MSI GeForce FX5200-TDR128

By jw

Package:

  • MSI FX5200 Quick User’s Guide
  • MSI Media Center Remote Controller
  • 1 x S-Video Cable
  • 9-SCR TV-Out Connecting Cable with Remote Receiver
  • DVI to VGA Adapter
  • MSI Case Badge
  • 10 3D Games
  • Many Software Applications

MSI has added a lot to this package! MSI’s video cards probably have more features included in a video card package than any other manufacturer! Included in this package that is somewhat unique to MSI’s FX line of video cards, is the MSI Media Center II Deluxe + Remote Controller!

With MSI’s Media Center II Deluxe, you can use the Media Center Remote Controller to listen to music, view pictures, play video clips, play DVD’s (DVD-ROM required), execute games, and execute applications. Also, if you choose to get one of the ViVo FX cards from MSI, you can also use this program to watch TV! Unfortunately, our FX does not have that capability. The MSI Media Center Remote Controller has hotkeys to automatically jump to any of the menus you see in the Media Center II Deluxe screen shot.

MSI also packages their Live Update II to allow you to automatically update your MSI FX5200’s driver and bios!

Features:

Now for some features on the video card itself! MSI uses 128mb of Samsung 4.0ns memory on this card that is rated at 500 mhz. This should allow for some decent overclocking on this video card since MSI only has the memory clocked at 400 mhz. And, of course, the FX5200 uses the NV34 core and all the abilities contained therein.

As I mentioned earlier, this card does not have video-in capabilities, but it does have tv-out through either an S-Video cable or coax cable by using MSI’s 9-Pin SCR adapter. This card also has Dual Monitor support through using both the Standard VGA and DVI ports.

This card also features MSI’s T.O.P. Tech II cooling solution. T.O.P. stands for Thermal Obviation Protection Cooling. The T.O.P. Tech II gives you MSI’s Extremely Quiet, Ultra Cooling. To achieve the Extremely Quiet characteristic, MSI uses a Smart Fan that automatically adjusts your cooling fan’s speed under variant operation conditions. I can vouch; this fan really is virtually silent during all of the operating conditions.

MSI has done a very nice job of fully covering the GPU with thermal compound this time. In the past, MSI’s video cards have been noted for a sparse amount of thermal compound, but this time MSI applied it perfectly. Quality control improvements? Maybe!

Here are the four Smart Fan Modes on MSI’s Smart Fan:

  • Enhanced 3D Mode @ 6500 RPM’s and 26.5db
  • 3D Mode @ 5000 RPM’s and 18.6db
  • Enhanced 2D Mode @ 4200 RPM’s and 15.2db
  • 2D Mode @ 3000 RPM’s and 8db

I would like to point out that MSI has added dual bios to this video card to guarantee that it will be able to boot. They also allow you to switch between work mode and safe mode on the bios partitions. Just another nice feature of the MSI FX5200-TDR128!

Now let’s move on to see how this card performs!

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