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

[HEXUS]

If you don't fancy your chances in tonight's Lotto draw, here's an alternative competition for you; HEXUS and Inno3D have teamed up to offer our readers the opportunity to win one of two GeForce 9 series graphics cards.

In order to get your hands on an Inno3D GeForce 9800 GX2 or GeForce 9600 GT OC, all you have to do is answer the following two questions:

• Question 1
  Name 3 unique features belonging to Inno3D's i-Chill range of products?
  
• Question 2
  Write in 100 words or more what features you consider most when you buy a graphics card, and why?

That's all there is to it! We won't be accepting e-mail entries for this one, answers must be posted in this thread by no later than June 7th 2008.

The competition winner will be getting his/her hands on the Inno3D GeForce 9800 GX2, a card which our review concluded "can only be recommended to hardcore gamers who live for frame-rate".

The runner up, will soon be the proud owner of an Inno3D GeForce 9600 GT OC edition:

So, what are you waiting for? Post your answers in this thread and we'll be picking the winners soon after the competition closes. Good luck everyone!


Rules and Regulations

• The competition winners will be picked at random from all eligible entries that arrive by midnight of the closing date June 7th 2008
• Competition entries are only applicable via the HEXUS.net community forums
• In event of any dispute the judges decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into
• Only one entry is permitted per household. The winner will be notified by email no later than 14 days after the closing date
• The grand prize is an Inno3D GeForce 9800 GX2, the runner-up prize is an Inno3D GeForce 9600 GT OC
• HEXUS.net will do everything to ensure a speedy delivery of of your prize, we cannot guarantee a delivery date
• In the event that the prize offered is unavailable due to circumstances beyond our control, we reserve the right to offer an alternative prize of equal or greater specification
• Competitions are open to residents in the UK who are over 12 years of age
• Entrants can be assured that no details will be kept on file or re-distributed
• Prize Draws are not open to employees of HEXUS.net and their affiliates, agencies, suppliers, sponsors and members employees' immediate families
• Submission of an entry will be taken to mean acceptance of these terms and conditions

Read more.

[Queelis]

UK only, again.

Curse you, Hexus!

[Hicks12]

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

Great cooling by using high performance 3rd party coolers from companies like arctic cooling.

Much quieter than the standard coolers on graphics cards.

3 year warranty compared to inno3d's normal 2year warranty.

just an added one is that they have gold plated connectors for dvi etc cant remember if thats unique so cant add that one.

Question 2
Write in 100 words or more what features you consider most when you buy a graphics card, and why?
The features i look for when buying a new graphics card tend to be
• performance, it needs to be able to play most of the latest games on higher settings with decent frame rates(except crysis) so around 30+ is acceptable for me.
• Price, the card needs to have a good price and performance ratio so around the pricing of the 8800GT is good, i consider a max budget for a card is £200 as i think any higher is just a waste as tech changes so fast.
• Heat, it needs to stay cool which is say is under 65C on load with the fan setting on medium to make sure the card isn’t under too much stress from the heat, noise is also a factor as i prefer a dual slot cooler with the noise considerably less like the 8800GTS vs 8800GT.
• Power usage, it needs to use a lowish amount of power because it would make the running of a pc cost too much in the long run, something around the 8800GT/S is fine, the added benefit of the sleep mode thing is great as it reduces power considerably.
• Looks are also a benefit as it makes you feel like it was worth the money even more so.


Sorry its long xD.

[SiM]

Q1:
Mahoosive overclocking capabilities (on top of factory overclock)
Mahoosive custom cooling with patented vibration absorption (e.g. Zerotherm Hurricane cooler and others from the likes of Zalman, Arctic Cooling, XStriker and Zerotherm, which you might need to fit to the card yourself)
Mahoosively Gold plated outputs

Q2: (Covered above by Hicks12 mostly, but I will try to add some more)

- Stable drivers across operating systems. It is important that drivers are available for all platforms and they are stable. Historically certain graphics cards makers are renowned not to support Linux very well (although they are improving)

- HDMI audio passthrough. Home systems are converging towards an combined multi-purpose device (gaming, hd video viewing, etc on one PC) which should have the latest audio capabilities that is compatible with an audio system giving access to the latest sound formats (lossless Dolby and DTS codecs).

