The release of the Radeon HD 3850 and 3870 graphics processors, which took place in November 2007, immediately influenced the balance of power in the entire line of AMD video cards. The Radeon HD 3870, with performance no worse (and in some cases better) than the Radeon HD 2900XT, became the most powerful card, while the Radeon HD 3850 actually demonstrated what a gaming video card should really be when chosen taking into account the price ratio and performance (previous cards of the “below” 2900XT level (from the Radeon HD 2600 family) frankly did not live up to the requirements of modern games). But two cards, by modern standards, cannot possibly form a lineup, so the development of a line of video cards based on chips manufactured using the 55 nm process was not long in coming, both in both directions, both cheaper cards and a new flagship.

On the occasion of this undoubtedly remarkable event, a press conference was held in the Moscow restaurant Dacha on Pokrovka, to which not only local journalists were invited this time, but also colleagues from all over Eastern Europe. The keynote speaker was Giuseppe Amato, already familiar to our readers, technical director of sales and marketing for AMD in the EMEAI region. Let's get straight to the point.

Some of the strengths that AMD plans to use as competitive advantages for its GPUs in 2008 include:

• Support for DirectX 10.1, which first appeared on the Radeon HD 3850/3870, will be extended to all upcoming video cards (while NVIDIA does not yet plan to move beyond DirectX 10);
• The ability to combine video cards in CrossFire, including modes with more than three cards, will also be available on almost all cards, however, for the cheapest ones this feature will traditionally be implemented in software, without the use of hardware bridges;
• Support for the DisplayPort digital interface and further development of a specialized UVD unit for hardware decoding of video compressed in H.264 and VC1 formats used on Blu-ray and HD-DVD discs;
• The most advanced technological process (55 nm) among those used for the production of graphic processors and PowerPlay technology, which dynamically controls the switching on and off of functional blocks in the chip, which allows reducing energy consumption in modes of partial use of the power of the graphics accelerator;
• Additional benefits when installing AMD graphics on a platform also built on components (chipset and processor) from AMD. We have already talked about the platform for enthusiasts, released last fall, and the mobile platform, which is scheduled for release this year. The platform for office and home media center PCs, called Cartwheel, will be based on chipset motherboards with integrated AMD 780G graphics, with support for DirectX 10, which will appear very soon and should go on sale no later than March. An “additional advantage” in this case should be Hybrid CrossFire technology, which allows, when installing a video card, to combine the resources of it and the graphics core in the chipset.

This is what the Radeon HD 3000 line will look like from now on. As for the leader, the dual-processor Radeon HD 3870 X2 video card, since we already have samples in our laboratory, and detailed practical material will be released in the near future, we will not focus on it. After all, the success of such a card directly depends on its performance compared to similarly priced competitors in demanding 3D games. In the meantime, we will look at what benefits an upgrade to inexpensive video cards from the segment less than $100-150 (by the way, the most widespread) should bring, where not everything is so simple. If only because no one buys such cards to play at maximum quality settings and high resolutions, and often the owners of such cards have no interest in those games (usually dynamic shooters) that are widely used to measure the performance of cards, preferring quieter genres and other entertainment, in particular watching movies.

The functional characteristics of the Radeon HD 3650 do not have any truncations relative to the HD 3850/3870, there is support for CrossFire and a UVD decoder, among the supported interfaces there are both Dual Link DVI and HDMI, and the most modern DisplayPort, which has double the bandwidth and does not requiring licensing fees, unlike HDMI, which should speed up its adoption.

The number of possible options in which cards based on the Radeon HD 3650 can be produced is surprising; manufacturers will be able to install both GDDR3 and DDR2, and in both cases (which is not quite correctly noted on the slide) different amounts of memory can be installed (256 or 512 MB GDDR3 or 256, 512 or 1024 MB DDR2). Of course, the relevance of cards with a gigabyte of DDR2 memory is small, and other options will certainly find their consumers.

