MSI Radeon R5 230 2 GB – Low-Profile Entry-Level Graphics Card

Upgrade budget or compact PC builds with the MSI Radeon R5 230 2 GB (2GD3H / 2GD5H LP)—a low-profile, passive-cooled GPU designed for office use, HTPCs, and light gaming, offering silent operation and energy efficiency.

🔧 Key Features

• 2 GB DDR3/GDDR5 Memory
  Equipped with 2 GB of video memory to support smooth HD playback and modest gaming techpowerup.com+15msi.com+15forums.tomshardware.com+15technical.city+8gpuzoo.com+8ca.msi.com+8.

• 625 MHz GPU Clock (640 MHz effective on some models)
  Delivers stable performance for basic graphical tasks without overheating or throttling technical.city+9techpowerup.com+9mobilespecs.net+9.

• Low Power Consumption – 19 W TDP
  Runs silently without external power connectors, ideal for small form factor systems devicehd.com+2technical.city+2devicehd.com+2.

• DirectX 11.2 & OpenGL 4.1 Support
  Ensures compatibility with older games, business applications, and media software msi.com+11techpowerup.com+11mobilespecs.net+11storage-asset.msi.com+8devicehd.com+8gpuzoo.com+8.

• Versatile Display Outputs
  Offers HDMI 1.4a (up to 4K@30Hz), dual-link DVI-D (up to 2560×1600), and VGA—supporting dual-display setups techpowerup.com+2devicehd.com+2devicehd.com+2devicehd.com+4msi.com+4devicehd.com+4.

• Single-Slot Passive Cooling
  Compact, fanless design fits in micro-towers, ITX builds, and silent PCs devicehd.com+10mobilespecs.net+10techpowerup.com+10.

📋 Specifications Overview

💡 Ideal Use Cases

• Everyday Office PCs – Great for web browsing, office apps, and dual‑monitor setups.

• HTPC & Silent Builds – Fanless design is perfect for quiet, media-focused systems.

• Budget Upgrade – Still useful for older games (e.g., CS 1.6, IGI, early GTA) at modest settings .

• Compact & Low-cost Builds – Low power and small size make it ideal for mini-ITX builds.

⚠️ Performance Notes

• Not suitable for modern AAA gaming due to limited GPU horsepower and memory bandwidth.

• DDR3 versions offer less performance than GDDR5 models; GDDR5 boosts memory bandwidth significantly .

• Ensure your PSU meets the recommended specs—some units may require 400 W to avoid stability issues .