- Media capabilities. Hardware video decoding is an essential feature that takes the load off the CPU, freeing it up for other things. It also makes it possible to decode HD video on lower spec PCs.

- Performance with latest games and future games. Minimum frame rates and picture quality should be of acceptable quality. Features like display port, physics processing and dual gpu on one die should be hitting mid-upper range mainstream soon or at least on high end cards.

- Overclocking capabilities. A card that can be overclocked more is preferred.

- Expansion potential (i.e. crossfire or SLI). When games become more demanding it would be good if it is cost effective to stick another card into the machine to give the frame rates a boast. By cost effective, I mean it would be cheaper to go SLI rather than sell the card and upgrade to newer model. e.g. in 1 years time when my 9800gtx starts to become slow for the games, if it is cheaper for me to buy another 9800GTX, rather than sell my 9800gtx and buy a 9900gtx, then it is cost effective (assuming it will provide a similar performance).

- Price. Hardly anyone is going to buy a £300 card that only outperforms a £200 card by 7%.

- Last, but most important: the e-peen factor. If you have the latest graphics card setup, all the other geeks on the internet would be jealous!

[madmaca]

Q1:
Gold plated TV out and DVI connector that allows better signal quality and less oxidization.
Custom made cooling solutions with systematic noise reduction.
Exceeds normal overclocking speeds by up to 10%

Q2:
Performance is obviously a big factor when choosing a graphics card, but balanced with price to give me a "bang per buck" figure in my head. I also generally wait a few months after a card is released to monitor things like reviews, benchmarks, support issues etc. before making my choice. All of these things play an important part, and thanks to the marvel of sites like Hexus, the information you need is readily available.
However, I guess the hardest question to answer, but one that most gamers ask at upgrade time is "how much faster is it than my current setup?". Since reviews and benchmarks normally only compare a card against it's direct competitors, comparisons against older cards is often harder to find. Answering this question normally requires lots of google-bashing research, forum trolling and "404 page not found" frustration.
Once I've cracked the question of performance, questions about a card's noise levels and cooling solution would be next on the list. I run a tight ear-friendly ship, so any card with Dyson-esq noise levels will probably be rejected. Similarly, if it is likely to fill my case with component-killing temperatures, then it will almost certainly fall by the wayside. So again a good cooling/noise balance must be found.
Finally, if it's a close call by this point - I will look at a company's warranty level, customer service reputation, bundled software and other "added value" extras that might swing the decision one way or the other.
At the end of all that I should have found a card that most fits my requirements, and hopefully will give me hundreds of happy hours of gameplay

[DDY]

Question 1
- Professionally pre-fitted ‘3rd party’ cooling
- Quiet cooling through out the range
- Solid caps for good power stability

Question 2
Generally the most important feature when I choose a card is noise.
The case fans are silent at 800rpm, the CPU has one monster block of metal on top and the motherboard has spaghetti of heat pipes leaving the graphics card with a measly fan which sounds like your average twelve year old online gamer. Sure I can slap on a quiet 3rd party cooler but there goes the warranty. OR, buy a card with quiet cooling!
Second important feature is HD video ability; HD video is all the rage, no point buying a new graphics card which can’t play movies at 1080p, especially if it lacks HDCP. Slightly related is the availability of HDMI for media cards which preferably can also transmit audio via pass-through.
Third important feature is the size; an 8800GTX sized card won’t fit in my case without modding. Hopefully newer cards don’t get longer and longer.
Finally is the bang for buck but this isn’t a feature per se. No point buying a £400 card when a £200 one is only 5fps down.

