AMD ATI Radeon HD 5450: DirectX 11 For HTPCs, Not Gamers
AMD have outed their latest video card, the ATI Radeon HD 5450, and while it's packing DirectX 11 support it's not really intended for the gamers. Instead the fanless half-height card offers DisplayPort, HDMI and VGA connections, support for Eyefinity multi-monitor output and more for just $50.
That means support for up to three displays simultaneously, as well as Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio bitstreaming. In fact the HD 5450 seems almost tailor-made for an HTPC setup, even down to the frugal 20W power requirements.
Over at Tom's Hardware they've been putting the HD 5450 through its paces and, as expected, it's "the least awe-inspiring Radeon HD 5000-series card". Nonetheless, they reckon it raises the bar for what's expected from entry-level video cards, but that gamers on a budget should wait until an intermediary 5500-series card arrives to slot in-between the HD 5450 and the $100 HD 5670.
Press Release:
New ATI Radeon™ HD 5450 Graphics Card Delivers Enthusiast Video Game Features and HD Multimedia Capabilities1 at an Entry-Level PriceNewest Addition to the Award-Winning ATI Radeon™ HD 5000 Series Product Line-up Brings Advanced Technology at an Incredible Price Point
SUNNYVALE, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–AMD (NYSE: AMD) today announced the introduction of the ATI Radeon™ HD 5450 graphics card, the latest addition to the award-winning line-up of ATI Radeon™ HD 5000 Series graphics cards. The ATI Radeon HD 5450 graphics card delivers a state-of-the-art HD multimedia2 and game experience at a value price. Sharing the same leading edge features found in the critically-acclaimed ATI Radeon™ HD 5800 Series – support for DirectX®11, ATI Eyefinity multi-display technology3 and ATI Stream technology4 – the ATI Radeon™ HD 5450 provides an uncompromising Microsoft Windows® 7 experience5.
"With the addition of the ATI Radeon HD 5450, home theater enthusiasts and casual gamers have access to cutting-edge features and solid performance at an incredible value."
Cutting-edge technology for today's software: The ATI Radeon™ HD 5450 graphics card offers great performance, allowing users to get the true Windows® 7 experience5 with full DirectX®11 support, for less than USD $606 for a 512MB memory configuration.
Expanded productivity with multi-display technology: Featuring support for ATI Eyefinity multi-monitor technology, the ATI Radeon™ HD 5450 graphics card helps users be more productive in today's visually rich applications by expanding their on-screen real estate, putting more information at their fingertips.
Silent running: Offering leading-edge performance per watt, the ATI Radeon™ HD 5450 redefines entry level performance and ultra-low power consumption, making it possible for AIB partners to deliver passive cooling models to market in addition to whisper-quiet, single slot fan-cooled versions.
Rich HD multimedia experience: Home theater buffs will particularly appreciate the ATI Radeon™ HD 5450 graphics product. This passively-cooled, ultra-quiet card is a home theater PC builder's dream, enabling high quality, high-definition home theater experiences7. The home theater experience is enriched with features such as HDMI 1.3a with Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio for the ultimate media PC.
"The ATI Radeon™ HD 5450 offers consumers another next-generation graphics product from AMD, and further reinforces our price-performance value at a wide range of price points," said Matt Skynner, vice president and general manager, AMD Graphics Division. "With the addition of the ATI Radeon HD 5450, home theater enthusiasts and casual gamers have access to cutting-edge features and solid performance at an incredible value."
The ATI Radeon HD 5450 is available immediately from a number of partners, including ASUS, ASK, Club 3D, DMM, GBT, HIS, LDLC.com, MSI, TUL, Sapphire, VT and XFX.