ATI kicking the mainstream and power user video card industry in the ARS!
Written: Aug 06 '01 (Updated Aug 06 '01)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: 64 MB DDR RAM, Video in/Video out (VIVO)
Cons: Driver updates are infrequent
The Bottom Line: Can't afford a GeForce3? Don't want to sacrafice 3D performace but want video ins and outs? This is the card for you!
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| nad_masters's Full Review: ATI Radeon 64MB DDR |
Sorry, nVidia fans... Although I am a great fan of the GeForce3, like all Britney Spears fans (ew), I can't touch the object of my affection.
GeForce3 is WAY OUT THERE in terms of pricing ($360+), and all of the boards based on this chipset perform the same (all are faster than other chipsets, but not each other). So wouldn't the GeForce2 be a better choice for the middle ground?
Absolutely, but why go for a GeForce2 that still cost more over the ATI Radeon chipset? Performance and visual quality? Believe it or not, the Radeon got both of them licked! Visual quality in 3D games allowed Radeon (the female ATI mascott) to shove her foot up nVidia GeSpot2 ... especially with their cost-cutting GeForce2 MXs. Performace-wise, the GeForce2 may still have an advantage (though it is VERY bordering, sicne there are many different versions of GeForce2s), but when it comes THIS CLOSE, price and features should be the determining factor for recomending one over the other.
Don't get me wrong...I will gladly help nVidia snap Radeon's foot (buy their GeForce2) if they paid me enough (if their cards weren't so expensive), but since it's not the case...
Pros
What ISN'T that you don't like? You have 64 MB of DDR RAM, which is more than enough as it is the NEW industry standard. Most new games now are just starting to take full advantage of 32 MB! A card with 64 MB will last you a couple of years.
The fact that ATI is using DDR RAM (double data rate), this translate to faster effective speeds. How? The RAM used on this card (well, ANYTHING that uses DDR RAM) spits out data according to the clock when it goes high AND low. SDR memory only transfer data when it is either high OR low. So at 100 MHz, DDR memory can transfer at an effective 200 MHz (although technically it's still 100 MHZ). It will transfer data as if it was running on a 200 MHz data bus. This reduces the memory to GPU bottleneck.
Visual features includes integrated (hardware-based)Transformation and Lighting (T&L - for impressive looking lighting effects and textures) and HyperZ™ technology (to reduce bandwidth usage for other data or instructions). For non-3D visual enhancements, Radeon uses ATI’s RAGE THEATRE™ companion chip for high quality playback. This not only allows playback of DVD to be enhanced, but also stretched AVIs and MPG movies (and even QuickTime movies). No other video cards can play back fullscreen video as well as ATI cards (even way back to the Rage chipsets).
Their driver and AMC (ATI Multimedia Center) software is easy to use, as well! It is a no brainer to switch from TV to VGA, or both! ATI is very well known for good driver designs and usability.
Add to the fact that this card can capture video at 720x480 with all 30 frames intact per second with MPEG-1 or 2 compression, and you'll have a winner! Oh, don't forget this card can output to video as well!
Cons
Well, since I ended on a high note with video capturing, let me bring it back down to reality a bit. With that capability, you'll need power. CPU power. When running on a PII-450 and Windows 2000 Pro, I found that capturing video on this lowly system skipped as much as 20 frames in a 2 minute capture session. After making sure my PC was efficent (CD-ROM autodetect off, DMA on, etc), I was still not able to make it capture skip-free while compressing on the fly (MPEG-1). MPEG-2 was even worse, averaging about 50 framse lost in the same 2 minutes.
Okay, so that was kind of minor, considering I have a PII-450. However, driver support is one of the biggest things considered when buying into a video card. If not, the VooDoo 4s and 5s would be flying off the shelf, and still be sought after. Driver problems and sluggish performace will make you look to ATI's website to make sure you have the latest driver. ATI is known for being slow on updating drivers. On the plus side, thier drivers and AMC (ATI Multimedia Center) software is easy and intuitive to use.
Recomendations
Looking back at the Pros/Cons balance scale, this card has what it takes to become the best well-rounded (even more so than the ATI All-in-Wonder Radeon) gaming card and video capture card. In fact, as stated in my other review (look for my review for the ATI All-in-Wonder Radeon):
http://www.epinions.com/content_34808237700
Here's the price list, and you can see for yourself, which is the better value:
ATI All-in-Wonder Radeon
32 MB SDR RAM
Video-in/Video-out
TV-Tuner
$299 (Retail)
ATI Radeon 64 MB DDR RAM VIVO
64 MB DDR RAM
Video-in/Video-out
$199 (Retail)
Asus V8200 Deluxe (GeForce3)
64 MB DDR RAM
Video-in/Video-out
$400
As you can see, the best price/performance & feature ratio is the Radeon 64 MB DDR VIVO.
How many of you really need a TV tuner? If you must, then this is the card for you. If you wanted the capturing feature, then there are other cards that does that without compromising 3D performance.
And for people who want to go ALL OUT for the BEST in 3D cards (I know people who wants the bleeding-edge technology) and still want to capture video, then the Asus V8200 Deluxe is your only choice.
If you want the "in-betweenie", then the best card for you is the ATI Radeon 64 MB DDR VIVO. (VIVO stands for Video In Video Out).
And as Phil Collins would say, "That's my story, and I'm sticking with it". "
And I am STILL sticking with it. :)
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 170
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