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NVidia GeForce GTS 450 Video Card Review
Author: Will West
Published: Monday, September 13, 2010
Card Layout and Features
The NVidia GeForce GTS 450 is here for all of us to see, and it looks very similar to the GTX 460. Even the size of the cards are almost the same. The card comes with a black fan assembly that covers the whole card, but it's mainly for visual appeal.
As you can see here, the GTS 450 has a very simple layout on the back with a total of four BGA RAM modules exposed. Also, green has made its way back onto the reference Nvidia PCB. This is something we haven't seen since the 8xxx series cards. However, expect the manufacturers to put out black PCB's when it comes time for them to put out their final versions.
The Digital outputs found on all of the newer mid to high range GeForce 400 series cards seem to all be the same. Here is the rundown of the following connectors: 1x Mini-HDMI, 2x Dual-Link DVI connections
The Digital outputs found on all of the newer mid to high range GeForce 400 series cards seem to all be the same. Here is the rundown of the following connectors: 1x Mini-HDMI, 2x Dual-Link DVI connections
NVidia is only allowing the GeForce GTS 450 to hook up in a dual-SLI setup. The thought behind this is that most people will purchase a faster card from the start if they can afford it. SLI, in this instance, is designed to extend the functional life of the GTS 450 and not so much for raw power.
When it comes to power only a single six-pin PCI-Express power connector is required making this one of the most power efficient "Fermi" based video cards to date.
When it comes to power only a single six-pin PCI-Express power connector is required making this one of the most power efficient "Fermi" based video cards to date.
The cooling on the reference GTS 450 looks to be very similar to the heatsink assembly found on the GTX 460, but in reality, this is only superficial, as it's the guts that really matter. Under the fan, the GTX 460 has two more large heatpipes in the aluminum heatsink than the GTS 450 does. This makes the large shroud into nothing more than a show piece than something very functional, and you may expect to see smaller designs hit the shelves. This is just speculation at this point, but If heat output doesn't require a more beefy heatsink, manufacturing partners will likely release custom single-slot coolers.
