(16/12) ECS GeForce 8800 GT Accelero S1 512MB vs MSI GeForce 8600 GT Twin Turbo 256MB

ECS GeForce 8800 GT Accelero S1 512MB PCI-E

GPU: GeForce 8800 GT (G32)
Interface: PCI-Express x16
GPU frequencies (ROPs/Shaders): 680/1730 MHz (nominal - 600/1500 MHz)
Memory frequencies (physical (effective)): 1000 (2000) MHz (nominal - 900 (1800) MHz)
Memory bus width: 256bit
Vertex processors: -
Pixel processors: -
Unified processors: 112
Texture processors: 56 (28)
ROPs: 16
Dimensions: 220x100x33 mm (the last number is maximum thickness of the card, it's 43 mm with fans).
PCB color: blue
RAMDACs/TDMS: integrated into GPU.
Output connectors: 2xDVI (Dual-Link), TV-Out.
VIVO: not available
TV-out: integrated into GPU.
Multi-GPU operation: SLI (Hardware).


MSI GeForce 8600 GT Twin Turbo 256MB PCI-E

GPU: GeForce 8600 GT (G84)
Interface: PCI-Express x16
GPU frequencies (ROPs/Shaders): 580/1512 MHz (nominal - 540/1188 MHz)
Memory frequencies (physical (effective)): 800 (1600) MHz (nominal - 700 (1400) MHz)
Memory bus width: 128bit
Vertex processors: -
Pixel processors: -
Unified processors: 32
Texture processors: 16
ROPs: 8
Dimensions: 190x100x33 mm (the last figure is the maximum thickness of a graphics card).
PCB color: red
RAMDACs/TDMS: integrated into GPU.
Output connectors: 2xDVI (Dual-Link), TV-Out.
VIVO: not available
TV-out: integrated into GPU.
Multi-GPU operation: SLI (Hardware).

Comparison with the reference design, front view













MSI Front View















ECS Front View

The ECS product is of the reference design, but the card is manufactured by the company. Just like the MSI card, which has a unique design, so that a card can accommodate additional memory chips at the back of the PCB (for a 512 MB modification).

The cards have TV-Out with a unique jack. You will need a special bundled adapter to output video to a TV-set via S-Video or RCA. You can read about the TV-Out in more detail here.

Analog monitors with d-Sub (VGA) interface are connected with special DVI-to-d-Sub adapters. Maximum resolutions and frequencies:

240 Hz Max Refresh Rate
2048 x 1536 x 32bit x85Hz Max - analog interface
2560 x 1600 @ 60Hz Max - digital interface (all DVIs with Dual-Link)
What concerns MPEG2 playback features (DVD-Video), we analyzed this issue in 2002. Little has changed since that time. CPU load during video playback on modern graphics cards does not exceed 25%.

What concerns HDTV and other trendy video features, you can read one of our reviews here.

You should keep in mind that 8800GT cards require additional power supply, that's why they are equipped with a black power connector at the end of their PCBs. In case your PSU does not have cables with such connectors, the bundles include adapters to plug any cable with a Molex.


Comparison with the reference design, back view





Conclusions

ECS GeForce 8800 GT Accelero S1 512MB PCI-E is an excellent product. It's currently the best graphics card of all GeForce 8800 GT! The increased frequencies make this card a direct competitor to the 8800 GTX. Besides, the card has a noiseless cooling system (even if you decide to install fans, you won't hear any noise).

There is a problem of the bulky cooler. So you shouldn't install this card into a small PC case (no sane user will do it). When you install the fans, the card will take up three slots. However, I repeat that those fans won't be necessary in a lion's share of cases.

Anyway, the product reaches the heights of the 8800 GTX, being noiseless and shorter. So this card can be used in more cases. And don't forget about power consumption - it's lower than in the 8800 GTX by dozens of percents.

The package looks nice, but the bundle is poor. That's a reproach to the manufacturer.

So this card scores an excellent mark!

MSI GeForce 8600 GT Twin Turbo 256MB PCI-E is a regular 8600 GT card - there are many products of this type on the market, many of them offer increased frequencies. So it was very strange of MSI to design its own PCB with two BIOSes and to raise frequencies only by 40 MHz with such a bulky cooler. I would have understood it, had the card been overclocked by 100 MHz. There would have been some reason in it. And in this case engineers brought a cloth and harness for a great horse, and then put them on a pony.

The idea is great, but its implementation is bewildering. The cooler must have been made quieter, and the frequencies must have been raised higher for such engineering efforts. It's hard to rate this card. Probably four points out of five, because it copes with its tasks very well for its level, but its noisy cooler takes up two slots - minus one point. It has a button to switch between frequencies - but it does not play a special role. Performance difference between 540 MHz and 580 MHz will not exceed 2%.


As always, the final choice is up to the reader. We can only inform you about products and their performance, but can't make a buying decision. In our opinion, that should solely be in the hands of the reader, and possibly their budget. ;)

And here is one more thing, we'll repeat it in each review. Having decided to choose a graphics card on your own, you should be aware that you change one of the key components of your system unit, which may require additional configuration for better performance or you may have to enable some functions to achieve higher quality. This is not an end product, it's just a component. So you should understand that you'll have to learn 3D graphics basics in order to get maximum performance from a new graphics card. And some graphics in general. If you don't want to deal with it, you shouldn't upgrade your computer on your own: you'd better buy ready PCs with preconfigured software and technical support from your system integrator, or game boxes, where no configuration is required, everything necessary is already configured in a game.

(15/12) PowerColor Introduces HD 3870 with Silent Cooling System (SCS3) Boards

Speed up your gaming performance with the most silent graphic card

TUL Corporation – announced the PowerColor HD 3870 512MB SCS3 silence edition; the best performing noiseless graphic card for HD 3870 series. While running passively, this model maintains the original specifications with core engine of 775MHz core, 2252MHz effective memory speed, 512MB GDDR3 and 320 stream processing unit; it also built-in HDMI with 5.1 surround audio, support Microsoft DirectX 10.1, PCI Express 2.0, and ATI CrossFireTM X technology. This silent cooling solution expects to launch on January 2008.

In order to satisfy every gamer, PowerColor provides a truly silent solution- HD3870 512MB SCS3 edition, with specially design cooling system, to meet everyone’s expectation in the market. This extraordinarily designed model has a core clock speed of 775MHz, and effective memory speed running at 2252MHz, provided the same exciting gaming performance as the standard version.

This model features a silent heatpipe cooler, providing a totally silent environment for gamers; furthermore, to get better heat dispatching effect, heatpipe and fins are designed to attach on both sides of PCB. This outstanding design philosophy makes HD3870 512MB SCS3 become the best choice for gamers pursuing both speed and silent environment.

“PowerColor always makes great effort to provide the best products to meet customer’s demand,” says Ted Chen, CEO of Tul Corporation,” I believe this silent cooling solution can satisfy the toughest customers’ request. ”

(15/12) Gigabyte G-Power 2 Pro Shows Off The Right Curves

The last quarter of year 2007 sees a late entry of a CPU cooler which notches up generation 2 for GIGABYTE's G-Power series, the G-Power 2 Pro.

Cool curves
If looks can kill, then supposedly curves can cool. How? So instrumental was the curvaceous arch of the G-Power 2 Pro that it was the pivotal point of the original design concept.

Eighty-five degree angle
Derived from the actual curve are heat-dissipating angled fins with the first fin angled 85° from the last. This widens out the exit air convection path to facilitate further cooling from the likes of surrounding MOSFET components, chipsets, capacitors and even channel the resultant heated air in the direction of the rear system fan or fans. Expectations are met with the use of a pure copper-base, thickened heat piping, and even atmospheric LED fan backlighting, all of which are chromatically finished.

Ready for a sizzle
G-Power 2 Pro launches in the wake of upcoming releases of next-gen CPU’s from major processor vendors. This cooler is scheduled to hit shelves before Christmas this year.

Foxconn MARS (Intel P35)

MARS Attack


Foxconn is no stranger to the PC component market, but recently, we've noticed their renewed efforts to shake off their OEM image to better compete in the performance segments. In our last Foxconn review, we checked out the Foxconn X38A, a high-end offering based on the Intel X38 chipset. The X38A was a good motherboard by all accounts, but being part of the mainstream Digital Life series, it didn't really break any new ground for Foxconn either.

Overview of the Foxconn MARS motherboard.

You may find it surprising, but their current flagship product is not based on the Intel X38. Instead, it is an Intel P35 motherboard, a motherboard that has an actual name attached to it instead of the cold and impersonal alphanumeric sequence that Foxconn loves so much. In its effort to warm up to the gaming and overclocking community, Foxconn created the Quantum Force series, and the first (and still only member) motherboard to come out of this program is the MARS.


