HEXUS.winners win4FREE competitions :: Inno3D GeForce 9600 GT and 9800 GX2

Question 1 - Name three unique features belonging to Inno3D's iChiLL range of products?

•Reduced noise levels due to custom cooling design.
•Gold plated DVI connectors to reduce oxidisation and improve signal quality
•A 3 year warranty extended from the usual 2 years that Inno3D offer


Question 2 - Write in 100 words or more what features you consider most when you buy a graphics card, and why?

The first thing I consider when buying a graphics card is the price-performance ratio. If I can justify it, I tend to sway upwards a little towards the higher end of what I consider to be reasonably priced and pick a card from there. With the graphics card model established I usually end up using the lowest price model as a baseline and decide whether extra features on higher priced cards are worth the extra money. The features that I tend to consider paying more for are:

•Custom cooling – if the heatsink lowers the noise levels significantly then that’s good. Low temps are slightly less important for me - I only tend to overclock when the card is on its last legs anyway. A nice looking cooler can sway me too – I try to be objective but if there’s only a few quid in it I can’t help myself.
•Warranty – longer warranty is obviously better, though past about 3 to 4 years it becomes slightly redundant since the card will be obsolete then anyway. The manufacturer’s reputation for customer service is also very important – I would much rather have a 3 year warranty and feel comfortable that a replacement could be with me within a week or so, than have a 10 year warranty and maybe have to by a stopgap card for a month if ever I have to return it under warranty.

Hi all, I just joined the forums now to be able to enter this competition, although have been reading the excellent reviews here at Hexus for a long time :). Anyway, onto the answers to the questions itself, where I did a lot of research into the iChill range itself, this being very useful in understanding more about GFX card components and the like!: ( I hope I’m not too rambling; just wanted to share some of my newfound knowledge and answer as fully and in as much detail as possible :-])

Question 1: Name 3 unique features belonging to Inno3D's i-Chill range of products?
The iChill range of graphics card uniquely uses solid capacitors on the circuit board of the card. This originally bearing no obvious benefit to me, I divulged into a little research and was surprised to learn that these allow a lifespan of up to 6 times longer and have a higher tolerance of high frequencies and temperature than electrolyte capacitors as they have less impedance (basically resistance). Also, these solid capacitors do not contain any form of liquid like electrolyte capacitors, therefore increasing lifespan of graphics card by reducing the risk of damage due to leaking; an extremely unique feature in my opinion! ( it would make sense for all other companies to do the same, well done to Inno3d for doing it 1st!)

The iChill line also features gold plated DVI and TV Out connections. This helps as gold resists corrosion and helps to make a tighter and stronger connection. However the main benefit here is actually invisible-literally- as oxidised metal can create minute crystalline elements which build up when the cables are not constantly plugged and unplugged-the graphics card scenario particularly applicable here- and those elements can distort signals between two connections.

Lastly is the use of 3rd party coolers, namely the well established cooling companies Zalman, Arctic Cooling, Zerotherm and Xstiker3. An nifty idea by Inno3d, it appeals to those with little or no graphics and/or cooling experience, and also those who want the performance without any hassle of installing coolers themselves. In fact, these coolers, such as the Zalman Hurricane that is shipped with the 9600gt has been tested to reduce load temperatures of over 20 degrees Celcius; a significant amount for a computer user of any level.

