (minimum) you'll need from a power supply (PSU). High end gaming computers need high end graphics cards - which, in turn, require more power. The PSU needs to provide "juice" to every element (internal and external) involved with your computer. This includes, fans, the motherboard, hard drives, DVD/CD burners, external peripherals, etc. This particular graphics card requires a minimum of a 450 watt power supply. I run a 500watt PSU so I'm okay - for now. In the future, if I upgrade the graphics card and other elements of the PC, I might need to upgrade to a more powerful PSU as well.
PRICING:
Of course the prices in technology fluctuate at whirlwind speeds. At the time of this review, the price range was anywhere between $129 and $159 depending on where you shop - internet or walk-in store and whether (or not) you pay tax or shipping. The cost of tax and/or shipping should play into your purchase decision. I got lucky. I found a new one that a guy couldn't use in his case and sold it to me for $90.00. Would I recommend buying computer-related things from private sellers or auction sites? Not usually. But this guy sent me the original receipt and the original box. He swore he never even put into his case and that (other than taking it out of the box to photograph it for me) it's brand new. I mean, the plastic fan housing still had the protective plastic sheet on it.
The 5750 versus the 5750 Vapor-X:
The main difference between the two is that the Vapor-X (with it's "Vapor Chamber Technology") has better cooling numbers for heavy gamers. Additionally, the test numbers for rendering and shading were better. If you're not heavily into gaming, the regular 5750 will be sufficient.
What's in the Box:
The card, a DVI-to-analog connector, a CrossFire bridge (for running two graphics cards), cable, CD rom driver disk, installation guide and a voucher for a copy of the game "Dirt 2."
Note about CrossFire: On my particular motherboard, there's only one PCi Express slot for a graphics card. So make sure BEFORE you buy your motherboard that it has the second slot for a graphics card if you're thinking that you might utilize the CrossFire technology. I'm not planning on it, so I'm good for now. Obviously, when I update the computer in the future, that's one of the elements that might force me to get a better motherboard and graphics card.
What I Like:
It produces brilliant color renderings, rich details and great shadow depth. It's pretty darn quiet too - even when the fan is at full-whirl.
Comes with 1Gb - which is the minimum for today's cards. 512 is yesterday's news. Yes, there are now cards with 2Gb and higher.
I can run 2 or 3 monitors from this same card.
What I'm on the Fence About:
This card comes with a voucher for a free game. "Dirt 2" racing game that I'll probably never use. Why am I on the fence about a free game? Because I think companies use it as a ploy to sell product that isn't moving so well. But that's just me being paranoid.
What I Don't Like:
Nothing major but I see that some of the benchmark tests show the 5750 card comes in slightly slower (in some aspects) than some of the higher-end 4000 series cards and that's a bit disconcerting. Again, I'm happy with this card - especially compared to my old card.
Final Words:
When you talk computers, one of the principle things to keep in mind is cooling. Things operate better and last longer if they stay cool. Most graphics cards have their own integrated cooling fans these days, while some cards just have heat sinks that get fan cooled by case fans. I'm running both. I have two case fans that bring in cold air right at the motherboard. The CPU, the motherboard, the hard drives, the memory all generate heat to some degree or another. Cooling air flow is key to performance and longevity of parts in every computer.
Try to look for a case with a top fan opening (signaling a top-mount PSU position) to assist the rear exhaust fan (and in some cases - the top fan) with expelling the hotter air from your case. I see a trend in case design lately that has the power supply located at the bottom of the case. DO NOT get sucked into that idea. Heat rises. Do you want a heat source right below your motherboard, CPU, memory and graphics card? I sure don't. I found a really well-designed case that's not too flashy and not too bland. I found it on eBay - search the name Tricod. It's the silver one with the black front accent panel, the blue side window with two 80mm case fans, removable hd tower, top fan port, a tool-less bay mounts, an LED CPU temp & fan readout and 500w power supply.