5 x SATA cables plus power adapters
UltraDMA 133/100/66 cable
Floppy disk drive cable
2-port USB2.0 + 1-port IEEE 1394a module
Heat-pipe optional fan
I/O Shield
Foxconn Quantum Force accessories (dog tag, stickers)
Driver CD
User's manual and guides

Only PS/2 remains of legacy connectors. Other I/O ports at the rear include optical and coaxial S/PDIF, eSATA, six USB 2.0, FireWire, RJ-45 and analog surround audio.

Onboard Features

The Foxconn MARS is properly equipped with a wide array of features befitting its class as an enthusiast motherboard. As an Intel P35 motherboard, Foxconn has made sure that the MARS is fully updated to support Intel's quad-core and 45nm Penryn CPUs so there should be no problems upgrading. Still, the MARS is built only as a pure DDR2 board unlike the hybrid design of the Foxconn X38A. There is also no alternate DDR3 version like what many manufacturers offer for their P35 boards. Foxconn heavily marketing the board for overclocking though, and the use of DDR2 should make it a more stable platform to work on.

6-phase PWM for the CPU and a heat-pipe for the chipset.

The MARS only comes in a DDR2 version.

Intel's ICH9R Southbridge takes care of the default storage facilities onboard, with a JMicron JMB361 controller thrown in to handle one legacy IDE port as well as power the single eSATA port at the rear. In addition to the ICH9R, the board features one FireWire-400 controller (Texas Instruments TSB43AB22A), one PCIe Gigabit Ethernet controller (Realtek RTL8111B) and supports 8-channel surround audio through a Realtek ALC888 HD Audio CODEC. The MARS also provides optical and coaxial S/PDIF ports for digital audio connectivity.

SATA headers are out of the way of graphics cards, but depending on what kind of chassis you own, it may not be ideal.

The MARS features two PCIe x16 slots, two PCIe x1 and three regular PCI slots for expansion purposes. CrossFire is supported, but as a P35 board, it will only work in an x16/x4 setup. If you do run CrossFire on the MARS, note that the remaining two PCIe x1 slots will be disabled to route the needed PCIe lanes to the second slot.

Good spacing for expansion slots will keep at least one slot of each type accessible even with large graphics cards.

This has to be one of Foxconn's better motherboard designs. We wouldn't be surprised if one might even mistake the dark PCB for an ASUS board (yes, we know there's a huge unmistakable cooler with Foxconn emblazoned on it). Foxconn did a very good job here with proper planning and component placement. Both PCIe x16 graphics slots have plenty of spacing between them, and there are no headers in the way either. Still, we prefer angled SATA connectors, which allows for better positioning. The MARS may have them out of the way of expansion cards, but they're all located at the bottom.

As the MARS is Foxconn's attempt at an enthusiast performance motherboard, we've got the usual treatment of heat-pipe cooling, full solid capacitors, 6-phase PWM, and on-PCB power/reset buttons. The board also features a special overclocking BIOS, which we'll talk about more in the next segment.

Onboard buttons usually benefit overclockers and enthusiasts.

Overclocking

FSB Settings: 100MHz to 999MHz
DDR2 Ratio Settings: 1:2, 1:2.4, 1:2.5, 1:3, 1:3.2, 1:3.3, 1:4, 1:4e
PCIe Settings: 100MHz to 255MHz
PCI Settings: 33.6MHz, 37.3MHz, 42MHz
CPU Voltage Settings: 0.8250V to 1.6000V (in 0.0125V steps)
CPU Voltage Multiplier: x1.000 to x1.296
CPU VTT Voltage Settings: 1.200V to 1.725V (in 0.075V steps)
Memory Voltage Settings: 1.665V to 3.236V (in 0.065V steps)
NB Voltage Settings: 1.156V to 2.395V (in 0.045V steps)
SB/CPU PLL Voltage Settings: 1.388V to 1.950V (in 0.038V steps)
Multiplier Selection: Yes (unlocked CPUs only)

The MARS is a very ambitious product for Foxconn to take on the overclocking community. The Gladiator BIOS onboard offers up some very comprehensive overclocking features, and with an FSB scaling that goes from 100MHz to 999MHz, Foxconn is really out to woo the extreme overclockings with higher top-end allowance. Voltage allowances are also towards the high-end and although there are sufficient options to choose from in the BIOS, the board has some very weird voltage steppings. Impressively, the MARS also handles overclocking stress very well, being able to detect, and recover from bad overclocks automatically most of the time. This is especially important to avid overclockers, since it means lesser need to use the clear CMOS feature, preserving your BIOS settings.

All in, the Foxconn MARS was an excellent overclocking motherboard, being able to hit a respectable 510MHz base FSB through its passive cooling. This puts the MARS among some of the best overclockable boards we've tested. We did however, encounter a small issue around the 460MHz to 490MHz range, which seemed to be an overclocking black hole for the MARS. Within said range, the board refused to POST, regardless of BIOS tweaks. Mysteriously, everything works well again from 500MHz onwards.

Conclusion

If the MARS is to be any indication, Foxconn is heading towards the right direction in its quest to develop enthusiast motherboards. They've got the right formula here, with the right amount of features, thoughtful design elements, good cooling, decent layout and competitive performance. Besides the SYSmark 2004 issue we encountered in our testing, the MARS seems to be a very well balanced platform with proper implementation of the various subsystems. Graphics and gaming scores were high, memory performance was strong, and it even tipped the scales in SATA performance.

What is the best indication that the MARS is a good motherboard? It has the capability to walk the talk. Foxconn has been heavily promoting their Quantum Force series of motherboards, with the MARS at its forefront for extreme overclocking purposes. And extreme overclocking it does indeed. The Foxconn MARS is one of the few Intel Core 2 motherboards since the P965 chipset was initially launched to be able to achieve a solid overclock beyond 500MHz. Foxconn's Gladiator BIOS is clean and simple with adequate options available, though Foxconn still has some ways to go in terms of fine tuning options and settings.

The MARS is a very solid entry from Foxconn into the enthusiast market, and we have no problems recommending this board as an excellent choice for overclockers to mess around with. At US$190, the Foxconn MARS is priced around the same range as its competitors, though this time, Foxconn doesn't have the price advantage. For instance, both abit's IP35 Pro and MSI's P35 Platinum boards are slightly more competitive.

Like MSI's initial Diamond Club, which was an exclusive membership for users who purchased their Diamond series of products, Foxconn seems to have committed themselves to follow a similar path with their Quantum Force, offering MARS users membership and early access to BIOS updates and other special offers. Hopefully, this isn't a one-off kind of thing. If Foxconn can actually maintain its current momentum to support and supply MARS (and future Quantum Force products) users with continuous updates and tweaks, the MARS can get better over time and Foxconn will be on track to become a serious contender in the enthusiast segment.

(14/12) The iPhone Will Be a Primary Target for Hackers in 2008

Security predictions released today by Arbor Networks reveals that the iPhone will be a major target for cybercriminals in 2008. The forecast also highlights Chinese specific crime as a major issue for the New Year.

Arbor's Security and Engineering Response Team (ASERT), who have put together the forecasts, believe that the iPhone will become the victim of a serious attack in 2008. These assaults are likely to be in the form of drive by attacks – malware embedded into seemingly harmless information, images or other media that actually perform dangerous actions when rendered on the iPhone's Web browser. With the scrutiny the iPhone has received since its launch earlier this year over network lock-in, ASERT believes that hackers will be enticed by the possibility of attacking Apple users and the opportunity to "be the first" to hack a new platform.

ASERT has also predicted a rise in 'Chinese on Chinese' cybercrime. In the past year the team has seen a dramatic increase in the attention paid to Chinese-language specific software such as QQ Messenger and a number of malware samples focused on stealing users credentials. Arbor expects this trend to multiply in 2008 as more Chinese users come online, more software is written for the market and Chinese cybercriminals become increasingly more sophisticated and organised.

The Storm botnet is another vulnerability that ASERT believe will be prevalent in 2008. Although the Storm botnet has been quiet for some time, there are still tens of thousands of infected PCs around the world. Arbor believes this presents a too lucrative an opportunity to be passed up and anticipate a hacker hijacking the bots for their own gain in the New Year.

Spammers are highly motivated by financial gains and are not afraid to push technological boundaries to develop new attacks. Arbor envisages an attack that will eclipse the storm worm vulnerability that caused havoc in 2007 and in 2008 we will see a much larger, but similar (spam) botnet designed to target P2P networks.

"2007 was the year of the browser exploit, the data breach, spyware and the storm worm. We expect 2008 to be the year of the iPhone attack, the Chinese Hacker, P2P network spammers and the hijacking of the Storm botnet," said Jose Nazario, senior security engineer at Arbor Networks. "Online fraud is soaring and security attacks are now being used in countless and ever more sophisticated ways to both steal and launder money. Financial and other confidential data is being obtained, sold and utilised in the highly developed black market. In 2008 this market will continue to grow and it is important that business implement the processes and technology necessary to protect themselves and their customers."