Of course, provided that the retail prices correspond to the recommended ones, since in this case it is correct to compare with the Radeon HD 2600 Pro from the previous line, which the 3650 confidently outperforms. Compared to the GeForce 8600 GT, an advantage is also promised everywhere, even in the games Crysis and others that involve a high load on shader units.

Although the description of cards from the Radeon HD 3400 family contains references to high (for their price) 3D performance, since the price itself should be less than $50, according to the official positioning, these cards are no longer designed for fans of modern 3D games. Or rather, they are primarily designed for consumers of HD video content.

AMD compares the cost of such a card with a pair of HD-DVD drives, such costs look like a truly commensurate investment. Considering that such cards can do quite a lot, they can be used to build media centers and home theaters in a compact case. Due to the extremely low heat dissipation, most manufacturers will equip such cards with passive cooling. And compared to earlier implementations of integrated HDMI support, there is now such a useful addition as support for transmitting 5.1-channel audio in Dolby Digital and DTS formats through this interface.

The Radeon HD 3470 is also compatible with the upcoming 1440p HD video format.

Reference cards assume active cooling using cheap, small-sized coolers, however, as already noted, such cards are unlikely to make up the majority (maybe only the cheapest), more likely the predominance of passive radiators. At the same time, it is interesting to note that the reference version of the HD 3450 has a low-profile format and is equipped with an HDMI output; an adapter will be used to connect the monitor via DVI. These cards will be the first to support Hybrid CrossFire technology, which is worth a few words about.

The main purpose is to, despite such a low cost overall for the platform (after all, motherboards on chipsets with integrated video, especially in the mATX format, also traditionally have attractive prices), still provide users with the opportunity to play modern games. Of course, in a purely practical sense, there is no talk of any outstanding results in tests with maximum graphics settings and artificially turned up settings for anisotropic filtering and full-screen anti-aliasing. The second advantage of having two graphics cores in a computer is the ability to automatically switch to using a more economical graphics core integrated into the chipset when the 3D acceleration functions of the video card or video content are not in demand. Finally, multi-monitor capability, although not directly related to Hybrid CrossFire technology (on the contrary, is implemented when it is disabled), will allow, as in the case of boards based on the AMD 690G chipset, to connect up to four monitors to an inexpensive computer. Which, as prices for LCD monitors fall, is becoming increasingly practical, since it can be useful in a variety of situations, to increase comfort and productivity, although in the old-fashioned way it is still perceived by many as something exotic and few people can afford.

How effective will it be to combine the capabilities of an integrated video and graphics core on a video card? For the upcoming AMD 780G chipset, which will have reciprocal support for Hybrid CrossFire, and the Radeon HD 3470 card, the following relative values ​​are given, namely, performance should more than double if the speed of the graphics core in the chipset is taken as one. Which in absolute terms in a number of popular games should correspond to the difference between the “unplayable” mode and the “playable” one. It sounds tempting, since the gap that has existed until now between the needs of games and the capabilities of graphics cores (even the most successful) in chipsets, as well as in the cheapest video cards, is well known, and it would be nice to do something to improve the situation. Of course, as soon as the opportunity arises, we will conduct testing and find out how successfully this idea is implemented.

Intel HD Graphics 3000 is an integrated graphics core built into central processors. Basically, this graphics chip is built into older models of Intel Core i3, Core i5 and Core i7 of the Sandy Bridge generation (second generation of Intel core i).

Specifications

The characteristics of HD Graphics 3000 are slightly higher than those of its younger brother (HD Graphics 2000), although not by much. But overall, the chip still doesn’t stand out as anything special.

The maximum operating frequency of the video adapter reaches 1350MHz (the actual value depends on the processor with which the graphics chip will work). HD Graphics 3000 is equipped with a good number of universal processors (12).

Memory

The amount of memory depends on the RAM allocated to the graphics core, because integrated video cards do not have their own video memory. Exactly how much RAM will be allocated for the needs of the graphics adapter depends on the BIOS settings, but you won’t be able to allocate too much memory, no matter how much you want it.

