{"id":31564,"date":"2012-08-28T08:06:58","date_gmt":"2012-08-28T07:06:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/?p=31564"},"modified":"2012-08-28T16:15:03","modified_gmt":"2012-08-28T15:15:03","slug":"sapphire-hd-7750-low-profile","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/sapphire-hd-7750-low-profile\/","title":{"rendered":"Sapphire HD 7750 Low Profile edition &#8211; for mini-HTPC and light DX11 gaming"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\/\/ <![CDATA[\n                                              google_ad_client = \"pub-7021221536180758\"; \/* 468x60, created 11\/11\/09 *\/ google_ad_slot = \"1949837292\"; google_ad_width = 468; google_ad_height = 60;\n\/\/ ]]><\/script><script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"http:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/show_ads.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">In mid-February of this year, AMD released the HD 7750 and HD 7770\u00a0on 28nm featuring their new GCN architecture complete with Eyefinity Technology 2.0 and DX11.1.\u00a0They are\u00a0based on AMD&#8217;s GPU named &#8220;Cape Verde&#8221; and\u00a0their stock core clock is 800GHz, and they are now priced\u00a0generally below\u00a0$150. We evaluated the <a href=\"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/?p=28819&amp;all=1\">Sapphire HD 7770 GHz Overclocked edition<\/a> a month later and we awarded it an ABT Editor&#8217;s Choice.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">In May, Sapphire added a new <a href=\"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/?p=29688\"><em>Vapor-X<\/em> version to their HD 7770 <em>GHz OC<\/em> <\/a>\u00a0line-up which\u00a0had about the same performance.\u00a0 The HD 7750 is a more cut down version of Cape Verde and it&#8217;s pricing was originally $119.\u00a0 Now we see many SKUs based on this original chip and one of the most interesting is the fully-featured Sapphire Low Profile HD 7750 Edition which promises to be perfect for Home Theater PC (HTPC) as well as for\u00a0light DX11\u00a0gaming.<\/p>\n<div id=\"main\">\n<div id=\"contentwrapper\">\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>Enter the new <strong>Sapphire Low Profile HD 7750 edition at <\/strong>$119<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-31628 aligncenter\" title=\"Proimage\" src=\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Proimage.jpg?resize=450%2C489\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Proimage.jpg?resize=450%2C489 450w, http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Proimage-276x300.jpg 276w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The Sapphire HD 7750 1GB Low Profile\u00a0edition retains all the features of the HD 7700 series but in a low profile format. Many low profile cards use a cooler that is actually larger than the PCB format, and cannot be used in the smallest cases. The Sapphire&#8217;s low profile\u00a0solution uses a single-slot cooler with\u00a0a quiet fan\u00a0and compact heatsink design that makes it ideally suited to applications like HTPCs or installation in even the slimmest mini-ITX cases.<\/p>\n<p>The Sapphire HD 7750 Low Profile&#8217;s performance\u00a0should be\u00a0the same as other\u00a0reference HD 7750s with a\u00a0core clock speed of 800MHz and 1GB of GDDR5 memory clocked at 4500MHz (effective; 1125MHz Quad Data rate).\u00a0 The outputs include\u00a0multi-monitor support for AMD Eyefinity with\u00a0three different outputs mounted within the low-profile backplate using\u00a0DVI, mini-DP and micro-HDMI sockets.\u00a0\u00a0 The necessary adapters are included in the box as well as standard height and low profile backplates for maximum flexibility.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Pricing and competition<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>You can find the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.newegg.com\/Product\/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202002\" onclick=\"_gaq.push(['_trackEvent', 'outbound-article', 'http:\/\/www.newegg.com\/Product\/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202002', 'Sapphire 7750 Low Profile edition at Newegg']);\" >Sapphire 7750 Low Profile edition at Newegg<\/a> for 114.99 plus $6.98 shipping.\u00a0 You can find many other HD 7750s for about $100 after mail-in-rebate, so there is only a $15 premium for\u00a0this low profile card.\u00a0 Here is a size comparison with\u00a0a standard-sized Sapphire HD 7770 and an EVGA GTX 550 Ti:<a href=\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/7770-7750-550ti2.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter  wp-image-31663\" title=\"7770-7750-550ti\" src=\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/7770-7750-550ti2.jpg?resize=480%2C453\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/7770-7750-550ti2.jpg?resize=480%2C453 800w, http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/7770-7750-550ti2-300x283.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>As the reader will note, the low-profile HD 7750 is tiny compared to full-sized similarly performing cards such as the Sapphire\u00a0HD 7770 GHz OC or VaporX edition\u00a0and the EVGA GeForce GTX 550 Ti.\u00a0 This low profile compact design alone makes it nearly unique for use in\u00a0mini-ITX cases as well as for small HTPCs.\u00a0Best of all, it is a HD 7750 which promises decent DX11 light gaming performance.<\/p>\n<p>Nvidia has not released their 28nm GTX 650 yet and the\u00a0main card that competes on price and performance with the HD 7750 is the 40nm <a href=\"http:\/\/www.newegg.com\/Product\/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&amp;N=100006662&amp;IsNodeId=1&amp;Description=gtx%20550%20ti&amp;bop=And&amp;Order=PRICE&amp;PageSize=20\" onclick=\"_gaq.push(['_trackEvent', 'outbound-article', 'http:\/\/www.newegg.com\/Product\/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&amp;N=100006662&amp;IsNodeId=1&amp;Description=gtx%20550%20ti&amp;bop=And&amp;Order=PRICE&amp;PageSize=20', 'GTX 550 Ti which is also priced about the same $119 at Newegg']);\" >GTX 550 Ti which is also priced about the same $119 at Newegg<\/a>; perhaps a bit less with rebates on the lower-priced models.<\/p>\n<p>Besides comparing gaming performance against the HD 7770s, we will also compare the stock and overclocked Sapphire HD 7750 Low Profile edition with the GTX 550 Ti at its reference clocks.\u00a0 We put our Sapphire HD 7750 Low Profile\u00a0editon through its paces last week with the very latest Catalyst 12.8 drivers. This driver\u00a0generally brought some very\u00a0decent performance increases over the last WHQL Catalyst driver set, 12.4, from a few months ago.<\/p>\n<p>In the past\u00a0few months, we have also upgraded our Intel CPU platform from Core i7-920\/X58 at 4.2GHz to <a href=\"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/?p=29402\">Core i7-3770K\/Z77<\/a> at 4.8GHz and now game with 8GB of system RAM, up from 4GB.\u00a0 Having a CPU so highly clocked removes all chances of the CPU bottlenecking most video cards.