Gigabyte has long been delivering
ATI-based videocards to consumers, and even though there are a lot more
manufacturers on the ATi bandwagon now, it's good to see Gigabyte offer some of
the better cards out there.
The Gigabyte GV-R96X128D is a prime example of what you can
expect, including three full version games (Will Rock, Tomb Raider: TOAD and
Raven Shield) as well as a coupon for Half Life 2 which allows you to download
the full version. That software alone is worth at least $120 US, if not
more.
Overclocking the card was quite an adventure, the core
reached 602 MHz with the memory at stock, but once we started overclocking the
memory we had to slow the core down a bit. Still 587 MHz core, 327 MHz memory is
quite good.
Gigabyte have included all the crucial cables and
adaptors along with the GV-R96X128D, which should retail for between
$140-$180USD when it becomes available. Performance of the videocard was as
expected for a 9600XT class card - offering up generous performance for the buck
that should satisfy mainstream gaming desires.
The Gigabyte GV-R96X128D will easily keep the casual
gamer happy at 1024x768 resolutions with AA and AF enabled as well. Bottom line,
if you're looking for a good (albeit last) AGP videocard for your system, for
moderate to typical gaming duty, be sure to take a close look at the new Radeon
9600XT-based Gigabyte GV-R96X128D.
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