ASUS GeForce GT 430 Overclocking Performance

Benchmark Reviews tests the overclocking performance on the ASUS ENGT430 video card

Change comes quickly when it comes to computers. Anyone with a computer a year or two old can tell you that. The last year has been all about DX11. Microsoft DirectX-11 has made video games for the PC look the best they ever have. For a while, there was quite a lull between video card capability and software to take advantage of it. It seemed like even the 2nd or 3rd best cards could play all the games at the highest settings. DX11 was certainly a game-changer. But DX11 has been around for a while now in computer age. The chipset manufacturers are chasing down a new squirrel now.

3D is starting to show up everywhere. It's not just for the movies anymore. 3D TVs with 3D Blu-Ray players and their 3D glasses can be found at almost any electronics store. 120 Hz computer monitors capable of 3D playback can be paired with more than a couple of manufacturers glasses and software to play 3D games. But 3D isn't just for games and movies anymore. YouTube offers a 3D site now, and other major video sites will soon follow suit. NVIDIA has started a site where users can upload their own 3D videos and pictures. 3D media is coming on strong, and the major players in the video card market are banking on it.

The ASUS ENGT430 offers HTPC and media PC users an inexpensive way to upgrade their media experience by making it 3D capable. Users will have to ensure that the rest of their hardware is compatible, but if they are already enjoying 3D movies at home, they likely won't run into many issues. The ENGT430 is a DirectX-11 video card that brings 3D capabilities along for the ride. This article expands on our original review of the ASUS GeForce GT 430.

The ASUS ENGT430 is a small video card. The overall length is about 6.3 inches. That includes the heatsink that extends out past the PCB a little. The PCB itself is 5.75 inches long. The ASUS ENGT430 comes with a full sized faceplate or the option for two short faceplates, one for the HDMI and DVI ports and one for the VGA port. This will cause the ENGT430 to take up two PCI slots in your case, but in all actuality, it will do that anyway. While the ASUS ENGT430 is low profile, the heatsink and fan combination makes it large enough to take up the neighboring PCI slot anyway. If you have an HTPC case that requires short cards, the ASUS ENGT430 has you covered.

One thing that is important to note about the ASUS ENGT430 is that it doesn't cool the same as most of the other Fermi based cards. There is no plastic covering forcing air out the back of the case. The fan and heatsink will keep the ENGT430 cool, but any heat that is generated will be circulated back into your case. This normally wouldn't be of much concern because low profile and low-end cards such as the ENGT430 don't generate a lot of heat. However, seeing that the ASUS ENGT430 will most likely find a home in a HTPC, the smaller case size may get hotter faster. It's unlikely that there will be any problems, especially after looking at our temperatures section, but make sure you have plenty of ventilation and airflow in your case just to be safe.

As with most GeForce video cards, the ENGT430 offers two output signals so you can connect up to two monitors. This is one area that NVIDIA still lags behind AMD. Many ATI Radeon HD cards now offer connectivity for up to three monitors. The ASUS ENGT430 has a DVI port, a VGA port, and an HDMI port that supports HD Audio throughput, another relatively common feature, but one that is especially necessary for HTPC use. The ASUS ENGT430 HDMI port supports both Dolby True HD and DTS-HD Master Audio.

You'll notice that the ASUS ENGT430 does not have a power supply input. One isn't necessary as the ENGT430 doesn't use much power. NVIDIA recommends using at least a 300 Watt power supply that puts out 18 amps on the +12v rail but the GT 430 could probably be run on less. Another lacking feature we don't find on the ASUS ENGT430 is an SLI connector. In fact, you won't find an SLI connector on any GT 430 card because the GT 430 series doesn't support SLI at all.

The memory used on the ASUS ENGT430 is another difference that you'll notice between the GT 430 and the other Fermi based cards. Rather than using DDR5 memory, the ASUS ENGT430 uses hynix DDR3 memory modules. There are eight 128 MB modules total. The part number on the modules is H5TQ1G63BFR-12C. NVIDIA states the specs of the GT 430 cards as having memory with speeds at 900 MHz. This isn't true for the ASUS ENGT430 as the hynix DDR3 memory is only rated for 800 MHz. Maybe some of the other AIB partners will use 900 MHz memory. This presents a minor concern for overclocking. With the GTX 460 and GTS 450 cards using memory clocked under its rated speed of 1 GHz, overclocking the memory didn't actually put it above its rated speed. When we overclock the ASUS ENGT430, we will have to push the memory above its rated speed, which could cause us to run into some problems.

Manufacturer: ASUSTek Computer, Inc.
Product Name: ENGT430 GeForce GT 430 1GB
Model Number: ASUS ENGT430/DI/1GD3(LP)
Price As Tested: $79.99 at NewEgg

Full Disclosure: The product sample used in this article has been provided by ASUS.

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