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>We now bench with\u00a022 modern games and with 3 synthetic benchmarks, and we generally use 1920&#215;1200 and 1680&#215;1050 resolutions with an emphasis on DX11 games &#8211;\u00a03 DX9, 5 DX10, and 15 DX11 games. Since we are comparing entry-level enthusiast GPU video cards, it makes sense to test them at their highest playable resolutions and with the most demanding playable settings that they can handle. We will attempt to find playable settings bearing in mind that the cards that we are testing are aimed approximately\u00a0up to\u00a01920&#215;1080 resolution and are priced around $110-$150.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Features, Specifications and System Requirements<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>From Sapphire&#8217;s <a href=\"http:\/\/www.sapphiretech.com\/presentation\/product\/?cid=1&amp;gid=3&amp;sgid=1159&amp;pid=1658&amp;psn=&amp;lid=1&amp;leg=0#\" onclick=\"_gaq.push(['_trackEvent', 'outbound-article', 'http:\/\/www.sapphiretech.com\/presentation\/product\/?cid=1&amp;gid=3&amp;sgid=1159&amp;pid=1658&amp;psn=&amp;lid=1&amp;leg=0#', 'website:']);\" >website:<strong><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<table style=\"width: 100%;\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" align=\"center\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td align=\"left\" valign=\"top\">\n<table style=\"width: 98%;\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" align=\"center\" bgcolor=\"#000000\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<div id=\"DETAILS\">\n<table style=\"width: 100%;\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"1\" cellpadding=\"0\" align=\"center\" bgcolor=\"#cccccc\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td align=\"left\" bgcolor=\"#ffffff\"><strong> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/www.sapphiretech.com\/images\/arrow_right.png?resize=22%2C22\" alt=\"\" align=\"absmiddle\" hspace=\"5\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/>Overview<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<table style=\"width: 100%;\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"5\" align=\"center\" bgcolor=\"#000000\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"140\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/us.sapphiretech.com\/gm\/images\/contentLib\/icon\/739.gif?w=720\" alt=\"\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/td>\n<td align=\"left\" valign=\"top\"><strong>HDMI (with 3D)<\/strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/www.sapphiretech.com\/images\/article\/HDMI.gif?resize=201%2C46\" alt=\"\" longdesc=\"https:\/\/admin.sapphiretech.com\/gaming\/controls\/fckeditor\/editor\/undefined\" align=\"right\" hspace=\"3\" vspace=\"5\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/>\u00a0Support for Deep Color, 7.1 High Bitrate Audio, and 3D Stereoscopic, \u00a0ensuring the highest quality Blu-ray and video experience possible from your PC.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td colspan=\"2\">\n<hr width=\"95%\" \/>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<table style=\"width: 100%;\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"5\" align=\"center\" bgcolor=\"#000000\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"140\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i0.wp.com\/us.sapphiretech.com\/gm\/images\/contentLib\/icon\/Mini-DisplayPort_20091112_1732.gif?w=720\" alt=\"\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/td>\n<td align=\"left\" valign=\"top\"><strong>Mini-DisplayPort <\/strong>Enjoy the benefits of the latest generation display interface, DisplayPort. With the ultra high HD resolution, \u00a0the graphics card ensures that you are able to support the latest generation of LCD monitors.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td colspan=\"2\">\n<hr width=\"95%\" \/>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<table style=\"width: 100%;\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"5\" align=\"center\" bgcolor=\"#000000\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"140\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/us.sapphiretech.com\/gm\/images\/contentLib\/icon\/3905.png?w=720\" alt=\"\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/td>\n<td align=\"left\" valign=\"top\"><strong>Dual-Link DVI-I <\/strong>Equipped with the most popular Dual Link DVI (Digital Visual Interface), this card is able to display ultra high resolutions of up to 2560 x 1600 at 60Hz.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td colspan=\"2\">\n<hr width=\"95%\" \/>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<table style=\"width: 100%;\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"5\" align=\"center\" bgcolor=\"#000000\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"140\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/us.sapphiretech.com\/gm\/images\/contentLib\/icon\/13.gif?w=720\" alt=\"\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/td>\n<td align=\"left\" valign=\"top\"><strong>AMD Eyefinity<\/strong>AMD Eyefinity technology maximises your field of view across up to three displays, fully engaging your peripheral vision.\u00a0 For gamers this puts you right IN the game and for other applications it helps to increase productivity by maximising your visual workspace so that you can see more windows simultaneously.\u00a0 AMD Eyefinity technology is also ideal for multimedia applications as it allows you to keep several \u2018palettes\u2019 or \u2018panels\u2019 open over a larger workspace whist you edit your images or videos.*<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.sapphiretech.com\/images\/WebEvent\/eyefinity.html\" onclick=\"_gaq.push(['_trackEvent', 'outbound-article', 'http:\/\/www.sapphiretech.com\/images\/WebEvent\/eyefinity.html', 'Eyefinity Demo']);\" title=\"Eyefinity\"  rel=\"gb_page_center[775, 620]\">Eyefinity Demo<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.sapphiretech.com\/images\/WebEvent\/eyefinity.html\" onclick=\"_gaq.push(['_trackEvent', 'outbound-article', 'http:\/\/www.sapphiretech.com\/images\/WebEvent\/eyefinity.html', '']);\" title=\"Eyefinity\"  rel=\"gb_page_center[775, 620]\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/www.sapphiretech.com\/images\/article\/image\/HD5800A.jpg?resize=500%2C253\" alt=\"\" border=\"0\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>*To support 3 displays, one of the monitors has to support DisplayPort<\/p>\n<p>*With Sapphire Flex Technology, this requirement will be no necessory<\/p>\n<p>Learn more about Sapphire Flex Technology?<ins><a href=\"http:\/\/www.sapphiretech.com\/Flex\/FleX_Eng_home.html\" onclick=\"_gaq.push(['_trackEvent', 'outbound-article', 'http:\/\/www.sapphiretech.com\/Flex\/FleX_Eng_home.html', 'http:\/\/www.sapphiretech.com\/Flex\/FleX_Eng_home.html']);\" >http:\/\/www.sapphiretech.com\/Flex\/FleX_Eng_home.html<\/a><\/ins><\/p>\n<p>*<span style=\"color: #000000;\">*When running Microsoft Windows XP, Eyefinity technlogy supports a maximum of 2 displays.