(14/12) Microsoft Releases Xbox 360 HD DVD Emulator to Help Speed Content Production and Lower Development Costs

REDMOND, Wash., Dec. 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Microsoft Corp. today announced the release of the Xbox 360 HD DVD Emulator, enabling film studios and disc authoring companies to model the behavior of HD DVD disc content, including encoded video and HDi interactivity, in a virtual environment before committing to burning a single HD DVD disc. This comprehensive tool is among the first commercially available, software-based solutions of its kind, eliminating the need for expensive hardware or time-consuming and costly trial-and-error processes for testing HD DVD titles, helping to ensure that titles ship error-free.

The enhanced content and rich interactive capabilities of HD DVD increase the need for an efficient way to troubleshoot coding to maintain the highest-quality consumer experiences. The emulator uses a combination of available hardware (the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system and the Xbox 360 HD DVD Player) and specialized emulation software to ultimately enable playback of near-final assets from a network storage share, portable hard drive or optical disc. This allows focused testing of the layout, the menus, and the behavior of the interactivity functionality of a title. Detailed log reports from the Xbox 360 HD DVD Emulator deliver valuable tracing information to help quickly and easily pinpoint problems with advanced interactivity code that otherwise could take hours of manual debugging.

"We are committed to supporting and advancing the HD DVD ecosystem, and the new Xbox 360 HD DVD Emulator reflects these efforts by providing developers with the software-based tools they need to efficiently deliver the highest-quality content," said Jordi Ribas, general manager of HD DVD at Microsoft. "Microsoft developed the Emulator to help save studios and postproduction houses time, resources and costs involved with the creation of HD DVD content, and let them focus on what really matters -- pushing the envelope with the format."

Sessions using the Xbox 360 HD DVD Emulator are designed to complement existing workflows so that tests can be run at various stages. The tool offers several choices for how to run a session: directly from a network storage share, from a USB drive connected directly to the Xbox 360 console, or from an optical disc in the Xbox 360 HD DVD Player. While the tool enables the testing of content playback on the Xbox 360 HD DVD Player specifically, it effectively eliminates layers in the testing process for other HD DVD players as well.

As part of the development process, Microsoft implemented a beta program from July through November of this year, involving more than 40 participants, including Deluxe Digital Studios, Enteractive GmbH, Imagion AG, Memory-Tech Corporation and NetBlender Inc. Participants found that the tool significantly decreased the number of hours and reduced the costs associated with the production process, freeing up time to refine and improve content.

"The authoring process for HD DVD is more complex and expensive than the process for standard DVD, and as with any new technology, it can require a lot of time and resources," said John Harrington, CEO of NetBlender. "In the process of working with the new Xbox 360 HD DVD Player Emulator, we were able to cut the number of test discs needed per month from roughly 200 down to 50, saving more than 100 work hours per month. This positively impacted our business essentially overnight. We estimate we will recoup the low cost of the tool in less than one month's time."

Setting up the Xbox 360 HD DVD Emulator simply requires establishing a connection to Xbox LIVE, navigating to the Download Games menu, and adding the Emulator software to the hard drive of the Xbox 360 console. The one-time licensing fee is $2,999.

As scenarios for next-generation interactivity continue to expand and evolve, streamlining the production process for HD DVD titles frees up resources that licensees can use to focus on refining and improving content -- maximizing the potential of HDi to create compelling user scenarios. The Xbox 360 HD DVD Emulator is available for sale immediately at http://www.thisishddvd.com/emulator.

More information on the Xbox 360 HD DVD Emulator and HDi License Program, as well as a downloadable case study of NetBlender's use of the emulator, is available at http://www.thisishddvd.com/emulator.

(14/12) OCZ Announces a New DDR3-1800 Intel Extreme Memory Kit for the Latest Enthusiast Chipset

OCZ Technology Group today announced new 1800MHz Intel Extreme Memory modules, a performance solution that implements a specification predefined and specially tailored for the Intel X48 chipset.

These modules feature Intel Extreme Memory Profiles (XMP), an exclusive set of SPD (Serial Presence Detect) settings that act as an integrated "plug and play" overclocking tool. Configured to Intel's defined specification, these XMP-Ready memory kits will be configured to run CL8 latencies at 1800 MHz. Furthermore, each OCZ XMP module also features CL7 latencies on a second profile that is qualified by OCZ for the extreme enthusiast seeking tighter timings.

The new PC3-14400 Intel XMP memory will be available in 1GB modules and 2GB (2x1024MB) dual-channel kits. Each OCZ DDR3 module is backed by the OCZ Lifetime Warranty and technical support.

Specifications:

- 1800MHz DDR3
- CL 8-8-8 (CAS-TRCD-TRP)
- XMP Profile 1: 1800MHz 8-8-8*
- XMP Profile 2: 1800MHz 7-7-7
- Available in 1GB modules and 2GB kits
- Unbuffered
- Titanium Z3 XTC Heatspreader
- Lifetime Warranty
- 2.05 Volts
- 240 Pin DIMM
- Optimized for the Intel X48 chipset
- Part Numbers: 1GB (1024MB) Module PN - OCZ3T1800XM1G; 2GB (2 X 1024MB) Module - - PN - OCZ3T1800XM2GK

(13/12) ASUS EN8800GTS TOP (GeForce 8800 GTS 512MB)

The New & Improved GeForce 8800 GTS -->The New & Improved GeForce 8800 GTS

ASUS surprised us with this rather unattractive and generic looking package for its TOP edition.

The original consensus regarding NVIDIA's new G92 core has been a unanimous thumbs up. That was when reviewers like us finished testing the G92 based GeForce 8800 GT with a broad smirk on our faces. It was fast, it was hot and unfortunately it sold faster than hotcakes. As frustration sets in from the many shortages of the GeForce 8800 GT in retail channels, resulting in higher prices than the initial launch price, our positive feeling for it has slowly been tempered by these supply issues and a nagging suspicion that the NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT at its original price was too good to be true after all.

Now, NVIDIA is once again promising another G92 product in the form of the revised version of the GeForce 8800 GTS. As most of you are aware, the outstanding performance of the GeForce 8800 GT has practically made the original GeForce 8800 GTS obsolete. Hence, rumors have long been circulating that the G92 would find its way eventually to the GeForce 8800 GTS. Finally, this is now a reality and we have in our hands, an overclocked, TOP edition of this new 512MB GeForce 8800 GTS from ASUS. Does having the G92 core restore the GeForce 8800 GTS to its proper place in the GeForce 8 hierarchy?

According to the released specifications, it would seem so. The standard GeForce 8800 GTS will be clocked at 650MHz, higher than the 600MHz on the GeForce 8800 GT. Memory clock is set at 1940MHz DDR, again higher than the 1800MHz on the 8800 GT. The stream processor clock is also higher for the GTS, at 1625MHz against the 1500MHz on the GT. What's more, the GTS will have the full complement of stream processors, 128 as compared to the 112 on the GT. With such specifications, this new GTS looks more like the caliber of a GeForce 8800 GTX, except for the rather 'trifling' matter of memory bandwidth, with the 8800 GTS having the same 256-bit bus as the GT. This gives it a total bandwidth of around 62GB/s, lower even than the original GeForce 8800 GTS and a fair distance from the GTX.

Of course, solely going by the memory bandwidth, even the Radeon HD 3870 has more than the new GeForce 8800 GTS. Whether this limitation on the GTS matters in today's games is hard to say, since we're not exactly convinced by the Radeon HD series despite their high memory bandwidth. Perhaps NVIDIA decided that higher clock speeds will compensate for it, even at high resolutions and settings.

Other important details that most of you should already know include the other benefits of the 65nm G92 core, from its support of the new PCIe 2.0 standard to the improved video processor (VP2) found onboard. If not, you can refer to our article on the GeForce 8800 GT and the G92. Before we examine our ASUS review unit in detail, here's a table summarizing the differences between the various high-end GPUs as compared to the GeForce 8800 GTS Version 2.

What's immediately different about this ASUS EN8800GTS TOP and any standard GeForce 8800 GTS for that matter is that NVIDIA has gone back to a two-slot cooler, so it looks almost like the original GeForce 8800 GTS. There seems to be some slight modifications in the design but they are minor ones. For those concerned about noise levels, it is quiet even at full load and with the kind of clock speeds that the new GeForce 8800 GTS runs at, a two-slot thermal solution may be the prudent choice. After all, the heat on the single slot GeForce 8800 GT has been one of our chief grouses.


