So, it's time to Sparkle today. As you should know by now Sparkle has a somewhat luxurious version of some of their graphics cards. They call it the Calibre line of products, flavored GeForce 8800 GTS 320MB. Now we have seen quite a number of 320MB models already and next to the EVGA KO ACS³ version, this one is the most eye catching. So today the turn goes to the cream of the crop product from Sparkle and we'll be comparing it with all other brands of the GeForce 8800 320MB that are factory overclocked as well which we tested in the past month or two. And obviously we'll compare it to the default clocked 640MB model as well. - Guru3D

Sparkle Calibre P880 LV 320MB TEC Edition Review

Much like other companies out there with a special edition card, the Calibre series is slightly more expensive yet you'll receive some pretty nifty extra candy. In the case of the GeForce 8800 GTS 320MB they are offering your an overclocked model armed with nothing less than a Peltier cooler. Using Peltier cooling is somewhat controversial; but like many manufacturers out there everybody is seeking some different, something fresh something new. And let's be honest, slapping a TEC cooler onto a graphics card has great marketing value, and innovation.

The reference GeForce 8800 GTS runs at 500MHz and it's memory at 1600MHz. This model is clocked at 575MHz and it's memory at 1780MHz. So it has a pre-overclock as well. The Calibre P880 LV edition is not quite a regular GeForce 8800 GTS card. It's pretty much the same PCB and G80 processor, but that's it. Sparkle overclocked it right out of the box, they also have replaced the regular reference cooler with a TEC active cooler system on the card. There are two companies responsible for this product. Sparkle doing the actual video card and then MACS Technology who builds the TEC active cooling.

I truly wish for Sparkle that I could praise that TEC cooler into heaven. Hey this is innovation, something fresh something new; something that I can admire so much as I just love stuff like this. But I have to face the fact that I also don't understand why they are using a Peltier cooler; besides the fact it's something with a different angle and thus great for marketing that is. Now Peltier technology itself can be magic. Peltier can do so much more than it's doing on this product, and I wish there was a turbo cooling switch of some sort... Right now it's cooling nicely but that's pretty much it.

Well, TEC cooler or not, this Calibre P880 LV is a really great card to own. You'll get a DirectX 10 compatible product offering great above standard performance. I wish it would have had a 512MB framebuffer but the nature of the G80 architecture does not allow that. To make up for it you do get a full 96 shader cores in that graphics processor activated. Plain and simple, at this price level this product is very nice and it promises you a tremendous gaming experience at that $349 price level. Due to the TEC cooler, the Calibre P880 LV 320MB definitely shines...but it doesn't Sparkle.