nVidia GeForce 8800 GTX Grapics card

nVidia GeForce 8800 GTX Review
Reviewed by: Denny Atkin
Review Date: November 2006

As you'd expect from the high-end entry in a new generation of graphics cards, the GeForce 8800 GTX delivers a significant performance boost over its predecessors. In most tests, a single 8800 GTX card comes close to matching the performance of a pair of GeForce 7900 GTX boards in a Scalable Link Interface (SLI) configuration. That would be plenty of enticement for most serious gamers to upgrade, but the 8800 GTX has another ace in the hole: It's the first graphics card to support DirectX 10 (DX10), Microsoft's new 3D programming interface that will debut with Windows Vista.

In our tests of an nVidia reference board, the 8800 GTX blew away all the single-card records in our performance benchmark tests, scoring 165 frames per second (fps) in our Half-Life 2: Lost Coast test, compared with 105fps for a GeForce 7900 GTX card, and approaching the 173fps scored by a pair of 7900 GTX cards in an SLI setup. Its Futuremark 3DMark06 score of 12,144 nearly doubled the score of the single 7900 GTX card, and even bested the dual-card 7900 GTX SLI score of 11,888. Plus, the 8800 GTX enjoys a significant performance lead over ATI's competing high-end card, the Radeon X1950 XTX. ATI doesn't plan to release its next-generation card until early 2007, leaving nVidia the undisputed performance leader for now.

These performance tests all reflect DirectX 9 games running under Windows XP. Under DX10, which ships with Windows Vista (and which won't be available to XP users), the 8800 GTX hardware supports advanced features such as geometry shader processing, Shader Model 4, and the DX10 unified shader instruction set. With these technologies in play, you'll see more-elaborate graphics effects and yet another level of realism compared with DX9 graphics. You're not likely to find many games that take advantage of DX10 until at least mid-2007, however, and it'll be even longer before games actually require it.

The 8800 GTX's image quality is excellent. Improved anti-aliasing (AA) performance lets you crank up the settings to 16x quality with the frame-rate impact you'd typically see with 4x AA. Like ATI's newest Radeons, the 8800 series supports high-dynamic-range (HDR) lighting while using AA and filtering; earlier GeForce cards didn't support using HDR and AA together. PureVideoHD support promises high-quality Blu-ray and HD DVD playback (we weren't able to test this, though WMV HD clips looked great), and the card's High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) support will allow it to play protected HD content.

With its large cooler that blocks a second slot, this PCI Express (PCIe) card resembles a 7900 GTX, though it's about 1.5 inches longer. The 8800 GTX requires lots of juice for operation: You'll need to plug in two PCIe power connectors to power the card, and nVidia recommends a 450-watt or greater power supply with a 12-volt rating of 30 amps. (To run two of these cards in an SLI configuration, you're almost certain to need a new power supply, due to the need for four PCIe power connectors.) The card features a 575MHz GPU, 768MB of memory running at 900MHz, dual DVI outputs, and a component high-definition TV output.

Though the DX10 support is mostly potential, at least for the next few months, the DX9 speedup is here now. Full-bore gamers who demand top frame rates and full visual effects at extremely high resolutions will find lots to like here. Just remember that you may have to factor the price of a new power supply into the final cost.

nVidia

www.nvidia.com

Mfr. Est. Price: $650

Benchmark Results± GeForce 7900 GTX GeForce 8800 GTX GeForce 7900 GTX SLI
Half-Life 2: Lost Coast* (fps) 105 165 173
Quake 4 (fps) 112 135 148
FEAR (average fps) 47 81 95
Futuremark 3DMark06 6,870 12,144 11,888


See all of our NVidia GeForce 8800 GTX coverage


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nVidia GeForce 8800 GTS Grapics card

nVidia GeForce 8800 GTS Review
Reviewed by: Denny Atkin
Review Date: December 2006

The nVidia GeForce 8800 GTX earned the 3D-graphics crown by decimating both its 7900 GTX predecessor and the ATI Radeon X1950 XTX in all our benchmark tests. Its $600 to $650 price, however, is more than some are willing to pay just for the bragging rights to the fastest PC on the block. If you feel the need for speed, or want to prepare for Windows Vista's DirectX 10 (DX10) technology even before games using it are available, you have a less expensive solution: The nVidia GeForce 8800 GTS. A slightly pared-down version of the 8800 GTX, the 8800 GTS offers much of the same performance for about $150 less.

In our tests, the 8800 GTS fell between the 7900 GTX and the 8800 GTX, scoring 144 frames per second (fps) in our Half Life 2: Lost Coast test, compared with 105 fps for the 7900 GTX and 165 fps for the 8800 GTX. Likewise, the chip's Futuremark 3DMark06 score of 9,770 was centered between the 7900 GTX's 6,870 and the 8800 GTX's 12,144.

ATI's high-end card, the Radeon X1950 XTX, manages to approach the 8800 GTS's performance in a few tests at very high resolutions, but the 8800 GTS still trumps it with its full support for Windows Vista's DX10 technology and Shader Model 4, which promise more-elaborate graphics effects and an additional level of realism compared with DX9 graphics (that is, when DX10-enhanced games start shipping in mid-2007). ATI won't have a DX10 card available until early 2007.

The 8800 GTS's cost savings and slightly slower performance come from architectural differences from its GTX big brother, such as 96 shader cores instead of 128, and a 320-bit path to memory instead of a 384-bit one. The 8800 GTS clocks its GPU at 500MHz, compared with 575MHz on the GTX; its memory speed of 800MHz is also slower than the GTX's 900MHz. And 8800 GTS boards are currently shipping with 640MB of memory, compared with 768MB on the 8800 GTX.

The 8800 GTS is somewhat smaller than the GTX, but it still blocks the slot adjacent to its PCI Express (PCIe) slot. Make sure you have a good power supply because the card requires a single PCIe power connector (compared with two for the GTX). Also, nVidia recommends a 400-watt or greater power supply with a 12-volt rating of 26 amperes. The card also features dual DVI outputs and a component-high-definition-television (HDTV) output.

The 8800 GTS offers plenty of power to run today's most-demanding games at extremely high resolutions, and its DX10 support means it's primed for 2007's top titles, as well. Sure, the 8800 GTX is somewhat faster, but the 8800 GTS is still plenty fast for the vast majority of gaming junkies.
Benchmark Results± GeForce 7900GTX GeForce 8800GTS GeForce 8800GTX
Half-Life 2: Lost Coast 4xAA 16X AF 1600x1200 105 144 165
Company of Heroes 1600x1200 56 77 108
F.E.A.R. all setting max 1600x1200 soft shadows 29/47/101 30/58/134 40/81/192
3DMark06 6870 9770 12144


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PNY Verto GeForce 8600 GTS Grapics card

PNY Verto GeForce 8600 GTS Review
Reviewed by: Denny Atkin
Review Date: May 2007

Graphics cards that support the latest 3D features keep getting cheaper. The $199.99 PNY Verto GeForce 8600 GTS features the same 3D eye-candy support of the more-expensive GeForce 8800 series, but it costs $100 less than the least-expensive 8800 card. Of course, with the lower price comes reduced performance, at least compared with high-end cards (most notably at higher resolutions), but the 8600 GTS still offers plenty of power for gaming, particularly on midsize or smaller monitors.

The GeForce 8600 GTS is a single-slot PCI Express (PCIe) card that requires a direct connection to your PC's power supply. (An adapter is supplied for systems without a PCIe power connector.) Requiring only a 350-watt power supply, it's not as power-hungry as 8800-series cards are. Outputs include a pair of dual-link DVI ports (along with VGA adapters), component video for use with a high-definition television (HDTV), and S-Video. The board includes 256MB of memory; its 128-bit communication channel to the GPU is narrower than the 8800 GTS's 320-bit bus, accounting for the performance decline at higher resolutions.

In our F.E.A.R tests, the 8600 GTS delivered a smooth 47 frames per second (fps) at 1,280x1,024 resolution with antialiasing (AA) disabled. Cranking the resolution up to 1,600x1,200 (and turning on AA) lowered the average frame rate to 27fps—still very playable. Moving up to 1,920x1,200 lowered the average to a sluggish 22fps, with some sequences in the game getting very jerky. Results with the game Company of Heroes were better, with very good frame rates up to a resolution of 1,600x1,200, but a poor minimum frame rate at 1,920x1,200. If you have a midsize monitor (say, 17 or 19 inches), the 8600 GTS delivers plenty of horsepower for jacking up the graphics of today's games.

That said, the card is sometimes outpaced by the older, less-expensive GeForce 7900 GS and by similarly priced ATI cards. Compared with those cards, however, the 8600 GTS is better-prepared for tomorrow's games, because of its support for the enhanced visual effects of DirectX 10 (DX10) under Windows Vista. DX10 games such as Age of Conan, Crysis, and Lost Planet still remain on the horizon, though, so DX10 is insurance for the future rather than something to meet an immediate need.

nVidia has improved its PureVideo HD support in the 8600 series, adding full hardware support for h.264 video playback, as well as for HD DVD and Blu-ray decoding. Add this to support for High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) copy protection over a dual-link DVI connection (allowing for playback of protected HD content on monitors with very high resolutions), and you have an excellent card for home theater use—if you happen to be running Windows Vista, that is. At press time, nVidia's Windows XP drivers for the 8600 don't support PureVideo HD. XP users can still play back HD video, but the CPU will do all the grunt work until nVidia delivers the promised XP driver update sometime this spring. Vista users aren't completely in the clear—while Vista-driver game compatibility has improved with each update, early adopters will still encounter some trouble.

Falling into the low end of the GeForce 8600's $199 to $229 price range, PNY's card lacks a software bundle or any other frills, and it isn't overclocked like some of its competitors. You get a one-year warranty, or three years if you register the card.

Though it doesn't set any speed records, the GeForce 8600 GTS is a fine choice for budget-conscious gamers using 19-inch or smaller monitors. DX10 support promises tomorrow's games will look their best, and Vista-using home theater buffs will find the video playback quality among the best currently available.

PNY Technologies, 800-769-7079

www.pny.com

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ATI Radeon HD 2900 XT Graphics Card

ATI Radeon HD 2900 XT Graphics Card Review
Reviewed by: Denny Atkin
Review Date: May 2007

ATI may be late to the DirectX 10 (DX10) party, but it turns out that the party hasn't really gotten going yet, anyway. After months of allowing nVidia to own the DX10 market with its GeForce 8000-series cards, ATI has launched its own DX10 card, the Radeon HD 2900 XT. With the first DX10 games close to shipping as of this writing, ATI is still ahead of the game.

The 512MB HD 2900 XT is priced at $399, the same as the 640MB version of the GeForce 8800 GTS. The HD 2900 XT's performance is noticeably better than that of the 8800 GTS in some games, however. While its score of 62 frames per second (fps) in our F.E.A.R. test (at 1,600x1,200 resolution) was almost identical to the 8800 GTS's 60fps, in Company of Heroes the ATI entry scored 92fps to the nVidia offering's 81fps. In Futuremark's 3DMark06 benchmark test, the HD 2900 XT beat the 8800 GTS's 8,892 with a score of 10,992. (Because of the lack of appropriate games or benchmark tests, it's still up in the air as to which card will be faster in DX10, however.) Just as important, 3D-rendering quality is excellent, with performance headroom to turn up filtering and anti-aliasing in today's most-demanding games. Plus, ATI's Avivo HD technology makes for smooth, detailed video playback without the need to buy an additional decoder.