[Spud1]

Q1)

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

Q2)

Price/Performance ratio is a first - I tend to look at what I can afford after selling my old graphics card, and then look for the best performing card in that price range. After that is the noise level - I always want high performance but while keeping my PC pretty quiet..so it has to have a quiet stock cooler, or something like an arctic cooling after market fan available. Video decoding is also an important feature, and HDCP compatability even more so these days. Drivers and support - this is why I have chosen Nvidia cards for the most part since the death of 3DFX - they have great support and release new drivers always every month.
Last point is the bundle - not so much bundled software, but the addition of VGA converters, TVOut cables etc are all nice touches

[Noxvayl]

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. Custom made cooling solutions with systematic noise reduction

Question 2:
There are 5 things I look for in a graphics card... 1. Performance 2. Price 3. Sound 4. Warranty and 5. Consumption. I don't necessarily look for those 5 things in that specific order but they are the five factors involved in my decision.

The reasons for each are as follows;
1. I enjoy playing games at their highest setting while still being able to have 30+FPS. My screen is 22" so achieving this at 1680X1050 resolution is what I generally look for in reviews of cards I want to buy. I consider myself an enthusiast so yes I like my gaming to be the best it can be.
2. I am a student so money is normally tight. Often I save up for months/years just to be able to get myself an upgrade so a GFX that is able to provide good performance at a reasonable price is key. £200 is normally my maximum budget for a GFX.
3. I live in a quiet neighborhood and my room is close to dead quiet when the windows are shut so PC noise is slightly distorted because of that. I also often leave my PC running overnight so less noise helps me get a better nights rest
4. I need piece of mind when purchasing a card. Having a warranty of 3 or more years helps. It can be difficult if your card is still managing to play games and it suddenly fails 2 years after purchase because your more than likely not going to have enough money for a replacement.
5. I don't have the biggest of budgets so keeping power consumption down is a must. I currently have a 500W PSU and I don't want to be using more power than that because not only does that mean purchasing a new PSU but also forking out that little bit extra for electricity every month. As Tesco's slogan says "Every little helps"

[optimadam]

Question 1

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

1. How well they cool compared to stock coolers.
2. How awesome they look like the 9800GTX Accelero Xtreme cooler
3. The originality of the designs. They do not stick to original design patterns; they think outside the box and come up with some amazing looking coolers like the ichill hurricane

Question 2

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

When I am considering buying a graphics card it’s usually to get top performance. I like to play my games to the max and see everything in its true colours. Once I’ve decided on the model of card I usually pick the manufacture that makes their card stand out the most. In the case of Inn3D Graphics card with the custom designed coolers, they really draw a crowd. It’s sometimes more about the looks than the actual performance. As well as looking and performing great, it’s always nice to have extended warranty. This assurance me that the card is built to last, otherwise the warranty wouldn’t be so long. Then finally the price, most people consider this to be the starting point but if everything is spot on it’s usually worth paying the extra money.

[tigerboyce]

Question 1:-

1. 3rd Party cooling system means better cooling and overclocking capabilities
2. Gold Plated connectors for better signal quality
3. Solid capacitator for a more reliable/stable card

Question 2:-

When buying graphics cards obviously the main thing to consider first is performance, to enjoy the games i like tp play i need to get the best performance, therefore finding out which graphics card has the best capabilities for the best price is definitely a main priority.
Leading me onto the second most important factor when i consider a graphics card is the price. If the card is very good, but there is an equal or slightly less, Possibly even greater performance to price ratio on a different card, it makes sense to go for a better value card.
Thirdly, i take the amount of warranty that is offered with the card strongly into consideration as there are chances of things failing to work, and having a good warranty (preferably lifetime) can be extremely useful and worth the few extra pounds in the long run

[whiterabbit]

Question 1

1. 3rd Party cooling system means better cooling and overclocking capabilities
2. Gold Plated connectors for better signal quality
3. Solid capacitator for a more reliable/stable card

Question 2

Looking for a graphics card I want it to be able to do two main things: to do all the day job stuff (windows, word, etc,etc) without me even having to worry about it, and secondly to run the latest games well. Preferably, really well.