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td colspan=\"2\">\n<hr width=\"95%\" \/>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<table style=\"width: 100%;\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"5\" align=\"center\" bgcolor=\"#000000\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"140\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i0.wp.com\/us.sapphiretech.com\/gm\/images\/contentLib\/icon\/65.gif?w=720\" alt=\"\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/td>\n<td align=\"left\" valign=\"top\"><strong>Advanced GDDR5 Memory Technology <\/strong>GDDR5 memory provides twice the bandwidth per pin of GDDR3 memory, delivering more speed and higher bandwidth.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td colspan=\"2\">\n<hr width=\"95%\" \/>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<table style=\"width: 100%;\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"5\" align=\"center\" bgcolor=\"#000000\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"140\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/us.sapphiretech.com\/gm\/images\/contentLib\/icon\/21.gif?w=720\" alt=\"\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/td>\n<td align=\"left\" valign=\"top\"><strong>AMD Stream Technology <\/strong>Accelerate the most demanding applications with AMD Stream technology and do more with your PC.\u00a0 AMD Stream Technology allows you to use the teraflops of compute power locked up in your graphics processer on tasks other than traditional graphics such as video encoding, at which the graphics processor is many, many times faster than using the CPU alone.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td colspan=\"2\">\n<hr width=\"95%\" \/>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<table style=\"width: 100%;\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"5\" align=\"center\" bgcolor=\"#000000\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"140\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/us.sapphiretech.com\/gm\/images\/contentLib\/icon\/ATI%20CrossFireX_20091112_3652.gif?w=720\" alt=\"\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/td>\n<td align=\"left\" valign=\"top\"><strong>AMD CrossFireX\u2122 Multi-GPU Technology <\/strong>Triple or Quadruple gaming power with AMD CrossFireX\u2122 Multi-GPU Technology.AMD CrossFireX technology supports up to four graphics cards to be used in a single system.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td colspan=\"2\">\n<hr width=\"95%\" \/>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<table style=\"width: 100%;\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"5\" align=\"center\" bgcolor=\"#000000\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"140\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/us.sapphiretech.com\/gm\/images\/contentLib\/icon\/735.gif?w=720\" alt=\"\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/td>\n<td align=\"left\" valign=\"top\"><strong>AMD HD3D Technology <\/strong>Enjoy the most immersive experience possible with full support for High Definition Stereoscopic 3D, a technique that presents 2D images (movies, games, photos) in a format that creates the illusion of three-dimensional depth when using compatible 3D displays \/ glasses \/ software.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td colspan=\"2\">\n<hr width=\"95%\" \/>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<table style=\"width: 100%;\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"5\" align=\"center\" bgcolor=\"#000000\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"140\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/us.sapphiretech.com\/gm\/images\/contentLib\/icon\/3749.png?w=720\" alt=\"\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/td>\n<td align=\"left\" valign=\"top\"><strong>28 nm GCN (Graphic Core Next) Architecture <\/strong>The new and 28nm GCN Architecture with more efficient process technology puts more transistors in less space, enabling a dramatic increase in Processing Power. Crank the settings, devastate your enemies and bear witness to absurdly high frame rates with AMD Radeon HD7000 series graphics card-DirectX 11 has never looked this good. Maximum setting and crazy performance shouldn\u2019t be a compromise.\u00a0 The AMD Radeon HD7900 Series with the new 28 nm GCN Architecture assures that it\u2019s not.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td colspan=\"2\">\n<hr width=\"95%\" \/>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<table style=\"width: 100%;\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"5\" align=\"center\" bgcolor=\"#000000\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"140\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i0.wp.com\/us.sapphiretech.com\/gm\/images\/contentLib\/icon\/3751.gif?w=720\" alt=\"\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/td>\n<td align=\"left\" valign=\"top\"><strong>PCI Express 3.0 <\/strong>PCI-Express 3.0 delivers double the bandwidth per lane of PCIe Gen 2 for faster GPU (GPU communication-up to 16GB\/sec in each direction), maximizing the performance from your GPU when paired with the latest platforms.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td colspan=\"2\">\n<hr width=\"95%\" \/>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<table style=\"width: 100%;\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"5\" align=\"center\" bgcolor=\"#000000\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"140\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i0.wp.com\/us.sapphiretech.com\/gm\/images\/contentLib\/icon\/26.gif?w=720\" alt=\"\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/td>\n<td align=\"left\" valign=\"top\"><strong>Microsoft DirectX\u00ae 11 <\/strong>Get intense gaming performance and unrivalled image quality with stunning 3D visual effects, realistic lighting and lifelike imagery with SAPPHIRE graphics cards supporting DirectX\u00ae11.\u00a0 New features in DirectX\u00ae11 such as Hardware Tesselation, HDR Texture Compression, Multi-threading support and DirectCompute bring lifelike gaming and an experience never possible on a PC before.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td colspan=\"2\">\n<hr width=\"95%\" \/>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<table style=\"width: 100%;\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"5\" align=\"center\" bgcolor=\"#000000\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"140\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/us.sapphiretech.com\/gm\/images\/contentLib\/icon\/3755.gif?w=720\" alt=\"\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/td>\n<td align=\"left\" valign=\"top\"><strong>OpenGL 4.2 <\/strong>OpenGL 4.2 improves the GPU efficiency by improving the shader process operation and capturing GPU tessellated geometry. The process of modifying an arbitrary subset of compress texture is also simplified. The memory management in handling shaders is more efficient as well.