3DMark2000 Ver 1.1	Source: MadOnion

3DMark2000 is still a popular benchmarks for evaluating 3D performance even though it is getting a bit dated. 3DMark2000 continues to provide benchmark results that guage DirectX7 performance and hardware transformation and lighting that older games still use. Version 1.1 ensures more reliable functionality with hardware and operating systems that were released after the launch of 3DMark2000 in December 1999.

Higher numbers denote better performance.

3DMark2001SE Benchmark Results
	Video Card	3DMarks	Ranking
1.	GeForce3 Ti500 2x AA	6327
2.	GeForce3 Ti500 QC AA	5895
3.	GeForce3 Ti500 4x AA	3864
4.	ATi Radeon 8500 2x P	6649
5.	ATi Radeon 8500 4x P	3368
6.	ATi Radeon 8500 2x Q	5598
7.	ATi Radeon 8500 4x Q	2603
8.	FIC Radeon 8500 2x P	6158
9.	FIC Radeon 8500 4X P	3210
10.	FIC Radeon 8500 2x Q	5371
11.	FIC Radeon 8500 4x Q	2399
12.	FIC Radeon 8500 (oc'ed) 2x P	6678
13.	FIC Radeon 8500 (oc'ed) 4x P	3351
14.	FIC Radeon 8500 (oc'ed) 2x Q	5614
15.	FIC Radeon 8500 (oc'ed) 4x Q	2610

We only chose to use 2x and 4x (Performance and Quality) modes for the Radeon 8500's because anyone using 5x or 6x would be crazy. Even though the Radeon 8500 is quite powerful, there's no way you can play anything with those settings. Unfortunately we don't have any pic's, but the Radeon 8500 AA was noticeably better in 3DMark2001SE than the GeForce3 Ti500.

Conclusions:

The FIC Radeon 8500 stays very close to what ATI themselves are offering consumers, save for a little difference in core and memory clock speeds. With nothing physically present on the card to separating itself from the rest, FIC have competed on price. At $250 CDN, the FIC Radeon 8500 is a pretty good bargain after all. Even the actual OEM ATi Radeon 8500 still costs about $290 CDN. With a DVI output, TV Out and dual monitor support, this card has it all.

The performance was very good even at stock speeds, and the FIC Radeon 8500 didn't have a single problem with any of the games we threw at it. By the time it started to max out, all the cards in its class did as well.

The FIC Radeon 8500 has quite a few AA settings, however a gamer would be nuts if they want to go above 4x AA. Any setting higher than that and the card simply chokes.

Our overclocking attempts gave us mixed emotions. On one hand, we could overclock the FIC Radeon 8500 from 250/500 MHz to Retail ATi Radeon 8500 speeds of 275/550 MHz, however anything higher and the card would either start artifacting or completely lock up. Most retail ATi 8500's can break 300/600 no problem, but then they have less distance to travel.

ATI has really handicapped its partners by insisting that the core and memory speeds be set slightly lower than on their retail or OEM versions. If you are in the market for a Radeon, it would seem to be in ATI's favor to get the highest clocked models you can, rather than one operating 50MHz slower.

While FIC have certainly cobbled together a good product which is bound to provide users with a solid gaming experience (just look at the benchmarks, the difference on average is between 2-5 FPS) when put head to head against the Retail ATI offering, it will not satisfy all types of users.

So would we recommend it? Well that depends on what type of user you are frankly.

If you an speed freak who only shops by FPS results and 3DMark scores and who intends on overclocking the card further, you will probably be best served by an OEM ATI Radeon 8500 (it will simply OC higher).