The speed of the video card depends on the frequency and timing of the RAM used on the computer. This is the weak point of all integrated solutions, Intel HD Graphics 3000 is no exception. The bus width is 64 bits, which is incredibly small.

Regarding the supported APIs, everything is quite sad; you can use DirectX 10.1 and OpenGL 3.3 (only OpenGL 3.1 is supported on Windows). At the moment, the API data is hopelessly outdated. In terms of capabilities for editing and working with graphics, everything is also bad, there is no support for Cuda or OpenCL, you can only be content with the presence of Quick Sync, and this decoder is not supported by all programs. Although the capabilities of integrated graphics are not enough for full-fledged video editing.

What tasks can such a video card handle?

Working with office applications, using a computer to access the Internet, watching HD/FullHD videos, movies or cartoons, basic work with graphics or editing applications, running old games - approximately the entire list of what the Intel HD Graphics 3000 can do.

You can’t even count on more; such features of discrete video cards as overclocking are completely absent here. Turbo Boost technology can partially replace overclocking, although you should not place high hopes on it; it will not provide an impressive increase in performance.

Gaming capabilities of the video adapter

If we are talking exclusively about new products in the gaming industry, then you can completely forget about it. Very few games will run on Intel HD Graphics 3000 due to the lack of support for modern APIs and poor performance.

With older games the situation is much better; most of them will launch and work without problems. But there are some exceptions that work great on weaker and older discrete solutions, but refuse to run normally on Intel HD Graphics.

What about the drivers?

An insufficiently high-quality driver is the reason why a small part of old games refuse to work on this video card. If Intel tried to correct the situation for the latest versions of HD Graphics, then they have already forgotten about this video card.

Although installing the driver is very simple, all you have to do is go to the Intel website and download the necessary software. Updating drivers will also not cause problems, everything is intuitive. To install a new version of the driver, you can use the Intel settings or manually download the updated installation package from the official website.

There is no driver from the manufacturer for Linux; instead, a free solution is used that comes with the Mesa3D libraries. The update is automatic, but if you want to update manually, you will have to install the latest version of Mesa3D and the Linux kernel.

Comparison with discrete analogues

If we compare with video cards, then budget models of the 4th or 5th generation Nvidia, as well as budget models of Radeon HD 5th or 6th generation, are approximately equal in performance. With these video adapters, Intel HD Graphics 3000 is on par; faster and more powerful solutions will not leave even the slightest chance for the integrated chip, but such video cards will also cost quite a lot.

Conclusion

The Intel HD Graphics 3000 is a great choice if you need an office workhorse and don't want to buy a separate graphics card. If you don't want to play new releases or other demanding titles, a computer with an integrated graphics chip will keep you happy for a long time.

Hardcore gamers and other fans of playing new games should not even look at the HD Graphics 3000, the video card will not be able to satisfy your needs.

The motherboard can hardly be called a new product, since it is based on the AMD 760G northbridge introduced at the beginning of 2009. Initially, it was intended to replace the AMD 740G as a budget model for the Socket AM2/AM2+ platform, but was later adapted for subsequent Socket AM3/AM3+ connectors. The main distinguishing feature of the AMD 760G is the presence of an integrated AMD Radeon HD 3000 graphics core operating at 350 MHz and compatible with DirectX 10. It supports a maximum resolution of 1920 x 1200 and is intended rather for multimedia needs, since it would not provide any acceptable performance in modern it is not capable of games.

As for the GIGABYTE GA-78LMT-USB3 itself, it acts as an affordable and compact model for assembling entry-level systems. At the time of writing this review, it is offered at a price of about $70.

Let's take a look at the detailed specifications of GIGABYTE's solution.

GIGABYTE GA-78LMT-USB3 motherboard specification:

ASRock 960GM-VGS3 FX - basic motherboard for Socket AM3+ processors

The ASRock 960GM-VGS3 FX motherboard is a compact entry-class microATX solution that allows you to create a system based on AMD FX, Phenom II or Athlon II processors. It is based on a pair of well-known chips - AMD 760G / SB710.