At 9.5 inches in length, the HD 2900 XT is a tight fit in some smaller cases (though we had no trouble fitting it in a somewhat cramped Antec Sonata 2). You can install a pair of HD 2900 XT cards in CrossFire mode for an extra speed boost in most games. Gone is the need for a clumsy external cable and a special master card—CrossFire now works just like nVidia's Scalable Link Interface (SLI) technology, allowing you to connect two standard HD 2900 XT cards using an included ribbon cable between the cards.

You'll need a monster power supply, though. A 750-watt power supply is necessary to run two cards; even a single card needs 550 watts. In comparison, the GeForce 8800 GTS requires just a 400-watt supply. The card requires two leads from your power supply. It will work with two standard six-pin cables, but you'll need to connect it to a new power supply with both an eight-pin connector and a six-pin one to enable the card's overclocking features. In addition to the higher electric bill versus the GeForce card, you'll also have to put up with a little more noise: The internal fan goes from a noticeable whir to, when running 3D applications, a sound similar in tone and volume to a fast-spinning CD-ROM drive.

The card has outputs galore, with a pair of dual-link DVI connectors, cables for component-video and S-Video, and an adapter that adds a High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) port supporting High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP). The card even has built-in six-channel surround audio when used with the HDMI connector.

Faster than nVidia's card of the same price, the Radeon HD 2900 XT is an attractive choice for serious gaming. But while its HDMI output may be attractive to home theater users, its loud fan will keep it out of most media rooms.

Advanced Micro Devices, 866-824-3215

ati.amd.com

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XFX GeForce 8800 GTS 320MB XXX Version Grapics card

XFX GeForce 8800 GTS 320MB XXX Version Review
Reviewed by: Denny Atkin
Review Date: May 2007

Fast with today's games and ready for tomorrow's titles using Windows Vista's DirectX 10 (DX10) technology, the nVidia GeForce 8800 graphics-processing unit (GPU) is the logical choice for serious gamers. But with board prices starting at $399, even a low-end 640MB 8800 GTS card can be too rich for many gamers' wallets. nVidia and its board-maker partners have responded with a 320MB version of the GeForce 8800 GTS, which halves the memory on the card, while dropping the price to a more affordable $299.

To see the trade-offs that come with half the memory, we tested the GeForce 8800 GTS 320MB XXX bundle, from nVidia partner XFX. This XXX version of the 320MB 8800 GTS boosts the GPU clock from 500MHz to 580MHz, and the memory clock from 1,600MHz to 1,800MHz. The card costs $339, and the extra $40 over a $299 base model gets you 7 to 12 percent better performance, as well as a bundled copy of Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter.

Comparing this card with a more expensive 640MB version, we found that the performance drop from halving the available onboard memory varies dramatically by program and resolution. When playing Half-Life 2: Lost Coast, performance from the 320MB card was nearly identical to that of the 640MB. Running Quake 4 set to Ultra detail, which calls for 512MB of texture memory, resulted in a dramatic drop, from 96 frames per second (fps) to 62fps. While overall performance didn't vary much between the 320MB and 640MB cards when running the graphically demanding Supreme Commander, only the 640MB card could run the game in dual-display mode at high resolutions.

Even though the card's GPU sits at the low end of nVidia's 8800 series, it still managed to beat ATI's high-end Radeon X1950 XTX in all but a few tests at very high resolutions. Plus, ATI still doesn't have a DX10-compatible offering. That said, DX10 games (which promise more-elaborate graphic effects) won't hit the market until mid-2007.

The 8800 GTS 320MB blocks the slot adjacent to its PCI Express (PCIe) slot, and nVidia recommends a 400-watt-or-greater power supply with a 12-volt rating of 26 amperes for this class of card. The card also features dual DVI outputs and a component high-definition-television (HDTV) output. The card supports High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection, allowing full resolution with Blu-ray and HD DVD videos. In a market crowded with look-alike graphics cards, XFX stands out with its double-lifetime warranty, which not only offers full lifetime coverage for the card, but also covers the second owner should you resell it.

Opting for the 320MB 8800 GTS and saving a C-note results in little performance sacrifice compared with the 640MB version; the frame-rate differences are most evident at extremely high resolutions on large wide-screen monitors. Note, however, that the extra memory might be more beneficial to upcoming DX10 games.

XFX, 800-880-3225

www.xfxforce.com

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ATI Radeon HD 2400 XT Graphics Card

ATI Radeon HD 2400 XT Graphics Card Review
Reviewed by: Denny Atkin
Review Date: July 2007

AMD's entry-level ATI Radeon HD 2400 XT graphics card supports high resolutions, DirectX 10 (DX10) 3D features, and first-rate video playback, all at a price well under $100. Gamers and users with multiple wide-screen monitors will want to spend a bit more on a midrange card such as the ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT. For less demanding tasks, however, the HD 2400 XT delivers a full feature set and surprisingly good performance.

This 256MB card, half-size and L-shaped, is small enough to fit inside the most cramped of small-form-factor PCs. It draws all of its power from the PCI Express (PCIe) x16 slot it plugs into—no direct power-supply connection is needed. The back of the card features a dual-link DVI port that supports resolutions up to 2,560x1,600, as well as a VGA port (single-link DVI on some third-party models) that supports analog monitors at resolutions up to 2,048x1,536. The card also includes a DVI-to-High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) adapter—complete with support for six-channel audio over the HDMI cable—and a component-video/S-Video connector.

The HD 2400 XT turned in fairly dismal results on our standard 3D tests, clocking just 15 frames per second (fps) at 1,280x1,024 in F.E.A.R. Though our average frame rate in Company of Heroes was a decent 32fps, at times the game dropped to a stuttering 10fps. That's not to say the gaming features are wasted, however. If you're willing to turn down some details or drop to a fairly low resolution, the HD 2400 XT can manage current games at a playable clip. For instance, F.E.A.R. ran at 37fps at 800x600, even with the game's details set to high.

Probably more important to this graphics card's audience, the ATI Radeon HD 2400 XT has the oomph to take advantage of Windows Vista's 3D features. With a Windows Experience Index rating of 4.5, the card is fast enough to enable Vista's special effects. For comparison, the Intel GMA3000 graphics core found on many motherboards supports Aero Glass transparent windows, but when you run Vista's slide show, most of the transitions are disabled due to the chip's 3.0 rating. With the HD 2400 XT, you get full support for smooth, animated slide-show transitions, as well as features such as Flip 3D task switching.

Video playback is top-notch, even with 1080p high-definition (HD) content on a 1,900x1,200-pixel 24-inch monitor. The Radeon HD 2400 XT supports ATI Avivo HD video, with hardware decoding for MPEG and DivX, as well as the H.256/AVC and VC-1 video codecs used by HD DVD and Blu-ray discs. This decoding capability makes for a sharp, clear picture with smooth frame rates, even at high resolutions, without requiring a PC with a high-end CPU to decode the video. The card's small fan is relatively quiet, but owners of home theater PCs may want to consider a third-party card that's based on the HD 2400 XT chipset, but with silent passive cooling.

The HD 2400 XT can be paired with an identical card in CrossFire mode on compatible motherboards, which will boost 3D performance a bit, but that function will likely be of interest mainly to users looking to drive three or four monitors on a single PC.

If you're looking for a faster alternative to integrated motherboard graphics, and you're not planning on running a pair of 24-inch-plus monitors or doing much gaming, the HD 2400 XT delivers excellent performance at a bargain price.

Discuss this product in our components forum.

Mfr. Est. Price: $75

Advanced Micro Devices, 866-824-3215

ati.amd.com
Price (at time of review): $75

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ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT Graphics Card

ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT Graphics Card Review
Reviewed by: Denny Atkin
Review Date: July 2007

The ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT is AMD's new midrange graphics card, competing with nVidia's GeForce 8600 GT for potential buyers who are looking for good 3D and video performance that won't cost upwards of $300. Priced at around $150, the HD 2600 XT is an attractive choice for gamers looking for a DirectX 10 (DX10) card to use with smaller monitors, as well as for home theater PC users.

Unlike its hot, dual-slot, wattage-hungry big brother, the Radeon HD 2900 XT, the Radeon HD 2600 XT is a single-slot solution that draws all of its power directly from the PCI Express (PCIe) slot, without requiring a cable from the power supply. The card has 256MB of GDDR4 memory and features a pair of dual-link DVI ports, along with a component-video connector. To upgrade your performance, or drive up to four monitors simultaneously, you can pair it with a second HD 2600 XT on CrossFire-compatible motherboards.

Under Windows Vista, the Radeon HD 2600 XT includes full support for DX10, the enhanced-graphics system that's finally starting to see support in games such as Company of Heroes and Call of Juarez. The card's 3D performance at 1,280x1,024 resolution was good, with F.E.A.R. scoring a playable 34 frames per second (fps) and Company of Heroes clocking in at a smooth 57.6fps. With a second card in CrossFire mode, our Company of Heroes score didn't improve until we tried higher resolutions. It was dramatically faster in our F.E.A.R. test, however, clocking in at 59fps at a resolution of 1,280x1,024. Higher resolutions definitely benefit from CrossFire: At a resolution of 1,920x1,280, Company of Heroes slowed to 16.7fps with one card, but ran at 22.4fps with two. Drivers are mature under both XP and Vista, providing nearly identical performance under both operating systems.

We should point out that we tested the Radeon HD 2600 XT in CrossFire mode on a P35 chipset motherboard (we used the Asus P5K3 Deluxe) with one PCIe x16 and one PCIe x4 slot. AMD says that motherboards with two PCIe x16 slots will see more-dramatic boosts in speed from CrossFire, with frame-rate increases of 60 percent or more.

The Radeon HD 2600 XT includes ATI's Unified Video Decoder (UVD), a portion of the chip dedicated specifically to decoding VC-1 and H.264/AVC video content, in addition to the MPEG and DivX encoding found on earlier cards. Other video enhancements include hardware up- and downscaling; support for High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP), even on dual-link displays and 30-inch monitors; and a DVI-to-High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) adapter. The Radeon HD 2600 XT has support for 5.1-channel audio over HDMI when playing Blu-ray or HD DVD discs. Both upscaled DVD and 1080p HD content looked sharp and clear on a 24-inch Gateway FPD2485W monitor. Video quality was on par with that of a dedicated HD DVD player.

Home theater PC owners should note that, while it's quieter than the Radeon HD 2900 XT's cooler fan, the Radeon HD 2600 XT's small fan is loud enough to be noticeable. Some third-party manufacturers such as Sapphire, however, are releasing silent, fanless versions of the card.

Providing very good performance in the latest games at low to medium resolutions, excellent video quality, and the option for a performance boost later via a second CrossFire card, the Radeon 2600 XT is a welcome entry in the midrange market. (Bargain hunters can find the slower GDDR3 version of the card for $129, and the DDR2 RAM-based Radeon HD 2600 Pro for just $99.)

Discuss this product in our components forum.

