Best Video Card For HTPC

HTPC – Home theater PC comes with strong chips nowadays, and it can handle pretty hard pressure. HTPC is mainly used for playing music, watching movies, or displaying photos in a living room. But do you want to watch 4k movies or play video games on HTPC? Then you need to invest some money to buy a good video card for your HTPC to enjoy a gaming experience and quality movies with high-definition graphics. A good GPU or video card makes the quality even better than before.

HTPC was very famous for like 3-4 years back. People used to use it most of the time watching movies and documentaries to pass their time. Even now, HTPC is used by mostly all people as it has become more accessible.

Still, it’s famous, and people are buying it. Many of us even think about the possibility as to why people are buying HTPC instead of an LED TV. Well, HTPC comes with some more features which an LED can’t provide. For example, if you want to watch a movie on a Led TV, you may need to purchase a DVD player. That’s quite a hassle every time you want to see a new movie. But HTPC has it built-in. However, you will have to buy the best components compatible with your HTPC, for example, the GPU.

In the following article, there is a number of the best video card for HTPC, and every one of them is provided with important Infos and descriptions. Check this out to choose out the Best HTPC graphics card.

Best Graphics Card For HTPC

Model	Details	Price
Gigabyte GeForce GT 710 2GB Graphics Card	Core Clock: 954 MHz Memory Clock: 5010 MHz Memory: 2GB	Check Price
MSI N210-MD1G/D3 GeForce 210	Core Clock: 589 MHz Memory Clock: 1000 MHz Memory: 1GB	Check Price
Asus GeForce GT 710 2 GB	Core Clock: 954 MHz Memory Clock: 5012 MHz Memory: 2GB	Check Price
MSI Graphics Card GT 1030 2G LP OC	Core Clock: 1518 MHz Memory Clock: 6008 MHz Memory: 2GB	Check Price
ZOTAC GeForce GT 730 Zone Edition	Core Clock: 902 MHz Memory Clock: 1600 MHz Memory: 4GB	Check Price

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Gigabyte GeForce GT 710 2GB Graphics Card

The Gigabyte GeForce GT 710, also knows as GV-N710D5-2GL, offers great graphics quality, though it does not offer good support in gaming. Also, we don’t need it for gaming, though. It is just a note that gaming would not be a good experience if you suddenly had an urge to play some games with it. Anyway, it offers a good experience for what we are buying. One of the best things about this GPU is that it is potent. And that’s why you won’t need a power supply to run this video card. In other words, it can feed itself well and no need for additional expenses. It also is a low-profile HTPC graphics card. This card can fit itself in almost all PC cases, be it the biggest or the smallest case.

Its core clock is 954 MHz with 192 CUDA. The great thing about this HTPC video card is that they are very powerful. You don’t need a power supply to run this video card. It is easy to install and easy to use as well. The colors and the clarity of the graphics are mind-blowing. Also, it comes with overclocking software, though that is a little limited. Even though it is older, it still screams and offers the best of itself. It has clarified its recommended power supply, but it really does not require supplementary power. At this price, it is a good video card for HTPC.

Specification

Graphics Card	Gigabyte GeForce GT 710
Core Clock	954 MHz
Memory Clock	5010 MHz
Memory Type	DDR5
Memory	2GB
Output Ports	1* HDMI 1* DVI
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Key Features & Downsides

Key Features: Gigabyte GeForce GT 710 Graphics Card comes with 2GB DDR5 memory with 64-bit memory bus and 5010 MHz memory clock. The core clock is 954 MHz, and the process technology is 28nm. Moreover, its recommended PSU is 300 W. It has 2 x multi-view and uses PCI-E 2.0 x 8 as the interface.

Downsides: The fan gives some problems. It suddenly stops sometimes. Upon setting up a CD with drives, it damages your windows and also removes your data files. If you’re on a tight budget, don’t expect high FPS. In case you want to know, it does not quite support gaming much. It will lag and won’t be able to present good output in gaming.

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MSI N210-MD1G/D3 GeForce 210

The MSI N210-MD1G/D3 is a graphics card of good value and performed well. Even though it is an affordable video card for HTPC, it does not support 4K videos. It is not a piece of good news for the hard-core fan of Netflix, though. Still, this entry-level GPU offers clear graphics. If you are not addicted to 4K and are satisfied with the 1080p, this graphics card should not disappoint you. Also, its Nvidia GeForce 210 will allow you for photo editing and some video editing as well. Its stock heat sink is really quiet. There are low-profile brackets included, and also it is easy to install. The enhanced sound, along with the clear sound, really lives up to the card’s price. The stock heatsink and the fan both work awesome, keeping the video card cool under load.

If you are on a tight budget and also want a low-profile graphics card. Even though it is not the most powerful GPU on our list, it is a great addition to our list. It offers excellent performance compared to the low price. Apart from using it for watching movies or photo editing, you can use it for a productivity workstation. This cheap GPU is great for dual monitors or HTPC use. HDMI, VGA, and DVI are supported, which means you can pretty much connect it to any monitor or TV. Also, one can use it as a low-budget gamer. That’s why it is a great value for the price. The MSI N210-MD1G/D3 GeForce 210, a decent low-profile card for low-end games, web browsing, and streaming video on Netflix.

Specification

Graphics Card	MSI N210-MD1G/D3 GeForce 210
Core Clock	589 MHz
Memory Clock	1000 MHz
Memory Type	DDR3
Memory	1GB
Output Ports	1* HDMI 1* D-SUB 1* DVI port
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Key Features & Downsides

Key Features: MSI N210-MD1G/D3 GeForce 210 comes with up to 1 GB DDR3 memory with a 64-bit memory bus and 1000 MHz memory speed. The core clock is 589 MHz that supports 16 x CUDA cores. The GPU chipset is GeForce 210, and the TDP is 20W. Moreover, this low-profile form factor GPU comes with a single fan. It has 1 x HDMI, 1 x D-SUB, 1 x DVI port, and it uses PCI Express 2.0 x 16 as its interface.