There is a slight elevation in the fan now, perhaps as a way to allow for greater airflow to the components hidden below?
A standard complement of outputs. The new GeForce 8800 cards have only a single SLI connector, meaning if you're looking for quad SLI, you may need an older GeForce 8800.
Besides the slightly different cooler used, the new GeForce 8800 GTS looks almost the same as the old one. Internally of course, that's another case.

As usual from ASUS, their package is bundled with accessories that some may deem superfluous. Surprisingly, there is no game included, unlike the Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts that we found with its GeForce 8800 GT cards. Instead, what was inside the CD were the ASUS proprietary applications like GamerOSD and SmartDoctor, which are useful for those into tweaking game settings on the fly or need another application to overclock their card.


- 1 x DVI-to-VGA adaptor
- 6-pin Molex power connector
- 7-pin mini-DIN to Component cable
- Quick installation guide
- Driver CD
- CD Leather wallet

Conclusion

As the saying goes, once bitten, twice shy. And that is the reason behind our guarded optimism to the new GeForce 8800 GTS from NVIDIA. The performance has been up to our expectations if not as spectacular as the initial G92 debut. It is only a slight increase in scores over the GeForce 8800 GT. However, if you take the entire GeForce 8 series in perspective, it means the GeForce 8800 GTS has most likely usurped the position held by the GeForce 8800 GTX. It is superior to the older card not just in performance but in features too. Only the insanely expensive Ultra remains a slight notch above the new GeForce 8800 GTS and that's not mentioning the predictably overclocked versions.

But our concerns are not just about the performance and includes the long term supply of these popular G92 graphics cards. With so many SKUs from NVIDIA utilizing this core (GeForce 8800 GT 256/512MB, GeForce 8800 GTS), would NVIDIA be able to meet the expected demand, especially with the crunch holiday season almost here?

Before the launch of the GeForce 8800 GT and its supply problems, we had no such worries. Now, we are not that sure and given the attractive price tag of around US$299 - 349 for the new GeForce 8800 GTS, we are just not completely convinced. Do bear in mind that the GeForce 8800 GT is priced in retail only about US$30 less. Would we see prices soar after the initial batches like the GeForce 8800 GT? That's something we can't really answer. Does it mean you should grab one immediately if you see it selling at its launch price? That is a definite yes. Again however, you would have to consider the minimal performance gain of a standard GeForce 8800 GTS 512MB over the standard GeForce 8800 GT 512MB, and we've seen the same small performance delta between both TOP editions from ASUS too.

Despite its high clocks, we get the impression that the ASUS EN8800GTS TOP is not the company's best effort and not the equal of the ASUS EN8800GT TOP in terms of the overall package.

As for the ASUS EN8800GTS TOP, the rather generic nature of its bundle and package as compared to the ASUS' GeForce 8800 GT TOP Edition, makes us wonder if ASUS had to cut some corners in order to get this product out on time. It didn't give us the lavish impression that comes with an ASUS 'TOP' edition. Here's to hoping that it won't be that much a premium over the standard GeForce 8800 GTS, given its relatively ordinary bundle. We have no word about the official retail price yet but it would probably be along the prices indicated by NVIDIA, at least for the initial batch. Subsequently, we aren't too sure about market fluctuations. If you're looking for a card that runs cooler than the GeForce 8800 GT, overclocks better and more importantly, may actually be found on the retail shelves, then the new, revised GeForce 8800 GTS is a more than worthy successor to its name.

(12/12) NVIDIA Gives PC Gamers More Processing Power with the GeForce 8800

NVIDIA Gives PC Gamers More Processing Power with the GeForce 8800

NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTS 512 MBgraphics cards are available today, just in time for the holiday-buying frenzy.

Coming on the heels of the introduction of the critically acclaimed GeForce 8800 GT, the GeForce 8800 GTS 512 MB graphics card delivers impressive new levels of performance in the $299–$349 price range


GeForce 8800 GTS 512 MB graphics cards offer an intense gaming experience with stunning special effects and high-definition visuals for the hottest holiday PC games, such as: Crysis, Hellgate: London, Gears of War, Unreal Tournament 3, and Call of Duty 4, along with full support for current DirectX 9 games

Product Facts

- NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTS 512 MB offers 25% more graphics processing power than NVIDIA products previously offered at the same price point.

- The GeForce 8800 GTS 512 MB also offers new features such as support for PCI Express 2.0, dual-link HDCP, and the second-generation PureVideo HD engine from NVIDIA.

- The NVIDIA PureVideo HD engine delivers astounding Blu-ray and HD DVD movie picture quality on a PC with 100% offload of H.264 video decoding, freeing the CPU to perform other tasks and significantly reducing power consumption, heat, and noise.

- All GeForce 8800 GPUs support NVIDIA SLI technology which allows you to use two graphics processors in unison, sharing the graphics workload.

- GeForce 8800 GTS 512 MB graphics cards are available now from leading add-in card manufacturers, retailers, and system builders.

(13/12) Leadtek. ZOTAC, XFX & SPARKLE Introduces WinFast PX8800 GTS 512MB

Leadtek Introduces WinFast PX8800 GTS 512MB

Leadtek Research Inc., known globally for extreme visual graphics technology development, is pleased to announce the launch of a new high-end graphics card to gaming enthusiasts, WinFast PX8800 GTS 512MB. Fitted with a dual slot fan design for less noise and better cooling and with high stream processors of 128 units, the PX8800 GTS 512MB has again attained an impressive benchmark - about 45% higher 3DMark06 performance compared with PX8800 GTS 320MB.

Based on 65nm technology and powered by NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTS graphics processing units, WinFast PX8800 GTS 512MB features a superb 512MB 256bit GDDR3 memory clocked in 1940MHz. Just as with the 8800 GT series, WinFast PX8800 GTS 512MB is compatible with PCI Express 2.0 interface, the new bus architecture with double rate for a higher achievement. It is also ready for the most demanding bandwidth games and 3D applications in the future.

For true-to-life image quality, WinFast PX8800 GTS 512MB makes perfect use of NVIDIA PureVideo HD technology in picture clarity, smooth video, accurate color, and vivid image scaling. It enables playback of HD DVD, Blu-ray Disc and other protected content at full HD resolutions with integrated High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) support for the ultimate home theater experience. And with Dual Dual-Link DVI-I output, it sustains digital displays of up to 2560x1600 resolutions, supporting extreme HD games and entertainment.

With the latest Microsoft DirectX 10 with full Shader Model 4.0 support, PX8800 GTS 512MB is able to deliver realistic gaming effects with film-quality, and provide users with a more amiable environment under the Windows Vista operating system.

Moreover, this new Leadtek graphics card complies with the NVIDIA Lumenex Engine offering stunning image quality and floating point accuracy at ultra-fast frame rates. The new card, with revolutionary unified architecture by GigaThread Technology, also fully supports thousands of independent, simultaneous threads, featuring extreme processing efficiency in advanced and next generation shader programs.

After waiting so long, gamers expect not only high-spec appeal but also power and value when it comes to the selection of a good graphics card. The brand-new WinFast PX8800 GTS 512MB meets the upcoming market needs and expectations at a competitive price. Whether it's on your Christmas gift list or not, the PX8800 GTS 512MB is a graphics card you can rely on.

ZOTAC Announces New GeForce 8800GTS Graphics Card

ZOTAC International announces its latest high-performance graphics card based on the new NVIDIA GeForce 8800GTS graphics processor, the ZOTAC GeForce 8800GTS 512MB. The new ZOTAC GeForce 8800GTS 512MB features NVIDIA’s unified architecture, which packs the raw power of 128 stream processors into a single graphics processor, to deliver blazing-fast performance and life-like graphics.

All 128 stream processors are clocked at 1625 MHz for blazing fast performance in current and next-generation game titles. NVIDIA’s GigaThread Technology provides extreme rendering efficiency in 3D titles, for optimal performance with the 128 stream processors.
The new ZOTAC GeForce 8800GTS 512MB packs 512MB of ultra-fast 1940 MHz memory to store high-resolution textures used by next-generation gaming titles. The 512MB of GDDR3 memory is fed by the NVIDIA GeForce 8800GTS GPU clocked at 650 MHz for the ultimate gaming experience.

“Our latest ZOTAC GeForce 8800GTS 512MB provides gamers what they want – ultra-fast performance, lower power consumption and next-generation game compatibility,” said Carsten Berger, marketing director, ZOTAC International (MCO) Ltd. “The ZOTAC GeForce 8800GTS 512MB raises the bar on what to expect from high-performance graphics cards.” NVIDIA’s unified architecture is backed by a PCI Express 2.0, or PCIe 2.0, interface for up to 5GT/s of bandwidth to constantly feed the GPU with data. PCIe 2.0 features backwards compatibility with existing PCI Express X16 motherboards while paving the way for future systems and components.

