Shootouts

A Ten-Course GeForce 8800 GT Feast

By Vincent Chang - 28 Nov 2007

XFX, XpertVision & Zotac

XFX GeForce 8800 GT Alpha Dog Edition

The top dog from XFX for the GeForce 8800 GT, so to speak, is its Alpha Dog edition and it comes with rather high clock speeds, 670MHz for the core and 1950MHz DDR for the memory. You'll know that it's not quite the top compared to its peers but nevertheless, it's not something to sneer at. Outwardly, this XFX card is like most GeForce 8800 GT cards, with the difference being XFX's own decal. The bundle is generally on par with the better offerings we have seen, though Company of Heroes included here seems slightly late compared to the newer expansion found in the ASUS TOP graphics card. However, what could really kill the deal for most consumers is its price tag of S$499, which is quite a chunk of cash more than most of its competitors. XFX however has a custom black PCB version of this upcoming to replace the reference version, but that doesn't really change our opinion much.

The most expensive of the bunch, XFX's GeForce 8800 GT may be overclocked but that's only going to get you so far.

Here's what you'll get in the XFX package:-

  • Driver CD
  • Quick installation guide
  • Company of Heroes (full game)
  • S-Video extension cable
  • 2 x DVI-to-VGA adaptors
  • 7-pin mini-DIN to Component dongle
  • 6-pin Molex power connector

 

XpertVision GeForce 8800 GT 512MB

If the two-slot cooler on the Palit Sonic is not suitable for any reason, XpertVision presents another alternative. As some of you should know, both brands are two faces belonging to the same parent company and while the Palit version tries to be different, this XpertVision looks to follow the NVIDIA design down to the letter. So, with the exception of the decal, this is yet your standard issue GeForce 8800 GT. The clock speeds are standard also while the bundle is identical to the one we saw on the Palit.

Standard clock speeds make this an ordinary GeForce 8800 GT and its price tag reflects this.

 

XpertVision's list of accessories:-

  • Driver CD
  • Quick installation guide
  • Tomb Raider Anniversary (full game)
  • DVI-to-VGA adaptor
  • 6-pin Molex power connector
  • 7-pin mini-DIN to Component/S-Video dongle

Zotac GeForce 8800 GT AMP! Edition

When you're a relatively new brand in a competitive field, you'll need every drop of flair to attract the jaded attentions of consumers. That is probably why Zotac's AMP! edition of the GeForce 8800 GT comes with bright orange LED fans that light up when it's running. A simple, but eye catching move that's mostly overused by hardware manufacturers but it does help the Zotac stand out from the many reference boards on sale now. And this distinction goes beyond the gimmicky LEDs, for this AMP! edition comes overclocked to the same extent as ASUS' TOP. Yes, this card is the joint leader with the more famous ASUS on paper, with a core of 700MHz and a memory clock of 2000MHz DDR. Unfortunately, Zotac was unable to match ASUS' resources when it came to the included bundle and the lack of any applications or games meant the ASUS TOP still had the edge. However, a very competitive price of US$299 could still make this the choice for consumers and makes it harder to choose between the two.

 Zotac is making the right moves for this AMP! edition and with the right price and marketing, looks like it could threaten the established brands.

We all know it's gimmicky but apparently some enthusiasts like it, so it appears that there's no running away from LEDs in PCs.

Zotac's bundled accessories:-

  • Driver CD
  • Quick installation guide
  • DVI-to-VGA adaptor
  • 6-pin Molex power connector
  • 7-pin mini-DIN to Component/S-Video dongle
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