Is the MSI Radeon HD 6450 a good casual gaming card?

Akazi · May 24, 2014

I'm looking for a card that will simply replace the on-board card in my Dell Optiplex 755, (I will list the specs at the bottom of this post.) I would like to know if this card http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127584 would be sufficient for casual flash gaming, watching 1080p YouTube videos, and something like Minecraft. I would not be recording any of it and the most graphic-intense thing I would do is probably play Minecraft. I would just like to know if this would suffice my needs, thank you. I am on a budget of 46$(plus maybe a bit more by the end of this month)

Computer Specs:
Dell Optiplex 755 Mini-tower
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E6550 @2.33ghz
Motherboard: Intel Q35 0GM819
Memory: 8GB DDR2 RAM @800mhz
Graphics: Intel Q35 Integrated Chipset(256mb Video RAM)
PSU: 450 watt

i7Baby · May 24, 2014

It should be OK. 720p monitor?

swifty_morgan · May 24, 2014

yes. i use a 5450 at 720 on an old 939 rig. yours is a little faster. can get high settings in a lot of different stuff. did have minor difficulties in CoD2 once in a while so games more demanding will need some settings played with.

wurkfur · May 24, 2014

I have a backup PC that has one of those in it and it can barely play much of anything. It also chops up on 1080p Youtube.

Consider an R7 240, Newegg has one for $62.99 after rebate. It also comes with a free game.

swifty_morgan · May 24, 2014

wurkfur :

fix your computer. update software.

Rationale · May 24, 2014

The HD 6450 is a bit better than the HD 5450...
In other words, it'll run low settings at 720p at 30-ish fps fine. It'll also run casual games well (angry birds, hidden object games, etc). Not much past that though.

Back when I had an HD 5450 I could run Oblivion at 30 fps, low settings, 720p. I kept my grass fade around 25%, textures high, reflections on, bloom on, everything else minimum or low. Granted, Oblivion released in 2006, but the HD 6450 should be a bit stronger than the HD 5450, and minimum settings haven't changed that much over the years.

But if you want to get medium settings in modern serious games, you'll need at least a GT 640/R7 250.

The HD 6450 should handle Minecraft well enough. Probably high settings at playable (30-ish) framerates, as long as you don't turn up the draw distance to a very high amount.

Keep in mind, the HD 6450 was never made to handle 1080p very gracefully. It should handle 1080p Youtube videos, but don't expect to keep games above 25 fps minimum settings at 1080p. It hits its limit for games around 720p and above that the framerates drop hard.

wurkfur · May 24, 2014

swifty_morgan :

Unless he is playing Half Life 2 or Doom 3, he may want a little more oomph. It will play minecraft. My phone will play minecraft. But most modern titles will be a chop fest even at the lowest settings. In most first person shooters I generally like 45 - 60 frames per second. Even with the lowest settings this can be difficult to obtain.

If we are only talking another $20, it can go a long way. Perhaps I'm just spoiled with the 7950 in my main rig.

hans_pcguy · May 24, 2014

Games wont play well with a 6450. Not well indeed.

swifty_morgan · May 24, 2014

wurkfur :

he obviously has software update issues.

yes, going from a big card to a small card gets some getting used to. but you find in short order what the card is actually capable of. and remember, he's playing at 720p.... that's 1300 resolution.

Rationale · May 24, 2014

wurkfur :

swifty_morgan :

He's not really falling short of what the 6450 is capable of. They're only cut out for 50+ fps in modern games if the resolution drops to 480p.

720p is their sweet spot for framerates vs settings. The last time I got 40-60 fps on an (admittedly 20% weaker) HD 5450 above 720p, was 1440x900 in Morrowind in dungeons; it'd still cut down to 20-25 fps in Balmora depending on the angle. I could run some nice 512x512 texture mods in Morrowind on that card though.

The Killing Floor is exceedingly well optimized, and I got medium settings in that at 1440x900, no AA, 2x AF.

But regardless of all this mostly pointless debate, an HD 6450 will be fine for what Akazi plans to use it for: flash games, HD video, and Minecraft.

swifty_morgan · May 24, 2014

you do realize that somebody pulled that 60fps out of their backside ( probably the monitor manufacturers because it made them more money not to produce really good monitors with adequate refresh rates.) ( crt's were great. they just had crappy screens ) and seems to have picked up as gospel. you can get 30fps at high settings and have a really good gaming experience and not feel hitching/stuttering etc.

is a bigger card better.......... yes if the hardware/software behind it utilize use.

Rationale · May 24, 2014

swifty_morgan :

Of course - I don't even play at 60 fps. I limit my games to 30 fps, and I spent quite a long time eliminating microstutter. And I have a GTX 660, so if I wanted I could hit 60 fps at high settings in most games, ultra in any slightly older ones. I cap at 30 fps for a mixture of preference, power consumption, and consistency (When I'm forced down to 30 fps in Metro, it's not jarring when I'm already used to it). And a large benefit is that I can keep video cards twice as long, or spend half as much.

I wasn't saying he should try to reach 60 fps - that's a pipe dream for most people that they'll chase all the way into minimum settings without ever being content. I was simply disagreeing with the previous statement, because it sounded like someone was saying the HD 6450 could hold 60 fps, which of course it couldn't.

swifty_morgan · May 24, 2014

i don't want to keep spamming the thread but OP says a max budget of $46. can't get a better card............. unless there's a better one in the refurbished/open box section.

Rationale · May 24, 2014

swifty_morgan :

Yep.

wurkfur · May 24, 2014

swifty_morgan :

Reading comprehension...

I am on a budget of 46$(plus maybe a bit more by the end of this month)

That means he might be able to scrape up a little at the end of the month. Got Fail?

swifty_morgan · May 24, 2014

a bit more means....??????????? 5 bucks........ 10 bucks>>>>>>>>>>>

darkx132 · May 24, 2014

Yeah the 6450 is pretty good but you can consider going for the 6570 (like you said, you can raise your budget a bit) My friend has a 6450 and it runs games pretty well too but not as good as the 6570. The only thing that's hard in this case is to find a 6570, since they stopped producing any more of those.

wurkfur · May 24, 2014

Swifty, tell me if it is better to pay a little more than you expected or not to have paid enough to begin with...

My recommendation was $17 more for 2-3 times the card.

Akazi · May 24, 2014

Yes, I would like to add I have a 1280x1024 monitor, a bit over 720p but not quite 1080p. It's in the middle. I don't think it's considered quite HD, just HQ.

wurkfur · May 24, 2014

It is considered HD but not Full HD. You may be able to get by with the 6450, but that R7 will run circles around it and make things a little more future proof. If you can scratch together that little extra, it will be worth it.

Is the MSI Radeon HD 6450 a good casual gaming card?

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