ATI Radeon 9700 Video Card - Conclusion

Unreal Tournament 2003

CODECRATURES BENCHMARK

The CodeCreatures benchmark is one serious bench. It definitely likes what the 9700 has to offer.

AMD DEFAULT SETTINGS

AMD W/ 9700 OVERCLOCKED (345/666)

INTEL DEFAULT

INTEL W/ 9700 OVERCLOCKED (345/666)

Very interesting. The Intel simply crushed the AMD. After running the tests multiple times and scratching my head, the results stayed much the same. So they stand. I suspect Intel's SSE2 comes into play here.

Conclusion

The 9700 is the card to have. PERIOD. It runs any current game, and doesn’t even break a sweat with all the bells and whistles on. ATI has grabbed the golden ring from nVidia with the 9700, and if they have their way, they will hold onto it into 2003. If the 9700 were just a pure powerhouse in gaming that would be fine for most, but the added value of the card is in the additional duties it performs. The 2D image quality, DVD playback, streaming video optimization, and multi-monitor support are just phenomenal. ATI has set the bar almost out of reach with the 9700, and for consumers, this is a good thing. The 9700 will be on a lot of people’s Christmas (Hanukkah, Kwanza, etc…) list this year. And rightfully so.

Pros:

1. Unbelievable, pedal to the floor, performance
2. ATI’s drivers have come of age, and the releases have been plentiful
3. The card fits easily in most cases
4. One word…RED!
5. The additional feature set ROCKS! (DVD playback, HydraVision, streaming video optimization)
6. DVI to CRT connector, and S-Video cables included

Cons:

1. The price. $400 clams (retail), but if you want the best, you’re gonna pay for it
2. No ramsinks
3. The shim around the VPU hinders adequate HSF to VPU contact
4. No included ‘extras’ (i.e. games, demos, software

The ATI 9700 video card easily gets the prestigious Dev Hardware Essential Hardware Award for its outstanding performance all around. (And our layout is so new that we don't have the graphic ready yet!)

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