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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchIn 2007 reviews, the Radeon HD 2600 XT was a modest mainstream gaming card: it led the tested HD 2600 Pro and HD 2400 XT, but its performance against NVIDIA’s GeForce 8600 GT ranged from roughly comparable to markedly slower, depending on the test. The HD 2400 XT could run DirectX 10 games in the compatibility sense, but contemporary results show that support did not make demanding games playable at smooth frame rates. The cards’ more convincing period strengths were low-power, quiet upgrades and hardware-assisted HD video playback—not high-end gaming. These are historical findings, not measures of how the cards work with today’s games, operating systems, or media formats.
Which Radeon HD 2600 and 2400 cards were tested?
AMD positioned the Radeon HD 2600 series for the mainstream desktop market and the HD 2400 series for the value segment in its 2007 annual report. HotHardware’s review tested three specific models: the HD 2600 XT with GDDR4 memory, the HD 2600 Pro, and the HD 2400 XT. The findings below apply to those review samples and named tests, not every board-partner version.
The HD 2600 family was described by HotHardware as a 65 nm design with 390 million transistors, a 128-bit external memory interface, 120 stream processing units, and DirectX 10.0/Shader Model 4.0 support. Memory type, clock speeds, cooling, outputs, and power connectors vary by model and board design, so those family details do not describe every card’s physical configuration.
How fast was the HD 2600 XT compared with the HD 2600 Pro and HD 2400 XT?
In HotHardware’s June 2007 review, the HD 2600 XT was the fastest of the three tested Radeon cards. The HD 2600 Pro trailed it by a few percentage points, while the HD 2400 XT was slower again. The review’s broad ordering is useful, but it does not establish a fixed performance gap for every game or setting.
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- DirectX 10.0 and OpenGL 2.0 hardware support for optimal performance
Against the NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GT, HotHardware reported that the HD 2600 XT was about on par in some of its in-game and synthetic tests, but markedly behind in others. That mixed outcome is more accurate than calling either card a universal winner: results depended on the workload.
Could the HD 2600 and HD 2400 run DirectX 10 games smoothly?
DirectX 10 support meant the cards could support that graphics API; it did not guarantee adequate speed in demanding DX10 games. GameStar’s 2007 Company of Heroes DX10 test at 1280×1024 illustrates the gap between feature support and playable performance:
| Graphics card | Company of Heroes DX10 result |
|---|---|
| Radeon HD 2900 XT | 31.5 fps |
| Radeon HD 2600 XT | 14.2 fps |
| Radeon HD 2400 XT | 4.7 fps |
These are GameStar’s results for that game and test setup, not expected frame rates across all DX10 titles. They show why the HD 2400 XT in particular was poorly suited to demanding DX10 gaming, even though it supported the API.
How much did antialiasing and other image enhancements affect performance?
GameStar found that enabling image enhancements such as antialiasing or anisotropic filtering could reduce Radeon performance sharply. In its Company of Heroes DX9 example, the review reported an HD 2600 result falling from 64.9 fps to about 42 fps with enhancements enabled—a 35% drop. The cited result identifies the card as an HD 2600, so it should not be treated as a confirmed score for a specific XT or Pro board.
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- ATI Radeon HD 3450 256 MB GDDR2 PCI Express Low Profile Video Card General Features:
- Low profile PCB ATI Radeon HD 3450 graphics processing unit (GPU) 40 stream processing units
- 256 MB GDDR2 memory 64-bit memory interface PCI Express x16 interface
- Superscalar unified shader architecture High-speed 128-bit HDR (High Dynamic Range) rendering
- Custom Filter Anti-Aliasing
GameStar also noted that Radeon DX10 performance in Company of Heroes fell substantially with patch 1.7 compared with GeForce competitors. The review’s broader results varied by game and API, so neither the DX9 example nor the DX10 comparison should be generalized into a universal Radeon-versus-GeForce ranking.
Were these cards useful for video playback or an HTPC?
Video playback was a meaningful period use case. AMD’s 2007 annual report said the HD 2600 and HD 2400 incorporated its Unified Video Decoder (UVD), intended to enable HD-DVD and Blu-ray playback with low CPU and power utilization. That is AMD’s product claim, not an independent benchmark result.
Rank #4
- 【2GB GDDR3 Memory】AMD Radeon HD 5450 graphics card is with 650MHz core frequency, up to 1066MHz memory speed,80 Stream Processors,perfect for working,video and photo editing,allows good fluency,which can effectively meet your needs.
- 【Low Profile Design】The computer graphics cards is small in size,saves more space and plug and play.Small Form Factor design fits in today’s low profile desktops and workstations (with half height bracket).
- 【Multi-monitor Support】Supports up to two monitors for the video card including DVI,VGA,HDMI, and for flexibility of use(the VGA Interface is removable),This low profile, low power consumption card will improve multimedia performance, extend the desktop, and accelerate apps.
- 【Fanless Design for Zero Noise】The HD 5450 is a budget video card with silent passive fanless cooling system.Using high performance heatsinks,it is small enough to provide fanless operation and comfortable to use with zero noise.
- 【Independently Power】No external power supply, about 19W full-load power consumption.Works with Windows 10 as well as 7, 8 and 8.1(NOT compatible with windows 11).
GameStar described the cards as able to offload much of HD playback from the processor and provide HDMI 1.2 through an adapter, carrying audio with the picture. The review noted that Dolby Digital Plus and DTS-HD were excluded because those audio formats required HDMI 1.3. HotHardware likewise identified quiet operation, low power, and home-theater use as strengths, while noting that its video test data were not complete at launch.
Those are 2007-era capabilities. The cited reviews do not establish that a particular used card will decode current codecs or work with a current operating system or media player; board connectors and supplied adapters also vary.
Best Value
- PCI Express x 16 low profile, 256 MB GDDR2, Digital Visual Interface (DVI)
What is a fair performance verdict today?
As a historical gaming card, the HD 2600 XT offered modest mainstream performance, with the HD 2600 Pro slightly slower and the HD 2400 XT a lower tier. In demanding games of the period, DX10 support could coexist with very low frame rates, and image-quality enhancements could impose a substantial cost. The period case for these cards rested more plausibly on inexpensive, quiet, lower-power upgrades and HD video playback than on strong gaming performance.
For a restoration or retro-PC project, judge a specific card by its condition, connectors, cooling, and compatibility with the target system. The 2007 reviews do not establish current used-card prices, availability, or modern driver support; historical benchmark scores should not be used as contemporary gaming guidance.
Quick Recap
Sources
- HotHardware, Marco Chiappetta, June 27, 2007: Radeon HD 2600 XT, 2600 Pro, and 2400 XT review and benchmarks.
- GameStar, Hendrik Weins, August 9, 2007: Radeon HD 2600 XT and HD 2400 XT tests, including game and video findings.
- AMD, 2007 Annual Report on Form 10-K: desktop product positioning and UVD description.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