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td colspan=\"2\">\n<hr width=\"95%\" \/>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<table style=\"width: 100%;\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"5\" align=\"center\" bgcolor=\"#000000\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"140\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/us.sapphiretech.com\/gm\/images\/contentLib\/icon\/ATI%20Catalyst_20091112_1287.gif?w=720\" alt=\"\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/td>\n<td align=\"left\" valign=\"top\"><strong>AMD Catalyst Control Center\u2122 <\/strong>The AMD Catalyst Control Center\u2122 software application gives you complete control over the performance and visual quality of your SAPPHIRE AMD Radeon\u2122 based graphics card allowing for the best experience on your PC.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td colspan=\"2\">\n<hr width=\"95%\" \/>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<table style=\"width: 100%;\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"5\" align=\"center\" bgcolor=\"#000000\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"140\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/us.sapphiretech.com\/gm\/images\/contentLib\/icon\/Vista_20091203_352.jpg?w=720\" alt=\"\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/td>\n<td align=\"left\" valign=\"top\"><strong>Windows\u00ae Vista support <\/strong>Integrate with Windows Vista to deliver the best 3D graphics control.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td colspan=\"2\">\n<hr width=\"95%\" \/>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<table style=\"width: 100%;\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"5\" align=\"center\" bgcolor=\"#000000\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"140\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i0.wp.com\/us.sapphiretech.com\/gm\/images\/contentLib\/icon\/1221.jpg?w=720\" alt=\"\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/td>\n<td align=\"left\" valign=\"top\"><strong>AMD PowerTune\u2122 Technology <\/strong>AMD PowerTune is a breakthrough technology that sets an entirely new direction for maximum performance at TDP. It allows the GPU to be designed with higher engine clock speeds which can be applied on the broad set of applications that have thermal headroom.<\/p>\n<p>In HD 7900 series,\u00a0AMD PowerTune technology enables intelligent power monitoring to enable higher clock speeds and better performance in your favorite games<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td colspan=\"2\">\n<hr width=\"95%\" \/>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<table style=\"width: 100%;\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"5\" align=\"center\" bgcolor=\"#000000\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"140\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/us.sapphiretech.com\/gm\/images\/contentLib\/icon\/742.jpg?w=720\" alt=\"\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/td>\n<td align=\"left\" valign=\"top\"><strong>Microsoft Office 2010<\/strong>Take advantage of improved picture and media editing capabilities in Office 2010 as well as edit and share your content in real time.<\/p>\n<p>See more, and get more done. Enhanced productivity with accelerated GPU processing for Office applications.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td colspan=\"2\">\n<hr width=\"95%\" \/>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<table style=\"width: 100%;\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"5\" align=\"center\" bgcolor=\"#000000\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"140\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/us.sapphiretech.com\/gm\/images\/contentLib\/icon\/Windows7_20091112_993.gif?w=720\" alt=\"\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/td>\n<td align=\"left\" valign=\"top\"><strong>Windows\u00ae 7 support <\/strong>WHQL (Windows Hardware Quality Labs) Certified drivers and logos are available for all SAPPHIRE HD2000, HD3000, HD4000 and HD5000 series cards ensuring compatibility and reliability with Microsoft Windows 7.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td colspan=\"2\">\n<hr width=\"95%\" \/>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<table style=\"width: 100%;\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"5\" align=\"center\" bgcolor=\"#000000\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"140\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/us.sapphiretech.com\/gm\/images\/contentLib\/icon\/1388.gif?w=720\" alt=\"\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/td>\n<td align=\"left\" valign=\"top\"><strong>AMD App Acceleration <\/strong>AMD App Acceleration is a set of technologies designed to improve video quality and enhance application performance. Full enablement of some features requires support for OpenCL, DirectCompute or DirectX Video Acceleration (DXVA).<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td colspan=\"2\">\n<hr width=\"95%\" \/>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<table style=\"width: 100%;\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"5\" align=\"center\" bgcolor=\"#000000\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"140\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/us.sapphiretech.com\/gm\/images\/contentLib\/icon\/3761.png?w=720\" alt=\"\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/td>\n<td align=\"left\" valign=\"top\"><strong>AMD PowerPlay with ZeroCore Power Technology <\/strong>AMD PowerPlay is a power management technology in response to the GPU loading, AMD PowerPlay automatically manages the power consumption. AMD RADEON HD7000 Series with AMD ZeroCore Power Technology, the power consumption can be as low as less than 3 Watt when idle, making the best use of power.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td colspan=\"2\">\n<hr width=\"95%\" \/>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<table style=\"width: 100%;\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"5\" align=\"center\" bgcolor=\"#000000\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"140\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/us.sapphiretech.com\/gm\/images\/contentLib\/icon\/3767.png?w=720\" alt=\"\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/td>\n<td align=\"left\" valign=\"top\"><strong>AMD HD Media Accelerator <\/strong>AMD HD Media Accelerator has been designed to help optimize and dramatically improve video playback on your computer by taking advantage of hardware video acceleration from your AMD Radeon GPU.\u00a0 With full 3D stereoscopic decode you can enjoy it all in 3D.\u00a0 AMD HD Media Accelerator speeds up the decode of one 1080p and one 1080i HD video streams simultaneously by hardware, and the new hardware encodes\/transcoder processes your media content faster than ever!<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td colspan=\"2\">\n<hr width=\"95%\" \/>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>As you can see below, the Sapphire HD 7750 Low Profile Edition is a fully-featured stock-clocked HD 7750.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/spec-chart.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-31629\" title=\"spec-chart\" src=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/spec-chart.jpg?resize=444%2C380\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/spec-chart.jpg?resize=444%2C380 444w, http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/spec-chart-300x256.