Mfr. Est. Price: $150

Advanced Micro Devices, 866-824-3215

ati.amd.com

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Gigabyte GV-NX84G256H Graphics Card

Gigabyte GV-NX84G256H Graphics Card Review
Reviewed by: Denny Atkin
Review Date: July 2007

With a street price of around $60, the Gigabyte GV-NX84G256H is one of the least-expensive entries into the DirectX 10 (DX10) graphics club. But although this Gigabyte graphics card (based on nVidia's GeForce 8400 GS engine) is full-featured, its slow 3D performance means it's of interest only to those looking for a performance boost on a Windows Vista desktop, or for high-definition (HD) video playback.

The GV-NX84G256H is an attractive choice if you're building a compact, quiet PC. This 256MB card is relatively small (7 inches long by 4 inches tall) and lacks a fan, relying instead on a tall, finned heat sink for cooling. The result is a video card that's absolutely silent. Shorter GeForce 8400 GS cards are available from other manufacturers, but these include fans.

On the back of the card, you'll find a single DVI port, a VGA port, and a connector for a small breakout box that includes both component-video and S-Video outputs. Unlike ATI's Radeon 2400 series, no High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) adapter is included. The DVI connector features dual-link output, supporting resolutions up to 2,560x1,600 pixels. It also supports High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP), allowing you to play HD DVD and Blu-ray content with the appropriate software and an HDCP-compliant monitor.

Despite sitting squarely at the low end of the performance spectrum, the GV-NX84G256H's PureVideo HD support did a great job with HD video content. Playback was smooth in our video tests, and the image quality with both HD and DVD content was superb. The card's performance is also decent with Windows Vista. Its Windows Experience Index score of 3.5 in Aero desktop performance is fast enough to enable the special effects in slide shows, as well as the other desktop enhancements that are often disabled when using integrated motherboard graphics chipsets.

The Gigabyte card falls flat in gaming performance, however. On the upside, it supports the full suite of DX10 graphics features, allowing you to see all the details in DX10-capable games. The downside: You'll have plenty of time to view those details, since the screen updates so slowly. Our 3D tests turned in unplayably slow results, particularly at higher resolutions. For instance, F.E.A.R. clocked in at a jerky 13 frames per second (fps) at 1,280x1,024 resolution, and a slide-show-like 4fps at 1,600x1,200. We had to lower the resolution to just 800x600 to get a playable 31fps in the game. You can get a 3D-performance boost by installing a second 8400 GS card on a system that supports Scalable Link Interface (SLI), but that's like trying to speed up a Geo Metro by adding a second three-cylinder engine.

Gamers should look elsewhere, but for Vista usage and HD video playback, the Gigabyte GV-NX84G256H delivers good performance at a rock-bottom price.

Discuss this product in our components forum.

Mfr. Est. Price: $59.99

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ATI Radeon HD 3850 Graphics Card

ATI Radeon HD 3850 Graphics Card Review
Reviewed by: Denny Atkin
Review Date: November 2007

ATI's Radeon HD 3850 won't win any benchmarking contests, but that doesn't mean it's not one of the most exciting video cards we've seen so far this year. While it's far from the fastest card on the block, it offers incredibly good performance for its $179 price. The HD 3850 runs the latest games at a good pace on a midsize monitor, offers superb video quality for movie playback, and supports the latest PCI Express (PCIe) 2.0, DirectX 10.1 (DX10.1), and CrossFireX specifications.

The previous generation of ATI cards was plagued by a power-hungry design that generated lots of heat and fan noise. The chip at the heart of the HD 3850 is built on a smaller 55-nanometer (nm) process (compared to 80nm for the Radeon HD 2900XT), which enables it to run cooler while using less power. It's an excellent choice for a quiet home-theater system, with its whisper-quiet fan and power-saving profiles that kick in when idling. Along with S-Video and a pair of DVI ports, the card includes adapters for High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) and component-video output.

The HD 3850 fits in a single PCIe x16 slot and uses a six-pin power connector. The card supports PCIe 2.0, which can double communications bandwidth with the motherboard, but it works in PCIe 1.1 slots, as well. Installing two HD 3850s lets you drive up to four monitors, or accelerate 3D by activating CrossFire mode, which limits you to a single display. Upcoming drivers will support CrossFireX, allowing you to install up to four cards, offering even better 3D performance or driving a whopping eight monitors (Flight Simulator X fans, take note).

The Radeon HD 3800 series (in addition to the 3850, there's also a pricier Radeon HD 3870 card) is the first to support DX10.1. With games only now starting to ship with DX10 support, we can't see DX10.1 ever being a requirement, but its support for Shader Model 4.1 and higher-precision math might make for some graphical improvements over DX10 in the distant future.

Image quality on the HD 3850 is superb, with top-quality anti-aliasing and filtering. ATI's Avivo HD technology includes hardware decoding of the H.264 and VC-1 compression schemes used by HD DVD and Blu-ray. DVDs and our HD samples looked great, with smooth playback. The HD 3850 supports playback of protected high-definition content at up to 2,560x1,600 pixels.

For a card in this price range, 3D performance is excellent, leaving the previous midrange ATI cards (like the Radeon 2600 XT)—and nVidia's competing GeForce 8600 series—in the rear-view mirror. At medium resolutions, the HD 3850 runs even the latest DX10 games at a playable frame rate. At 1,280x1,024 resolution and using DX10, World in Conflict managed 25 frames per second (fps) with details set to High, while Company of Heroes averaged 42fps. F.E.A.R., a DX9 game, attained a silky-smooth 81fps. Adding a second card in CrossFire mode significantly sped up our DX9 tests, but DX10 tests were only marginally faster. We saw graphical glitches in the Crysis DX10-based demo that weren't evident with CrossFire disabled.

At higher resolutions, such as 1,920x1,200, performance dropped significantly on newer games—even in CrossFire mode. Company of Heroes averaged just 11.5fps at high resolution with all the details at maximum settings, while World in Conflict turned in just 9fps. This can likely be attributed to lack of memory: The HD 3850 features just 256MB of GDDR3. If you want to run games at high resolutions, particularly with anti-aliasing enabled, wait for the upcoming 512MB model, or consider stepping up to the 512MB HD 3870.

You can easily find faster 3D cards, but not at the HD 3850's under-$200 price. With enough oomph to run DX9 titles with the details cranked up and DX10 games at medium resolutions, the HD 3850 brings to low-cost cards the kind of performance that used to cost over $300 to obtain.

Discuss this product in our components forum.

Advanced Micro Devices, 866-824-3215

ati.amd.com

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EVGA e-GeForce 8800 GTX Superclocked Graphics Card

EVGA e-GeForce 8800 GTX Superclocked Graphics Card Review
Reviewed by: Denny Atkin
Review Date: July 2007

The EVGA e-GeForce 8800 GTX Superclocked takes nVidia's GeForce 8800 GTX graphics engine and ramps up its speed to make its performance approach that of the even pricier GeForce 8800 Ultra. Though it's not the fastest video card on the market, this premium-price DirectX 10-capable board offers stellar performance on the most-demanding games.

The Superclocked version of the EVGA graphics card runs its GPU core bus at 621MHz and its memory at 1,000MHz, compared with the 575MHz GPU and 900MHz memory on a stock GeForce 8800 GTX card. The EVGA's GPU speed is actually slightly faster than that of the top-end GeForce 8800 Ultra, and the memory is only a mere 80MHz slower. (The Superclocked board costs about $50 more than the EVGA's stock 8800 GTX card.)

The 8800 GTX is blazingly fast, outmatched only by the 8800 Ultra. At lower resolutions, the board is practically overkill. Sure, it's 30 to 50 percent faster than the GeForce 8800 GTS (with 640MB of graphics memory) and the ATI Radeon HD 2900 XT in most of our tests, but do you really need 133 frames per second (fps) in F.E.A.R., instead of 85fps (8800 GTS) or 98fps (Radeon HD 2900 XT)? Once you crank up the resolution and special effects, however, the performance seems more useful. At 1,900x1,200 resolution, with all the details maxed out, Company of Heroes turns in a whopping 91.9fps, compared with 62.5fps on the 8800 GTS and 67.2fps on the HD 2900 XT. Though few games push the card to the limit now, when next-generation games start nudging midrange cards under 60fps, you'll appreciate the 8800 GTX's performance boost.

Like all GeForce 8800 GTX cards, EVGA's Superclocked version features a large but quiet cooler that blocks a second slot. The card is a whopping 10.5 inches long, which may present problems for smaller cases; we had to remove the case's front fan to fit the card in an Antec Sonata II. Also, the 8800 GTX needs lots of juice for operation—you'll need two PCI Express (PCIe) power connectors, and nVidia recommends a 450-watt-or-greater power supply with a 12-volt rating of 30 amperes. To run two e-GeForce cards in a Scalable Link Interface (SLI) configuration, you'll need 750 watts and four PCIe power connectors, likely necessitating the purchase of a new power supply.

The 8800 GTX Superclocked has a pair of dual-link DVI ports, each supporting a resolution of 2,560x1,600, as well as component and S-Video outputs. The card supports High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP), but you don't get an option for High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) output. The 8800 GTX's PureVideo video playback uses fewer hardware-acceleration features than the lower-end GeForce 8600 cards do, but given the fast processor that a card this expensive is likely to be paired with, that shouldn't be an issue. Both standard- and high-definition video content looked great and played back smoothly in our tests.

The EVGA e-GeForce 8800 GTX Superclocked costs hundreds of dollars more than the GeForce 8800 GTS and Radeon HD 2900 XT, both of which play today's most sophisticated games smoothly at high resolutions. It's most appealing to owners of very large monitors who demand smooth gaming performance with all the details cranked to 11, as well as users who want the performance headroom to skip the next upgrade cycle. And it's at least a little cheaper than the GeForce 8800 Ultra.

Discuss this product in our components forum.

EVGA, 888-881-3842

www.evga.com

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Asus EN8500GT Silent Graphics Card

Asus EN8500GT Silent Graphics Card Review
Reviewed by: Denny Atkin
Review Date: August 2007

Based on the nVidia GeForce 8500 GT graphics engine, the Asus EN8500GT Silent is an inexpensive DirectX 10 (DX10) video card that offers excellent video playback and good desktop performance. Its slow 3D performance, however, has us wondering if the niche between the GeForce 8400 GS and GeForce 8600 GTS really needed to be filled.

This sleek blue PCI Express (PCIe) card features a large black heat sink that covers both the GPU and the 256MB of DDR2 memory—the “Silent” in the name refers to the lack of a fan. Like all GeForce cards, you can get a 3D-speed increase by pairing the EN8500GT with another GeForce 8500 GT card on a motherboard that supports Scalable Link Interface (SLI). On the back of the card, you'll find a dual-link DVI port that supports High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HCDP), a VGA port, and an S-Video port that can accommodate the included component-video adapter. Dual-link DVI allows the EN8500GT to support resolutions up to 2,048x1,536. The card doesn't, however, include a High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) adapter, unlike the ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT.

Desktop performance was very good, with the card turning in a Windows Experience Index score of 4.8, enabling it to run Windows Vista's Aero interface with all its features enabled. The card supports PureVideo HD; both DVD and high-definition content played back smoothly with top-notch visuals during our tests.