Compared to my Dell Dino-puter's graphics card, this 5750 is a 5 star product. Compared to the other high end graphics cards available today, this card is about a 3-1/2 to 3-3/4 star performer. I give it a 4 star rating because it really is a good performer for most mid-level PC users. It won't be good enough for major gamers and it'll be much more than a non-gamer might need.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Output:
2 x Dual-Link DVI
1 x HDMI
1 x DisplayPort
GPU:
700 MHz Core Clock
40nm Process Technology
720 x Stream Processors
Memory:
1024 MB size
128-bit GDDR5
4600 MHz Effective
Software:
Driver CD
Dirt 2 Coupon (game edition only)
SIM HD (enhance the video quality for IM)
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS:
PCI Express® based PC is required with one X16 lane graphics slot available on the motherboard
450 Watt Power Supply is required
600 Watt Power Supply is recommended for CrossFireX™ System
1 X 75Watt 6-pin PCI Express power connector is required
2 X 75 Watt 6-pin PCI Express power connector is required for CrossFireX™ system
1024 MB Minimum of system memory
Installation software requires CD-ROM drive
DVD playback requires DVD drive
Blu-ray™ / HD DVD playback requires Blu-ray / HD DVD drive
For an ATI CrossFireX™ system, a second same ATI Radeon™ graphics card, an ATI CrossFireX™ Ready motherboard and one ATI CrossFireX Bridge Interconnect cable per graphics card (optional) are required
To support 3 displays, one of the monitors has to support DisplayPort
Please Read My Related Reviews:
LG DVD/CD Burner with Lightscribe
CoolerMaster CPU Cooler
Well-designed computer case - Tricod
Asus P7P55D-E Motherboard
G.Skill "RipJaws" DDR3 Memory
I have had a seven year old Dell "dino-puter" with Pentium technology, a mere one gig of RAM and an ATI 512 AGP graphics card. I was barely powered up enough to run Windows XP for crying out loud. Laugh if you must. Lately, the graphic images are freezing, the machine often just shuts down and it's all-around slow as molasses. The thing is just tired.
When choosing a graphics card, my first decision was cost. Cards can run anywhere between $100 and $1000 - and that's for one card. There are systems running multiple graphics cards and that can start to set you back the cost of a small Japanese import car.
My second consideration was brand. Should I go with an Nvidia-based card or an ATI-based card? It seems that every year, Nvidia or ATI cards take turns leading the charge in technology's "best - for the moment" category. I read somewhere that Nvidia seems to run better on AMD processor machines while ATI seems to run better on Intel machines. Of course that may or may not be true with all graphics cards/motherboard combinations across each of the brand's lineups. But my last two cards were Intel & ATI-based machines as is the computer I'm building so it was a natural to go with ATI-based technology.
Having said that, there are a myriad of companies that build off of ATI's technology and come up with their own designs and specs for graphics cards. They include MSI, Gigabyte and Sapphire - to name a few. ATI makes their own cards and they're usually more expensive. I chose Saphhire's version because I read that they're a pretty decent card for the price and it just looked great - incorporating a large cooling fan and shield design.
My version of the 5750 card has a DVI (digital video input) on both sides of the business end of the card. Some other company's cards come with one digital and one analog connection. Some come with two digital, one HDMI and one Display. Even though mine comes with an adapter to use an analog monitor, I doubt I will ever need to use an old CRT (thus not needing the analog connection), so having the ability to run two digital HD monitors directly from one graphics card is a plus. There's even a DisplayPort connection for a third (DisplayPort ready) monitor - if needed. The HDMI connection on this card will enable you to send a high-quality digital image to a high-end monitor or large television.
Other considerations are; Will your motherboard/PC case accommodate the double card width? Do you have the space to allow for taking up two PCI slots on the motherboard and the back of the case? Will my power supply be powerful enough?
When choosing a graphics card you'll need to consider how much power (minimum) you'll need from a power supply (PSU). High end gaming computers need high end graphics cards - which, in turn, require more power. The PSU needs to provide "juice" to every element (internal and external) involved with your computer. This includes, fans, the motherboard, hard drives, DVD/CD burners, external peripherals, etc. This particular graphics card requires a minimum of a 450 watt power supply. I run a 500watt PSU so I'm okay - for now. In the future, if I upgrade the graphics card and other elements of the PC, I might need to upgrade to a more powerful PSU as well.
PRICING:
Of course the prices in technology fluctuate at whirlwind speeds. At the time of this review, the price range was anywhere between $129 and $159 depending on where you shop - internet or walk-in store and whether (or not) you pay tax or shipping. The cost of tax and/or shipping should play into your purchase decision. I got lucky. I found a new one that a guy couldn't use in his case and sold it to me for $90.00. Would I recommend buying computer-related things from private sellers or auction sites? Not usually. But this guy sent me the original receipt and the original box. He swore he never even put into his case and that (other than taking it out of the box to photograph it for me) it's brand new. I mean, the plastic fan housing still had the protective plastic sheet on it.