Downsides: MSI N210-MD1G/D3 GeForce 210 video card is not for gamers. It can not be used for 4K videos or movies. Moreover, you cannot be editing high video and also high-quality photos.

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Asus GeForce GT 710 2 GB

 The Asus GeForce GT 710 2 GB is a well-built video card. It is a great choice for your home PC, working, and even gaming. As for HTPC, this one serves impressively at 1920×1080 resolution. The settings will run smoothly too. It is easy to install and the manual is quite understandable. You can run some awesome games with this one. They will run super good and the FPS also does a favor to it. Moreover, upgrading it from an older PC is another type of excellence. It will boost the performance. If you like to work on graphics, it will serve differently. Be it for gaming, graphics work, or home theatre purpose, the ASUS offers one of the best performances ever. 
The GPU keeps itself cool and quiet which makes it a perfect companion for home theatre or media connectivity. Also, it can support multiple devices (maximum three) at a time. It has 2GB GDDR5 video memory and 192 CUDA cores. It has a D-Sub interface, Native Dual-link DVI-D interface, and HDMI 1.4a as well.

Specification

Graphics Card	Asus GeForce GT 710 2 GB
Core Clock	954 MHz
Memory Clock	5012 MHz
Memory Type	GDDR5
Memory	2 GB
Output Ports	1*Native Dual-link DVI-D 1* D-Sub 1* Native HDMI 1.4a

Key Features & Downsides

Key Features: The ASUS GeForce GT 710 comes with a 2GB GDDR5 memory of 64-bit memory bus, and the memory speed is 5012 MHz. It features 192 CUDA cores and has 954 MHz of core clock. Also, it has a D-Sub interface, Native Dual-link DVI-D interface, and HDMI 1.4a.

Downsides: Since you are buying this for HTPC, there is no problem.

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MSI Graphics Card GT 1030 2G LP OC

The MSI GT 1030 2G LP OC graphics card is a decent and low-maintenance GPU with a reasonable price. It is one of the best GPUs that can be set up in your HTPC and is suitable for average users. You can easily watch movies on a higher resolution on your HTPC. It is easy to install and can improve your system dramatically. The price is also pretty reasonable for a video card used for a Home theatre PC. MSI Graphic Cards GT 1030 2G LP OC is a low-profile video card. This one slot video card is famous for improving the onboard graphics of any processor. Of course, there are reasons why it has placed itself in the best HTPC video card list.

This HTPC GPU can also run many games on 2GB GDDR5 chips on 1080p. It never compromises with its performance. Moreover, you can easily customize the limits of this video card for playing videos at the 4K resolution. However, it would be best if you had a decent and good-quality video processor to do that. Still, GT 1030 2G really does a great job considering its price.

Specification

Graphics Card	MSI GT 1030 2G LP OC
Core Clock	1518 MHz
Memory Clock	6008 MHz
Memory Type	GDDR5
Memory	2‎ GB
Output Ports	1* HDMI DisplayPort (v1.4a)
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Key Features & Downsides

Key Features: The GT 1030 2G LP OC comes with a 2GB GDDR5 memory of 64-bit memory bus, and the memory speed is 6008 MHz. It supports HDCP 2.2, the power consumption is 30 W, and the recommended PSU is 300 W. Maximum displays are two, and also it has 384 units cores which run at 1518 MHz / 1265 MHz. Moreover, it includes a Display/HDMI port and uses PCI Express x16 3.6 as the interface.

Downsides: This HTPC graphics card is slow. This GPU can overheat your PC. Also, you must have to have a good video processor to use this as a 4k HTPC graphics card.

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ZOTAC GeForce GT 730 Zone Edition

Zotac GeForce GT 730 Zone Edition is a few years old GPU but still offers one of the best performances at the same level as many newly released GPUs. As a 4GB card, the price is really reasonable. It is easy to install and is small enough to fit in your small PC case also. Web browsing, video & photo editing, as well as some high-level gaming on your HTPC, can be done thanks to this video card. Its low profile brackets make it easier for your HTPC co-operation. Moreover, it is a 4k video card for HTPC since you can watch videos or movies on 4k settings. You can even play and enjoy games at 4k resolution. As the display output, it supports HDMI, DVI, and VGA as well. For upgrading your old HTPC on budget, this GPU card is a lifesaver.

This budget GPU works like a charm, a perfect choice with the perfect price to upgrade your HTPC. It will enhance your HTPC’s system and performance to the next level.

Specification

Graphics Card	ZOTAC GeForce GT 730 Zone Edition
Core Clock	902 MHz
Memory Clock	1600 MHz
Memory Type	DDR3
Memory	4GB
Output Ports	1* HDMI 1* DL-DVI 1* VGA
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Key Features & Downsides

Key Features: ZOTAC GeForce GT 730 Zone Edition comes with 4GB DDR3 memory with 64-bit memory bus and 1600 MHz memory clock. It has 384 CUDA cores that run at 902 MHz. The interface it uses is PCI Express 2.0 x 8 lanes. Also, it can run triple displays simultaneously, and they are 1 x DL-DVI-D, 1 x VGA, and 1 x HDMI. The power supply recommendation is 300 W, and it can consume a max of 49 W.

Downsides: The ZOTAC GeForce GT 730 Zone Edition becomes overheated under load.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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