The GeForce 8500 GT supports the full suite of DX10 special effects found in games such as Company of Heroes. The EN8500GT was a poor performer in our 3D tests, however, delivering a jerky 17 frames per second (fps) in F.E.A.R. and 18.3fps in Company of Heroes at 1,280x1,024 resolution. It maintained frame rates much better at higher resolutions than its GeForce 8400 GS little brother did, managing 12fps in F.E.A.R. at a resolution of 1,600x1,200, compared with just 4fps for the 8400 GS. Still, none of these frame rates was fast enough to be playable, and we had to drop to a grainy 800x600 resolution or turn down the details to get an average frame rate higher than 30fps in these games. Older games will fare better at higher resolutions, though.

The overall poor 3D numbers leave GeForce 8500 GT cards in an odd place in nVidia's lineup. If 3D performance doesn't matter at all, then a less-expensive 8400 GS card will likely suffice. If performance is a concern, however, spending the extra cash on an 8600 GTS card will deliver playable frame rates at higher resolutions. The EN8500GT should interest people who value a noise-free environment enough that they're willing to turn down game visuals to achieve it.

Discuss this product in our components forum.

Mfr. Est. Price: $96.99

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Asus EN8600GT OC Gear Grapics card

Asus EN8600GT OC Gear Review
Reviewed by: Denny Atkin
Review Date: August 2007

The $169 Asus EN8600GT OC Gear is a DirectX 10 (DX10) graphics card that includes what Asus claims is the world's first hardware-based real-time graphics overclocking device. This drive-bay module lets you adjust the system volume, graphics-card speed, and fan speed without exiting the game you're playing. While it works well, we have to wonder why Asus paired the OC Gear hardware with a middling graphics card based on the nVidia GeForce 8600 GT graphics engine.

The OC Gear module fits into an empty 5.25-inch bay and connects to an internal USB header on your motherboard, which provides both power and communication with the graphics card's drivers. If you're looking to add a bit of bling to your case, the OC Gear module delivers: It includes a large, stereo-style control dial, a three-digit frame-rate display, a fan-speed indicator, and bar graphs to indicate volume, GPU clock speed, and GPU temperature. Pressing the knob switches among controlling system volume, GPU clock speed, and fan speed. (You must use software to adjust memory speed, however.)

The EN8600GT video card included with the package fits in a PCI Express (PCIe) slot, includes 256MB of DDR3 memory, and doesn't require a power connector. It has a pair of DVI outputs, as well as an S-Video/component-video connector. One thing that sets the graphics card apart is its large heat sink, which blocks an adjacent slot and includes a much quieter fan than the stock model. Its GeForce 8600 GT chip supports DX10, as well nVidia's PureVideo playback features for high-definition video content.

The decision by Asus to couple the OC Gear module with a barely midrange graphics card is odd, since you'd expect anyone interested in overclocking to be a performance hound. At stock clock speeds, the 8600 GT is 15 to 20 percent slower than the GeForce 8600 GTS, which is itself a step down from nVidia's top-flight GeForce 8800 series. When we cranked up the card to the fastest possible stable speed (700MHz GPU, 1,550MHz memory), the card came close to stock 8600 GTS speeds, though it did lock up once during our extensive tests. In our F.E.A.R. test, the EN8600GT scored 37 frames per second (fps) at 1,280x1,024 resolution, but bumping up the speeds pushed performance to 45fps, just 2fps slower than the 8600 GTS. The addition of the OC Gear module, however, pushes the price into 8600 GTS territory, where you can get slightly better performance without overclocking.

Overall, the OC Gear module is an appealing add-on for gamers looking for a flashy way to crank up performance temporarily in demanding games. But it would make a lot more sense paired with a more performance-oriented card, such as the GeForce 8600 GTS, or better yet, the GeForce 8800 GTS.

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Direct Price: $169

AsusTek Computer, 502-995-0883

usa.asus.com

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ATI TV Wonder 650 Combo PCI Express grapics card

ATI TV Wonder 650 Combo PCI Express Review
Reviewed by: Denny Atkin
Review Date: November 2007

The ATI TV Wonder 650 Combo PCI Express is one of the most flexible TV-tuner cards you can install yourself. With both high-definition (HD) and standard-definition (SD) support, Windows Media Center compatibility, and a compact design, it's a great choice for those building an entertainment PC or upgrading an existing PC to add TV capability. However, encrypted channels and other issues limit the flexibility of any TV-tuner card you install yourself, and the TV Wonder 650 is no exception.

The card can record HD digital-cable channels transmitted using the QAM standard when using Windows Vista, but don't expect you'll be watching reruns of The Sopranos in full HD. The ClearQAM support only lets you record unencrypted channels—the ones that don't require a cable box or CableCard. On many cable systems, QAM signals are limited to local channels, shopping channels, and perhaps a few basic-cable channels such as The Discovery Channel or The Hallmark Channel. To get full access to the entire suite of cable channels, you need a CableCard-equipped tuner—and those are only available built into approved Vista Media Center PCs. With the TV Wonder 650 Combo, you can also record broadcast HD channels using a standard antenna.

The "Combo" in the name indicates that this card has two separate tuners, so it's capable of tuning both HD and SD signals simultaneously, allowing you to record a show on each tuner. (Some non-"Combo" TV Wonder cards can tune both SD and HD, but only one at a time. We also tested the TV Wonder 600 PCI, and we had to choose between SD and HD signals with that card.) When using both tuners under Vista's Media Center, we found both recordings to be flawless.

This half-height card is small enough to fit in the most cramped of cases. It plugs into one of your rarely used PCI Express (PCIe) x1 slots; an external USB version is also available for $20 more. There are connectors for an over-the-air antenna, coaxial cable TV, S-Video, and FM radio. The FM-radio antenna connects to the same connector as would digital cable, however, so you can use an FM antenna only if you're using one of the other connectors for video input.

Hardware MPEG-2 support lets you record SD programming with very little CPU usage, and the Theater 650 chip sports a 3D comb filter, hardware noise reduction, edge enhancement, and automatic gain and color control, all of which result in a much better-looking SD image that you'll get with budget tuners. HD images look great as well.

You can record using Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 or Vista Home Premium or Ultimate, though Vista is needed for QAM tuning. ATI also bundles its own Catalyst Media Center recording/playback application, but its limitations and primitive user interface will drive you towards either Media Center or a third-party recording application.

Compact and offering above-average video quality, the TV Wonder 650 is an excellent choice, particularly for Vista users. Offering dual tuners on one card makes it a great solution for small, slot-starved entertainment PCs.

Discuss this product in our components forum.

Advanced Micro Devices, 866-824-3215

ati.amd.com

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ATI Radeon HD 3850 Graphics Card

ATI Radeon HD 3850 Graphics Card Review
Reviewed by: Denny Atkin
Review Date: November 2007

ATI's Radeon HD 3850 won't win any benchmarking contests, but that doesn't mean it's not one of the most exciting video cards we've seen so far this year. While it's far from the fastest card on the block, it offers incredibly good performance for its $179 price. The HD 3850 runs the latest games at a good pace on a midsize monitor, offers superb video quality for movie playback, and supports the latest PCI Express (PCIe) 2.0, DirectX 10.1 (DX10.1), and CrossFireX specifications.

The previous generation of ATI cards was plagued by a power-hungry design that generated lots of heat and fan noise. The chip at the heart of the HD 3850 is built on a smaller 55-nanometer (nm) process (compared to 80nm for the Radeon HD 2900XT), which enables it to run cooler while using less power. It's an excellent choice for a quiet home-theater system, with its whisper-quiet fan and power-saving profiles that kick in when idling. Along with S-Video and a pair of DVI ports, the card includes adapters for High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) and component-video output.

The HD 3850 fits in a single PCIe x16 slot and uses a six-pin power connector. The card supports PCIe 2.0, which can double communications bandwidth with the motherboard, but it works in PCIe 1.1 slots, as well. Installing two HD 3850s lets you drive up to four monitors, or accelerate 3D by activating CrossFire mode, which limits you to a single display. Upcoming drivers will support CrossFireX, allowing you to install up to four cards, offering even better 3D performance or driving a whopping eight monitors (Flight Simulator X fans, take note).

The Radeon HD 3800 series (in addition to the 3850, there's also a pricier Radeon HD 3870 card) is the first to support DX10.1. With games only now starting to ship with DX10 support, we can't see DX10.1 ever being a requirement, but its support for Shader Model 4.1 and higher-precision math might make for some graphical improvements over DX10 in the distant future.

Image quality on the HD 3850 is superb, with top-quality anti-aliasing and filtering. ATI's Avivo HD technology includes hardware decoding of the H.264 and VC-1 compression schemes used by HD DVD and Blu-ray. DVDs and our HD samples looked great, with smooth playback. The HD 3850 supports playback of protected high-definition content at up to 2,560x1,600 pixels.

For a card in this price range, 3D performance is excellent, leaving the previous midrange ATI cards (like the Radeon 2600 XT)—and nVidia's competing GeForce 8600 series—in the rear-view mirror. At medium resolutions, the HD 3850 runs even the latest DX10 games at a playable frame rate. At 1,280x1,024 resolution and using DX10, World in Conflict managed 25 frames per second (fps) with details set to High, while Company of Heroes averaged 42fps. F.E.A.R., a DX9 game, attained a silky-smooth 81fps. Adding a second card in CrossFire mode significantly sped up our DX9 tests, but DX10 tests were only marginally faster. We saw graphical glitches in the Crysis DX10-based demo that weren't evident with CrossFire disabled.

At higher resolutions, such as 1,920x1,200, performance dropped significantly on newer games—even in CrossFire mode. Company of Heroes averaged just 11.5fps at high resolution with all the details at maximum settings, while World in Conflict turned in just 9fps. This can likely be attributed to lack of memory: The HD 3850 features just 256MB of GDDR3. If you want to run games at high resolutions, particularly with anti-aliasing enabled, wait for the upcoming 512MB model, or consider stepping up to the 512MB HD 3870.

You can easily find faster 3D cards, but not at the HD 3850's under-$200 price. With enough oomph to run DX9 titles with the details cranked up and DX10 games at medium resolutions, the HD 3850 brings to low-cost cards the kind of performance that used to cost over $300 to obtain.

Discuss this product in our components forum.

Advanced Micro Devices, 866-824-3215

ati.amd.com

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XFX GeForce 8800 GT Alpha Dog Edition Graphics Card

XFX GeForce 8800 GT Alpha Dog Edition Graphics Card Review
Reviewed by: Denny Atkin
Review Date: November 2007

Given how nVidia has named its graphics cards in the past, you'd think that the GeForce 8800 GT would be a slower, less-expensive version of the $400 8800 GTS. Well, it is less expensive, with cards arriving on the shelves at $250 to $300, but it's not slower. In fact, the 8800 GT outperformed the 8800 GTS in most of our tests, effectively bringing the cost of buying a high-performance graphics card down by about $100.

The XFX GeForce 8800 GT Alpha Dog Edition (PV-T88P-YDD4) we tested boosts performance even more over the stock 8800 GT by running its graphics processing unit (GPU) at 670MHz (versus 600MHz for a stock GPU) and its memory at 1.95GHz (versus 1.8GHz stock). That adds about $30 to the price (you can find it for around $300 on the street), but it buys you a few additional frames per second (fps) over a stock-speed 8800 GT.

