• Processor: Intel Core2 Quad Q9450
• Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-X48-DQ6
• Memory: OCZ SLI Ready 2 x 2GB
• Video Card: Nvidia 260 GTX
• Power Supply: Mushkin 800w Modular Power Supply
• Coolmax USA 950w Modular Power Supply
• Hard Drive: Seagate 750GB SATA
• Optical Drive: LG DVD-RW
• OS: Windows Vista Ultimate

Testing:

For testing we will be doing some benchmarks using a verity of methods. During these tests I have to emphasize that this is not, I repeat NOT an up to date gaming card. To compare it to another card we had a hard time choosing, in the end we decided we would have to put it up against something rather than just throw numbers at you. During the test it might seem unfair to the Radeon EAH4550, but the only cards that we have to compare it to are a Radeon 2400 HD and an EAH4830, so from that you might be able to understand why we decided to put it up against the EAH4830. Now that I have overclocked it from its stock 600 MHz GPU Clock to 700 MHz and its 800 MHz Memory Clock to 1000 MHz lets see how it does.

For these tests I will be using Munk’s computer. I will be running a few different yet standard tests that most people use as benchmarks. For starters I will be running 3D Marks ’06 on three different screen resolutions; 1024x768, 1280x1024, and 1680x1024. I will be testing with SM2, CPU, SM3, and no Anti Aliasing on.

 3D Marks ‘06

Next I will be using a variety of games and recording the average frame rate while playing them. They are all action games and will all take place under heavy combat. The games I will be using are:

• Crysis Warhead. I will have direct X 10 enabled, and will use three screen resolutions; 1024x746, 1280x1024, and 1680x1050.

• Far Cry 2. I will have Direct X 10 enabled, all graphics settings will be set to high, and will use three screen resolutions; 1024x746, 1280x1024, and 1680x1050.

• Fallout 3 (I love this game, this was a hard one to do :P). I will have 4x Antialiasing, 8x Anisotropic Filtering, and all setting at high. I will use three screen resolutions; 1024x746, 1280x1024, and 1600x1050.

• Left 4 Dead. I will be using 4x Anti Aliasing, 4x Anisotropic Filtering, and all settings at high. I will use three screen resolutions; 1024x746, 1280x1024, and 1600x1050.

From this we can see that this is not an up to date gaming card. In some cases it performed better than I thought it would, but in most cases it delivered what was expected. But let’s not focus on that because that’s like comparing a paring knife to a potato peeler, they have to different purposes and excel in places where the other doesn’t.

Because my computer is connected to my TV for the time being I decided to see how it looked at a few different resolutions. I usually have my resolution set to 1024x746, but I decided just for the hell of it that I wanted to see how my videos looked when I maxed out the resolution on my TV to 1920x1080, and my videos looked better when the resolution was turned up. Also with the help of the Catalyst Control Center and the Avivo Video tab, I was able to fine tune my display settings and clean up some minor defects in the image that I had noticed in the past. Another great thing about this card is that because it has a HDMI output you can also have the high def audio that comes with it.

For some, like me, this card will be an upgrade from their previous car (Like my Radeon 2400 HD) for those looking to upgrade to a top of the line gaming card, this might not be for you. However for those looking for something for a low cost home theater computer, and want a reasonably priced HDMI compatible video card for said computer then this might be something that you should take a look at. Even those that are looking for a cheep gaming card, I do have to say that depending on what you are playing, this might be a step in the right direction.

Now let’s get to my final thoughts: