Extreme Overclocking Performance

As usual we do like to check if there is something more to get out of the graphics accelerator, meaning that we try and see how far it can be overclocked. And so we did with the PowerColor Radeon HD 3650 Xtreme as well, by using a great tool which does proof to be able to overclock almost every graphics card. Using ATITool we tried to overclock the Radeon HD 3650 Xtreme via the automatic mode, and after that we used the manual fine tune approach. With the rather big cooler on the GPU of the PowerColor card we expected some extra performance to be unlocked. And that is exactly what we tried to do by overclocking the graphics card and increasing both the core and memory clock speed. And the cooling solution on the Xtreme edition does allow a bit more than we have seen previously...

Gaming Results - 1280x1024 - E6700 2.66GHz - 2GB RAM
Radeon HD 3650 512MB Xtreme (2x/4x)	Game Score
800/1800MHz (Reference)	94.9 fps
825/1900MHz (Low Overclock)	98.5 fps
850/2000MHz (Avg Overclock)	101.7 fps
875/2100MHz (Max Overclock)	104.3 fps
Results Interpretation: Higher index values are better.
Gaming Results - 1600x1200 - E6700 2.66GHz - 2GB RAM
Radeon HD 3650 512MB Xtreme (2x/4x)	Game Score
800/1800MHz (Reference)	71.9 fps
825/1900MHz (Low Overclock)	74.7 fps
850/2000MHz (Avg Overclock)	77.2 fps
875/2100MHz (Max Overclock)	79.8 fps
Results Interpretation: Higher index values are better.

We just overclocked the core and memory by upping the clock speeds and that resulted in decent increase in performance. As you can clearly see from the figures we gotten from Half-Life 2 a significant boost is noticeable. We raised the PowerColor card up and beyond any overclocking level we have seen so far and it did withstand the increase firmly. During all our benchmarks the Radeon HD 3650 Xtreme kept on humming stable with no hiccups to finally set the top speed at 875/2100MHz. Raising these to the maximum stable clocks shows that it can surpass all expectations and crush the previous gaming results. But the Radeon HD 3650 Xtreme certainly has quite some hidden potential that each and every owner can unlock by just overclocking their graphics card.

Final Thoughts

Well that's about it, we looked for the first time at a mid-range graphics card featuring the new DirectX 10.1 technology with a more optimized unified shader architecture. We actually played with the special and more enhanced version from PowerColor based upon the Radeon HD 3650 equipped with a silent dual slot cooling solution. A fully renewed architecture, bringing the performance to the next level, delivering stunning image clarity and quality all present with the Radeon HD 3000 series. Once again ATI was the first to introduce a mid-range accelerator with the appropriate DirectX 10.1 support for gamers on a medium budget. As we are used to, PowerColor jumped on the wagon and brought out their own Radeon HD 3650 version and setting their product apart from the competition with a full blown silent cooling solution. Their version is quiet, overclocked and still able to delivering some nice gaming performance.

What is generally the most exciting part about the graphics card these days is without a doubt the overclocking ability. In that aspect we can say that this card has really struck us by the overclocking potential of the RV635 graphics core. The PowerColor Radeon HD 3650 Xtreme edition did manage to hit 875/2100MHz without any difficulties. Yes, maybe more could be expected but due to the time constraint we haven't been able to tweak it much further, especially knowing that some voltage increases are possible via same BIOS changes. And make no mistake this was all achieved with the ZEROtherm cooling solution and no modifications done to the graphics card. And one important aspect to note is that this cooler is silent and running cool. Not like what we are used to from ATI where their GPU is running quite hot when comparing to the graphics cards from their nearest competitor.

At our first encounter with the Radeon HD 2600 series, we weren't impressed at all, but that really didn't depend on the manufacture but rather with ATI and their chip design. And although the specifications look good, we can't hide our disappointment when it comes to the actual gaming performance. Since then we have to revisit our statement, and frankly say that ATI has done quite well with making their drivers better and also the Radeon HD 3600 series lift their mid-range segment to a higher performance level. Next to that you can expect from PowerColor the usual, meaning excellent customer care and support services. At PowerColor the customer service is of very high importance and a key factor towards their success throughout the years, with a very efficient RMA service and technical support.

The PowerColor Radeon HD 3650 Xtreme comes at a very attractive price tag which will please a lot of potential buyers. The main point we liked about the PowerColor version is the professional cooling solution which does an excellent job and allows greater overclocking. All well considered the features offered are excellent, and with full DirectX 10.1 support you can't really go wrong with the Radeon HD 3600 series. So if you are on an average budget then this PowerColor board could be the graphics card you have been looking for...

Pros

• Decent Gaming Performance
• High Quality and Gorgeous Design
• Ultra Fast GDDR3 (1.0ns) Memory
• Microsoft DirectX 10.1 Ready
• Optimized Cooling Solution
• Great Overclocking Capability
• CrossFireX Technology Ready
• Avivo HD Video Technology
• Very Attractive Pricing

Cons

• Limited 128-bit Memory Interface

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