The Alpha Dog is a single-slot card, with a thin heat sink that will allow it to fit in cramped cases. Unfortunately, the smaller fan is somewhat more audible than the one included on the 8800 GTS, though it remains relatively quiet except when the GPU is really cranking. The card requires a single six-pin PCI Express (PCIe) power connector. It boasts a pair of DVI connectors, a component-video adapter, and S-Video. Though it supports High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) over DVI, there's no HDMI connector.

nVidia's 8800 GT chip is based on a 65-nanometer (nm) manufacturing process (versus the 80nm and 90nm processes used in earlier cards), resulting in a cooler, smaller chip. The 65nm process also allows some additional capabilities to fit on the chip, such as extra texturing units and hardware PureVideo 2 support for enhanced video processing. The 8800 GT Alpha Dog has 512MB of RAM. Though the memory bus is just 256 bits wide, compared to 320 bits on the 8800 GTS, the other improvements more than compensate in final performance.

The 8800 GT supports DirectX 10 (DX10); note that ATI's competing Radeon 3800 series supports the new DX10.1. DX10.1 will ship as part of the upcoming Windows Vista Service Pack 1, adding support for Shader Model 4.1 and mandating improved anti-aliasing support and some other new features. But while DX10.1 may result in slightly better visuals in the distant future, we don't expect to see titles supporting it for some time—and we'd be surprised to ever see a game require it. The 8800 GT does add support for PCI Express (PCIe) 2.0, which can double the memory bandwidth between the motherboard and card.

The 8800 GT's performance in our benchmark tests would have been impressive for a $400 card; it's spectacular for a $300 model. Our Alpha Dog card scored 123fps in our DX9 1,280x1,024 F.E.A.R. test, compared to 88fps for a 640MB 8800 GTS card. Upping the resolution to 1,920x1,200 brought the range closer, but the 8800 GT's 65fps still smoked the more-expensive 8800 GTS's 53fps. Moving to the demanding World in Conflict DX10 benchmark test (run at 1,280x1,024), the 8800 GT scored 47fps, compared to 39fps for the 8800 GTS.

Upping the resolution to 1,920x1,200 finally put the 8800 GTS back in the lead in a couple of our tests, with the 8800 GT scoring 20fps in World in Conflict and 21.8fps in Company of Heroes, compared to 22fps and 23.4fps respectively for the 8800 GTS. This slight edge for the older card at higher resolutions is likely due to its higher memory bandwidth, as a ton of data is being moved around when using anti-aliased graphics at the highest resolutions. Still, the 8800 GT had the fastest results in the Crysis demo test even at the higher resolution, turning in 36.3fps at 1,280x1,024 and 9.7fps at 1,920x1,200, compared to just 25.6fps and 8.2fps for the 8800 GTS.

On the video-playback front, the 8800 GT has the same hardware PureVideo 2 playback support that the 8600-and-earlier series cards have included, but which until now has been lacking from the 8800 series. With hardware decoding of H.264 video, you'll see less CPU usage when watching HD video compared with earlier 8800 cards.

It's a great time to be a gamer, because ATI's new Radeon HD 3850 brings good graphics performance to the under-$200 market, and nVidia's 8800 GT brings performance approaching top-end $600 cards to the under-$300 crowd. The XFX GeForce 8800 GT Alpha Dog Edition stands out among other 8800 GT cards not just for its faster clock speeds, but also for its double-lifetime warranty, which covers not just the original purchaser, but also anyone to whom you later sell or give the card. Plus, it comes complete with the full version of the excellent Company of Heroes, as well as a disc containing the game's DX10 patch.

Discuss this product in our components forum.

XFX, 800-880-3225

www.xfxforce.com

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EVGA e-GeForce 8800 GTS 512MB Graphics Card

EVGA e-GeForce 8800 GTS 512MB Graphics Card Review
Reviewed by: Denny Atkin
Review Date: December 2007

When nVidia recently released its GeForce 8800 GT design, it left the 8800 GTS in a weird place: The GTS was more expensive than the GT, but slower in most tests. With the advent of the new, faster 512MB 8800 GTS cards like EVGA's e-GeForce 8800 GTS, the model makes a better show at earning its GTS designation.

Though it shares the same name as and a similar look to earlier 8800 GTS cards, the 512MB version is actually a whole new design. It uses the same 65-nanometer GPU chip as the 8800 GT, which adds additional texturing units and hardware PureVideo 2 support for improved video playback, while running cooler than the earlier chip. The memory bus on this new chip is 256 bits wide, versus 320 on the earlier models of the card, but the other improvements result in it performing faster in most tests than the older 640MB 8800 GTS.

The e-GeForce 8800 GTS is a double-wide card that blocks the adjacent slot to make room for a large heat sink and cooling fan, as with the earlier 8800 GTS models. The cooler is larger than the one included on the 8800 GT, and it's significantly quieter. The e-GeForce 8800 GTS requires a single six-pin power connector and sports a pair of dual-link DVI outputs, as well as an additional connector for S-Video or component-video output. Though it supports High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP), the card lacks a High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) output.

Like the earlier GTS models, the 512MB 8800 GTS supports DirectX 10 (DX10), but not the new DX10.1, which will ship as part of the upcoming Windows Vista Service Pack 1. DX10.1 adds support for Shader Model 4.1, as well as mandating improved anti-aliasing support and some other new features, but we don't expect to see games use it for a while, and we'd be shocked to see a game ever require it. The new 8800 GTS adds support for PCI Express 2.0, which can double the memory bandwidth between the motherboard and card.

On the video-playback front, the 512MB 8800 GTS has the same hardware-based PureVideo 2 playback support that the 8600-and-lower series have included, but which wasn't present in the 320MB and 640MB models of the 8800 GTS. With hardware decoding of H.264 video, you'll see less CPU usage when watching HD video compared with earlier 8800 cards.

Despite having 128MB less memory, EVGA's 512MB e-GeForce 8800 GTS left an original-model 640MB 8800 GTS in the dust in most of our tests. At 1,280x1,024 resolution, the 512MB model delivered 132 frames per second (fps) in F.E.A.R., versus 88fps for the 640MB version. World in Conflict saw a score of 47fps, compared with 39fps on the earlier card. The ultra-demanding Crysis achieved 37fps at high detail, as opposed to to 25.6fps for the older card.

Boosting the resolution to 1,920x1,200 and turning on anti-aliasing kept the new GTS from stealing the older model's crown. Aided by the additional memory and wider bandwidth, the older 640MB 8800 GTS was the victor in our World in Conflict and Company of Heroes DX10 tests, with the 640MB model turning in 22fps and 23.4fps respectively, compared with 19fps and 20.4fps for the new 512MB model. But the 512MB card won the race in F.E.A.R, clocking 64fps, compared to 53fps for the 640MB card.

Interestingly, the overclocked XFX GeForce 8800 GT Alpha Dog Edition almost matches the stock-speed EVGA e-Force 8800 GTS in many tests. Expect an overclocked 8800 GTS to show more-significant speed jumps over the GT. But even at stock speed, the 8800 GTS has the advantages of quieter operation and a cooler that vents heat outside the computer.

The EVGA E-GeForce 8800 GTS 512MB comes bundled with a copy of Crysis, a just-released sci-fi 3D shooter that's not only fun to play, but also is demanding enough on the hardware that you'll feel justified in purchasing a fast 3D card. EVGA backs the card with a limited lifetime warranty.

Discuss this product in our components forum.

Direct Price: $359.99

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Asus EAH3870 TOP Graphics Card

Asus EAH3870 TOP Graphics Card Review
Reviewed by: Denny Atkin
Review Date: January 2008

ATI's new top-of-the-line HD 3870 chipset is actually aimed at capturing the mainstream market, offering very good performance at a reasonable price. The Asus EAH3870 TOP soups up the HD 3870 by overclocking the GPU and memory, and bundling a good DirectX 10 (DX10) game.

The EAH3870 TOP is based on ATI's reference design for the HD 3870 card, the only visual difference being a slick Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts decal affixed to the heat sink to highlight the bundled game. Though based on the same 55-nanometer (nm) chip design as the less-expensive, single-slot HD 3850, this 512MB card sports a thick heat sink that blocks the adjacent slot. Asus overclocks the card's GPU significantly, running it at 851MHz instead of the stock 775MHz. The GDDR4 memory overclock is minimal, running at 2,286MHz instead of 2,250MHz.

Installing two EAH3870 TOP cards lets you drive up to four monitors, or increase 3D performance by enabling CrossFire mode. Upcoming drivers will support CrossFireX, allowing you to install up to four cards for even better 3D performance (or to drive eight monitors simultaneously). Each card requires a single six-pin power connector. Along with S-Video and a pair of DVI ports, the card includes adapters for High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) and component output.

In addition to supporting PCI Express 2.0, which can double communications bandwidth with the motherboard, the EAH3870 TOP is also one of the first cards to support DX10.1. This enables support for Shader Model 4.1 and better anti-aliasing, which might make for visual and performance improvements in the future. Still, we don't foresee DX10.1 support being a requirement for high-quality 3D results.

Image quality is excellent, with superb anti-aliasing and filtering. ATI's Avivo HD technology enables hardware decoding of the H.264 and VC-1 compression used by HD DVD and Blu-ray. DVDs and our HD samples played back smoothly and clearly. The HD 3870 upscales protected HD content playback up to 2,560x1,600 pixels, and supports HD audio over the HDMI cable.

The faster GPU and 512MB of GDDR4 memory allowed the EAH3870 TOP to turn in significantly faster benchmark results than the HD 3850, though it still fell behind the slightly more expensive GeForce 8800 GT. At 1,280x1,024 resolution, the EAH3870 TOP clocked 99 frames per second (fps) in F.E.A.R., topping the 81fps recorded by the HD 3850 but falling behind the 123fps of the XFX GeForce 8800 GT Alpha Dog Edition. In our DX10 tests, the card achieved 27.6fps in Crysis, versus 20.8fps for the HD 3850 and 36.3fps for the 8800 GT. World in Conflict showed a significant boost over the HD 3850, with the EAH3870 TOP averaging 34fps, compared with the HD 3850's 25fps and the 8800 GT's 47fps.

Test results were mixed at 1,920x1,200. In F.E.A.R., the card's 56fps was admirable, and its Company of Heroes average of 20.9fps nearly matched the 8800 GT's 21.8fps—and nearly doubled the HD 3850's 11.5fps. Most impressive was the Crysis test, which averaged 10.8fps. That's a low number, but it beats the 6.5fps of the HD 3850 and the 9.7fps turned in by the 8800 GT. But our World in Conflict test clocked just 11fps, just over half the 20fps achieved by the 8800 GT.

One important note: Though the card is whisper-quiet when idling, during 3D gaming the fan noise became very noticeable, more so than the HD 3850 or nVidia 8800 GT or 8800 GTS cards.

The $20 premium you pay for the factory-overclocked EAH3870 TOP puts it very close in price to the faster GeForce 8800 GT. The EAH3870 TOP, however, has the advantage of HDMI output and an excellent $40-value bundled game.

Discuss this product in our components forum.

Direct Price: $249

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ATI Radeon HD 3650 Graphics Card

ATI Radeon HD 3650 Graphics Card Review
Reviewed by: Denny Atkin
Review Date: January 2008

AMD's new ATI Radeon HD 3650 is a solid choice for those looking for an inexpensive graphics card that offers good all-around performance. Though its 3D performance is relatively slow, its excellent video-playback quality, support for multiple monitors, and flexible output options make it a good option for those who don't want to spend over $100 on a video card.

