Just like in the days of GPU scarcity: Maxsun relaunches ten-year-old graphics chip
MSI did it during the chip shortage, Maxsun is doing it three years later: The PC component manufacturer is launching new models with the GT 730 GPU from Nvidia.
Forget the RTX 5090 -Maxsun is re-releasing the Geforce GT730. What sounds absurd is actually real, as IT Home reports.
The GT 730 is a GPU that is over ten years old. It was already one of the weakest models in its series when it was launched in June 2014. The GPU has 384 Cuda cores and a base clock of 902 MHz. Maxsun offers two models: one with 2 and one with 4 gigabytes of DDR3 graphics memory. The card can demand up to 50 watts of power. The manufacturer charges 359 yuan for the larger model, which currently corresponds to around 45 francs / euro.
In short: The GT 730 is an ancient entry-level graphics card that wasn't the fastest when it was launched - now it's available again, with more memory, but still at a snail's pace. But it costs almost nothing. For comparison: The (still) flagship Nvidia RTX 4090 offers 16,384 Cuda computing cores and a base clock of 2235 MHz, but requires up to 450 watts of power. In return, it also delivers a performance increase of over 8000 per cent.
The fact that the GT 730 is making a comeback is nothing new. MSI also brought back a new model of the GT 730 during the chip shortage caused by the pandemic in 2021
The "new" graphics cards are not even new in a double sense. The cards now listed are the latest versions of the MS-GT730 Heavy Hammer 4G and MS-GT730 Heavy Hammer 2G. According to IT-Home research, the new designations MS-GT730 PH 4G and MS-GT730 PH 2G are necessary because they come from a new series production. Otherwise, the cards are identical.
The new series production shows that there are actually still people who buy the cards. I find that difficult to understand. I realise that nobody will use the GT 730 for gaming. But they also seem useless to me for other purposes. Not only because of the poor performance by today's standards - even current integrated graphics units offer significantly more. But mainly because the GPU hasn't received any driver updates since October 2021 and - even more seriously in my eyes - no security updates since September 2024. Anyone who installs one of these is probably making themselves more vulnerable than with current models.
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