Question 2: Write in 100 words or more what features you consider most when you buy a graphics card, and why?
For me, there are a number of features and areas to consider when buying a graphics card, and I’m sure countless others, including those who have also entered the competition, mention the same factors- its common sense when it comes down to it ;) The obvious major feature is the price; you can only go so far as your budget allows you to. How I would love to be the “hardcore gamer who lives for frame-rate,” but my not-so-lavish “15 year old student” lifestyle means I can only go for the budget end of the card spectrum; a price range of between £100-150 is as much as I can stretch for an SLI setup after raiding my savings!
The manufacturer also is important for me, in terms of the warranty and bundle they offer. I tend stick to manufacturers that offer longer or lifetime warranties so I know that I will get a replacement at any time should the card fail. The bundle they offer is an important feature as each model of card are basically the same across all manufacturers; going for the one which offers more software and adapters etc. seems to be the logical thing to do. Performance is obviously very important for me; I don’t want to be wasting money on a card that doesn’t play games well, and the 9600gt and 880gt look to be good value.
The core chip that the graphics card has is one of the main features I look out for, because this is the foundation on which the rest of the chip is based aournd. For instance, the G92 chip that ships with the 8800gts 512mb consistantly outperforms or matches the performance of the 8800gtx 786mb with the G80 chip, even though it has a smaller memory interface. I look at features such as the bus widths, frequencies, memory size-with 512 mb being the minimum, max bandwidth etc., but also real world gaming performance. Many cards which look good on paper are inconsistant from game to game because of the scaling and rendering etc ( the ati 3870x2 springs to mind). The Hexus reviews and bang4buck ratings certainly help when choosing a card because it provides level comparisons between all cards.
The abilty to overclock is always an important feature for me; even for basic cards I try and take it up a notch ( anything to improve performance:)) However, most of the cards these days overclock pretty well so unless a card with exceptional overclockabilty ( not really a word but hey) is released, it wouldnt be a major distinguishing factor between different cards.
Processing technologies are an important feature to consider, especially between ATI and Nvidia, such as the latest Shader Model and HDR rendering. Nvidia is more favourable with me as they have developed technologies such as HybridPower, PureVideo HD and Extreme HD; all of which help to futureproof my system.
Cooling isn’t really an important feature for me as stock coolers rarely do a good enough job anyway; I always install 3rd party coolers which have been designed solely to dissipate heat. This also means that noise is also not a factor for myself as I regulate the noise using the external cooler. That’s really about it I suppose. Unless the brains behind Nvidia and ATi come up with even more revolutionary technology, I think these factors are the main features for myself and anybody else to consider when looking to purchase a new card.

-------thnx ,zain

Quote:

---

Enter our competition for a chance to win a GeForce 9 series graphics card - but hurry, entries must be in by June 7th.

---

Read more.

Question 1
1. Solid State Capacitors for stability and durability
2. Gold plated TV out and DVI connectors
3. Custom made cooling with noise reductions features.

Question 2
Obviously the most important feature for me of buying a new graphics card is the raw performance! I want something that will run the lastest and greatest games in all their glory without it having a little cry cos it cant handle it!
The second most important feature is that it is quiet! There is nothing worse that trying to do anything on a PC wen all you can hear is this mini jet engine trying to make your PC fly away! It should be quiet when not being used while just in Windows and say browsing the Internet (Hexus! lol), and I can put up with them gettin a bit louder so they are audible when playing games as seriously, wot do you listen to more, the game your playing or your PC fans?!
The final most important feature of buying a new graphics card (or any pc component) is the bragging rights! There is nothing better than being able to say to all your friends how good your PC is compared to theirs! Watching their faces as you play the newest games how the developers intented them to be played and not at a cut down quality how they have to play them!

Question 1

Name three unique features belonging to Inno3D's iChiLL range of products?

1) heatsink, fan, and shroud, is separate from the graphics card
2) the radical optimized air flow design is targeted to effectively cool the GPU of at least 20c then stock cooler
3) integrated memory and voltage regulator cooling

Write in 100 words or more what features you consider most when you buy a graphics card, and why?

I am a frame rate freak, I love amazing graphics, so of course it is vital for me to have a powerful top specs graphics card and if available, the overclocked version would be ideal! I have been gaming for 20 years now and to me graphics are among the top 3 priorities. after the price range of course, I tend to spend money on reliable company who gives lifetime warranties and step up programs. Also, I love goodies in the box suxh a free latest game and software as some company do. it is more farer for the customers and gives you better value for your money. I also like big chunky cards as I have clear side window panel and love to look inside every now and then to see my beautiful powerful devices wotking together for me, me me!!! and lets say it, SLI cards or even better, 3 way SLI is amazing to look at!!

Question 1:
1) Gold plated TV out and DVI connector that allows better signal quality and less oxidization
2) Superb solid capacitor for stable power voltage and advance durability
3) Exceeds normal overclocking speeds with up to 10%

Question 2:
The most important thing when I buy a new graphics card is balance. It's all very well having a dozens of rendering pipes and a 50% overclock but in the end its real world performance needs to balanced against both its competeing products and more importantly against my current setup. I'm not going to go out and spend £200+ on a flash new GPU after spending almost the same on my last one only 18 months ago if I'm only going to see a marginal increase in the framerate on my 19" monitor.