The 5750 versus the 5750 Vapor-X:
The main difference between the two is that the Vapor-X (with it's "Vapor Chamber Technology") has better cooling numbers for heavy gamers. Additionally, the test numbers for rendering and shading were better. If you're not heavily into gaming, the regular 5750 will be sufficient.
What's in the Box:
The card, a DVI-to-analog connector, a CrossFire bridge (for running two graphics cards), cable, CD rom driver disk, installation guide and a voucher for a copy of the game "Dirt 2."
Note about CrossFire: On my particular motherboard, there's only one PCi Express slot for a graphics card. So make sure BEFORE you buy your motherboard that it has the second slot for a graphics card if you're thinking that you might utilize the CrossFire technology. I'm not planning on it, so I'm good for now. Obviously, when I update the computer in the future, that's one of the elements that might force me to get a better motherboard and graphics card.
What I Like:
It produces brilliant color renderings, rich details and great shadow depth. It's pretty darn quiet too - even when the fan is at full-whirl.
Comes with 1Gb - which is the minimum for today's cards. 512 is yesterday's news. Yes, there are now cards with 2Gb and higher.
I can run 2 or 3 monitors from this same card.
What I'm on the Fence About:
This card comes with a voucher for a free game. "Dirt 2" racing game that I'll probably never use. Why am I on the fence about a free game? Because I think companies use it as a ploy to sell product that isn't moving so well. But that's just me being paranoid.
What I Don't Like:
Nothing major but I see that some of the benchmark tests show the 5750 card comes in slightly slower (in some aspects) than some of the higher-end 4000 series cards and that's a bit disconcerting. Again, I'm happy with this card - especially compared to my old card.
Final Words:
When you talk computers, one of the principle things to keep in mind is cooling. Things operate better and last longer if they stay cool. Most graphics cards have their own integrated cooling fans these days, while some cards just have heat sinks that get fan cooled by case fans. I'm running both. I have two case fans that bring in cold air right at the motherboard. The CPU, the motherboard, the hard drives, the memory all generate heat to some degree or another. Cooling air flow is key to performance and longevity of parts in every computer.
Try to look for a case with a top fan opening (signaling a top-mount PSU position) to assist the rear exhaust fan (and in some cases - the top fan) with expelling the hotter air from your case. I see a trend in case design lately that has the power supply located at the bottom of the case. DO NOT get sucked into that idea. Heat rises. Do you want a heat source right below your motherboard, CPU, memory and graphics card? I sure don't. I found a really well-designed case that's not too flashy and not too bland. I found it on eBay - search the name Tricod. It's the silver one with the black front accent panel, the blue side window with two 80mm case fans, removable hd tower, top fan port, a tool-less bay mounts, an LED CPU temp & fan readout and 500w power supply.
Compared to my Dell Dino-puter's graphics card, this 5750 is a 5 star product. Compared to the other high end graphics cards available today, this card is about a 3-1/2 to 3-3/4 star performer. I give it a 4 star rating because it really is a good performer for most mid-level PC users. It won't be good enough for major gamers and it'll be much more than a non-gamer might need.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Output:
2 x Dual-Link DVI
1 x HDMI
1 x DisplayPort
GPU:
700 MHz Core Clock
40nm Process Technology
720 x Stream Processors
Memory:
1024 MB size
128-bit GDDR5
4600 MHz Effective
Software:
Driver CD
Dirt 2 Coupon (game edition only)
SIM HD (enhance the video quality for IM)
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS:
PCI Express® based PC is required with one X16 lane graphics slot available on the motherboard
450 Watt Power Supply is required
600 Watt Power Supply is recommended for CrossFireX™ System
1 X 75Watt 6-pin PCI Express power connector is required
2 X 75 Watt 6-pin PCI Express power connector is required for CrossFireX™ system
1024 MB Minimum of system memory
Installation software requires CD-ROM drive
DVD playback requires DVD drive
Blu-ray™ / HD DVD playback requires Blu-ray / HD DVD drive
For an ATI CrossFireX™ system, a second same ATI Radeon™ graphics card, an ATI CrossFireX™ Ready motherboard and one ATI CrossFireX Bridge Interconnect cable per graphics card (optional) are required
To support 3 displays, one of the monitors has to support DisplayPort
Please Read My Related Reviews:
LG DVD/CD Burner with Lightscribe
CoolerMaster CPU Cooler
Well-designed computer case - Tricod
Asus P7P55D-E Motherboard
G.Skill "RipJaws" DDR3 Memory