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 444px) 100vw, 444px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The system requirements are modest.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-31630\" title=\"SYSreq-1\" src=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/SYSreq-1.jpg?resize=600%2C284\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/SYSreq-1.jpg?resize=600%2C284 600w, http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/SYSreq-1-300x142.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Low Profile is what stands out that may differentiate this product from the other HD 7750s.<\/h3>\n<p>However, we are also interested in gaming performance.\u00a0 We see awesome features and we are eager to get to benching the Sapphire HD 7750\u00a0Low Profile\u00a0card against the GTX 550 Ti and against the stock and overclocked HD 7770. First, let&#8217;s unbox it.<\/p>\n<p><!--pagetitle: Introduction--><!--nextpage--><!--pagetitle: Unboxing--><\/p>\n<p><strong>Unboxing the Sapphire HD 7750\u00a0Low Profile\u00a0edition<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The Sapphire HD 7750 Low Profile\u00a0edition comes in a box with a fully-armed G.I. Jane type of picture that emphasises that Sapphire means business with this\u00a0new card. Genuinely low-profile\u00a0to fit inside a mini-ITX case complete with 1GB GGR5, high-speed HDMI with every kind of necessary adapter,\u00a0and\u00a0multi-display capable,\u00a0stand out to catch the consumer&#8217;s eye at retail.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter  wp-image-31621\" title=\"Box-1\" src=\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Box-1.jpg?resize=480%2C394\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Box-1.jpg?resize=480%2C394 1000w, http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Box-1-300x246.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Clearly the box emphasizes\u00a0that Sapphire means business\u00a0by having their mascott dressed for war.\u00a0 The other side of the box is dedicated to another view of Sapphire&#8217;s mascott and to the card&#8217;s features. The potential buyer at retail can see what is included with the HD 7750 &#8211; assorted cables (Optional), the driver CD and the quickstart manual. It advises, &#8220;Ignite your Imagination with the Sapphire HD 7750&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter  wp-image-31623\" title=\"Box-obv\" src=\"http:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Box-obv1.jpg?resize=480%2C369\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"http:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Box-obv1.jpg?resize=480%2C369 1000w, http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Box-obv1-300x230.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The inner and outer packing materials are made from\u00a0100% recycled paper.\u00a0 The end panels are pretty plain although the specifications are on one panel.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter  wp-image-31626\" title=\"spec\" src=\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/spec.jpg?resize=480%2C167\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/spec.jpg?resize=480%2C167 800w, http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/spec-300x104.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/>\u00a0Opening the box, we see that everything is well-packed and the\u00a0low profile\u00a0HD 7750 card itself comes in an anti-static foam-protected envelope.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter  wp-image-31625\" title=\"openbox\" src=\"http:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/openbox.jpg?resize=480%2C349\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"http:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/openbox.jpg?resize=480%2C349 800w, http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/openbox-300x217.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Here is everything out of the box.\u00a0 The first thing you notice is that the card is really small.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter  wp-image-31624\" title=\"contents\" src=\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/contents.jpg?resize=480%2C376\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/contents.jpg?resize=480%2C376 800w, http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/contents-300x235.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Dual-Link DVI-I, HDMI and Displayport outputs are all mounted within the low-profile backplate. This has been achieved by the use of mini-DP and micro-HDMI sockets. A set of Mini-DP to DP, micro-HDMI to HDMI, and DVI-I to VGA adapters are supplied with the card, as well as both low profile and standard height backplates for regular sized cases such as our test case.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter  wp-image-31616\" title=\"7750-conn\" src=\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/7750-conn.jpg?resize=384%2C269\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/7750-conn.jpg?resize=384%2C269 480w, http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/7750-conn-300x210.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 384px) 100vw, 384px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/p>\n<p>We see a no 6-pin PCIe connector which suggests that this card is very light on power usage and will draw all of its power from the PCIe slot.\u00a0 The card is capable of CrossFire without a bridge although it is probably\u00a0a good idea\u00a0to use a CrossFire bridge when paired with another HD 7750 for maximum performance.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter  wp-image-31614\" title=\"7750-1\" src=\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/7750-1.jpg?resize=480%2C330\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/7750-1.jpg?resize=480%2C330 800w, http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/7750-1-300x206.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Sapphire has created a well-designed card specifically for small form factor cases and for HTPC with plenty of connectors. Removing both hex\u00a0screws on the plate on either side of the DVI connector allows the owner to exchange the mini-plate for a regular\u00a0sized one for\u00a0use in a\u00a0standard PC.\u00a0 A regular or needle-nosed pliers works fine to loosen and remove them.\u00a0 As it comes shipped,\u00a0the Sapphire HD 7750 Low Profile card\u00a0comes set up for low-profile\/mini-ITX PCs, and to change it over takes\u00a0only about a minute.\u00a0<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter  wp-image-31615\" title=\"7750-2\" src=\"http:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/7750-2.jpg?resize=480%2C367\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"http:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/7750-2.jpg?resize=480%2C367 800w, http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/7750-2-300x229.