Featuring full support for Microsoft’s DirectX 10 with Shader Model 4.0, the ZOTAC GeForce 8800GTS 512MB delivers cinematic-quality effects and unparalleled visual realism. The cinematic-quality effects are backed by NVIDIA’s Lumenex Engine for blazing-fast frame rates to deliver the ultimate next-generation gaming experience.

NVIDIA’s 16x Anti-Aliasing Technology delivers high-quality anti-aliasing to smooth out all the jagged edges in games with lightning-fast performance. NVIDIA’s 128-bit floating point high-dynamic range technology ensures the best high-dynamic range, or HDR, performance for realistic lighting effects in games with anti-aliasing support.

In addition to best-in-class 3D performance, the ZOTAC GeForce 8800GTS 512MB packs a second-generation PureVideo HD video processor for the best digital home experience. The second-generation PureVideo HD video processor delivers high-quality de-interlacing, 3:2 pull down correction, edge enhancement and noise reduction to all video formats, standard and high-definition, for the best viewing experience on high-definition televisions and high-resolution monitors.

PureVideo HD technology also decodes high-definition video formats in hardware to free up the CPU cycles for other tasks. Supported high-definition video formats include H.264 and VC-1, typically used on Blu-ray and HD DVD disks. The ZOTAC GeForce 8800GTS 512MB supports high-definition content protection, or HDCP, technology for viewing protected content, when connected to an HDCP compatible monitor. HDCP protection is required to view high-definition Blu-ray and HD DVD video formats.

XFX Introduces GeForce 8800 GTS 512 MB Alpha Dog Edition

That howling you hear are the dogs whooping it up big in celebration over their newest pack member: the XFX GeForce 8800 GTS 512 MB Alpha Dog Edition graphics cards available in Standard (PV-T88G-UDF) and XXX (PV-T88G-UDD) versions.

Baring its fangs with a standard core clock over 20% faster than previous versions, 512MB DDR3 ram, 128 stream processors and PCI-E 2.0 support, this card doesn't roll over and play dead. It makes the competition do that. What it does do exceptionally well is play a lightning fast game of fetch, delivering unprecedented performance and supreme realism in every gaming experience. Specifically, the graphics processing power generated by the GeForce 8800 GTS 512MB ensures richer and more immersive gaming environments by generating faster frame rates at higher resolutions. Many of the most anticipated new game releases, including Call of Duty 4, Company of Heroes and Lost Planet: Extreme Condition are optimized for the card.

At its core is a pulsing 650 MHz clock, a 1625 MHz shader clock and 1.94 GHz effective memory clock on the Standard version. For the overclocked XXX version, the core clock is boosted to 678 MHz with a 1725 MHz shader clock. The cards feature 128 stream processors that are individually clocked at a blazing fast 1.625 GHz.

Combined with an impressive 256-bit/512MB frame buffer interface, the GeForce 8800 GTS 512MB answers the prayers of gamers. The XFX GeForce 8800 GTS 512MB cards also are designed specifically to run perfectly with the new PCI Express 2.0 bus architecture and is backward compatible with prior generations of PCI Express motherboards. PCI Express 2.0 offers a future-proofing bridge to the bandwidth-gobbling games and 3D applications that today's gamers prefer. In fact, this card maximizes the 5 GT/s PCI Express 2.0 bandwith, giving it twice that of first-generation PCI Express.

Additional features include NVIDIA SLI Technology, which allows two cards to run in parallel; Giga-Thread Technology for extreme processing efficiency; an NVIDIA Lumenex engine that generates stunning image quality at ultra-fast frame rates; and 16x Anti aliasing Technology that destroys jagged edges. NVIDIA's Quantum Effects Technology, NVIDIA ForceWare Unified Driver Architecture, OpenGL 2.0 Optimization and Support and Dual 400 MHz RAMDACs further ensure the quality and performance that gamers require to enjoy today's complex games.

The GeForce 8800 GTS 512 MB card also improves PC movie viewing, with its NVIDIA PureVideo HD engine delivering astounding Blu ray and HD DVD movie picture quality on a PC. Dual dual-link DVI support ensures that this card can drive the flat-panel displays up to 2560x1600.

The GeForce 8800 GTS 512 MB card requires PCI Express 2.0 or PCI Express-compliant motherboard with one x 16 graphics slot, a six-pin supplementary power connector and a minimum 400W or greater power supply (with current rating of 26A).

When it comes to graphics cards, the only pack you want to run with is XFX, because being an Alpha Dog isn't just about being fierce, it's about being the best.

SPARKLE Introduces GeForce 8600GT Graphic Cards With Passive Cooling Solution

SPARKLE Computer Co. Ltd. today announced the SPARKLE GeForce 8600 GT Passive Cooling Graphic Cards, the latest mainstream products in SPARKLE GeForce 8 series line, which brings ultra silent gaming environment for mainstream users.

Based on NVIDIA's next generation G84 architecture, the SPARKLE GeForce 8600 GT passive cooling graphic cards adopt innovative unified architecture, dynamically allocates processing power to geometry, vertex, physics, or pixel shading operations, delivering up to 2x the gaming performance of prior generation GPUs. Built upon technologies such as NVIDIA Lumenex Engine, providing support for DirectX 10 Shader Model 4.0, NVIDIA Quantum Effects technology for physics computation and GigaThread Technology for extreme processing efficiency in advanced, next generation shader programs.

Helped with NVIDIA's unified architecture, SPARKLE GeForce 8600 GT passive cooling graphic cards embrace 540MHz core speed, 32 stream processor,they bring untouchable DirectX 10 and shader model 4.0 performance to the mainstream pc gamers. Thanks to its 512MB high capacity video memory, SPARKLE GeForce 8600 GT 512MB DDR2 passive cooling graphic cards will brings more 3D power to handle latest DirectX 10 and DirectX 9 games, which have rigorous demand on the capacity of video card's memory. SPARKLE GeForce 8600 GT passive cooling graphic cards use NVIDIA second-generation PureVideo HD technology, to bring untouchable HD video experience to users. They can deliver the highest-quality playback of HD DVD and Blu-ray movies on mainstream PCs. The new programmable video processing engine takes on all of the high definition H.264 HD video decoding, freeing the CPU to perform other tasks and significantly reducing power consumption, heat, and noise.

In order to deliver ultra silent working places, SPARKLE GeForce 8600 GT passive cooling graphic cards are equipped with advanced passive cooling system, its large heatsink features higher throughput for mass heat volatilization. It has high performance thermal compound ensures optimal thermal dissipation even after years of use. "Today most GeForce 8600 GT products on market use cooling fans to bring working heat from GPU and video memory, inevitably bring noise to users, SPARKLE GeForce 8600 GT passive cooling graphic cards adopt most advanced passive cooling system to totally annihilate annoying noise." Said Kevin Wang, sales director of SPARKLE Computer Co., Ltd.

"They meet the demand from users who are seeking 0dB working environment. NVIDIA advanced PureVideo HD VP2 technology lets SPARKLE GeForce 8600 GT passive cooling graphic cards to deliver high-quality playback of HD DVD and Blu-ray movies on mainstream everyday PCs."

(12/12) Gigabyte GV-NX88T512HP (GeForce 8800 GT 512MB, TurboForce Edition)

Cooling the GeForce 8800 GT

NVIDIA's move to a 65nm core - the G92 - has been such a splendid success in its present form at the heart of the GeForce 8800 GT 512MB that the upcoming remake of the GeForce 8800 GTS will also utilize this revised core. So too will the high-end GeForce 8 Mobility GPUs that you'll probably find in gaming notebooks next year. Despite its popularity and impressive performance, we have yet to be convinced by the reference cooler from NVIDIA on the GeForce 8800 GT. While it is quiet and admirably slim, the temperatures on the GeForce 8800 GT have been generally quite high. This has prompted brisk sales for certain third party coolers among enthusiasts though at the same time, raises the ownership costs for a quiet and cool GeForce 8800 GT.

No doubt, the vendors themselves concur, for it wasn't long before they came up with their own custom cooling solutions to tackle this. One of the early results we have seen include the Palit GeForce 8800 GT Sonic, which has done rather well in our temperature tests. Gigabyte is another company with a similar idea and it has turned to Zalman to provide the solution. The end result is the Gigabyte GV-NX88T512HP, equipped with the Zalman VF700-ALCU cooler. Besides that, the card uses a custom blue PCB, is overclocked by default and includes Gigabyte's Turbo Force technology that supposedly enhances stability while overclocked.

