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PC gamers always prioritize low-budget, energy-efficient graphics cards. Despite the fact that the Nvidia GT 1030 is a great deal for mini-ITX PC cases, it also saves you a lot of money. A low TDP of 30W makes this GPU suitable for PCs with a low-wattage power supply that cannot be upgraded.
If you want to play entry-level games without breaking the bank, the Nvidia GT 1030 2GB is definitely a good choice. Furthermore, GT 1030 is a great choice for Mini-ITX PCs or HTPCs due to its power-efficient architecture and smaller dimensions.
Main Specs of GT 1030
The following table shows the specifications of the Nvidia GT 1030
Video Memory | 2GB GDDR5 |
Base Clock Speed | 1228 MHz |
Boost Clock Speed | 1468 MHz |
CUDA Cores | 384 |
Memory Bus | 64-bit |
Video Output | x1 DVI, x1-HDMI |
TDP | 30W |
Power Supply Requirement | 180W |
Memory Bandwidth | 48.06 GB/s |
DirectX | 12 |
Is a GT 1030 Good for Gaming
A Dell Optiplex SFF PC equipped with a Core i5-3470 processor and 8GB DDR4 memory was used to test GT 1030’s performance. In addition to the GPU, you get a low-profile bracket for easy installation in small PC cases.
If you are looking for, is a 1030 graphics card good then the Nvidia GT 1030 graphics card is an entry-level card from Nvidia that is designed for low-budget PCs. Despite having 2GB of GDDR5 memory on its back, it’s not designed for hardcore gaming. However, this doesn’t mean you can’t play your favourite games on it.
As a result of its low VRAM, a memory bus, and CUDA cores, this chip isn’t designed for demanding AAA games. During our testing of Battlefield 1 on 1080p settings on a GT 1030, we encountered frequent lags and glitches, with fps averaging between 25 and 32.
In Battlefield 1, you’ll still get over 35 to 50 frames per second if you lower the settings to 720.
In addition, we were able to run GTA V at low-medium settings on the GT 1030. A lower amount of VRAM on the GT 1030 GPU was the only factor preventing us from maxing out GTA V’s settings.
To achieve 1080p resolution without compromising the frame rate, we always recommend graphics cards with at least 4GB of VRAM for open-world games. We were surprised by how well the GT 1030 did in games like Far Cry 3, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Fortnite, and PUBG. A medium-high setting was enough to run all three games on this GPU.
Temperature Performance
This graphics card has a low thermal design power (TDP) which means you won’t encounter any heat issues whatsoever. In idle mode, the GT 1030’s temperature hovers between 45 and 55 degrees (EVGA version). During gaming, GPU temperatures can reach up to 85 degrees, which is normal for GPU gaming.
Despite there only being one fan on this GPU, it can keep up with even the most intense workloads. Also, here’s a quick look at the GT 1030’s temperature performance as tested by Tomshardware.
Would it still be worth it to buy GT 1030?
At a relatively low price, there are more powerful graphics cards than GT 1030. You can play most AAA games at 1080p settings for just a few extra dollars if you spend just a little more. Keep in mind that GT 1030 won’t be able to play demanding AAA titles if you only want to play games.
The GT 1030 is your best bet for light gaming and video or photo editing. Due to its smaller size and lower TDP, the GT 1030 is a great choice for HTPCs or small form factor PC cases.
You can also overclock the EVGA version of GT 1030. You might be surprised at how much performance this GPU can deliver, even when overclocked.
You’ll notice a significant boost in gaming or video playback performance if you upgrade from GDDR3 to GDDR5 with GT 1030. Although this graphics card is capable of streaming and playing videos at 1080p, it may not be the best choice for hardcore gaming.