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Sapphire has added\u00a0a very small heatsink and fan\u00a0to the card to keep it cool. There is\u00a0no need for a\u00a06-pin PCIe connection or any external power connectors as the card sips power through the PCIe slot.<\/p>\n<p>Here is the other side of the card:\u00a0<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter  wp-image-31617\" title=\"7750-obv\" src=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/7750-obv.jpg?resize=480%2C275\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/7750-obv.jpg?resize=480%2C275 800w, http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/7750-obv-300x171.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/p>\n<p>This card is easy to fit into any\u00a0case and even into smaller mini-ITX\u00a0cases as the card is physically short at about 170mm by 67mm with a thickness of only 18mm. The card is packed well for shipping and it looks great for its purpose.<\/p>\n<p>Let&#8217;s take a look at our test system before we benchmark the reference clocked (800\/1125MHz) Sapphire HD 7750 Low Profile\u00a0edition against the stock clocked EVGA GTX 550 Ti as well as a\u00a0VaporX Sapphire HD 7770 GHz\u00a0OC edition\u00a0(1100\/1300MHz)\u00a0and also against a stock-clocked HD 7750 (1100\/1125MHz).\u00a0 As a bonus, we shall clock our Sapphire HD 7750 Low Profile edition as far as we can to see if we can get even more performance.<\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><!--pagetitle: Test configuration--><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: left;\"><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"Next page...\" src=\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-includes\/js\/tinymce\/plugins\/wordpress\/img\/trans.gif?w=720\" alt=\"\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/h2>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: left;\">Our test system<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Test Configuration<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Test Configuration &#8211; Hardware <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Intel Core i7-3770K (reference 3.50 GHz); Turbo is on to 4.8GHz.<\/li>\n<li>EVGA Z77 FTW motherboard (Intel Z77 chipset, latest beta BIOS, PCIe 3.0 specification; CrossFire\/SLI 16x+16x, PLEX chip).<\/li>\n<li>8GB OCZ DDR3 PC 1866 Kingston RAM (4x2GB, dual-channel at 1866MHz; supplied by Kingston)<\/li>\n<li>Sapphire HD 7750 Low Profile (1GB, 800\/1125MHz and overclocked to 950\/1300MHz), supplied by Sapphire<\/li>\n<li>Sapphire VaporX HD 7770 GHz\u00a0OC Edition (1 GB, 1100\/1300MHz; also underclocked to 1000MHz\/1125MHz reference speed)\u00a0supplied by Sapphire<\/li>\n<li>EVGA GTX 550 Ti, 1GB at reference clocks, supplied by EVGA<\/li>\n<li>Onboard Realtek Audio<\/li>\n<li>Seagate 7200.12 500GB HDD<\/li>\n<li>Thermaltake ToughPower 775 W power supply unit supplied by Thermaltake<\/li>\n<li>Thermaltake Overseer RX-1 full tower case, supplied by Thermaltake<\/li>\n<li>Thermaltake Water2.0 Pro CPU watercooler, supplied by Thermaltake<\/li>\n<li>Philips DVD SATA writer<\/li>\n<li>HP LP3065 2560&#215;1600 thirty inch LCD at 1920&#215;1200 and 1680&#215;1050.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Test Configuration &#8211; Software<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>AMD Catalyst 12.8 WHQL drivers used for all AMD cards and all games except for <em>Far Cry 2<\/em> (Catalyst WHQL 12.4 used due to performance issues with 12.8 and <em>Far Cry 2).<\/em><\/li>\n<li>GeForce Beta\u00a0305.37 used for all Nvidia cards<\/li>\n<li>Windows 7 64-bit; very latest updates<\/li>\n<li>DirectX July\/November 2010<\/li>\n<li>All games are patched to their latest versions.<\/li>\n<li>vsync is forced off in the control panel.<\/li>\n<li>Varying AA enabled as noted on the charts; all in-game settings are specified with 16xAF always applied if possible; 16xAF forced in control panel for <em>Crysis<\/em><em><\/em>.<\/li>\n<li>All results show average frame rates.<\/li>\n<li>Highest quality sound (stereo) used in all games.<\/li>\n<li>Windows 7 64, all DX9 titles were run under DX9 render paths, DX10 titles were run under DX10 render paths and DX11 titles under DX11 render paths.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong><strong>The Benchmarks<\/strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>As with all of our other games, in-game settings are maxed except where noted and levels of AA are noted on the performance summary charts<em><\/em>. Resolutions used are 1920&#215;1200 and 1680&#215;1050.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Synthetic<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Vantage<\/li>\n<li>3DMark 11<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>DX9 Games<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em> Serious Sam, 3 BFE<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Left 4 Dead 2<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Alan Wake: American Nightmare<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>DX10 Games<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em> Crysis<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>World in Conflict<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em> Far Cry 2<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em> Just Cause 2<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Resident Evil 5<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>DX 11 Games<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em> Battleforge<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em> STALKER, Call of Pripyat<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Aliens vs. Predator<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>F1 2010<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em> Metro 2033<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em> Lost Planet 2<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em> H.A.W.X. 2<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Civilization 5<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Crysis 2<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Shogun II<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>DiRT 3<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Deus Ex: Human Revolution<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Batman: Arkham City<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Max Payne 3<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>the Secret World<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>Alan Wake: American Nightmare<\/em> is a brand new DX9 game for ABT that is quite demanding on high settings.\u00a0 We also added <em>the Secret World <\/em>and<em> Max Payne 3<\/em> recently.\u00a0 We are currently using 3 DX9 games, 5 DX10 games and 15 DX11 titles.\u00a0 Let&#8217;s head to our benchmarks.<\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><!--pagetitle: Performance Charts, Overclocking and Temps--><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Performance Charts, Overclocking, and Noise<\/strong><\/h3>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<h3><strong>Overclocking and temperatures<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>The Sapphire HD 7750\u00a0Low Profile\u00a0Edition always ran cool and quiet. Even at\u00a0its maximum overclock, the fan still did not ramp up loudly\u00a0using the automatic\u00a0profile.