14 DAY TRIAL // Following the launch of the GeForce GT 440 GPU, MSI has released two solutions based on Nvidia's latest graphics core, both of them packing custom cooling and PCBs, while one of the two models features a low profile design, making it ideal for HTPC use.
The GeForce GT 440 GPU is based on the GF108 core, and is actually a faster clocked version of the Nvidia's previous entry-level graphics card, the GT 430.
As a result, much of the hardware specifications are shared between the two video cards, the GT 440 featuring 96 stream processors, 16 texturing units, 4 ROP units and a 128 bit memory bus.
Manufacturers have the option to pair the cards with either GDDR5 or DDR3 memory.
Moving back to MSI's solutions, the most interesting of the two is the N440GT-MD1GD3/LP which is based on a low profile PCB.
The 810MHz core as well as the 1GB of DDR3 clocked at 1800MHz are cooled by a large aluminum heatsink that is topped by two variable speed fans.
These keep in check the temperatures of the GPU at stock frequencies as well as when the card is overclocked, MSI promising up to 15% headroom thanks to its double overvoltage support that can provide additional juice to the GPU and to the memory chips (hence its name).
The other GT 440 card in MSI's arsenal is dubbed the N440GT-MD512D5 and pairs together a full height PCB with a dual-slot cooling solution.
Just like its smaller brother, this card too has its core clocked at the standard 810MHz set by Nvidia for the GT 440, but, this time, it drops the slower DDR3 memory chips in favor of 512MB of GDDR5 video buffer that runs at 3200MHz.
Both cards feature a 56W TDP and pack DVI, D-Sub and HDMI video outputs.
As far as pricing is concerned, in Europe, the low-profile N440GT-MD1GD3/LP is listed at €73,58 while the GDDR5 version is retailed for €90,89.