The RAM subsystem of the ASRock 960GM-VGS3 FX model consists of two 240-pin DIMM slots that support dual-channel operation of 8 GB DDR3-1866 MHz modules. And to connect storage devices and optical drives, four SATA 3 Gb/s ports are used.

The video subsystem of the ASRock 960GM-VGS3 FX board contains an integrated graphics core from the AMD Radeon HD 3000 series, and also allows the installation of discrete video cards with a PCI Express 2.0 x16 interface. And the set of external interfaces of the new product includes USB 2.0, D-Sub, PS/2, RJ45 ports and audio outputs.

Other interesting features of the ASRock 960GM-VGS3 FX include:

the use of exclusively solid-state capacitors in the processor supply voltage stabilization system;

presence of a 5.1-channel audio subsystem;

support for one gigabit network controller;

support for automatic processor optimization technology - ASRock X-Boost;

the ability to store optimized system settings in a separate file and use it in another system for the purpose of overclocking it (OC DNA technology);

support for a number of useful technologies: ASRock XFast 555, App Charger, OC Tuner and others;

Full compatibility with the Windows 8 operating system.

Detailed technical specification table of ASRock 960GM-VGS3 FX motherboard:

ASRock 960GM/U3S3 FX - new motherboard for AMD "Scorpius" platform

A new motherboard has been announced, based on a pair of AMD 760G / SB710 chips. The new product is equipped with an AMD AM3+ processor socket, which allows you to create budget systems based on it using solutions from the AMD “FX”, “Phenom II” or “Athlon II” lines.

Among other key components of the model, we highlight:

the presence of two 240-pin RAM slots that support dual-channel operation of eight-gigabyte modules of the DDR3-1866 MHz standard;

support for two high-speed SATA 6.0 Gb/s ports, four SATA 3.0 Gb/s interfaces and one ATA133 IDE connector, which are used to connect drives and optical drives;

the presence of an integrated graphics core AMD Radeon 3000;

the presence of one PCI Express x16 slot, which allows the installation of a discrete video card;

support for a 6-channel audio subsystem, which is based on the Realtek ALC662 codec;

Availability of two high-speed external USB 3.0 ports.

In addition, the solution has a number of additional advantages that effectively distinguish it from its competitive counterparts. Chief among them are:

the use of solid capacitors in power supplies of key components;

support for XFast RAM technology, which optimizes the use of RAM;

support for XFast LAN technology, which allows you to increase the efficiency of using network communication channel bandwidth;

support for XFast USB technology, which speeds up file transfer using the USB 3.0 interface;

use of the unique C.C.R. module (Combo Cooler Retention), which improves the cooling efficiency of the processor and ensures compatibility of the new socket with AM3 / AM2+ coolers;

support for OC Tuner technology, which allows optimization and monitoring of key parameters.

The summary table of the technical specifications of the new motherboard is as follows:

Announcement of the new ASUS M5A78L-M LX3 motherboard

The range of ASUS motherboards has been replenished with another new product, which is called M5A78L-M LX3. It is created in the Micro-ATX form factor based on AMD 760G (780L)/SB710 chips and is equipped with an AM3+ processor socket. Thus, the new product can effectively work in tandem with processors from the AMD FX, Phenom II, Athlon II and Sempron 100 lines, the thermal package of which does not exceed 95 W.

The model's RAM system consists of two 240-pin slots. They support dual-channel operation of installed DDR3 standard modules, the total volume of which should not exceed 16 GB, and the clock frequency should not exceed 1866 MHz.

The solution's disk system is served exclusively by a south bridge chip (AMD SB710) and includes four SATA 3.0 Gb/s ports. The video subsystem of the new product is based on two components: an integrated graphics core ATI Radeon HD 3000 (support for DirectX 10 instructions) and one PCI Express 2.0 x16 slot, which allows you to install an additional discrete video card.