\u00a0 Highest temperatures we noted were 60C under maximum load at stock and 65C when overclocked and under maximum load.<\/p>\n<p>The card sips power due to using just\u00a0the PCIe slot and takes advantage of the smaller 28nm process. In\u00a0all cases, we were able to achieve a\u00a0very good\u00a0core overclock from 800MHz to 950Mhz, and the memory was able to overclock from 1125MHz to 1300MHz.\u00a0 We actually were able to achieve 1350MHz stably, but performance increased no further after 1300MHz and we used the lower overclock.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Overclocking<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Overclocking was easily accomplished using <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sapphireselectclub.com\/ssc\/TriXX\/TriXX.aspx\" onclick=\"_gaq.push(['_trackEvent', 'outbound-article', 'https:\/\/www.sapphireselectclub.com\/ssc\/TriXX\/TriXX.aspx', 'Sapphire&#8217;s own TriXX software']);\" >Sapphire&#8217;s own TriXX software<\/a><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-29840\" title=\"TriXX\" src=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/TriXX.jpg?resize=427%2C482\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/TriXX.jpg?resize=427%2C482 427w, http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/TriXX-265x300.jpg 265w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 427px) 100vw, 427px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/p>\n<p>TriXX compares favorably with other vendor&#8217;s perhaps more well-known software. It allows some voltage tweaking with the HD 7770s that we received from Sapphire but not with the HD 7750 Low Profile editon.<\/p>\n<p>We set\u00a0our Board Power slider\u00a0to the maximum +20% including when we overclocked.\u00a0\u00a0However, we did not adjust the fan profile as the card stayed cool under maximum load.\u00a0 We would have liked more voltage but it isn&#8217;t\u00a0practical to offer it without also supplying an external PCIe power connector.\u00a0 Surprisingly, Sapphire makes no mention of TriXX on their CD nor\u00a0on the\u00a0box although you can find it on their web site.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter  wp-image-31650\" title=\"TRIXX-CCC\" src=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/TRIXX-CCC.jpg?resize=480%2C349\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/TRIXX-CCC.jpg?resize=480%2C349 800w, http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/TRIXX-CCC-300x218.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/p>\n<p>We got a very nice overclock on our\u00a0HD 7750&#8217;s\u00a0memory to 1300MHz and although it remained artifact free beyond 1350MHz, performance did not increase past 1300MHz.\u00a0 We settled on 950\/1300MHz as our highest stable overclock in all conditions still using the ultra-silent stock fan profile.\u00a0 Sapphire&#8217;s TriXX allows overclocks well past AMD&#8217;s CCC limits of 925\/1250MHz.<\/p>\n<p>If the end user wants a bit more overclocking headroom or perhaps to stabilize an overclock, they have the option to increase the fan speeds and still have very quiet gaming. About 50% is where it first starts to become noticeable. Other than that, the small single-fan solution of the\u00a0Low Profile edition\u00a0is effectively silent during gaming.\u00a0 It is quieter than\u00a0either Sapphire HD 7770s\u00a0which\u00a0are already very\u00a0quiet running cards.<\/p>\n<p>The Sapphire HD 7750 Low Profile edition is very well suited for HTPC and for mini-cases.\u00a0 How well does it perform in modern games both at stock and at overclocked speeds?\u00a0 The performance charts are next.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Performance Charts<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The first column represents the Sapphire Low Profile HD 7750 at out of the box reference HD 7750 speeds (800\/1125MHz)\u00a0and in\u00a0the third column it is overclocked to 950\/1300MHz.\u00a0 The second column represents a stock-clocked GTX 550 Ti which is Nvidia&#8217;s closest competitor in terms of both performance and price.\u00a0 The fourth column is a stock-clocked HD 7770 and in the last column it is Sapphire&#8217;s VaporX HD 7770 GHz OC edition at 1100\/1300MHz.\u00a0 By these comparisons, we can compare the HD 7750&#8217;s performance scaling with clockspeed as well as to its Nvidia GTX 550 Ti competitor.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Chart-1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-31651\" title=\"Chart-1\" src=\"http:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Chart-1.jpg?resize=511%2C542\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"http:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Chart-1.jpg?resize=511%2C542 511w, http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Chart-1-282x300.jpg 282w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 511px) 100vw, 511px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Chart-2.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-31652\" title=\"Chart-2\" src=\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Chart-2.jpg?resize=511%2C540\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Chart-2.jpg?resize=511%2C540 511w, http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Chart-2-283x300.jpg 283w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 511px) 100vw, 511px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Generally, the GTX 550 Ti is a bit faster than the HD 7750 although overclocking goes a long way to making up many deficits and in some cases, overclocking turns the tables completely.\u00a0 We also see that the stock HD 7770 outclasses the stock HD 7750 although in many cases, overclocking the HD 7750 brings it much closer to stock HD 7770 performance.\u00a0 And we can see that scaling with clockspeed is very good for both the HD 7750 and HD 7770.<\/p>\n<p>The Sapphire HD 7750 Low Profile edition is not a gaming powerhouse but it does provide decent framerates in many DX11 games as well as serving a dual and unique purpose as being a mini low profile video card\u00a0that is specifically designed to work in mini-PCs and HTPCs.<\/p>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><!--pagetitle: Conclusion--><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">This has been quite an enjoyable exploration for us in evaluating the Sapphire\u00a0HD 7750 Low Profile\u00a0edition. We were surprised to see solid increases in framerates from being overclocked.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0We see that these sub-$120 cards also offer great features for a similar price to stock HD 7750s and GTX 550s.\u00a0 Performance of an overclocked HD 7750 approaches that of a stock HD 7770 but generally falls short.<\/p>\n<p>It isn&#8217;t the DX11 gaming performance that makes the Sapphire HD 7750 Low Profile card especially attractive.\u00a0 Rather, it is its unique design as a very small low profile card that also handles decent light DX11 gaming that will make this card very popular among the HTPC and mini case crowd.