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MSI Radeon RX800XT-VTD256E Videocard Review |
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Written by Mavke
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Sunday, 24 October 2004 |
PCStats has reviewed a MSI Radeon RX800XT graphics card. Like the competition between CPU giants, ATI and nVidia actually compliment each other quite well. For example, nVidia's release of the GeForce 6800GT was a superb move; with a price point about $100 less than a GeForce 6800 Ultra, the 6800GT offers virtually 99% of the performance. Reason enough for gamers to rush out and snap up these cards like hot cakes.
 MSI Radeon RX800XT-VTD256E Videocard Review
ATI followed nVidia with a similar strategy, releasing its long awaited Radeon X800XT videocard clocked at a slightly lower frequency than its flagship Radeon X800XT PE. If things progress as they did for nVidia, ATI should have equal success.
With the prices of videocards on the rise, it's often quite difficult to find the perfect videocard. MSI offers users struggling with that problem a great option in the MSI RX800XT-VTD256E. It's easily one of the fastest cards on the block, since it's based on the excellent Radeon 'R420' X800XT VPU. Plus, the package is fully loaded for the hardcore multimedia user.
The MSI RX800XT-VTD256E retails for about $570, but if you want fast framerates the equivalent from nVidia will cost about as much so it is not expensive for its class... To sooth your wallet, you can justify such a nice expenditure by reminding yourself of the complete VIVO compatibility, as well as Component output for HDTV gaming! On the software side, MSI include three full version games (Prince of Persia, Myst: Uru, XIII) which will certainly keep you occupied. There's also a complete set of multimedia software for DVD playback, video editing, and more... Those of you planning to set up dual CRT monitors will find the included DVI-to-analog converter handy indeed.
Aside from the blistering performance, component output is probably the RX800XT-VTD256E's most alluring feature, as our overclocking tests were not very promising. Able to support modes as high as 720p or 1080i, you can output video from the computer to an HDTV that's almost twice as nice as what you would get from standard s-Video of previous generation cards.
To say the MSI RX800XT-VTD256E is a fast videocard is an understatement. It's performance rivals the benchmarks we saw from the Asus AX800XT, though that card squeaks ahead alongside the Albatron 6800GT in many higher resolution situations.
Although the MSI RX800XT-VTD256E has its memory clocked about 10% slower than a Radeon X800XT PE, that 20MHz difference doesn't amount to much of a handicap. If you've jumped on the PCI Express bandwagon, either with an Intel Pentium 4 or AMD Athlon64, and are looking for a high end PCI Express videocard, be sure to look into the MSI RX800XT-VTD256E closly indeed!
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EVGA GTX295 PCIe 1792MB - Rev 01