So, how do I select a card? Firstly it's about best value for money - I want the card to have good performance, but I'm not wanting to pay bleeding-edge prices. I don't want to pay £100 more for a couple of extra frames per second - I don't need that. I'd like to have a card that has good performance - handles anything I can throw at it, and doesn't cost more than about £150.

Secondly - it needs to be as future proof as possible, so buying near the start of it's lifecycle - for instance right now I'd hold off on a 8800gt to see what extras a 9800gt might bring when it arrives. Given the furore over Assassin's Creed DirectX 10.1 seems like it might be worth going for too on the future proofing side.

Lastly, I'm looking for something that the community thinks is good - if a card is getting slated, or drivers aren't getting updated frequently then that can be a swaying factor.

Well, that's more than 100 words for you...
WR

[sawyen]

Answer to Question 1:

3 unique feature:

1. Ultra silent 3rd party low noise cooling innovations!
2. Massive overclocked performance on all iChill range!
3. Ultra quality gold plated output FTW!!

Answer to Question 2:

1. Best performance in its class and for its intended purpose. I wouldn’t want to pay 80% of the price for something only 50% in speed to something 20% more expensive
2. Must have stable drivers with compatibilities and performance tweaks provided at a regular basis. Last thing I want is superb performance with superb emulation of BSOD with no driver team support.
3. Must have some half silent cooling solution and be aesthetically pleasing. Enthusiast + window case + ugly card ≠ good experience
4. Must be practically priced, no point charging a card that’s 80% the PC’s cost.

[shadowmaster]

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

1)One of the features of the i-Chill range of products are the Gold plated TV out and DVI connector that supposedly allows better signal quality and less oxidization.

2)The second feature is the use of solid capacitor for stable power voltage and advance durability.

3)Lastly the use of custom made cooling solutions with systematic noise reduction, often designed by Zalman or Arctic cooling.


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

For me the main one would have to be price. It’s important nowadays for graphics cards to have decent performance in the latest games in terms of frame rates but also be affordable at the same time; I find £150 or less to be reasonable. After all we have other costs, i.e. taxes, mortgages, women, food, drink etc. Secondly a good cooling system would be ideal, preferably silent or quiet. There is nothing worse then a card sounding like a jumbo jet taking off. Lastly would be warranty (ideally more then 1 year), combined with a fast and friendly RMA process. This is because I know the migraines that can occur when your card fails you and the RMA process is hopeless.

[moogle]

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

1) 3 Years exclusive warranty on Inno3D i-Chill products.

2) Custom made cooling solutions with systematic noise reduction.

3) Superb solid capacitor for stable power voltage and advance durability.

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

I consider the oveclockability, the size of it, where the pci-e connectors are located, dual slot or single slot, fan size/noise, power consumption, price, performance and the look
If you have a case thats big the pci-e connectors can be on the opposite end (facing the hdd rack) and it makes it easier to cable tidy than if its facing the side panel. Dual slot coolers are prefered as they exhaust the hot gpu air out the case instead of blowing it around the case with single slot coolers. The fan size usually determines how much of a racket it's going to make. The fan sizes of the 9800GTX are good as it's big enough to cool the gpu but not to make so much noise. I also like a energy efficient gpu, if it uses a exponential amount of energy for a small increase in performance it's a waste imho (tri-sli *cough*). As long as it performs well in most up to date games it's a winner, providing it doesn't cost half a grand.

- Thanks Aez

[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.]

[SiM]

Trying to live on a fixed income in the San Francisco Bay area

Its nice that you registered just to enter the competition
But unfortunately it is UK only...