Gainward PowerPack! Ultra/2100 Geforce 6800 Golden Sample 128MB Review - Page
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By John Grabski - September 27, 2004
OVERCLOCKING Though the card is overclocked out of the box, it's pretty much a sure thing
that more performance could be squeezed out of this PCB. Gainward supplied their
ExperTool software with the card to use for overclocking.
This useful utility not only allows overclocking control,
but also monitor calibration, color correction, and desktop tweak options. The
only gripe is that this card works just fine at the Gainward specified maximum
frequencies. Huh? Of course, that would sound like a good thing if I didn't tell
you that the card operates safely without artifacts at 400 core, 850 memory. The
EXperTool software only allows for core speed adjustment up to 375MHz, 25 less
than the card can do using coolbits2. So, basically, this card is capable of
75mhz over the nVidia core spec for the 6800NU, and 150mhz over the nVidia
memory spec of the 6800NU. In a word, great.
COMPARE CARD
Lots of budget-minded enthusiasts are wondering how this
card stacks up against the high-end of the previous generation. I do not have an
nv35/38 at my disposal, however, I do have an nv30. That's right, the infamous
2-slot 500/1000 tank of a video card. Driver 66.00 was also used on the 5800U,
and in the performance chart, 8xAF is used in place of 16xAF, since that's all
the FX line can do. Also, the *** in the Savage column denotes that the 5800U
for some reason could not access the 16x12 resolution in that game.