\u00a0 With a premium of only about 15 dollars over regular HD 7750s, the Sapphire HD 7750 Low Profile card is a great value.\u00a0 It is very hard to find a low profile card at all that will manage DX11 with decent framerates.<\/p>\n<p>Overclocking is the HD 7750&#8217;s saving grace regarding performance and this appears to be true with the entire 7000 series.\u00a0 The Sapphire HD\u00a07770 Low Profile card is a decent gaming choice at the $120 price point with good support for multi-monitor.<\/p>\n<p>Of course looking a bit further into the future, we will have to see what Nvidia will bring to the table with their own 28nm new architecture Kepler GPUs and especially the card that replaces the GTX 550 Ti. At this point,\u00a0the HD 7700 series are unchallenged at 28nm.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">We see that AMD&#8217;s partners and especially Sapphire, are working on features and unique capabilities to put cool and quiet overclocked HD 7770s as well as low profile HD 7750s\u00a0on the market to give us great choice. We see quiet cards that can also play DX11.1 games at 1080P and the HD 7750 would also be a very good choice for a HTPC in a mini case. So let&#8217;s look at the Pros and Cons of Sapphire&#8217;s HD 7750\u00a0Low Profile\u00a0edition:<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: left;\">Pros<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>The Sapphire HD 7750 Low Profile edition is a versatile single-slot\u00a0card that can be used for\u00a0light DX11 1080p gaming or even as a HTPC card in a mini-ITX case.<\/li>\n<li>The Sapphire\u00a0HD 7750 offers a quiet running video card even when overclocked<\/li>\n<li>Sapphire&#8217;s HD 7750\u00a0Low Profile\u00a0edition offers a great value over older low profile cards that cannot match its performance.<\/li>\n<li>Display outputs are flexible and the adapters necessary to use them are included in the box.<\/li>\n<li>TriXX is a very good overclocking utility that goes beyond Catalyst Control Center.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Cons<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>None.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>The Verdict:<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>If you are buying a $120 video card for HTPC right now and must have a very small and quiet-running\u00a0single-slot DX11 card that can overclock, the Sapphire HD 7750\u00a0Low Profile\u00a0edition is the card for you.\u00a0 It is perfect for HTPC and where space is an extreme consideration.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>We do not know what the future will bring, but the Sapphire 7750 Low Profile edition brings\u00a0good performance to the Radeon HD 7700 family right now. This editor believes that AMD, and especially Sapphire, bring very full-featured DX11.1 videocards to the market that will find good acceptance among customers and their fans alike.<\/p>\n<p>As a\u00a0good performer in the HD 7750 series that fills a unique role, the Sapphire HD 7770\u00a0Low Profile\u00a0edition deserves our ABT Editor&#8217;s Innovation Award for bringing a small single slot card with decent DX11 gaming performance and quietness to HD 7000 series.\u00a0 It\u00a0is\u00a0perfect for\u00a0mini cases and for HTPC.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/05\/Innovation_thumb1.png?resize=150%2C251\" alt=\"\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The competition is hot as the prices on even the new video cards have softened and Nvidia offers their own set of features including PhysX, CUDA and 3D Vision with their competing GTX 550 Ti. Their own new entry-level 28nm line up is also due to launch relatively soon. Stay tuned, there is a lot coming from us at ABT including\u00a0a CPU\u00a0Air versus Watercooling shootout, a Kingston SSD evaluaton\u00a0and more mobile tech evaluations.\u00a0 There is also a new mystery card evaluation coming shortly &#8211; check our forum for hints!<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left; padding-left: 60px;\">Mark Poppin<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left; padding-left: 60px;\">ABT Senior Editor<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 90px; text-align: left;\">Please join us in our <a href=\"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/abt\/index.php\" target=\"_blank\">Forums<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 90px; text-align: left;\">Become a Fan on <a href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/pages\/AlienBabelTech\/123268467142\" onclick=\"_gaq.push(['_trackEvent', 'outbound-article', 'http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/pages\/AlienBabelTech\/123268467142', 'Facebook']);\" target=\"_blank\">Facebook<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 90px; text-align: left;\">Follow us on <a href=\"http:\/\/twitter.com\/alienbabeltech\" onclick=\"_gaq.push(['_trackEvent', 'outbound-article', 'http:\/\/twitter.com\/alienbabeltech', 'Twitter']);\" target=\"_blank\">Twitter<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 90px; text-align: left;\">For the latest updates from ABT, please <a href=\"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/?feed=rss2\" target=\"_blank\">join our RSS News Feed<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 90px; text-align: left;\">Join our Distributed Computing teams<\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: left; padding-left: 120px;\">\n<li>Folding@Home &#8211; Team AlienBabelTech &#8211; 164304<\/li>\n<li>SETI@Home &#8211; Team AlienBabelTech &#8211; 138705<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.worldcommunitygrid.org\/reg\/viewRegister.do?teamID=3P39R3SRV1\" onclick=\"_gaq.push(['_trackEvent', 'outbound-article', 'http:\/\/www.worldcommunitygrid.org\/reg\/viewRegister.do?teamID=3P39R3SRV1', 'World Community Grid &#8211; Team AlienBabelTech']);\" target=\"_blank\">World Community Grid &#8211; Team AlienBabelTech<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/?p=31564\"><img decoding=\"async\" align=top title=\"Author: Mark Poppin\" src=\"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/IMAGE-LINK.jpg\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":31663,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2533,7814,5],"tags":[72,4571,5720,5111,5721,1002,1788,121,87,470,5722],"class_list":["post-31564","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-abt-news","category-articles","category-gaming","tag-amd","tag-gtx-550-ti","tag-hd-7750","tag-hd-7770","tag-htpx","tag-low-profile","tag-mini-itx","tag-nvidia","tag-review","tag-sapphire","tag-single-slot"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31564","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31564"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31564\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/31663"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31564"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31564"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31564"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}