The Radeon HD 3650 is a single-slot card that draws all of its power from the PCI Express (PCIe) slot. It boasts a pair of dual-link DVI ports for dual-monitor output, a component-video/S-Video connector, and a High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) adapter for one of the DVI ports. The card is small, and should fit in most full-height home-theater-PC cases, though its cooling fan is loud enough that you might want to consider a third-party model with passive cooling if noise is a factor. The HD 3650 gets a slight performance boost from the additional bandwidth of PCIe 2.0, but it also supports older PCIe 1.1 slots.

The HD 3650 has full support for DirectX 10.1 (DX10.1) under Windows Vista. Gaming performance was reasonable with older games, but it didn't hold up with the latest titles at high detail. The 34 frames per second (fps) we got from our F.E.A.R. test at a resolution of 1,280x1,024 were smooth enough to make the game playable and enjoyable. In our DX10 tests, however, World in Conflict turned in a jerky 9fps at 1,280x1,024, while Company of Heroes was at the low end of playability at 17.6fps. Dropping the detail and resolution in both games resulted in significant frame-rate boosts, however. If you play games often, you should invest in the under-$200 ATI Radeon HD 3850 instead. But for occasional gaming at low-to-medium resolutions, and for playing older titles, the HD 3650's performance is acceptable. The card supports ATI's CrossFireX scaling, allowing you to install two or even four HD 3650s in your system to boost performance or drive additional monitors.

We ran into a problem during our game testing: consistent driver crashes when testing Company of Heroes and Crysis at 1,920x1,200. Whether this was due to the newness of the driver software or the card overheating is unknown, but realistically this isn't a card you'd use to run cutting-edge games at those resolutions. At lower resolutions, we encountered no issues.

Performance in Windows is excellent, with the HD 3450 providing snappy response with all the Vista desktop effects enabled, and full support of advanced features such as slide-show effects. ATI's Avivo HD technology enables hardware decoding of the H.264 and VC-1 compression used by HD DVD and Blu-ray discs. DVDs and our high-definition samples played back smoothly with terrific image quality. The card is fully compliant with High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP), supporting protected video, and it supports HD audio over the HDMI cable.

Though nVidia's GeForce series has grabbed the overall performance crown for now, ATI's 3000 series now has something for just about everyone shopping in the low to middle range. The Radeon HD 3650 is a fine choice if you want good desktop performance, excellent video-playback quality, and reasonable 3D performance. The cheaper HD 3450 is there for those who don't care about 3D, while the HD 3850 and 3870 cards deliver enough 3D horsepower to satisfy many gamers.

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Direct Price: $99

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ATI Radeon HD 3450 Graphics Card

ATI Radeon HD 3450 Graphics Card Review
Reviewed by: Denny Atkin
Review Date: January 2008

AMD's entry-level ATI Radeon HD 3450 graphics card is an amazing deal for those looking to juice up their PC's video-playback performance and quality. For just $49, you get support for HD video playback, high desktop resolutions, power enough to display all the bells and whistles of Windows Vista's Aero interface, and the ability to add additional cards to support more monitors. But while it supports the latest DirectX 10.1 (DX10.1) 3D features, the Radeon HD 3450 is decidedly not the card for you if you play games.

Our sample card was a half-height, fanless PCI Express model with 256MB of DDR2 memory, intended for low-profile home theater cases. The card has only a single DVI port, as well as a component-video/S-Video connector and a High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) adapter for the DVI port. ATI also has a model available with both DVI and VGA ports, as well as one with a VGA port and the new DisplayPort connector.

Though this is an inexpensive, entry-level card, the HD 3450 has the power to handle all of Vista's graphics effects, including desktop transparency, Flip 3D task switching, and the full suite of slide-show effects. That makes it a good replacement for entry-level PC graphics, such as the integrated graphics chips found on many motherboards, which are fast enough to enable basic effects such as transparency but disable more-sophisticated effects such as slide-show transitions.

While its desktop performance was excellent, the HD 3450's gaming performance was dismal. It delivered slide-show-like frame rates of 11 frames per second (fps) in F.E.A.R. and 4.6fps in Company of Heroes (both at a resolution of 1,280x1,024). If you have a nostalgic bent, the card has enough power to handle 3D games from early in the decade at low resolutions, but its support of the DX10.1 standard used by the newest games is mostly there as a checkbox item for the promotional text on the card's box. Casual gamers should consider the Radeon HD 3650 as the bare minimum, with the HD 3850 a more suitable entry-level card for serious gamers.

For the card's home-theater-PC target audience, though, the HD 3450 delivers. Its lack of a fan offers silent operation, and its video-playback performance and visual quality are top-notch. Despite its low price, the card offered flawless playback of 1080p HD content on a 1,900x1,200 24-inch monitor. It supports ATI Avivo HD video, with hardware decoding of MPEG and DivX, as well as the H.264 and VC-1 video codecs used on HD DVD and Blu-ray discs. This makes for a sharp, clear picture with smooth frame rates, even at high resolutions, without requiring a PC with a high-end CPU to decode the video. The HD 3000 series cards improve on the hardware decoder introduced in the HD 2000 series by reducing CPU utilization and increasing memory bandwidth to smooth playback at the highest resolutions. With the HDMI adapter and High-Bandwith Digital Content Protection (HDCP) support, the HD 3450 will handle even copyright-protected HD video.

If you're looking for better 3D-gaming performance, plan on spending more than the Radeon HD 3450's bargain price. But if you just want a graphics card that delivers good performance on the Windows desktop and excellent video-playback performance and quality, this card is hard to beat.

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Direct Price: $49

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ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2 Graphics Card

ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2 Graphics Card Review
Reviewed by: Denny Atkin
Review Date: February 2008

The ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2 is exactly what the “X2” name implies: two Radeon HD 3870s on a single board. Doubling up the graphics processing units (GPUs) and memory allows AMD to offer the kind of dual-card performance you get from a CrossFire or Scalable Link Interface (SLI) system, without dealing with motherboard-compatibility issues or installing multiple cards. The end result is the fastest single graphics card you can buy—in most tests. Since the underlying technology is still dual-card-based, performance may drop a notch in games that don't take good advantage of CrossFire or SLI.

This is a big piece of hardware. The HD 3870 X2's thick heat sink and fan block the adjacent expansion slot, and its 10.5-inch length (identical to nVidia's GeForce 8800 GTX board) means this PCI Express (PCIe) 2.0 card will be a tight fit in smaller cases. The card needs a pair of PCIe connectors from your power supply; six-pin cables will work, but you'll need one eight-pin connector if you want to enable the Overdrive overclocking feature. Outputs include a pair of dual-link DVI monitor connectors, S-Video, and adapters for component and HDMI output.

Though it's billed as a 1GB card, memory is actually equivalent to a 512MB card, since the GDDR3 RAM is split evenly between the two GPUs. The HD 3870 X2 appears to your computer as a single DirectX 10.1-compatible (DX10.1) card, supporting the use of two monitors simultaneously, so you don't have to worry about enabling or disabling CrossFireX mode. In fact, you're not even presented with that option. You don't need a CrossFire-compatible motherboard, but if you have one, you'll eventually be able to pair two HD 3870 X2 cards for a four-GPU solution. Unfortunately, drivers to accomplish this task aren't available yet.

As with the standard HD 3870 card, image quality is excellent, with top-notch anti-aliasing and filtering. ATI's Avivo HD technology enables hardware decoding of the H.264 and VC-1 compression used by HD DVD and Blu-ray. DVDs and our HD samples played back smoothly with top-notch image quality. The HD 3870 X2 upscales protected-HD content to resolutions up to 2,560x1,600 pixels, and it supports HD audio over the HDMI cable.

In terms of speed, the HD 3870 X2's GPU runs at 825MHz, versus 775MHz for the single card. Memory is a bit slower, at 1.8GHz, compared with 2.25GHz for the single card. Compared to actually running a pair of single HD 3870s in CrossFire mode on an Intel X38-based motherboard, the HD 3870 X2 was very close in performance overall. In most tests, the X2 card was slightly slower than the CrossFire configuration. However, in Crysis, the CrossFire solution was significantly faster, turning in 46 frames per second (fps) at 1,280x1,024 and 24.2fps at 1,920x1,200, compared with 37.6fps and 16.8fps respectively for the X2 card. And while World in Conflict performance was nearly identical at 1,280x1,024, the X2 was only 1fps faster than a single HD 3870 card at 1,920x1,200, coming in at 12fps compared to the 24fps result from the CrossFire pair of HD 3870 cards.

That said, the card's performance was superb, breaking single-card records in most of our tests. In F.E.A.R., for instance, the HD 3870 X2 turned in 100fps at 1,920x1,200 resolution, compared with 56fps for a single HD 3870 and 64fps for nVidia's EVGA e-GeForce 8800 GTS 512MB, our previous single-card champ (and faster than the 8800 GTX in many tests). In Company of Heroes at the same resolution, the HD 3870 X2 turned in a 26.9fps score in DX10 mode, compared with 20.9fps for a single HD 3870 card and 20.4fps for the 8800 GTS 512MB. The HD 3870 X2's Crysis score of 16.77fps at 1,920x1,200 and high detail blew away the 10.75fps of a single HD 3870 and the 8.69fps of the 8800 GTS 512MB.

We did notice, however, a few instances where the card's lead was less evident—or missing altogether. Its World in Conflict score of 12fps at 1,920x1,200 was bested by the 8800 GTS 512MB's score of 19fps. Still, we've found that World in Conflict doesn't scale well in CrossFire mode at high resolutions. The same problem was evident in Flight Simulator X, a game that doesn't benefit noticeably from either CrossFire or SLI; in a test at 1,900x1,200, the 8800 GTS 512MB scored 11.2fps, compared with 8fps for the HD 3870 X2.

The HD 3870 X2 also ran into trouble at lower resolutions: At 1,280x1,024 resolution, meanwhile, the HD 3870 X2 was nearly matched by the less-expensive 8800 GTS 512MB. In Crysis, the HD 3870 X2 racked up 37.6fps, compared with 37fps for the 8800 GTS 512MB; in World in Conflict, the HD 3870 X2 tallied 50fps, versus 47fps for the nVidia card. In one test, the 8800 GTS 512MB soundly beat the HD 3870 X2, turning in 71.3fps in the Company of Heroes 1,280x1,024 benchmark, compared with the HD 3870 X2's 49.4fps.

Still, you probably don't buy a card like this to run at lower resolutions, and the HD 3870 X2 has a commanding performance lead in most games. Overall, the Radeon HD 3870 X2 is indeed the fastest graphics card you can buy, but if you already have an HD 3870 and a CrossFire-capable motherboard, adding a second graphics card will give you better performance than a single X2.

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Direct Price: $450

Advanced Micro Devices, 877-284-1564

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Asus EN9600GT Graphics Card

Asus EN9600GT Graphics Card Review
Reviewed by: Denny Atkin
Review Date: February 2008

The Asus EN9600GT is one of the first graphics cards to use nVidia's new GeForce 9600 GT chipset. In previous generations, midrange GeForce cards like the 7600 GT and 8600 GT series were best suited for gamers who didn't mind turning down the details or resolution in a game to get a smooth frame rate. The 9600 GT series resets those expectations, offering very good gaming performance with the details cranked up, even at moderate-to-high resolutions.

