In modern computers, video cards are the most expensive components. But they are responsible for the status of the PC. It depends on the video card whether the computer can be called a gaming one. However, often modern models can not afford the average consumer. And then it makes sense to pay attention to old models. Many of them are still able to run modern toys, albeit not at the maximum graphics settings.
Just such models include the Radeon HD 3650 from AMD. This video card is still able to please the user with an excellent picture. And we will analyze its main technical characteristics, but first a few words about the manufacturing company.
A bit about AMD
The AMD company is primarily known for its processors. There is an opinion that the “stones” differ from it by too high heat dissipation and require a good cooling system. But this statement is true only for outdated models. Modern "Reisen" quite a cold. And the performance is even superior to the top Intel.
As for video adapters, AMD began to make notable successes in this direction after the acquisition of ATI Radeon. Now adapters are manufactured under the AMD brand, but with the addition of the "Radeon" prefix. One of these products is the ATI Radeon HD 3650. Now let's take a closer look at the original adapter and some reference models.
Key Specifications
The Radeon HD 3650 graphics card is made using the 55 nm process technology. On a smaller surface of the chip, the developers managed to place a larger number of crystals (compared to previous versions). This provided an increase in productivity and good energy efficiency. It is worth noting that the video card appeared in 2008. Therefore, its characteristics will seem somewhat ridiculous.
The card has 512 megabytes of read-only memory, operates at a frequency of 1000 megahertz (bus), and boasts a core frequency of 700 megahertz and a color depth of 128 bits. It also has an SLI slot and supports CrossFire technology. This means that you can combine several similar adapters into a single whole and increase the performance of the graphics subsystem several times. But overclocking is bad. The Radeon HD 3650 does not support this very useful option. However, such characteristics are far from the limit. There are video cards based on this chip from other manufacturers. And they are more powerful than the "progenitor."
MSI Radeon HD3650
This is a very successful "reincarnation" of the Radeon HD 3650. The driver, by the way, comes bundled on a special drive. What is the difference between this adapter and the original?
- Firstly, the increased core frequency. This "Radeo" from "MSI" operates at a frequency of 725 megahertz. The improvement seems to be insignificant, but it affects the performance not bad.
- Secondly, this reference has an improved cooling system. It is represented by a large cooler and an advanced radiator. Such a solution is justified, since even a slight increase in the frequency of the core significantly increases heat release. And the heat needs to be somehow removed.
- Thirdly, there are some changes in the interfaces. Now the video card is equipped with an HDMI connector and a standard DVI. The designers thought to introduce MiniDVI, but there was not enough space. However, without this, the product turned out to be worthy. The card works reliably (judging by the reviews). In addition, it is the most affordable in its segment.
Sapphire Radeon HD 3650
This is another modification. The peculiarity is that the ATI Radeon HD 3650 drivers from this manufacturer support the possibility of software overclocking. Yes, and the card itself is focused on overclockers, so the starting frequencies are slightly underestimated.
Specifications "at the start" are not much different from the original. The difference is only in the frequency of the memory bus. It has increased to 1100 megahertz. However, with the help of overclocking, it can be increased by another number of points. The cooling system installed in the "Sapphire" has excellent efficiency. Therefore, the adapter can be overclocked programmatically without fear that it will overheat. A real find for lovers of modern games.
And two of these cards connected via SLI will provide unrivaled performance. Therefore, many chose at the time this particular option. In addition to high performance, the Sapphire adapter boasts good reliability. Stability at the highest level. Yes, and this product is not very expensive.
ASUS Radeon HD 3650
As expected, ASUS also released its variation on this card. And her product looks pretty impressive. Radeon HD 3650 in the performance of "ASUS" received a memory bus frequency of 1600 megahertz. The core frequency was also increased to 800 megahertz. Naturally, such overclocking required a powerful cooling system. And she is present. This is a huge fan and radiator of an unusual shape.
The cooler has the manufacturer’s logo on it. This adapter is not intended for overclocking, but it works just fine without it. In synthetic tests and games, the card showed excellent results. She can afford even many modern games. But you should not count on the maximum graphics settings. However, many users still use this video card. And quite happy with that. At one time, the reference from "ASUS" belonged to the top models and was quite expensive. But now the price of it has fallen dramatically. Therefore, you can purchase this adapter if the new video cards (especially the budget segment) are not particularly impressive.
Mobile adapters of this series
Few people know, but a special version of this video card is used even on laptops. It is called Mobility Radeon HD 3650. What can I say about this adapter? Naturally, the characteristics of the card are slightly lower than that of the "full" counterparts. So, the core clock frequency is 600 megahertz. The memory bus frequency is 700 megahertz. Color Depth = 128 bits. The amount of memory varies depending on the amount of "RAM" installed in the laptop.
Nevertheless, the video card supports DirectX 10.0 and has a record low power consumption - only 30 watts. This adapter is not intended for games at all. Its “ceiling” is the reproduction of multimedia HD content. But laptops with this adapter on board are characterized by excellent autonomy. Therefore, this video card was actively used in devices of the beginning of the two thousandth.
Conclusion
So, we reviewed the Radeon HD 3650 graphics card from 2008. What can be said specific about this adapter? He had good characteristics for his year of release. By all indications, this video card belonged to the middle price segment. Using the original adapter in modern realities is no longer relevant. But all kinds of references and modified versions still have the right to life, as they are distinguished by enhanced characteristics and wide overclocking capabilities.
Also a very good mobile version of the video card. She is not capable of playing games, but she can perfectly reproduce high-definition content. And for a laptop (especially budget), more is not needed. In general, the Radeon HD 3650 can be successfully used on modern computers.