The Gigabyte GV-NX88T512HP

Unlike the closed and shrouded reference design, the Gigabyte GV-NX88T512HP uses a two-slot Zalman cooler, with that familiar fan shaped design. Interestingly, the fins are a mixture of copper and aluminum, though unlike the retail version from Zalman, the memory chips on this card do not include individual heatsinks. The cooler is also a dual ball bearing design and is extremely quiet, with Zalman's website stating a noise level of between 18.5 - 28.5 decibels (the maximum occurs when it's running at 2650rpm). From the looks of it, installing this cooler is straightforward so if you're inclined towards this cooler and already have a GeForce 8800 GT





Gigabyte GV-NX88T512HP Technical Specifications

Graphics Engine	NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT GPU (G92) 754 million transistors 3D GPU clock = 700MHz 112 Stream Processors at 1675MHz NVIDIA Unified Architecture GigaThread technology Full support for Microsoft DirectX 10 Geometry shaders Geometry instancing Streamed output Shader Model 4.0 Full 128-bit floating point precision through the entire rendering pipeline NVIDIA Lumenex Technology 16x full screen anti-aliasing Transparent multisampling and transparent supersampling 16x angle independent anisotropic filtering 128-bit floating point high dynamic-range (HDR) lighting with anti-aliasing 32-bit per component floating point texture filtering and blending Advanced lossless compression algorithms for color, texture, and z-data Support for normal map compression Z-cull Early-Z NVIDIA Quantum Effects Technology Advanced shader processors architected for physics computation Simulate and render physics effects on the graphics processor NVIDIA SLI Technology NVIDIA PureVideo HD Technology Dedicated on-chip video processor (VP2) High-definition H.264, VC-1, MPEG2 and WMV9 decode acceleration Advanced spatial-temporal de-interlacing HDCP capable Spatial-Temporal De-Interlacing Noise Reduction Edge Enhancement Bad Edit Correction Inverse telecine (2:2 and 3:2 pull-down correction) High-quality scaling Video color correction Microsoft Video Mixing Renderer (VMR) support Advanced Display Functionality Two dual-link DVI outputs for digital flat panel display resolutions up to 2560x1600 Dual integrated 400MHz RAMDACs for analog display resolutions up to and including 2048x1536 at 85Hz Integrated HDTV encoder provides analog TV-output (Component/Composite/S-Video) up to 1080p resolution NVIDIA nView multi-display technology capability 10-bit display processing Built for Windows Vista Full DirectX 10 support Dedicated graphics processor powers the new Windows Vista Aero 3D user interface VMR-based video architecture Designed for PCI Express 2.0 Designed for high-speed GDDR3 memory Advanced thermal monitoring and thermal management
Graphics Memory	256-bit memory interface 512MB Graphics DDR3 SDRAM Default clock rate of 950MHz (effective speed of 1900MHz DDR)
Display Capabilities	Dual 400MHz RAMDACs that support resolutions of 2048x1536@85Hz Dual-link DVI capability to drive displays of up to 2560x1600
Connectors	1 x mini-DIN connector (for Video-out) 2 x DVI-I connector (HDCP Ready)
Drivers & Software	Driver support for Microsoft Windows Vista/9x/ME/2000/XP/XP MCE/XP Pro x64, Linux and Macintosh OS (including OS X) Neverwinter Nights 2
Other Information	PCI Express x16 slot required Dedicated 6-pin PCIe Molex power connector required (not shared or split) Power supply rated for 400W or higher recommended by NVIDIA

As for the card's clock speeds, it is overclocked quite high at 700MHz for the core and 1900MHz DDR for the memory, placing it among the faster cards we have seen. Besides that, Gigabyte continues to tout its ultra durable technology, which includes features like all solid capacitors, though these are also found on the standard design. Then there's also Gigabyte's Turbo Force technology that claims to enhance stability during overclocking. Finally, Gigabyte's game of the moment, found in most of its graphics cards now, is Neverwinter Nights 2 and again you'll find that in the package, along with the items below:

- 1 x DVI-to-VGA adaptor
- Driver CD
- Quick installation guide
- 6-pin Molex power connector
- 9-pin mini-DIN to S-Video/Component cable

Conclusion

While the question about the retail availability of the GeForce 8800 GT has been raised often over the past few weeks, it seems that though the situation may have improved slightly, prices are generally higher than the figure given by NVIDIA at its launch. With the similar G92 equipped GeForce 8800 GTS set to debut very soon, we have to wonder if we'll be seeing an even tighter supply of G92 cores and subsequently the finished retail products. Like Nintendo and the limited supply of Wii consoles, NVIDIA will have to do a delicate balancing act in ensuring that disgruntled consumers won't settle for a rival product instead (though ATI's Radeon HD 3870 seems to be in the same boat).


However, if you're looking for a GeForce 8800 GT and you just happen to be able to snag any model in the market now, the Gigabyte GV-NX88T512HP is a worthy contender. While its overclocked performance may not match up to the fastest models available now, its true edge lies in the Zalman cooler that lowers its operating temperatures below 50 degrees Celsius, which is very decent for the GeForce 8800 GT. Of course, one could also purchase the same Zalman cooler and attach it to their own GeForce 8800 GT but that's an additional cost that the consumer would have to bear. Presumably, the Gigabyte package would be more enticing in terms of price and convenience.

Finally, while we have tried to get the price for this recently launched model, that is one thing that is not the easiest to acquire nowadays. Since it features a third party cooler, expect the price to be higher than the standard model, though the decent bundled game, Neverwinter Nights 2 may soften the blow if you're an RPG fan. For those who appreciate a cool and silent enclosure with a speedy graphics card, the Gigabyte GV-NX88T512HP with its TuboForce Technology is an important step towards that goal and comes highly recommend in our books.

(12/12) Walton Chaintech Introduces GeForce 8800GTS 512MB Graphic Card

Walton Chaintech Introduces GeForce 8800GTS 512MB Graphic Card

Walton Chaintech proudly unveils its latest graphic card - CHAINTECH GAE88GTS 512MB. Based on NVIDIA's next generation G92 architecture, GAE88GTS 512MB is equipped with the higher level G92-400 chip in comparison with GeForce 8800GT. What makes this card special is its heavy-duty dual slot cooler and extra shaders on tap for optimizing the cooling performance and for noise reduction.

Positioned specifically to target the higher-level enthusiasts' markets, new CHAINTECH GAE88GTS 512MB graphic card comes in with a core clock of 650MHz and 1940 MHz memory clock with GDDR3 memory. It features 128 stream processors that can bring blazing graphics performance with maximum quality for today's most demanding shader model 4.0 games.

The card is also born with the latest PureVideo HD technology from NVIDIA, CHAINTECH GAE88GTS 512MB leverages the revolutionary video processing engine to playback the highest quality of HD DVD and Blu-ray movies using lower CPU, besides, it is able to perform at the minimum power consumption, heat and noise. Additionally, CHAINTECH GAE88GTS 512MB comes with PCI Express 2.0 interface which supports for the next generation PC platform. The most realistic gaming effects can also be brought by this card for its utilization of the latest DirectX 10.1.

This brand-new card absolutely offers a complete solution for the 3D and video application market, bringing exceptional ratio of performance and price and cutting-edge DirectX 10 features at the widely-accessible price point for enthusiastic PC gamers.

(12/12) MSI Unveils MSI NX8800GTS Series

MSI Unveils MSI NX8800GTS Series

MSI proudly unveils its latest MSI NX8800GTS Series graphics card, base on NVIDIA GeForce 8800GTS Series GPU. After raising the number of stream processors inside GPU core, MSI NX8800GTS Series can achieve even better benchmark result or real application performance than ever.

GeForce 8800GTS GPU come with all new wafering technology

Comparing with previous generation GeForce 8800 Series, the latest GeForce 8800GTS Series come with advance wafering technology which can effective reduce the heat and then give much higher range for over-clocking as executing 3D applications. Also because of the more advanced wafering technology, the high-speed Stream Processors inside the GeForce 8800GTS Series can be increased to a number of 128 units. It's operating clock also raised from 1500MHz (GeForce 8800GT ) to 1625MHz(GeForce 8800GTS). The brand-new wafering technology is without doubt makes MSI NX8800GTS Series even more powerful.

PCI Express 2.0 interface supported

With great innovation and capability, MSI take the lead in launching NX8800GTS Series graphics card which supports PCI Express 2.0 interface, completely meet the eager needs of higher data throughput of future graphics computing. PCI Express 2.0 has double data rate and lane of the bus comparing to previous generation. The MSI NX8800GTS Series has bandwidth twice of PCI Express Gen 1 and backwards compatible with existing PCI Express motherboards for the broadest support.

"We can expect that year 2008 there will be more native DirectX 10 games coming up," comments by Vincent Lai, director of MSI's Global Marketing Group. "There will be bunch of special effects that make use of the power of DirectX 10, such as DOF, Motion Blur, and Soft Particles. Gamers must have MSI NX8800GTS Series to make the gaming experience smooth enough like it should be!"