The set of external interfaces of the motherboard is characterized by the presence of only the most necessary interfaces: USB 2.0, PS/2, D-Sub, RJ-45, COM and audio outputs.

Among the additional advantages of the new product, we note support for a number of useful technologies:

ASUS EPU – optimizes power consumption;

ASUS Anti-Surge Protection – guarantees protection of internal components from excessive voltage;

EMI – protects the user from harmful electromagnetic radiation from system components;

ESD – provides protection of internal components from static discharge;

ASUS Core Unlocker – simplifies the procedure for unlocking additional processor cores;

FAN X-pert – allows the user to control the parameters of internal fans.

The technical specification table for the new motherboard is as follows.

Owners of ATI Radeon 3000 Graphics video cards will need to install a basic driver and, possibly, additional software to fine-tune the component to improve its performance. You can install the necessary files in different ways, and in this article we will look at 4 available options.

Information before installing the driver for ATI Radeon 3000 Graphics

After ATI was purchased by AMD, all previously released products and their support continued to be released and updated, slightly changing their name. In this regard, the name "ATI Radeon 3000 Graphics" similarly "ATI Radeon HD 3000 Series", so next we will talk about installing a driver entitled exactly that.

Due to the fact that these graphics adapters are quite outdated, you should not wait for firmware updates - the latest version was released several years ago with the addition of support for Windows 8. Therefore, if you are a Windows 10 user, correct operation of the driver is not guaranteed.

Method 1: AMD Official Website

AMD stores software for all of its video cards, whether they are the latest models or one of the first ones. Therefore, here you can easily download the necessary files. This method is the safest, since quite often drivers saved from unverified sources are infected with viruses.

1. Visit the AMD support page using the link above. Using the product list, select the following option:

   Graphics > AMD Radeon HD > ATI Radeon HD 3000 Series> your video card model > "Send".



2. A page will open with a list of supported operating systems. As mentioned above, there is no adapted version for Windows 10. Its owners can download software for the G8, but the developers do not guarantee that it will work 100% correctly.

   

   On plus, expand the appropriate tab and select the desired driver version. The stable version is called Catalyst Software Suite, and this is what most users recommend downloading. However, in certain cases it may be preferable to download Latest Beta Driver. This is an updated version of the software that has fixed some bugs. You can view their list by expanding the spoiler "Driver Details".



3. Having decided on the version, click on the button "Download".



4. Run the downloaded installer. Change the file unpacking location if necessary and click "Install".



5. Wait for the files to unzip.



6. In the Catalyst Installation Manager that appears, specify the interface language, if required, and proceed further.



7. To perform a quick installation, select "Install".



8. First of all, specify the path where the directory with the driver will be installed. It is recommended to leave the default location. After that, mark the active installation type – "Fast" or "Custom". Then - "Further".



9. The configuration will be analyzed.



10. Depending on the type of installation you choose, the steps vary. If “Custom” is selected, you will be prompted to cancel the installation of an additional PC component AMD APP SDK Runtime, with “Fast” this stage is absent.



11. Agree to the terms of the license agreement with the button "Accept".

The driver will be installed along with Catalyst. During the procedure, the screen will fade out several times for short periods of time. Once the installation is complete, restart your computer - now you can configure the video card settings through Catalyst or immediately begin to fully use your PC.

Method 2: Programs for installing drivers

An alternative method to the one discussed above would be to use software from third-party developers. This software installs drivers for any number of computer components and peripherals that need to be connected or updated.

This solution is especially relevant if you are planning to reinstall the operating system or simply want to update the software part of the equipment. In addition, it is not at all necessary to install all drivers at the same time - you can do this selectively, for example, only for a video card.

Our other article discusses in detail the best of these programs.

The most popular applications from this list are DriverPack Solution and DriverMax. Despite the fact that the principle of working with them is simple, novice users may have certain questions. For this category, we have prepared instructions on the procedure for installing drivers through these programs.