The struggle in the market of discrete graphics cards does not stop even for a minute. Most recently, Nvidia was the clear leader, which could provide a model for any needs. Over time, AMD also joined the fight, which, I must say, did not succeed all at once. The company's video cards came out pretty good, but Nvidia was always one step ahead. It seemed that competition with AMD was only good for them. Back in 2009, Nvidia presents the world a miracle, which received a graphics processor based on 40 nm manufacturing process.
Nvidia Geforce 210
The accelerator was initially positioned as a solution for working with undemanding programs. The video card has occupied the lowest price segment, where it quickly proved its superiority over everyone else. Yes, she could not run demanding games and resource-intensive applications, but she was notable for silent operation, as well as support for DirectX 10.1. It is worth noting that the Geforce 210 became the first in the line and received a cost in the region of $ 50.
Packaging and equipment
It is foolish, of course, to expect a quality packaging from a budget model. Geforce 210 received a small box with a bright pattern on the front side. It is made of cheap cardboard. On the front side, the manufacturer tried to put his brainchild in the best light. Here, the name of the model and its main features are applied in large beautiful font. The developer made a special emphasis on gold-plated contacts that are used not only in the GeForce 210. There is also a Nvidia and Windows logo, which confirms compatibility with the operating system.
More interesting information for the user is on the back. It describes the main technical characteristics of the accelerator in several languages. The manufacturer writes which technologies are used to ensure maximum performance. Simply put, the company is doing its best to make a potential buyer pay attention specifically to their product. For which you can not blame the company. Other manufacturers adhere exactly to this strategy, focusing on the beauty of the box.
Scope of delivery is poor. However, you forget about all claims against him, remembering the price. Inside, in addition to the Nvidia Geforce 210 itself, there is a driver disk, a manual and a bracket for fixing the accelerator inside the case. You can, of course, find fault, say that other models have a wider range of components. But I want to close my eyes to this, given the most affordable cost on the market. Moreover, in most cases, the user does not have to buy parts separately. To work with an office computer, a video card is enough for what the manufacturer put.
Appearance
The video card is based on a dark blue board. Given the focus on the lower segment, the manufacturer tried to make it as compact as possible. We can say that he did it. Dimensions make it easy to install the accelerator, even in a small system unit. For an office solution, the model contains an impressive set of interfaces. There is DVI-I, D-Sub, and even HDMI. All of them are neatly located on one of the ends. In general, the Geforce 210 graphics card is not bad. The parts used are of high quality and promise to serve for many years.
You can easily find the graphics core and several integrated memory modules on the board. By the way, the Samsung company was engaged in their production, as indicated by the labeling. By the way, the Korean company produces modules not only for Nvidia. The rest is a regular 3D accelerator with the necessary set of components that are designed for its operation.
Characteristics
The graphics core is used by G218. As already mentioned, it is made on the basis of the 40 nm process technology. The graphics processor operates at a clock frequency of 720 MHz. In idle mode, the frequency drops to 135 MHz. The developers organized this to save energy. A 64-bit memory bus is used to exchange information; its throughput is more than 12 GB per second.
Geforce 210 has 1GB of video memory. However, the real one is only 512 MB. The remaining amount of the video card is taken from RAM, which is facilitated by special technology. The modules are made according to the DDR3 standard. There is enough volume for the comfortable operation of most programs and the launch of some modern games.
Cooling system
An active cooling system is used to control the temperature. It is made in the form of one small slot. Lids are not used, the cooler is attached to the board with several bolts. There is a small radiator, which is designed to remove heat. Despite the small dimensions, the system completely copes with its task. This is not surprising, given the low heat generation. The cooler works very quietly, merging with the noise of the remaining components of the system unit. At high loads, of course, the noise level rises, but not to a critical level. Typically, the video card does not heat up above 50 degrees. Under loads, it can show more than 60 degrees, but it is unlikely to rise above 70 degrees.