Once I can see that a product will offer me a definitive performance boost for my money I'll start looking at things like thae cooler and the warranty. Obviously it's nice to have a good quite cooler (and if its low profile, all the better) which performs well and a good warranty is always worth looking for, however I don't see the point in paying extra for a warranty which massively exceeds the normal lifespan (i.e. beyond the point that it's redundant anyway) of the product.

Question 1
Name 3 unique features belonging to Inno3D's i-Chill range of products?

1. Gold plated TV out and DVI connector that allows better signal quality and less oxidization.
2. Custom made cooling solutions with systematic noise reduction.
3. Exceeds normal overclocking speeds with up to 10%.

Question 2
Write in 100 words or more what features you consider most when you buy a graphics card, and why?

When looking for a new graphics card I would tend to look at the following features:
The amount of noise they make and how much power they use. I try to keep my PC as quiet as possible, and these days minimising your carbon footprint seems to be quite fashionable.

Price, I like to know that I’m getting a decent amount of performance for as little as reasonably possible :)

Brand – If I’ve had a good experience with a particular manufacturer’s product, chances are I’d buy from them again.

Looks – Call me superficial, but if it’s not pretty it doesn’t get in my case!

Compatibility – Probably the first think I’d check so not sure how it’s ended up at the bottom of my list :Oops: Anyway, it seems you need to quite careful about what you buy. You need the right interface, the right PSU, the right size of case etc, etc. It’s always my biggest worry that I’ll spend a small fortune on something and find it doesn’t fit properly :wallbash: Nothing overcomes the disappointment of not being able to use your shiny new kit. It was a sad day when i discovered my beautiful Zalman CPU heatsink obliterated two of my Ram slots :( Maybe if i win this competition i will feel better about it :thumbsup:

I've never won anything before and I very much doubt that will change now... but here goes....

Question 1

Name three unique features belonging to Inno3D's iChiLL range of products?

Answer 1

1.Custom made cooling solutions with systematic noise reduction
2.Gold plated TV out and DVI connector that allows better signal quality and less oxidization
3.Exceeds normal overclocking speeds with up to 10%

Question 2

Write in 100 words or more what features you consider most when you buy a graphics card, and why?

Mostly when buying a gfx card I consider how well it will perform against the price point, therefore if the specs do not justify the price then I will not buy the product (unless I win the lottery), but I generally look for stability and a low noise solution to enable a better consumer experience, because after all who wants a noisy computer when you can have a quiet one?
But generally I look for a good specced card that shouldn’t just last a year and then break down or last a year and then lose its performance in games due to technical difficulties. I also look for a card which doesn't look like the back end of a bus, as even though i'm not looking at it all the time, I still like to have things looking ship shape inside my case. Also a plus point that could sway my descison is the overclockability of the card as then it allows you to squeeze a little more juice out of it.

Question 1:

-| 3rd party cooler allows for greater cooling than the standard heatsink and thus allows for around a 10% better overclock
-| By using Solid Capacitors, the power drawn from the card is more stable and the capacitors will last longer
-| The gold connectors used allow for better signal quality, thus picture quality will be improved and should last longer than typical connnectors

Question 2:

I tend to look for the following: Performance, Fan Noise, Price, Power Consumption and length of the card.

Price tends to come first, i take a look at my budget and choose the best card in my price range. I then list down my choice of cards and look at reviews for each of then listing their advantages and disadvantages. This is where performance comes into it, the amount of memory the card has needs to be at least 512MB for me to buy it as i have a 1920x1200 resolution monitor and i would like to get as close to that as possible while keeping acceptable framerates. The speed the GPU core is running at and the speed of the memory is greatly important to me as i like my surroundings to be calculated as fast as possible for a true gaming expierence. The power consumption is quite important to me as i like to have a PSU that provides more than the amount of power my PC needs just to be on the safe side. Fan noise is a huge issue for me as i hate fan noise, so i try to do away with fans and go for water cooling or passive heatsinks, so once i find a card i like i instantly search for passive cooling or a decent priced water cooling block. Last of all is the length of the card, most cards today like the 8800 series and 9800 series are pretty long and i must make sure they fit in my case without too much trouble (Or DIY comes into it lol) Because the last thing i want to do is hack away at my 3.5" area where my hard drives are stored only to find out that if i did something else it could of been avoided and... Well... I'd be swearing lets put it that way.

