Why a New Video card

Last month I built a new PC, just for Windows Vista Ultimate. I had not built a new PC for about a year besides I wanted to use my old PC for beta testing Windows Home Server, which I think is for a lot of people who has more than one computer and share music-movies-pictures between the computers plus added protection of their data-programs and their Operating Systems.
The new PC works great except for the video card I bought for it. Do not buy this card
. This card uses ePCI which should be faster than a agp 8 card but was not because of TurboCache which slows down the graphics performance.
The Graphics Performance of the card eVGA 7300LE 256 meg DDR2 memory
CPU--------------------------------- 4.8
Memory Operations per sec-----4.5
Graphics-----------------------------3.7
Gaming Graphics------------------3.1
Primary Hard Drive---------------5.6

3dMark 05 benchmarks in XP
Main Test Results
3DMark Score 1782 3DMarks
CPU Score 5326 CPUMarks
Detailed Test Results
Game Tests
GT1 - Return To Proxycon 8.3 fps
GT2 - Firefly Forest 5.5 fps
GT3 - Canyon Flight 8.0 fps
CPU Tests
CPU Test 1 2.4 fps
CPU Test 2 5.2 fps
As can be seen above the main thing holding back the computer is the video card. So on to the search for a better video card.

The Search for a better Video card

As usual the first place I go to is the TigerDirect web site to look at current ePCI video cards. I looked for a card that had 512 meg of DDR2 or 3 memory also I wanted the price from $90 to $120 max . Since the motherboard chipset is nVidia, I prefer using nForce Video cards as I believe those video cards will give the best performance with the motherboard.
I then started looking at reviews for those video cards. Many of the cards I read that the fans on them were rather loud and those I did not want as I want a quiet PC. Then I found the Biostar GeForceŽ 7600GS, (512 MB) PCI Express Graphic Card which does not even have a fan on it. But does have what is called a HeatPipe which is rather big(so make sure you have enough room for it) it is made of copper which is a very good heat transfer in fact one of the best.
So Wednesday(May23, 2007) I ordered this video card from TigerDirect and recieved it the next day(it helps I live only about 90 miles from the warehouse) it was in my PC that night.
The video card came in a very clean well package box. In the package was the video card in anti-static bag along with a manual - CD with XP drivers and a plug in for using with HD TV.
Before I installed in the computer. I removed the drivers from both Vista Ultimate and XP Pro(I dual boot as I'm still testing stuff for MS in XP). I then turned off the computer, removing the AC plug(best practice if replacing or installing any hardware.) Removing and installing the video card, I did not have to add a plug in for additional power from the power supply as I did with the eVGA GeForce 7300 GS (agp),getting all power from the motherboard.
I then restarted the computer, in XP all I had to do was use the CD to install the drivers. I then proceeded to the Vista partition and the drivers were then auto installed with no action from me. I, then proceeded to use and Benchmark this video card.
I am more than satisfied with this video card. It does get a bit warm but gives me the performance that I want. With this video card, I can have Areo graphics engine running all the time(with previous video card only when not watching tv/dvd movies) even Ultimate Dream Scene Content(which is where you are using a looped movie for your desktop instead of a static background) this looks way cool.

Specifications

GPU/VPU: NVIDIA GeForce 7600 GS
RAMDAC: Dual 400 MHz
Pixel Pipelines: 12
Additional Features: Vista Ready
HDTV Ready
SLI Ready
DirectX 9
OpenGL 2.0
Maximum Resolution: 2048 x 1536 @ 60Hz
Video Memory: 512MB
Memory Type: GDDR2
Core Clock: 400 MHz
Memory Bus: 128-bit
Memory Clock: 800 MHz
Interface Type: PCI Express
Interface Speed: 16x
Connector(s): DVI
VGA (15-Pin D-Sub)
HDTV/S-Video
Since this video card has 2 output ports, a VGA port and a DVI port plus a dual ramdac(can output to 2 monitors at the same time). I like using 2 monitors at that same time. On one (17"LCD which has only vga input) this I have my desktop on. The other is a 20" widescreen LCD(which has botha vga input and a DVI input) ,that I use to watch TV and DVD movies. I had specfically looked for DVI output/input on the video card/monitor because I had heard or read that DVI gives a better viewing experiance. On this I can agree or to these old eyes, it looks better for movies and TV.
There have also been times that I would have 2 IE's open on the 20" monitor side by side. They look good, easy to read even dividing the screen in half.

Just How Warm
I was curious of this myself. So I proceeded to look for a way to find out the temperatures of the CPU, System and GPU(video card), I found such a program on the nVidia website. Called nTune and they even have 32bit/64bit Vista compatible programs. With the temperature in my room of 80 F, the CPU is 110f, system 100f and the GPU is 145f of course depending on what I'm doing on the computer, these can increase up to 10f more. nTunes also tells me that the max temperature before alarm goes off is 260f.
I may add a slot fan just below the video card which should decrease the GPU temps, just to help keep the temperatures down a little on the GPU. It should also help the performance of the card, nothing for sure on that , just from my 40 years experiance with electronics.



The Graphics Performance of the card Biostar GeForceŽ 7600GS, (512 MB) PCI Express Graphic Card
CPU--------------------------------- 4.8
Memory Operations per sec-----4.5
Graphics-----------------------------4.7
Gaming Graphics------------------4.7
Primary Hard Drive---------------5.6


3dMark 05 benchmarks in XP
Main Test Results
3DMark Score 3959 3DMarks
CPU Score 5489 CPUMarks
Detailed Test Results
Game Tests
GT1 - Return To Proxycon 17.4 fps
GT2 - Firefly Forest 12.3 fps
GT3 - Canyon Flight 18.6 fps
CPU Tests
CPU Test 1 2.5 fps
CPU Test 2 5.3 fps

As can be seen the performance has increased so that I'm satisfied finally with the new build. I will definitly use this for at least a year but I do enjoy building my own PC's so I'll probably build a new one with in the next year as I enjoy the buying and building of a new pc. Plus getting it to work with the Operating System.


Graphics and watching TV/DVD movies
With Aero (instead of Areo Basic as I have been running since the wrong decision of video cards) and this Video card. The graphics and DVD movies/TV looks sharper and more natural. To my untrained eye, it also looks better in Vista than in XP. In both OS's I have so far had no problems. As far as games-I'm not a gamer so I don't know what one would think of it.

My System
MSI K9N NEO-F motherboard socket AM2 Fast-Vista compatible motherboard
AMD X2 AM2 3800
Biostar GeForceŽ 7600GS, (512 MB) PCI Express Graphic Card content_368438578820
Ultra ULT40049 DDR2 Dual Channel 667 1024 meg memory(can install upto 4 gigs)
Seagate 120 gig harddrive sata 300 OEM
2 MicroAdvantage DVD - RW Dual-L drives
AverMedia UltraTV 1500
Very good-well designed PC case (More added enough for VH (I hope?))
Ultra 400 watt Power Supply
Acer AL2016W 20" Widescreen LCD
Acer AL1717BBM LCD 17"monitor
My Operating System
What is in Ultimate for you? You decide.(Partition Magic not needed)

About me

If you have read my reviews before, I mainly write about computer hardware and software. I have a AA Degree in Electronics.I have been into computers since early 1980's. Building my own PC's since about 1986, so far anywhere from 25 to 35 (I lost count). At this time there are 4 computers in this house all built by me. I have many times reviewed those builds here.
But the one review I'm proudest of is this one How I built my AMDx64 computer
I spent 4 weeks writting this review and with the help of Gr8ful(Thanks Bill), this can help anyone who wants to try building one, be it a AMD or Intel computer. I can not guarentee you will be successful just how I build one.
I also beta test for MS, currently testing WHS plus some other things I can not talk about.

I try to write for those that don't have the technical knowledge I have but I sometimes forget(will be 65 May 26th, 2007) so if at anytine in my reviews there is something more you want to know or explained, e-mail me and I'll answer both by email and my review.
dragon54@mchsi.com

Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 120