The Current King of all Things Graphic
Written: Mar 06 '03
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Speed, Speed, Speed, Terrific Graphics, TV Tuner, Software Package
Cons: Price, Heat, Power Requirements
The Bottom Line: A tremendous card with performance and features second to none. If the price does not scare you away you will be very happy.
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| phanophish's Full Review: ATI ALL-IN-WONDER 9700 PRO, (128 MB) AGP Video Car... |
Let me first start by saying I'm usually a die-hard Nvidia fan. That said this card was enough to convert me.
Install
For me the install was flawless. Before installing the card I went to the ATI site and downloaded the latest drivers. My current system is an Athlon XP2200 based system running Windows XP Pro. I popped open my case, removed the old GeForce 2 card that had served me well. Next, I pushed the ATI card in the now vacant AGP slot and connected the supplemental power adapter. The one thing to check before ordering this card is that your power supply had the capacity to power this card. It is hungry for electrons. I then booted the system and XP detected the card, all I had to do was point the wizard towards the driver I downloaded. I then used the CD to install the PVR and other applications on a case-by-case basis depending on what I needed. The final step was to download Direct X 9 from Microsoft. Again a quick trip to the Microsoft site and the download was complete in a few minutes over my cable modem. Dialup users might be in for a long night watching a progress bar.
3-D Performance
This is why you probably want this card. It is the premier GPU on the market as of right now. It matches anything currently available from Nvidia and when you turn on FSAA and some of the other image enhancing filters it blows the former king out of the water. The quality of the 3-D rendering with the anti-aliasing support enabled is a sight to see. It adds a realism that was lacking with other cards without a significant performance hit. The 9700 GPU has the horsepower to perform this complex rendering and still maintain a silky frame rate. Add to that Direct X 9 support that is not available elsewhere and you truly have the king of the hill that will be ready for the latest games on their way to market.
All in Wonder?
ATI’s All in Wonder series of card integrate some nifty features if you use your computer for multimedia. First and foremost is the TV tuner. The integrated tuner is fast and produces a great picture. You can also use it to capture video from a camcorder, VCR, or satellite box. The remote is a feature most stand-alone tuner cards forget that makes the AIW a real standout. Don’t forget the TV on Demand software. It turns your Pc in to a PVR similar to TIVO. While it does not have all the functionality or ease of use of a TIVO, it gets the job done and you don’t have to pay a monthly service fee
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 399
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Epinions.com ID:
phanophish
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Reviews written: 9
Trusted by: 1 member
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