MSI NX8800GTS Series – the best choice of SLI gamers

Comes with specialties of low temperature, easy over-clocking, and high bandwidth twice of PCI Express Gen. 1, the MSI NX8800GTS Series hit the market with surprisingly reasonable price tag. Enthusiast or casual gamers who were scared by the high price of GeForce 8800 Series, can have multiple MSI NX8800GTS Series graphics cards and build your own SLI platform now.

(12/12) ESPN STAR Sports Launches STAR Sports Mobile for Fans in Asia

Bouquet of Content Includes Exclusive Video Highlights from Arsenal & Liverpool FC and STAR Sports Original Programmes

ESPN STAR Sports (ESS) launched STAR Sports Mobile, its new and exciting mobile sports content service highlighted by exclusive Arsenal and Liverpool Football Club content along with many more innovative features.

Developed for the sports fan that is constantly on the move and looking for interactive and entertaining opportunities to engage with sports, STAR Sports Mobile aims to provide enriching mobile experiences to users. This includes exclusive goal and match video highlights, player wallpapers, archive video clips and video interviews with players and club ring tones from leading football clubs Arsenal and Liverpool. STAR Sports Mobile content also includes video highlights covering opinions, instructional tips and the latest online game reviews from STAR Sports original programmes such as ACE by Sony Ericson, Engine Block, Golf Focus, Game and Top Corner. Also available are wallpaper images of STAR Sports presenters, themed ring tunes and Java Games.

Said Mr Manu Sawhney, Managing Director, ESPN STAR Sports: "As Asia's leading sports broadcaster and content provider, we are focused on serving the fan any time, any place via any pipe and any device, and STAR Sports Mobile is our latest product that will transform the way fans experience and consume sports through entertaining and engaging content.

"We recognize that sports fans are not a homogenous audience and thus have worked towards developing different kinds of offerings for different sports fans across platforms and the new STAR Sports Mobile complements our mobileESPN offering launched last year. The potential for STAR Sports Mobile is enormous, noting the evolving trends in sports viewing and we are confident that sports fans will welcome this new offering."

Said Adrian Ford, Commercial Director of Arsenal: "Arsenal Football Club enjoys a huge fan base in Asia and we're excited to work with ESPN STAR Sports to reach out to our fans and provide them with another way to be part of our Club. There is an enormous potential for this interactive mobile platform to reinforce fan loyalty and we look forward to working together with Asia's biggest sports network to extend our popularity in Asia."

STAR Sports Mobile is an extension of ESPN STAR Sports' mobile service offering, after mobileESPN's successful launch across multiple markets in Asia Pacific in May 2006. Indonesian sports fans will be the first to enjoy STAR Sports Mobile with today's launch of SPORTesia, PT Bakrie Telecom's newest sports mobile content platform.

(12/12) GIGABYTE Introduces GeForceR 8800 GT-Based Graphics Accelerators

ASIANTECH together with GIGABYTE announces the launch of their new graphics accelerator in the Philippines, the GV-NX88T512H-B, equipped with NVIDIA's latest GeForceR 8800 GT graphics processor. The GIGABYTE GV-NX88T512H-B features the GeForceR 8800 GT with 512 MB GDDR3 memory, delivering the highest levels of sophisticated game rendering for a greatly enhanced gaming experience. Transporting users into a new realm of gaming excitement, the GIGABYTE GV-NX88T512H-B features 112 processors as well as support for HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection), providing the highest quality High-Definition video for the ultimate home theater experience.

The GIGABYTE NX88T512H-B is compatible with the new PCI Express 2.0 bus architecture, offering a future-proof bridge to tomorrow's most bandwidth-hungry games and 3D applications by maximizing the 5 Gb/s PCI Express 2.0 bandwidth (Twice that of first generation PCIe). Equipped with the DirectXR 10 GPU and adopting the latest Unified Shader architecture with full support for Shader Model 4.0, the GIGABYTE GV-NX88T512H-B is able to deliver the most realistic gaming effects and let users take full advantage of all the advanced features MicrosoftR Windows Vista Premium has to offer, including the full Aero Interface.

The GIGABYTE GV-NX88T512H-B also features NVIDIA's latest advanced technologies including GigaThreadT technology, which, throug the use of a massively multi-threaded architecture, is able to create thousands of independent, simultaneous threads, providing extreme processing efficiency for advanced, next generation shader programs. Additionally, the GIGABYTE GV-NX88T512H-B supports NVIDIA's Quantum EffectsT technology, enabling a new level of physics effects to be simulated and rendered on the GPU. The GIGABYTE GV-NX88T512H-B also features the LumenexT engine, which introduces 16x Anti-aliasing and 128-bit floating point High-Dynamic-Range (HDR), for ultra realistic rendering of lighting effects.

Integrated with NVIDIA Extreme High DefinitionT (XHD) for enhanced graphics resolution, the GIGABYTE GV-NX88T512H-B supports the latest video output interfaces, including Dual Dual-Link DVI, for the highest dual 2560X1600 screen resolution. Differing from past GPU generations, the NVIDIA GeForceR 8800GT also features a dedicated on-chip video processor for superb picture quality and ultra smooth video playback.

GIGABYTE is proud to include the astonishing role-playing game, Neverwinter NightsT 2, with GIGABYTE's latest GeForceR 8800 GT graphics accelerator, combining gorgeous artwork and bleeding-edge 3D rendering technology to deliver a fantasy gaming experience like never before.

(10/12) Palit introduces the Super+ 1GB Series Graphics Cards

Palit Super+ 1GB Version Graphics Card with 1024MB King Size Memory Enters the Market!

Palit Microsystems, the leading graphics card manufacturer, proudly introduces the Super+ 1GB series graphics cards with an industry leading 1024 MB of graphics memory. Palit is the world's first company to release an entire series with cards equipped with 1024 MB of on-board memory. Palit’s award winning Super graphics cards push the performance envelope further with higher clock frequencies and larger memory capacities. Higher memory density means smoother gaming performance and smoother video playback while watching movies.

The Palit GeForce 8600GT Super+ 1GB and GeForce 8500GT Super+ 1GB offer the greatest value for consumers. Well-known for its super version products, Palit extends this lead over competing graphics cards more features for the dollar. Palit not only uses superior cooling solutions and pushes its clock frequencies higher than the competition but has now doubled the memory from 512 MB to 1 GB. The Super+1GB graphics cards with 1 Gigabyte of memory are coming. Palit’s already impressive value for performance just got even better. Palit has a Super+1GB to suite your needs without burning a hole in your wallet. Astonishing performance just got better and it's only available from Palit.

(10/12) Accelero S1 Supports GeForce 8800GT And Radeon HD 3870

Accelero S1 is designed for compatibility with the latest graphics cards from ATI and nVIDIA, notably the Radeon HD 3870 as well as the GeForce 8800 GT. With its outstanding cooling performance, it? is able to cool the said cards much better than the stock cooler. Doing that it not only raises the product lifetime, it also reduces the noise-level to absolute silence.When boosting up the cooler with the Turbo Module temperature drops again dramatically, while only very little noise is generated.

(10/12) 750GB External HDD Storage Roundup

Memories Of The Past

Given the state of storage technology in recent years, and then comparing it to say, 1995, when a 2GB HDD was considered state-of-the-art, the pinnacle for storage space and compare it to the 320GB, 500GB and 1TB models of today, you'll be totally flabbergasted for words. Now imagine what it would be like in 10 years time when we look back on our current 1TB models as an antique model while we all use ultra high capacity drives in the range of Petabytes and probably relying on solid state drives or even holographic storage technology! Mind boggling indeed, even for us.

Of course, let's not forget that while our storage capacity will increase, our requirements will likewise increase. Take the current digital explosion for example, where movies, videos and music all form part of our current lifestyle requirements; can you imagine not listening to your 8GB MP3 player or snapping photos with your 8MP digital camera? Or when HD multimedia files become the norm?

While most people store their data on their computer, should a problem arise and with no way of recovery but to reformat the hard disk, one would potentially lose a lifetime's worth of data and beautiful memories. The only solution to prevent this loss would be to conduct regular backups and face it, with our reliance on the digital medium; backing up our data seems like a really good idea in the long run.

