14 DAY TRIAL // Even though hardware makers always seem to enjoy causing awe among consumers with their high-grade products, particularly on the video card front, they also make sure not to neglect the lower segments. Thus, there is always a steady inflow of new video boards, high-end and low-end alike, and ASUS has just contributed to it by unveiling the EAH5550/G/DI/1GD3(LP) and EAH5550 SILENT/G/DI/1GD2.
Suffice to say, these two newcomers are versions of the ATI Radeon HD 5550 graphics adapter. Needles to say, this card is not nearly among the stronger ones out there, especially when it comes to DirectX 11-capable products. Still, they do manage to integrate 320 Stream Processors and 1GB of memory, though not the same type is available. For the EAH5550 SILENT, DDR2 is used, whereas the EAH5550 Low profile comes with DDR3. What's more, the boards have the GPU frequency set at 550 MHz.
The memory works at 800 MHz and 1600 MHz, respectively, and the newcomers communicate with host PCs via D-Sub, DVI and HDMI outputs. All in all, the boards don't have a particularly massive gaming prowess. Still, they are not incompetent either, in so far as to prompt ASUS to bundle them with coupons for a 10% cut off the purchase of the Battlefield Bad Company 2 first-person shooter from EA Games. The SILENT card sells for 64.69 Euro, whereas the Low Profile is up for 63.66 Euro.
“ASUS presents its uniquely-designed EAH5550 graphics cards with one of the year’s biggest and best-selling PC action hits, Battlefield: Bad Company 2, offering this instant classic at a discount to buyers of EAH5550 special editions,” states the press release.
ASUS made a point of implementing certain exclusive features on its video controllers. GPU Guard, for instance, is a PCB reinforcement technique that protects against cracking and fracturing. The other asset, Fuse Protection, eliminates temperature rises by means of multiple sets of input fuses.