Radeon 7000: Life in the Fast Lane
Written: Jul 08 '02 (Updated Jul 08 '02)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Crisp & Clear, Fast, S-Video Output, Easy Installation
Cons: Incomplete Instruction Manual/Help
The Bottom Line: Fast and Furious. Hold on to your hats.
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| tbthorn's Full Review: ATI RADEON® 7000, (32 MB) AGP Video Card |
Card Type: AGP
Output: S-Video AND/OR VGA
Purchased At: Ubid.com Auction
Condition: New
Warranty: 3 Years
AGP or PCI?
If you have an available AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port) slot on your computer, then you'll probably want to select an AGP video card over a PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) video card for two reasons. Firstly, AGP is designed to have a much faster connection between the video controller and the chipset than PCI, making AGP the better performer. Secondly, a PCI slot can accommodate many different components (Audio, Video, Modem, NIC, etc) whereas AGP can only interface with a video card, making AGP a better choice in terms of space economy.
Got AGP?
Before you go out and purchase this or any other AGP video card, you need to make sure that you have an AGP slot on your computer. To do this, you can either consult your computer's owner manual or open up your computer and inspect it visually. AGP slots look nearly identical to PCI slots, except they are light brown in color instead of white; and they are pushed back slightly further on the motherboard. The AGP slot is typically the closest expansion slot to the processor. While Intel pioneered this technology, other chipset makers now support AGP technology.
32MB or 64MB?
The Radeon 7000 is available with 32MB or 64MB of memory (RAM). Unless you are a real serious gamer or a DVD aficionado, then the 32MB card should be more than adequate to suit your needs. At auction sites the prices between the two cards are sometimes comparable. So, if the price is right, by all means go for the 64MB.
Installation
The installation instructions for the Radeon 7000 are complete and easy to follow. Once you've removed your old video drivers and popped in your new video card, you just need to connect your monitor (VGA) or TV (S-video) and restart. Throw in the included CD to install the software, and viola! You are on your way to video ecstasy. To ensure that you get the most out of your new graphics card, Radeon even provides a list of websites where you can download the latest AGP updates for your chipset.
I should note that the SETUP file did not successfully install the drivers onto my computer (Windows ME), so I had to do this manually. Should it happen to you, go to Start Menu -> Settings -> Control Panel. Click on the System icon and then access the Device Manager tab. Double click on the Radeon profile (under Display Adapters) and then click on the Drivers tab. Click on the Install or Update Drivers button and search for the best driver on the installation CD. Easy as pie.
Performance
Video Performance: My computer (8MB Video) handled video fairly well prior to Radeon installation, so I did not expect to notice a huge difference. I could not have been more wrong, and I hate to admit when I'm wrong. The pictures are crystal clear and there is absolutely no dragging. What I mistook for imperfections in the movies that I viewed were actually issues with my original video hardware. The card works perfectly for videos stored on your computer or streamed over the internet. I don't have a DVD player for my computer, but I'd imagine that DVDs would play quite nicely. I'm now considering making such a purchase.
Gaming Performance: The main reason I purchased this video card was because I recently purchased a video game that was seriously lagging and causing enormous frustration. After Radeon installation, the videos and graphics load very quickly and play seamlessly. There is absolutely no lag during gameplay and the 3-D graphics are handled quite nicely. I've never even noticed shadows in a game before now.
General Use: I am perfectly happy with the video performance during normal tasks (surfing the net, word processing, etc). The colors and textures on my desktop are more vibrant than ever. The maximum resolution 2048 X 1536 and I must say that I am extremely pleased. Everything just seems clearer and crisper than before. Of course, I could also be imagining this.
TV, Monitor or Both?
A great feature of the Radeon 7000 is that you have the option of hooking up your computer to a TV or VCR in ADDITION to a monitor. This can be done by simply connecting your TV/VCR to your new card, using the included S-video adapter and cable. For this to work, your TV or VCR must have an S-video input (little yellow hole). Now, you can play videos, DVDs or look at pictures on your television screen. Unfortunately, the quality of most televisions is not sufficient for gaming. The only issue with this feature is that the instruction manual does not address it at all and the help file is only marginally useful. You'll probably just have to play around with it to figure it out like I did. (HINT: Make sure that your TV or VCR is set on VIDEO before attempting.)
Final Comments
The Radeon 7000 may not be the newest video card on the market, but it is a solid performer manufactured by a reliable corporation. The video is fast, crisp and clear with no lags. Strongly recommended.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): $50 (auction
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tbthorn
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Member: Tom
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