The EN9600GT's GPU runs at 650MHz, with 512MB of GDDR3 memory running at 900MHz. Interestingly, the GeForce 9600 GT still lacks support for DirectX 10.1 (DX10.1), supporting the original DX10 instead. This omission isn't likely to ever be a critical issue, as the changes from DX10 to 10.1 are very minor, but it's surprising nevertheless. The EN9600GT supports High-Definition Content Protection (HDCP), ensuring full-resolution output of Blu-ray, HD DVD, and other protected high-definition formats.

This single-slot PCI Express (PCIe) x16 card uses a six-pin PCIe power connector and takes advantage of (but doesn't require) PCIe 2.0. It has a pair of dual-link DVI outputs as well as a component-video/S-Video connector. The card also includes a DVI-to-HDMI converter for connection to an HDTV, until now a rarity on GeForce cards. A small cable is included to connect the card to the digital audio connector on your motherboard, allowing the card to pass sound through the HDMI cable. The cooling fan is relatively quiet, making the EN9600GT suitable for use in a living-room PC.

The 9600 GT offers a serious performance boost over its 8600 GT predecessor, particularly at higher resolutions. Its F.E.A.R. scores of 89 frames per second (fps) at 1,280x1,024 and 54fps at 1,920x1,200 are more than double the 45fps and 20fps that the 8600 GT turned in at those resolutions. The 9600 GT even manages a playable 33fps in F.E.A.R. on a 30-inch monitor running at 2,560x1,600.

In our DX10 tests, the EN9600GT tops the similarly priced ATI Radeon HD 3850, clocking 38fps in World in Conflict and 52fps in Company of Heroes, compared to 25fps and 42fps for the HD 3850. Upping the resolution to 1,920x1,200 makes the difference even more dramatic, with the EN9600GT turning in 16fps at Very High settings in World in Conflict and 25.6fps in Company of Heroes, compared to 9fps and 11.5fps for the HD 3850.

The EN9600GT supports dual-card Scalable Link Interface (SLI) on compatible motherboards; nowadays, that's typically motherboards using the nVidia 680i or 780i chipset. The card lacks the additional connector needed to support three-card 3-Way SLI, a feature that nVidia seems to be reserving for its highest-end cards. Adding a second 9600 GT card provides a significant frame-rate boost, pushing our 1,280x1,024 Company of Heroes frame rate to 92.4fps and our World in Conflict results to 50fps.

The EN9600GT features nVidia's PureVideo HD, which lightens load on the CPU during DVD and Blu-ray playback by offering full hardware decoding of MPEG2 and H.264, and partial acceleration of VC-1 video. The 9-series cards add support for faster dual-stream decode acceleration, dynamic contrast enhancement, and automatic enhancement of green, blue, and skin tone colors. Video playback was smooth with both standard- and high-definition content, with excellent color reproduction.

Offering a level of 3D performance that until recently cost $100 more, this first entry in the 9 series is a welcome addition to the GeForce family.

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Mfr. Est. Price: $189

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Asus EN9800GX2 Graphics Card

Asus EN9800GX2 Graphics Card Review
Reviewed by: Denny Atkin
Review Date: March 2008

NVidia bills its new GeForce 9800 GX2 as the fastest single graphics card yet. And it does easily earn that title, turning in record-breaking performance in our 3D tests and letting you play the latest games at high detail on the largest monitors. It pulls this off by recreating a dual-card Scalable Link Interface (SLI) setup in one slot, pairing two GPUs, each backed by 512MB of memory, in a single package. You'll pay plenty for all this, however: nearly $600 for Asus' version of the card, the EN9800GX2, that we tested.

Asus customizes its jet-black EN9800GX2 with a silkscreened Asian beauty against an alien landscape on one side. It (along with other 9800 GX2 cards) has bright LEDs near the back and power connectors to enhance its appearance in windowed cases. The card comes bundled with Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts, as well as the Asus Gamer OSD overclocking/screen-capture software.

This PCI Express 2.0 x16 card is lengthy at 10.5 inches, and it blocks an adjacent slot. Not surprisingly, 9800 GX2 cards require lots of power: You'll need both six- and eight-pin connectors on your power supply (the card won't work with a pair of six-pin connectors), and nVidia recommends a minimum 580-watt power supply for a single card, or 850 watts for two 9800 GX2s. The EN9800GX2 manages to cool the setup with a fan that's whisper-quiet when the system is idling.

The card has a pair of dual-link DVI ports, as well as an HDMI connector with digital audio pass-through. The card supports High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP), ensuring full-resolution output of Blu-ray and other copyright-protected HD formats. The EN9800GX2 supports DirectX 10 (DX10), but nVidia continues to forego DX10.1 support.

Across the board, the EN9800GX2 outperformed every 3D card we've tested. Though its performance in Futuremark's 3DMark06 was similar to ATI's dual-GPU Radeon HD 3870 X2, it left that card in the dust in actual game benchmarks. The 9800 X2 clocked 50.5 frames per second (fps) in our Company of Heroes DX10 test at 1,920x1,200 resolution, compared to 26.9fps for the HD 3870 X2. At the same resolution, the 9800 X2 clocked 37fps in Very High detail in World in Conflict; the HD 3870 X2 turned in just 12fps. DX9 tests were similarly fast: F.E.A.R. turned in a silky-smooth 62fps at 2,560x1,600 resolution.

Unlike ATI's HD 3870 X2 card, which appears to the PC as if it's a single card, 9800 GX2 cards suffer from the same restrictions as a two-card SLI setup. When using multiple displays, you must open the nVidia Control Panel and change to Multiple Display Mode, which disables SLI and only utilizes a single GPU for 3D. Depending on what programs you're using, you may have to shut down some applications, or even reboot, to switch between single and multiple GPU modes. This is really inconvenient for gamers who use dual monitors, and nVidia says it plans to address this limitation in a future driver revision.

Each of the 9800 GX2 GPUs is similar in performance to a GeForce 8800 GT card. In fact, overall performance was very similar to a pair of factory-overclocked XFX GeForce 8800 GT cards running in SLI mode on the same system. That's not to say that dropping a pair of 8800 GT cards into an SLI-capable system is equivalent to a single 9800 GX2. (For one thing, you can use a 9800 GX2 card on a motherboard that doesn't support SLI.) The EN9800GX2 also supports nVidia's HybridPower technology. Used with nVidia's upcoming integrated-graphics motherboards, the EN9800GX2 can shut down completely and transfer responsibility to the motherboard's graphics chipset when you're not running 3D applications, significantly reducing power consumption.

Also, if you have an SLI-capable motherboard and a strong-enough power supply, you can pair two 9800 GX2 cards to get Quad SLI performance. Quad SLI for 9800 GX2 cards isn't yet available for testing, but nVidia promises improvements over the first generation of the technology, including better scaling performance when adding a second 9800 GX2. Of course, you'll likely need to crank every setting to maximum on a 30-inch monitor to truly benefit from Quad SLI. (Or play Crysis.)

The EN9800GX2 supports the latest version of nVidia's PureVideo HD, which offers significant hardware decoding improvements over the GPU used in the GeForce 8800 GTX and GeForce 8800 Ultra. It lightens the load on the CPU during DVD and Blu-ray playback by offering full hardware decoding of MPEG-2 and H.264, and partial acceleration of VC-1 video. The 9-series cards add support for faster dual-stream decode acceleration, dynamic contrast enhancement, and automatic enhancement of green, blue, and skin tone colors. Video playback was smooth with both standard-def and HD content, even at 2,560x1,600 resolution, and color reproduction was excellent.

The Asus EN9800GX2 is blazingly fast, and it's the clear winner if you're looking for a single graphics card with the highest performance for use on a single-monitor system. If your system supports SLI, the choice isn't as clear, as you can pair a couple of GeForce 8800 GT cards and match or slightly exceed the EN9800GX2's performance. You'll save about $100 in the process, though you'll forego the chance to upgrade to Quad SLI.

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Mfr. Est. Price: $599

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EVGA e-GeForce 9800 GTX Graphics Card

EVGA e-GeForce 9800 GTX Graphics Card Review
Reviewed by: Denny Atkin
Review Date: April 2008

The EVGA e-GeForce 9800 GTX represents nVidia's new high-end, single-GPU video card. Though it outperforms and replaces the GeForce 8800 GTX, the 9800 GTX comes in at a much lower price, around $350, leaving the dual-GPU GeForce 9800 GX2 to take over the $500 category. Though the 9800 GTX doesn't match the 9800 GX2's performance, it's less expensive and easier to use in a multiple-monitor setup, has lower power requirements, and outperforms all the other single-GPU cards out there.

The 9800 GTX is a 10.5-inch long card that blocks an adjacent slot to make room for its large cooler. If you have a window on the side of your PC, you'll be glad to know that this time, nVidia has paid extra attention to style—the cooler isn't a big box, but has a wave shape around the fan. EVGA brands the black cooler with a slick bright-green energy motif, classier than the soldiers or hot girls adorning some competitors' graphics cards. Even though it only needs to cool a single GPU, the fan is somewhat louder than that of the 9800 GX2, but it's still relatively quiet.

The 9800 GTX doesn't introduce any major new features, or even offer a staggering performance jump over earlier cards. It's essentially a souped-up version of the design used in the GeForce 8800 GT and the new GeForce 8800 GTS 512MB. But the main thing it brings to the table is increased speed, and it does that very well. In our tests, the 512MB 9800 GTX consistently beat every other single-GPU card we've tested. In fact, it even matched or outperformed the dual-GPU ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2 card in our DirectX 10 (DX10) tests, though that card outpaced it in the DX9 3DMark06 and F.E.A.R. tests.

In our Company of Heroes DX10 tests at 1,920x1,280 resolution, the 9800 GTX turned in a smooth 40.5 frames per second (fps), compared to 26.9fps for the HD 3870 X2 and 20.4fps for the 512MB 8800 GTS. In the demanding World in Conflict DX10 test at the same resolution, the 9800 GTX clocked 23fps, compared to 19fps for the 8800 GTS and 12fps for the HD 3870 X2. In comparison, the 9800 GX2 managed 37fps, leaving the single-GPU cards in the dust. You can enhance 3D performance by adding more 9800 GTX cards to enable dual- or triple-card Scalable Link Interface (SLI) configurations on nForce-chipset motherboards; nVidia says, in fact, that the 9800 GTX may be faster in a 3-Way SLI configuration than a pair of 9800 GX2s in Quad SLI in some situations.

The e-GeForce 9800 GTX sports a pair of dual-link DVI outputs, as well as a component-video/S-Video connector. Like other GeForce 9000-series cards, the 9800 GTX supports HDMI output and can pass digital audio through an HDMI connection. The EVGA card doesn't include the necessary conversion dongle for HDMI output, however, so you'll need to purchase a certified DVI-to-HDMI adapter to connect to a TV or monitor via an HDMI cable.

The 9800 GTX uses two six-pin PCI Express power connectors and requires a 450-watt power supply. On upcoming motherboards supporting nVidia's HybridPower technology, the 9800 GTX card will be able to shut down entirely and transfer responsibility to the lower-power motherboard GPU when you're not using 3D applications.

