Extreme Overclocking Performance

When looking at the Gainward version of the BLISS 8800 GT Golden Sample, we somehow got the feeling that this card is capable of more. The looks and design suspect that this special version has been designed to deliver stunning performance, but that some still has to be discovered. Since the BLISS 8800 GT Golden Sample just being released, and this version actually already being a pre-overclocked version we just want to see how far we can stretch the limits. And well overclocking, unlocking the extra performance is exactly what we have done. And we do have to admit, the G92 graphics core powering the GeForce 8800 GT does feature a voltage increase via a simple BIOS tweak, we actually didn't make use of it this time.

Gaming Results - 1600x1200 - E6700 2.66GHz - 2GB RAM
BLISS 8800 GT 1GB Golden Sample (0x/0x)	Game Score
650/1900MHz (Reference)	124.5 fps
700/2050MHz (Avg Overclock)	133.4 fps
750/2200MHz (Max Overclock)	141.7 fps
Results Interpretation: Higher index values are better.
Gaming Results - 1920x1400 - E6700 2.66GHz - 2GB RAM
BLISS 8800 GT 1GB Golden Sample (0x/0x)	Game Score
650/1900MHz (Reference)	97.1 fps
700/2050MHz (Avg Overclock)	101.3 fps
750/2200MHz (Max Overclock)	107.5 fps
Results Interpretation: Higher index values are better.

We just overclocked the core and memory by upping the clock speeds and that resulted in decent increase in performance. As you can clearly see from the figures we gotten from Unreal Tournament 3 a significant boost is noticeable. During all our benchmarks the BLISS 8800 GT Golden Sample kept on humming stable with no hickups to finally set the top speed at 750/2200MHz. Would you have thought so? Well we suspected the BLISS 8800 GT Golden Sample to be quite overclock friendly but such a nice increase we didn't expect, especially taking into account that is already a pre-overclocked version. But the standard GeForce 8800 GT version certainly has quite some hidden potential that each and every owner can unlock by just overclocking their graphics card.

Final Thoughts

Well, having played around with the Golden Sample version from Gainward based upon the GeForce 8800 GT we must admit that this board comes with excellent performance at an attractive price tag. A more optimized renewed architecture, bringing the performance to the next level, delivering stunning image clarity and quality all present with the GeForce 8800 series. Once again NVIDIA is the first to introduce a mid-range accelerator with the appropriate DirectX 10 support for gamers on an average budget. And Gainward has jumped on the wagon with not one but six versions of the GeForce 8800 GT cards. The Golden Sample edition being the version to beat as it comes pre-overclocked to deliver higher gaming performance. And so it does, with a great margin over the reference GeForce 8800 GT edition. The GeForce 8800 GT is built using the same unified shader architecture that was introduced with the previous high-end GeForce 8800 series.

Without a doubt, the Gainward BLISS 8800 GT Golden Sample edition is one of the fastest graphics accelerators around, when looking at the wide range of other pre-overclocked GT versions. And while our comparison was only included the GeForce 8800 Ultra, it does give a clear view on the performance of the Golden Sample series. The new architecture build around the unified shader technology has paid off and shows that already with DirectX 9.0 it is faster and better than the competition. With the optimized G92 chip which is running faster and generating less heat we can expect more exciting products in the near future. And yes NVIDIA has proven once again that it is back, releasing the second wave of DirectX 10 compatible graphics processors with full support of Shader Model 4.0 while the games are starting to show of more and more. But that is just normal, as the games can only be built on existing hardware and capabilities.

The Gainward version of the GeForce 8800 GT is different from the reference design from NVIDIA, mainly due to going for their own cooling solution. This is actually good news, since Gainward does focus on delivering more quiet products and still going for higher clocked cards with their Golden Sample range. This is actually good news as the Gainward cooler is quiet though very efficient, but it does take up a bit more room. With Gainward and its company commitment to bring the end user the best possible video card experience and customer support, you are sure to have a professional experience. Gainward puts the consumer first and offers one of the best sales and support staff in the business. Gainward certainly knows how to differentiate themselves and their products, and are second to none when it comes to innovation and going one step further than the competition.

The most exciting part about the card is without a doubt the overclocking potential of the Gainward graphics card. The BLISS 8800 GT Golden Sample hit straight on a score of 700/2050MHz which is in many cases the maximum the reference card can hit. But that wasn't the end of it; due to the high-end memory chips we could take this card further than we expected to hit a final top of 750/2200MHz. Yes, you got that right; you can say goodbye to the competition as Gainward with their superior cooling solution does have quite an edge when it comes to overclocking. With a slight tweak on the voltage this card is ready to hit 800MHz and still able to run quite cool. In fact the GeForce 8800 series upped the stakes by crushing all previous scores from mid-range graphics card and comes out on top in every benchmark. An excellent performer with great stability and quite a big room for overclocking, what more do you want?

This is a fantastic graphics card which is completely the work of Gainward who has stepped out of the standard way of thinking and came up with doubling the amount of memory and bringing their own silent cooling solution. These two aspects together with the pre-overclocked settings make the Golden Sample with 1GB of memory to be one hell of a performer. Add to that the very nice price tag for this innovative card and you can hardly resist when finding it waiting at your local store. At least we would not be able to just pass by without wanting to pick up and take it home. So if you are looking for a new video card and do want some great gaming experience then look no further and just grab one of these lovely Golden Sample cards. It will give you an experience beyond your senses!

Pros

• Outstanding Gaming Performance
• Excellent Pre-Overclocked Value
• Gorgeous Design and Functionality
• Amazing Overclocking Capability
• Microsoft DirectX 10 Ready
• Simultaneous HDR & Anti-Aliasing
• SLI Ready, Multi-GPU Enabled
• PureVideo HD Video Technology
• Efficient Silent Cooling Solution
• Very Attractive Pricing

Cons

• N/A

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