msiGAMING GeForce GT 710 2GB GDRR3 64-bit HDCP Support DirectX 12 OpenGL 4.5 Heat Sink Low Profile Graphics Card (GT 710 2GD3H LP)

I need a graphic card upgrade for a very old compact desktop PC, Acer Aspire A3910 from 2010. This MSI GeForce GT 710 is an entry-level graphic card that fits my requirements perfectly. Here are several reasons why I picked this card instead of something more powerful:- It is relatively inexpensive.- It is low profile and occupies only one PCI slot. This is important since my PC has a SFF (small form factor) case with limited space.- It consumes very little power (20W max), so even the 220W power supply in my PC can handle it.- It uses only heatsink for passive cooling. This eliminates the noise and reliability problems associated with cooling fans.[Installation Confusion]- Initially right after the graphic card was installed, I can only get a display of 1200x800 from the HDMI port. Nothing from VGA port.- After I installed the MSI VGA Drivers from disc, my monitor can now display 1920x1080 from VGA port, but nothing from HDMI port.The problem could be from my computer's motherboard, since I observed the same behavior with the EVGA GeForce 210 I previously purchased (and returned). Just keep this behavior in mind, in case you cannot see any display right after installing the card.[Graphic Performance]I ran the 3DMARK 'Cloud Gate' benchmark on my PC, both before and after the graphic card upgrade:- With integrated graphic, the overall score is a pathetic 209.- After installing the GT 710, the score jumps up to 3735!(see my uploaded screenshots for details)On the other hand, the GT 710 cannot hold a candle against my better graphic card, the EVGA GeForce GTX 750 Ti. When both cards were tested in a newer desktop PC (Asus M32CD), the 750 gives about 4x higher score . Note that the 750 does not fit in my old SFF PC since it is much larger. See my photo uploaded for size comparison between 710 and 750.[Power Consumption]I used the EUM-A1 Power Usage Meter to measure the input power of my computer:- Before the graphic card upgrade, my computer consumes ~50-55W when idle, ~70-75W when running 3DMARK.- After the upgrade to GT 710, my PC consumes the same 50-55W when idle. This means this graphic card has the same standby power as the integrated graphic chip set.- When running 3DMARK or XCOM: Enemy Unknown, my PC now consumes up to 85-90W. That means the graphic card consumes 15-20W when it is running at full speed.After I played XCOM for several hours, the heatsink becomes too hot to touch, but not hot enough to cause a shutdown. In contrast, the EVGA GeForce 210 suffers thermal shudown after just ~10-20 minutes of playing XCOM. This is because the 210 consumes more power (30W vs. 20W) but comes with a smaller heatsink.[Conclusion]The GT 710 works very well in my particular situation. Of cause this is an inexpensive entry-level card, so I cannot expect the same level of performance as my GeForce GTX 750 Ti. But for a very small investment, I'm suddenly able to play many games which were previously unplayable on my old SFF PC. For that I'm happy.

Fit like a dream, worked easily, installation was a cinch on every level.Instructions are not included for installing the low profile bracket. What you do:Use a pair of needle nose pliers and unscrew the long bracket by twisting the little bolts that you woudl normally screw the video cable into. Just pinch the sides of each bolt and give little short twists (lefty loosey) until it comes loose, keep track of your bolts, and then once all four are out, you can easily separate the VGA socket (at the top in the main picture). The included short profile brackets are pretty obvious for placement, just watch the orientation. You'll end up using two of your external slots, but only the one PCI slot on the motherboard. The little bolts screw back in to the new brackets, and it's just fast and simple. I don't even think I ended up using a screwdriver at all, but the case we have was pretty much made for fast, painless installation without tools. The pliers are a must, though.While this does say it requires a 300w power supply, it's running absolutely fine on a 240w power supply. Didn't even have to plug it in to a separate power cable (which is good, because there wasn't one.) We're using it for older Steam games (Spore, for example) for my kid, on a Windows 7 machine we bought for $250, and this upgrade brings the machine pretty painlessly up to a decent standard for a lot of games. Just don't try to max your graphics out, because you don't want to overheat a fanless card.Anyway, I'm pleased. Oh, and everything comes packaged with little red caps over the connectors, which makes handling it a lot less nerve wracking while you're figuring the brackets out. A card I can hold easily while dicking around with the bracket? Thank you! They recommend using rubber gloves to avoid nicks, and I didn't, but this still may be the first time I've installed a video card when I didn't end up bleeding.

MSI is one of my go-to graphics card companies. Their quality is great, their cards perform well and their Afterburner software is second to none.Let's be up front about one thing here: a GT 710 is a GT 710. If you're looking for a gaming card, even just to play Windows Store games, look to at least a 730 or, better, a 750 Ti for entry level gaming.With that behind us, let's talk about reasonable expectations for a 710. The purpose of a 710 is to give an old computer with no digital video output an HDMI jack. It's to beef up a PC with vintage 2006 integrated graphics and allow it to work with modern displays. It's my expectation that if a graphics card supports a given resolution, be that 1080p, 1440p or even 4k, that it will be capable of smooth video playback at that resolution. I chose this 710 for my HTPC because it supports 4k resolution, and I just needed my ancient PC to push 4k video. That's it.And here's where this card failed me. 4k video playback was subpar. It was choppy, the HDMI audio cut in and out, and it wasn't just one source. YouTube, local content, it all looked bad. 1080p was much better, but the 4K display did it no favors.The 710's saving grace was that it was able to push convincing 1080p video to a 1080p monitor, and maybe that's really all it's useful for. If that's your use case, and for plenty of people I'm sure it is, this is a decent, cheap card for you.Mine was returned. I didn't even bother goofing around with overclocking or temperature testing because I just didn't see a need to. The 710 clearly wasn't quite enough for my needs.