So, erm, yeah, way more than 100 words, but you get my point :P

Q1:
Extra overclocking possibility (on top of factory overclock).
Customised cooling with vibration absorption to reduce noise level.
Gold plated outputs.

Q2:
- Good drivers across operating systems. Regardless, it is Windows or Linux, driver should give maximum stability and functionality.

- Good performance with demanding games. It does not matter what technology card maker uses, game like Crysis should be well supported to deliver best picture quality and acceptable framerate.

- Expandability. If a single card is not sufficient for a very demanding games (softwares generally), it should be paired with another card (by SLI or XFire) to boost up the performance. I would not want sell the current one and buy a big new one everytime a game needs to.

- Price. I will never spend 100$ on a card just to gain <10% in performance. I would expect card makers should consider their pricing issue when releasing new cards.

Q1.

1. Better noise reduction through the use of costum slient cooling system
2. Reduced oxidiazation and better signal quality through the use of gold plated tv-out and DVI connectors
3. Superb solid capacitor for stable power voltage and advance durability

Q2.

I will have to admit that in buying the graphics card the first thing that comes to mind is the price to performance ratio.

I will not be disillusioned by brand, for me a graphics card has to be durable as i can't afford to upgrade or replace as much as i would like to in a year. For this reason i sepnd alot of time reading reviews to find which card has the durability and price/perfomance ratio within my budget.

I am not too bothered about aesthetics, as long as the cooler/fan is quite and the diemensions of the card are compatible with my case.

The functionality of the card is my main concern, if a card happens to have the spec and perfomance i want and is also happens to be nice on the eyes it's an added bonus, the less fiddly bits the better. Less chance of the card being damaged.

I guess i could sum up by comparing my tastes i graphics cards with my tastes in women.

Goods looks help, but it's all about whats on the inside and wether it can last the distance. :D

Question 1- Name 3 unique features belonging to Inno3D's i-Chill range of products?

1)Gold plated TV out and DVI connector.

2)Solid capacitor for stable power voltage and advanced durability.

3)Custom made 3rd party cooling solution.


Question 2- Write in 100 words or more what features you consider most when you buy a graphics card, and why?

When i buy a graphics card, the price is probably the most important, as i don't want to get ripped off with something thats stupidly expensive, as inevitably with computer systems, the prices drop dramatically, so something that was worth &#163;400, can easily be worth &#163;200 a couple of months down the road. But also i want something that will last longer than a few weeks in terms of getting decent visuals from a game. Also i like having a lifetime warranty, such as BFG, as i have a had a few of my graphics cards blow up, but rarely.

Question 1
Name 3 unique features belonging to Inno3D's i-Chill range of products?

1=
Custom made "3rd party" cooling solutions with systematic noise reduction -from well-known companies such as zalman, zerotherm, aorticCooling and xstriker3-, thus making their significantly cards cooler and quieter than cards with the standard coolers. Also these "3rd party" coolers often look far superior to the standardized ones too :) especially good if your computer has a window:)
2=
They can exceed normal over clocking speeds massively by up to and possibly over 10%, due to higher quality components, which are able to withstand higher voltages and are more durable -thus meaning that your card will run more reliably and will be more stable during game play, and will have a longer over clocked lifespan- as well as more advanced cooling systems.
3=
Gold plated DVI and TV out sockets, providing superior signal quality, and less oxidization, meaning that the electricity can flow more easily through the connections -thus reducing signal distribution-, without being blocked by the crystalline elements, which are known to build up after prolonged periods in oxidized connections.


Question 2
Write in 100 words or more what features you consider most when you buy a graphics card, and why?

I generally only look for nidiva cards as they seem to be winning at the moment, and I have had several successful nidiva cards in the past, all the way back to my beloved nidiva series 4 card, on one of my old computers!!