The earlier 8800 GTX didn't have the extensive support for hardware video acceleration of the lower-end 8000-series cards. The 9800 GTX, on the other hand, has full PureVideo HD support, which lowers CPU load during DVD and Blu-ray playback, offering full hardware decoding of MPEG2 and H.264, and partial acceleration of VC-1 video. Like other 9000-series cards, it supports faster dual-stream decode acceleration, dynamic contrast enhancement, and automatic enhancement of green, blue, and skin-tone colors. Video playback was smooth with both standard-def and HD content, with excellent color reproduction and artifact-free playback on both a 30-inch LCD monitor and a 56-inch DLP TV.

Also, if you have an SLI-capable motherboard and a strong-enough power supply, you can pair two 9800 GX2 cards to get Quad SLI performance. Quad SLI for 9800 GX2 cards isn't yet available for testing, but nVidia promises improvements over the first generation of the technology, including better scaling performance when adding a second 9800 GX2. Of course, you'll likely need to crank every setting to maximum on a 30-inch monitor to truly benefit from Quad SLI. (Or play Crysis.)

While the 9800 GTX is eclipsed by the 9800 GX2 in the performance department, it has more reasonable power requirements, avoids the need to shut down additional monitors when gaming (unless you use it in an SLI configuration), and is much less expensive. It offers excellent performance in the most demanding games and accelerated video playback, all at a price about $200 less than the introductory price of nVidia's previous-generation GTX card.

EVGA backs the card with a limited lifetime warranty, as well as its 90-day Step Up program, which lets you upgrade to a faster card within 3 months for the difference in price between the cards.

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Mfr. Est. Price: $349.99

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Asus ENGTX280 Graphics Card

Asus ENGTX280 Graphics Card Review
Reviewed by: Denny Atkin
Review Date: June 2008

nVidia's new flagship card, the GeForce GTX 280, isn't going to suffer the same criticisms as the recent GeForce 9800-series cards. While those are somewhat faster than the preceding 8800 generation, their biggest achievement was offering more performance per dollar. After testing Asus' new model, the ENGTX280, we can confidently state that the GeForce GTX 280 is all about the fast.

Just how fast? A single ENGTX280 nearly doubled the performance of the EVGA e-GeForce 9800 GTX in many of our tests, and even beat a pair of dual-GPU GeForce 9800 GX2 cards running in Quad SLI mode on others. Our game tests left the ENGTX280's predecessors in the dust. At 2,560x1,600 resolution, the ENGTX280 averaged 46.5 frames per second (fps) in our Company of Heroes DirectX 10 (DX10) tests, compared to 19.7fps for the 9800 GTX, 24.7fps for the 9800 GX2, and 38.2fps for the pair of 9800 GX2 cards in Quad SLI mode. At the same resolution, World in Conflict scores 30fps, compared to 10fps for the 9800 GTX and 16fps for 9800 GX2. This card finally makes DX10 games playable at full resolution and detail on 30-inch monitors.

In testing with the new 3DMark Vantage benchmark, the ENGTX280 was the first card that made the 2,560x1,600-resolution Extreme test mode look like gameplay instead of a slide show. The card scored 4,899 at the Extreme preset, compared to just 2,134 for the 9800 GTX card. Its results of 7,267, 10,592, and 26,071 at the High, Performance, and Entry presets, respectively, were similarly breathtaking.

If that's not fast enough, dropping a second GTX 280 card into an SLI-capable system yields results of 9,108, 12,630, 16,128, and 30,670, respectively, at Extreme, High, Performance, and Entry settings in 3DMark Vantage. Our F.E.A.R. DX9 test at 2,560x1,600 yielded an amazing 143fps, compared to 116fps for a pair of 9800 GX2 cards in Quad SLI mode. With a pair of GTX 280s in SLI mode, even demanding DX10 games like World in Conflict and Company of Heroes manage silky smooth 50fps and 88.9fps results, respectively, at 2,560x1,600 with all the details maxed out. A pair of these cards in SLI is a dream combo if you own a 30-inch monitor. You can install a third card in a 3-Way SLI system for an even greater performance boost, but given these results we can't foresee the need to do so for quite a while. Note that, as with earlier cards, nVidia's drivers disable multiple monitor support when running in SLI mode; you'll have to disable the second card to use more than one display. The company says it hopes to address this limitation in a future driver update.

Such performance comes at a price—quite a price. The ENGTX280 sells for $649. (nVidia will release a slower $399 GTX 260 card in the coming weeks.) That price buys you a double-width board boasting nVidia's new 1.4-billion-transistor GTX 280 Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) and 1GB of memory running at 2,200MHz. The board features a pair of High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP)-enabled, dual-link DVI ports; a digital audio input for use with an HDMI adapter (not included); and a component-video/S-Video output. The card's quiet cooling fan vents warm air out the back of your PC. Asus bundles its Gamer OSD software with the card, which supports GPU overclocking, video capture, and screenshot grabbing.

You'll need a 550-watt or greater power supply unit (PSU) and both an eight-pin and six-pin power connector to run a single card. Each card can draw up to 236 watts, so count on an 800-watt PSU for a pair of cards in SLI mode. While you can install three ENGTX280 cards in 3-Way SLI mode, you'll need six PCI Express power connectors to manage that. The board won't necessarily send your electric bill into the stratosphere, as it uses only 25 watts of power in idle (2D) mode, and can shut off completely for 2D use on an nForce motherboard that supports HybridPower.

nVidia has once again chosen not to support DX10.1, sticking with the original DX10 for this card. (There's almost no use of DX10.1 in any currently available games, so this isn't likely to be a big concern for most users.) Visual quality is superb, as the ENGTX280 lets you crank up texture detail, anti-aliasing, and filtering at high resolutions while still maintaining playable frame rates. The board supports nVidia's PureVideo HD, which lowers CPU load during DVD and Blu-ray playback, offering full hardware decoding of MPEG2 and H.264 video, and partial acceleration of VC-1 video. DVDs and HD WMV files both looked stellar, with rich color and smooth playback even on a 30-inch screen.

With the release of the GTX 280, nVidia is making a big splash about its GPU computing technologies, which let the card's GPU do operations that it can process much faster than your computer's CPU. nVidia claims that the GTX 280's GPU, with 240 cores running at 1.3GHz, is the fastest floating point processor yet for the PC.

We tested the GPU processing by converting a video for the iPhone first with the Sony Vegas 8.0, and then with the BadaBOOM GPU-based converter supplied by nVidia. On a quad-core, 3.2GHz Core 2 Extreme QX9770, our sample MPEG2 video took 42 seconds to convert to iPhone H.264 format using the CPU and Vegas 8.0. Using a preliminary version of BadaBOOM to convert the file using the GPU, the same file converted in just 27 seconds. The difference will be even more dramatic on slower CPUs or processors with fewer cores, where the CPU conversion will take much longer—but the GPU version should remain around 27 seconds. (BadaBOOM should be commercially available in August.)

The nVidia version of the Folding@Home application, a distributed computing project that aids in medical protein-folding research, can simulate 590 nanoseconds of a protein's existence over the course of a day. Compare this to the PlayStation 3's Cell processor, which can compute about 100 nanoseconds in a day. You can find add-ons for Adobe Premiere that support GPU-assisted rendering, and the next version of PhotoShop should support it as well.

Of course, the nascent GPU computing capability is just gravy at this point. There's plenty of reason to buy the ENGTX280 now (if you can afford it) for its stellar gaming performance, which is dramatically faster than its predecessors, and, for now at least, the competition. Be careful, though, as the card is so speedy that you might find yourself budgeting for a 30-inch monitor as well.

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Asus EAH4850 Graphics Card

Asus EAH4850 Graphics Card Review
Reviewed by: Denny Atkin
Review Date: June 2008

While nVidia was touting its price-is-no-object performance crown with the new GeForce GTX 280, ATI was quietly shipping the first of its new Radeon HD 4850 cards, which cost a third as much and can run today's most demanding games on typical systems. Unlike the GTX 280, the HD 4850 won't let you crank all the settings to full on the latest games on a 30-inch monitor. But for the typical 3D user, it provides plenty of oomph, with performance rivaling cards that until very recently cost $350.

One testament to this card's excellent performance: nVidia dropped the price of its previous top-end single-GPU card, the GeForce 9800 GTX, to match that of the HD 4850. Our review card, an Asus EAH4850, offers performance comparable to the formerly $350 9800 GTX but bests it by supporting DirectX 10.1 (DX10.1); by not blocking an adjacent slot; by requiring just one power connector instead of two; and by including a DVI-to-HDMI adapter.

The Asus EAH4850 is a single-slot PCI Express (PCIe) 2.0 card that uses one six-pin power connector and a 450-watt power supply. It features two dual-link DVI ports ready for High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP), the aforementioned HDMI converter, and an analog video port that supports S-Video and component output. The card is based on the new RV770 GPU, which boasts 800 shader units and 956 million transistors, compared with 320 shaders and 666 million transistors for the last-generation HD 3850. The EAH4850 includes 512MB of GDDR3 memory and is bundled with the Asus overclocking and screen- and video-capture utilities.

Image quality is excellent; both ATI and nVidia now have anti-aliasing and filtering down to an art. ATI's Avivo HD technology enables hardware decoding of the H.264 and VC-1 compression used by HD-DVD and Blu-ray video discs. The card supports HD audio over the HDMI cable.

Performance, meanwhile, is stellar for a card in the EAH4850's price range. Overall, the card runs neck and neck with nVidia's GeForce 9800 GTX in our benchmark tests, with the cards trading places for the lead depending on the game and the resolution. In our Company of Heroes DX10 tests, the EAH4850 clocked 54.7 frames per second (fps) at 1,280x1,024; 35.6fps at 1,920x1,200; and 23.8fps at 2,560x1,600. Granted, the 9800 GTX's 98.3fps at 1,280x1,024 blows the EAH4850 out of the water, but the Asus entry nearly matched the 9800 GTX's score of 40.5fps at 1,920x1,200 and bested its 19.7fps at 2,560x1,600. In our World in Conflict test, the EAH4850 slightly edged out the nVidia card, scoring 51fps, 27fps, and 14fps at the aforementioned resolutions, compared with 49fps, 23fps, and 10fps, respectively, for the 9800 GTX. The EAH4850's scores in Futuremark's 3DMark06 fell below those of the 9800 GTX, but the EAH4850 beat the 9800 GTX at both Entry and Extreme settings in the new 3DMark Vantage DX10 benchmark suite.

To boost performance even further, you can drop up to three additional EAH4850 cards into a system that has a CrossFireX-compatible motherboard and additional PCIe slots.

We had one big complaint: Though the EAH4850's fan is nearly silent at idle, the single-slot cooler doesn't seem to do a great job of cooling the card. We saw an idle temperature of 78 degrees Celsius in a roomy, well-ventilated case, rising to 85 degrees under load. Not only will those high temps increase system heat, they also mean the HD4850 isn't likely to tolerate much overclocking.

Still, the EAH4850 is a great performer for the price. Not long ago, comparably performing cards fell into the $350 to $400 price range. The EAH4850 is fast enough to run newer games at playable frame rates at resolutions up to 1,920x1,200 with all the details cranked, and that's plenty fast for many gamers. ATI may not compete at the high end nowadays, but at mainstream prices, it gives nVidia a serious run for the money.

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AsusTek Computer, 502-995-0883

usa.asus.com

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