ATI X1800XT Preview

[DR]

This initial gloss over the tech, board evaluation and performance snapshot should have you salivating at the thought of buying a 3D accelerator in the near future. Radeon 1800 XT, via a decently clocked R520 GPU and fast memories, defines the base performance the rest of the X1000 series range will scale down from. From this debut, it's arguably never been better to think about upgrading to PCI Express for graphics, or just graphics in general if you're already on the interconnect.

http://www.hexus.net/content/item.php?item=3603

[Applecrusher]

Great review, as always!!

If only I had the $$ to upgrade to pci e, i might be able to actually get one, ohh well

[unreal]

wow they actually pulled it off really well, but far too late

Nicely made preview

[Oakey]

Why isn't Battlefield 2 benched?

[Syn]

The R520 core is the same thing that R300 was, the basic tool set for future generations. ATi has managed to create a completly new core that is more for the future products then todays. Todays performance only just out performs nvidia even though it has just 16 pipelines if things go as planned next thing we can expect from ATi and nVidia is the 32 piplines cores all be it that ATi will probably release 24 pipelines if nVidia tries to do something to regain thier crown.

I planned since i put together my current pc to upgrade sometime before 2006 and as i anticipeated all the hardware that i want to purchase will be avilable so you can say that to me this lounch is not late but actually right on time.

Good work complimants go to ATi for a truly great core now all i have to do is collect money for the new system as i am amining at best parts i can buy so that i can then wait till 2008 to upgrade agian.

[iranu]

Nice review. Hope Rys had a lie in this morning as I know he was up late compiling the review.

Ati seem to have raised the bar (again) I wish that they would make their products available on launch though. As much as I am a fan of Ati it will be nvidia SLi mobo and card all the way if crossfire is not widely available soon (so I can decide which way to jump before xmas)

[Rys]

Why isn't Battlefield 2 benched?

There are 1000s of games out there on the open market. Sadly, I have to miss the odd few out, for which I profusely apologise. My bad.

Sleep, iranu, sleep? Wassat then *twitches* Been up since 8am yesterday

[Oakey]

But BF2 is one of the latest AND most demanding games, which also happens to be hugely popular. Surely that makes it a good game for benching?

[Rys]

Yes, of course it does, but that still doesn't mean I can fit everything in that might fit those criteria. It's a big balance between dozens of different considerations when choosing benchmarks and it sadly didn't make it into my test suite for this piece.

It was very simply a logistical choice made based on what I needed to get done.

[nev_payne]

So ATi move forward...time to bring out the 7800 Ultra

[krazy_olie]

Honestly wasn't expecting it to outperform it like that, but that is a big blow for nVidia, i don't play favourites so any advance in technology performance impresses me.

P.s Nice review, and I'm sure we'll BF2 in reviews from 3rd party cards right?

[neonplanet40]

To be honest nvidia will have something up their sleave. They knew the X800XT would be good. You really think they haven't a bombshell to drop on ati before xmas?

Neo

[DR]

I think it is interesting, take the fact that NVIDIA have heaps of product in the channel, and ATI currently are ramping shipments.

It's going to be interesting how NVIDIA react

[drifter106]

Yes, of course it does, but that still doesn't mean I can fit everything in that might fit those criteria. It's a big balance between dozens of different considerations when choosing benchmarks and it sadly didn't make it into my test suite for this piece.

It was very simply a logistical choice made based on what I needed to get done.

Could it be that the 7800 would dominate the ATI card? As I see it this investigation is skewed. A few hand picked games to substaintiate the ATI benchmarks. Don't get me wrong, I am not a fanboy per say, but rather one looking for some unbiased results in making my decision for my next card. In a review, people look for fair and balanced investigations. I would very much like to see the ATI card peform well...it makes for good competition...

People who can report without being biased will gather more respect and a greater following...

[0iD]

Question is, as I'm still AGP bound. I read that the x1600 & x1300 will have AGP compatability, 'AGP 8x configurations also supported with AGP-PCI-E external bridge chip'. (Shame the x1800 doesn't have this feature).
Will these be a step up from the 6800's most AGP bound peeps are using? IF they indeed want to stick with the setup they have.

[jonazo]

Can you start giving a noise benchmark? It's a dealbreaker