The first thing, which I will look at, before purchasing a new graphics card, is the compatibility. To start with, it needs to fit into the computer, and purchasing a huge Geforce 9800GX2 card, when you have a tiny micro ATX case is not a good idea. Even if you can fit the card in, the chances are that cooling is going to be a problem, as a smaller case means there is less space for airflow, and the ambient temperature is going to be higher -Luckily I have a huge tower case, so nothing to worry about there:)-. It must be compatible with your motherboard, a brand new pci-e card will simply not fit into a slightly outdated AGP board, nothing to worry about for me again:). Still on terms of compatibility is the wattage that the graphics card will draw from the PSU, and whether you need a four,six,or eight pin connecter. In addition, the PSU, must be a decent enough one to cope with its rated supply, such as Coolmaster or Thermaltake. This, however is not a huge issue, as a PSU is easily updated, and once you have updated it, it is likely to last many years, as they don't go out of date very fast.

The second thing which I will look at is the price of the graphics card, I would expect it to cost between £80 and £150, but may be willing to stretch my budget a bit more, if the speck of the card was great, but am not really willing (unless I win the lotto:)) to spend upwards of £400 on a graphics card, or set of graphics cards.

The next thing I look at when purchasing a new graphics card, is the memory, at the moment, I would recommend between 512mb, to 1 GB of either GDDR3 or GDDR4 memory (Graphics Double Data rate). Personally, I need at least 512mb of memory for gaming, as my screen (AUSU MW221u) runs at a resolution of 1680*1050. I look towards GDDR3 memory, because the huge memory clock rates, ranging from 700 and 1800 MHz, which will allow bandwidths upwards of 5.6 GB every second to transfer the data. The bit rate of the memory is important, and at the moment, the optimum is 256-bit. This is important, as I will be running at a reasonably high resolution.

The Graphics processing unit, or GPU is a very important feature, which I have not yet mentioned, as it is this that carries out all the calculations. It use's floating point calculations, which is where as set of digits represents a real number, in some way, far to complicated for me to understand. Nevertheless, what I do get, is that this is the bit, which processes all of your graphics, and renders all the 3D graphics involved in gaming. Therefore, a faster clock rate, something like a 600MHz Geforce 9800, will be able to render more graphics than a 375MHz Geforce 7800, meaning higher frame rates during game play, and therefore a better overall experience. The number of pipelines too is important, as these make the gaming look and feel 3D, on a 2D display. I also look at how many bit the GPU runs at, 128-bit, being what I will hope for, though I am often limited by my budget to 64-bit:(

As I am likely to keep the card for a while, and when it gets replaced, I will put it in my brother’s computer, so that I can have a new top spec card again :) I would like a good warranty, of at least 1 year, two being better. This means that if anything does go wrong then I can easily sort it out again. In addition, the company which made it is important, MSI, Asus, and inno3D are (in my opinion good companies), Inno3D's 3 year warranty on its iChill cards, looks like a great idea for investment:).

Also the cooling devices are important, I don't mind, if they are noisy (but I am sure that next door do), as I can just turn the volume up, and a cool graphics card has a potential for over clocking, as long as it is of a good build quality. Unfortunately, my computer does not have a water cooler, so I have to steer clear of these for the time being. I can't imagine anything worse than spending all your cash on a decent Graphics card, and then not being able to use it as you have no water cooler:(.

One other thing which I will look at is whether the card is compatible with SLI, or SLI scalable link interface, as this means that in the close future, I could consider improving my gaming performance with a second card, especially good for the specks of your pc to when a mate see's the awesome Graphics cardS you have in your computer.

I don't mind about compatibility with other os's as I rarely use anything other to Windows for sake of ease -that really means because I am far to lazy to install something like ubuntu

Before buying, I would like to see what is thrown in with a card, as a free game or two is always nice, however I will not base my choice on these things - they are only a bonus in my opinion.