To complement that line of thought, in this article, we test drive three ready-to-use retail external storage drives of 750GB in capacity: the Buffalo DriveStation Turbo USB, the Seagate FreeAgent Pro and the Maxtor OneTouch 4 Plus. Of course there's always the DIY route to external storage drives and for this reason, we've also compared the retail ready-to-use drives against the DIY option for knowledge sake and point of comparison in terms of usability, performance and cost. So keep on reading for our impressions and findings, but to start off here's a table of summary of the models that are compared in this article:-


Breakdown Of the Models

Model	Buffalo DriveStation Turbo USB 750GB	Seagate FreeAgent Pro 750GB	Maxtor OneTouch 4 Plus 750GB	DIY Option: Seagate Barracuda 750GB & CoolerMaster X Craft
Interface Type	USB 2.0	USB 2.0, eSATA	USB 2.0, FireWire 400	USB 2.0, eSATA
Drive Capacity	750GB	750GB	750GB	750GB
Spindle Speed	7200 RPM	7200 RPM	7200 RPM	7200 RPM
Buffer Size	N/A	16MB	16MB	16MB
General Dimensions	1.8" x 7.9" x 6.4"	1.4" x 7.5" x 6.3"	2.5" x 6.0" x 6.75"	1.5" x8.86" x 4.72"
Weight	0.9kg	1.27kg	1.11kg	1.15kg
Warranty	2 Years	5 Years	5 Years	N/A
Price	US$229.99	US$224.99	US$230.99	US$194.99 (HDD), US$39.99 (Enclosure)

Buffalo DriveStation Turbo USB - Cowabunga!

As the name suggests, the Buffalo DriveStation comes with a Turbo USB feature. Buffalo claims that optimizations were done to reduce the amount of overhead that a standard USB driver usually introduces during normal data transfer, and supposedly results in faster throughput and improved performance of up to 37%.

We'll put this feature to the test to see if the claims hold up. The Turbo USB function of the DrivesStation has to be manually activated via the bundled CD, which installs a special driver to enable the overdrive mode. The CD also provides the Memeo auto backup software and the SecureLockWare (for encrypting your backup data).

The Buffalo DriveStation Turbo USB has a heat sink chassis and an optional fan is available for purchase to cool the HDD even further if required.

The Buffalo DriveStation Turbo USB package comes with the following accessories:
- USB 2.0 Cable
- Power Adapter
- CD with Memeo and SecureLockWare
- Manual

Seagate FreeAgent Pro - Born Free

While the Seagate FreeAgent Pro does not have the Turbo USB feature of the Buffalo, it does come with an eSATA port in addition to the standard USB 2.0 port. Strangely enough, an eSATA cable was not included in the package. Otherwise, the FreeAgent Pro is usable right out of the box and scores points for its gorgeous design. Enclosed in a shiny dark metal brown casing with a nifty orange glow, the FreeAgent Pro is a sleek model that could pose as a designer art piece. The overall design however makes the FreeAgent Pro one of the larger and heavier external storage drives around. Unlike the FreeAgent Go, the Pro was really meant to be a desk-bound version and as a result the big difference in drive designs. The pedestal of the FreeAgent Pro also has a touch-sensitive power button, but take note that you require to hold it a little longer than expected to activate it.

The FreeAgent Pro external drive comes packed with the bundled software already installed inside, so there's no need to hunt down the installation CD, which also means there's also no real worry when using the FreeAgent Pro on another computer. The Freeagent software provides a host of features including the ability to adjust the drive sleep interval and the lighting settings for the FreeAgent Pro. Lastly, the power adapter is small and compact; less to lug around!

The best looking enclosure compared to the other models for this roundup, the Seagate FreeAgent Pro definitely stands out in looks, but will it perform?

The Seagate FreeAgent Pro comes with the following accessories:
- USB 2.0 Cable
- Power Adapter
- Pre-loaded bundled FreeAgent software on the drive

Maxtor OneTouch 4 Plus - Touch Again

For the next incarnation of their OneTouch series, Maxtor has decided to do away with the previous clunky box like design of their casing to an odd quadrangle shaped casing. While better looking than its previous design, our first impression of the vault-like casing was that it was ugly; that's not to say the OneTouch 4 is a bad product as it actually has a full range of features that should please any user. One thing to note here though is Maxtor's target user group, which is mainly that of the corporate world. This explains the rather straightforward external design (a contrast from that of Seagate's offering), which fits in the general corporate culture. This is also the only drive in our roundup to feature FireWire, but for eSATA needs, you'll need go with the Seagate option. Like the Seagate FreeAgent Pro, Maxtor's power adapter is small and compact, as compared to those on the Buffalo and the DIY kit.

The OneTouch 4 Plus, like the Seagate FreeAgent comes pre-loaded with software, meaning there's no need to lug an installation CD around. The Maxtor SafetyDrill software provides backup functions (including taking images of your entire HDD) while their Maxtor DrivePass provides two levels of security, including 256-bit AES encryption (a boon in the business world). The drive's housing itself has a translucent 'bar' button (which doubles up as a power status indicator) that works hand-in-hand with the software to facilitate "OneTouch" backup and you can preset it to backup/sync exactly what you require. Clearly, the Maxtor drive has what it takes to convince business users.

The Maxtor OneTouch 4 Plus has been redesigned from its previous clunky design and features both FireWire and USB 2.0 support.

The Maxtor OneTouch 4 Plus comes with the following accessories:
- IEEE 1394 FireWire cable
- USB 2.0 Cable
- Power Adapter
- Pre-loaded bundled Maxtor SafetyDrill software

DIY - From Ground UpSome

users may prefer to actually not use a pre-built solution and take a DIY route. This actually gives them a slight flexibility in casing design and HDD choice. To test if this is actually a viable option, we slapped together a Seagate Barracuda 750GB with the CoolerMaster X Craft casing. The X Craft comes with one eSATA and one USB 2.0 port. The net cost however comes up quite similar to that of a retail off-the-shelf option, but you do get to choose the appearance of your external drive enclosure - the only real plus point. For hardcore users, the ability to swap various hard drives around could also be another plus point. However, beware of very shoddy low cost drive enclosures as they may forego quality in the areas of ease of assembly and even the circuitry between the physical drive and the ports, which could lead to problems over time. Also some enclosures might forego backup software and even if they are provided, they are hardly as tightly-knit as those on the Maxtor and Seagate external drives.

The CoolerMaster X Craft casing is well designed with a sleek shiny black finish and supports up to 1TB hard disks.

Just for your information only, this CoolerMaster X Craft casing kit comes with the following accessories:
- e-SATA Cable
- USB 2.0 Cable
- Power Adapter
- e-SATA bracket
- CD with Drivers and Plug & Go Backup Software

Concluding Remarks

If you look closely at the results, you'll find that there's really not that much of a difference between the models (barring the Turbo USB Boost) such that you'll have to definitely get that any on particular model. However with Buffalo's Turbo USB enabled, it definitely had the performance edge, albeit the extent of its lead would vary depending upon the usage scenario. What was a letdown was Seagate's underwhelming eSATA performance that has yet to receive an official firmware update, its disk access times and Maxtor's underperforming FireWire 400 interface. These interface options pose an added advantage to the prospective buyers, but we found them otherwise.

On a another note of operational noise, the Buffalo unit's operation was slightly audible when it is busy. While it's still on the quiet end of the scale, for the very discerning user, you might want to keep the DriveStation a little further away. The other two drives very almost silent in operation and while that's a good sign generally, you would be surprised that there are users who do like a gentle audio acknowledgement. Good thing that Seagate's orange glow indicator reciprocates to disk activity, but it's not as visible on the Maxtor.

In the end, it really boils down to personal preference and taste when selecting an external storage drive. Each model actually brings to the table different options and capabilities; if you were performance driven, the Buffalo would be the obvious choice for you, and likewise, if you were looking for aesthetics and ease of use, the Seagate or Maxtor (depending on your taste and area of use) would definitely fit your bill. Furthermore, Maxtor's comprehensive backup options, security and industrial design would no doubt be an ideal office companion, wherever it's deployed. Here's how we some them all up:-

Buffalo DriveStation Turbo USB 750GB: The best performance of all the units tested with the Turbo USB boost driver, the Buffalo is a worthy purchase for any user. However the lack of any pre-loaded software can be slightly irritating for users on the go.

Seagate FreeAgent Pro 750GB: While not as fast as the other options, awesome looks and pre-loaded software makes this a suitable choice for casual users and design conscious folks who will definitely appreciate the "use straight out of the box" philosophy that Seagate has for the FreeAgent range. Just beware of the eSATA performance for now.

Maxtor OneTouch 4 Plus 750GB: The performance of the model is pretty consistent throughout and together with the business-centric pre-loaded software and features, this unit will appeal to businesses and users who don't mind the vault-like design.


If you are looking for a little more flexibility and cost savings (though not by a whole lot), the DIY option would also be an attractive route. Of course, what you get out of it would really depend on the quality of the enclosure you buy and the capacity of your hard disks. In the worst case scenario you would actually end up paying more for the build, design and if your enclosure has tons of features and connectivity for every single interface on the market today. For the rest of us who prefer a ready-to-use product like a brand named PC, you have the retail external hard drive solutions as covered in this article.

Editor's Note: Though we've also contacted Western Digital to send us their 750GB external HDD solution, they were unable to send us a unit for this feature.