The graphics card shortage isn't going to improve in the near future. MSI for its part has resorted to resuscitating a model long forgotten in 2021. The GeForce GT 730 is far from being one of best graphics cards on the market. Nonetheless, the MSI GeForce GT 730 announced today is a viable option for desperate shoppers who want something that's a bit better than integrated graphics or for owners of Intel F-series or Ryzen chips that lack an iGPU.
The MSI GeForce GT 730 (N730K-2GD3H/LPV1) is the 13th installment in MSI's GeForce GT 730 lineup. The vendor listed the graphics card with 384 CUDA cores so this is the Kepler version of the GeForce GT 730. It features a 902 MHz boost clock and 2GB of DDR3 memory operating at 1,600 MHz across a 64-bit memory interface.
The graphics card sports a low-profile design and measures 146mm long, so it'll fit practically inside any PC case. The Kepler graphics card doesn't ask for much either; it's perfectly happy over a single PCIe 2.0 connection. MSI's GT 730 also relies on a big, passive heatsink, so you don't have to worry about noise.
As basic as the MSI GeForce GT 730 may appear, the Kepler graphics card supports up to three displays simultaneously. It comes equipped with one dual-link DVI-D port, one HDMI 1.4 port and one D-sub port. There is support for a maximum resolution of 4096 x 2160, but limited to a 30 Hz refresh rate.
The MSI GeForce GT 730 only sips 23W of power, meaning it draws what it needs from the PCIe expansion slot. MSI does recommend a 300W power supply as a minimum, though.
Nvidia will reportedly stop supporting Kepler graphics cards with the next GeForce R470 drivers. But this may not be a deal breaker, since we doubt anyone is picking up a GeForce GT 730 for gaming anyway.
Custom GeForce GT 730 models start at $77.98 in the U.S. It's sad when even a seven-year-old graphics card is selling for outrageous prices. Alas, that's the current status of the graphics card market, and we'll just have to live with it.
The MSI GeForce GT 730 is expected to sell for 4,565 yen (~$41.64) with tax included in Japan -- a price we'll probably never see in the U.S.
