Graphics Card

[Grandalf]

My nVidia Quadro FX 3500 died.  Someone gave me a Radeon HD 5450 card, so I installed it.

The problem is that, Photoshop functions that used to take less than a second with the Quadro now take up to 15 seconds with the Radeon.

Any ideas?

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

You would have to get another graphics card with the same capabilities as the Quadro FX 3500.

You have in esssence, replaced a V-8 engine with a 4 cylinder, so that is why the graphics processing power has diminished.

http://www.gpuzoo.com/GPU-NVIDIA/Quadro_FX_3500.html

http://www.gpureview.com/Radeon-HD-5450-card-625.html

[Grandalf]

Thanks Paul.

I'm sadly unable to interpret the reports on these cards; indeed, when I tried to compare them elsewhere, due to my ignorance, both cards seemed similar in performance.

Would you be able to recommend a cheap alternative, bearing in mind that I don't need any greater performance than the 3500.

[Paul_Tikkanen · Accepted solution]

The AMD Radeon HD 5450 is an entry level graphics card.  Not much better than the onboard graphics.

The quadro has 4 times the memory bandwidth, 4 times the power draw for starts.

I would also imagine when new, the FX 3500 was at least 3 times more expensive than the HD 5450 was at the time.

Perhaps you can look on eBay and see if you can pick up another one in used but tested and working condition.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_sacat=0&_nkw=nvidia+quadro+fx+3500&_sop=15

[Grandalf]

Paul

Thanks very much for your kind attention.

Gummo

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.

[Grandalf]

Hello Paul.

Do you think this would be compatible?  It seems to be more powerful:


Regards

Grandalf

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi, Grandalf:

Yes, to me that card would be more powerful and should work with your older workstation, as from what I can determine, it came out in 2006 or so.

It requires a 350W P/S and the one your PC has, according to the specs is 800W.

The thing I don't know is if the card requires a supplemental PCIe power connector, and if the power supply in your PC has one if it does.

[Grandalf]

I've just taken this snap, Paul.  I'm fairly sure this is what you refer to - I have at least two of them in the machine.

PS: Documentation refers to an optional Quadro G-Sync card - would I need that?

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Yes, that is exactly what I was referring to.

You should be good to go if you want to get that video card.