Finally - sure I must be well over 100 words by now - I will go onto the Hexus.Hardware form and ask if some of the other people involved in Hexus agree with my decision, or if they would recommend another card.:)

I expect I have gone on a bit in this, but I hope it is OK, and I am sure that the spelling is not good, or I have spell checked the wrong answers, so hope you can understand it:)

WILL

Question 1:
1. Superb solid capacitor for stable power voltage and advance durability
2. Custom made cooling solutions with systematic noise reduction
3. Exceeds normal overclocking speeds with up to 10%

Question 2:
Reliability is by far the most important feature I look for in a new graphics card. Instability is intolerable, ruining games and eating time while troubleshooting. Price versus performance is important: it's extremely satisfying to have demanding games that I’ve been struggling through at low settings finally look at their best. There’s also noise. I’ve had some infuriatingly noisy cards, that weren’t ideal for those moments of quieter dialogue in a game or film. It’s worse when I’m working. My PC isn’t just a toy! Anything that reminds me of a swarm of bees or a hoover is right out.

Question 1:
1) Top quality components
2) Custom made cooling solutions with systematic noise reduction
3) Stylish Ramsinks that assists with heat penetration


Question 2:
I have put in alot of time and effort over the years aiming for a very quiet PC, and anything which may wake the wife during my late night gaming sessions is right out. And she has the ears of a bat, listening out even during the deepest of sleeps to hear if i'm enjoying myself. If she hears the computer is on, then it's off. A graphics card then, as though some new pupil who has moved to a school full of 'local' children, must be able to come into this most harsh of environments, take a seat and behave itself most of the time. And when the situation warrants, it is required to perform to the highest of standards or else it'll get beaten up in the playground. Any smart kid can perform well if it's got a good background, but if it's too much of a show-off or stands out from the crowd, it won't stay for long.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BrendaEM

Name three unique features belonging to Inno3D's iChiLL range of products?

The iChiLL GPU fans and heatsinks are custom-designed to keep noise levels low, also enabling the iChiLL equipped cards to overclock a full 10% faster than ordinary reference cooler designs.

Beyond the pleasing aesthetic qualities of the iChiLL video memory heatsinks, cooler memory means that the iChiLL video cards have better stability and more overclocking ability than lesser video cards.

The excellent components you will find on the iChiLL video cards include the use of solid capacitors that allow a long trouble-free life. Solid capacitors do not use the problematic liquid electrolyte that caused rash of system motherboard failures. For more information on the type of failures you may expect with other video cards, by searching on Wikipedia for "Capacitor Plague."

The iChiLL video connectors are gold plated to resist corrosion and ensure a good video connection. Intermittent video problems are a thing of the past. If your monitor flashes, you can be sure that your game character is under attack.

Write in 100 words or more what features you consider most when you buy a graphics card, and why?

Because my interests include computer gaming, game design, as well as 3D design, performance is very important to me. In games, a good performing video card allows more immersion because I am not bothered by dips in the framerate. A faster videocard allows the anti-aliasing to be turned up for a smoother image. It allows the use of more resolution and better textures for a sharper image, as well as higher levels of anisotropic filtering, which gives clearer view to the game’s horizon.

When I edit game levels, a faster card means that I can drag brushes around or move the view without the editor becoming sluggish. When I do 3D design, a good performing video card means that when I turn the view, the modeler’s adaptive degradation is unlikely to kick in, which would cause entire parts of my model to momentarily disappear from view.

When new, my Geforce 6600GT was a fine video card, but it is woefully unable to drive a 24” monitor to its full potential with the demands of modern computer games. Needless to say, I have been looking at video cards a lot lately.

Performance is important, but I have to be in the same room as the computer, so when I read video card reviews, I check the sound levels to learn which cards are quieter than the others. I also like to play piano and guitar, so sound levels are important to me. I don’t want to have to shut off my computer to play a few notes.

Lastly, longevity is an issue. I don’t mind paying a few extra dollars, if what I am buying is going to last. Lately, I’ve been dealing with round-3 of an RMA for a bad motherboard that may have taken out the processor too.

With Moore's Law, and the quick rate of change in technology, is it too much to ask for something to last until it is obsolete...or at least paid off of my credit card?

[Trying to live on a fixed income in the San Francisco Bay area, and with the current events in my life, I could give a pretty pathetic hard-luck story, but instead I’ll do this: If I win a Inno3D 9800 GX2 or the GeForce 9600 GT, I well send my current video card back for gifting to anyone who wants it.]

---

ouch, unlucky, nice entry though ;) hahahaha stupid yank