Now instead of testing the most powerful and expensive graphics card currently available in an high-end system, we will be plugging it into a fairly old AMD dual core system. Yeah, that's right, no fancy Core i7 system not even a Core 2 Duo system. But we will be testing this board in our old ASRock Athlon X2 system that has a single PCI Express expansion slot. We know what you're thinking, why? Why would anyone consider spending such a vast amount of money on a graphics card and then plug it into such a wimpy system? Surely it would be far better to spend that money on a system upgrade first? Well, not everyone can or wants to transfer their current system to a new one. - Accelenation

BFG GeForce GTX 295 Standard Design Style Review

However, they may be capable or willing to plug in a new graphics card with the hope it will let them play recent cutting edge games. So will shoehorning in a monster like a GeForce GTX 295 card achieve this goal, or will the remaining system hold back the performance to such a degree that a board like this is pointless? We're sure you've already read countless articles on the new GeForce GTX 295 technology, and apart from the BFG stickers there is just nothing to differentiate this board from the rest. This should come as little surprise given that most graphics cards roll off the same production line really.

It is clear that investing in a GeForce GTX 295 card is pointless unless playing at the very highest quality settings. In Crysis this means you need to opt for the very high mode. In high mode the resolution needs to be pushed beyond towards the bigger display resolutions for the GeForce GTX 295 card to show any real benefit over its forebear. On such an old system most situations will be CPU bound, but this cap can actually help to stabilize the frame rates and make room for a smoother gaming experience. There are however a few caveats to using such a powerful and modern graphics card in a comparatively old system.

Firstly, although we have been discussing a graphics card upgrade, this is likely to be accompanied by a power supply upgrade. Replacing the power supply may be a little more difficult than simply slotting in a new graphics card, but unlike a motherboard upgrade, it still lies within the capabilities of most users. Secondly it is unlikely that manufacturers will support older products coupled with newer kit. User forums may also be of little use. The common response is likely to be buy yourself a newer system. For some reason the very audacity of plugging a $500 card into an older cheaper system makes some enthusiasts blow a gasket.

Finally there's the vexed subject of heat. Although some of the heat produced by a GeForce GTX 295 card is exhausted out the rear, most is not. In our opinion, this graphics card requires serious water cooling. In conclusion, our advice would be to always upgrade the base system first if possible. But if for whatever reason this is not possible or convenient, then a GeForce GTX 295 graphics card will deliver fantastic visuals at playable frame rates. And when the time comes to upgrade the remaining system, that GeForce GTX 295 card will continue to serve you well and lift the performance once again to a higher level.