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ATI's Radeon X850 XT Platinum Edition Preview
[Abstract]
R480's closeness to R423 in terms of architecture (they're identical) makes the basic summary for this look at X850 XT Platinum Edition, with its clocks that so closely ape those of X800 XT Pla...
[Content] PCDigitalMobileGame
R480's closeness to R423 in terms of architecture (they're identical) makes the basic summary for this look at X850 XT Platinum Edition, with its clocks that so closely ape those of X800 XT Platinum Edition, easy.
At the time of writing, Radeon X850 XT Platinum Edition is undoubtedly the fastest graphics product money can buy.
I do have minor reservations however from an implementation point of view. I respect the cooler design with its well thought out design flourishes, coupled with good performance, that kept my reference sample quiet, but there's a couple of niggling things that stop me from being impressed across the board. Those niggles are enough for separate editorial and I'll cover those as soon as possible, in cooperation with ATI.
The price, some $200 more than the high-end would cost you back when 9700 PRO was launched, will also raise some eyebrows.
It's when you consider the performance on offer, clearly the most that any single card on the market can offer, that the niggles start to fade from view. You're CPU limited a bunch of the time with the board which means you're really going to want to pair it with something like FX-55, but if you can afford one, you can generally afford the other. It doesn't get faster than X850 XT Platinum Edition, it's as simple as that.
Overall, ATI raise the bar yet again. Performance is incredible, the cooler made nary a peep above its settled speed in my test system and I have a lot of lust for dual DVI right now.
Highly impressive stuff from an engineering and technical standpoint and I look forward to the rest of the launched range hitting my benchmarking boudoir. Also, look out for a UK exclusive review of a retail X850 XT PE product in the near future.
Finally, if you're looking for an OEM system that incorporates the new performance champion, Evesham have their new Decimator system ready for order, which couples the X850 XT PE with either 3.8GHz Prescott or 3.46GHz Extreme Edition Pentium 4 processors, and a quite gorgeous Viewsonic 20 inch LCD monitor. We'll endeavour to get the system in for review if possible, to see what OEMs are doing with the product.
HEXUS.right2replyCommenting under our HEXUS.right2reply initiative, ATI Technologies' Desktop Products Public Relations Manager, Ms. Patricia Mikula, says this about the article:
The outcome of this review is not a surprise to ATI. We conducts thorough testing and has accurately portrayed the RADEON X850 XT PE as ‘the fastest graphics product in the world?
Since the dawn of DX9 computing, with the RADEON 9700 introduction, ATI has managed to establish a lead with each new generation of products. The RADEON 9700 Pro was succeeded by the RADEON 9800 PRO and then the RADEON 9800 XT ?each of which was successfully launched as the ‘fastest graphics card in the world??achieving ‘King of the Hill?status straight out of the box.
That we have been able to continue this lead with the RADEON X800 launch is a powerful statement about ATI’s fundamental understanding of the market. We deliver the features and performance in lock step with the games that need and use the features and performance so that gamers get the best experience. One thing is certain, having read this We review; your readers will be in no doubt as to which is the best product for the latest games like Half-Life 2!
ATI’s performance lead has attracted high demand for products from us and our partners. We are working very hard to ensure that we can meet the needs of our customers including having our products in a variety of channels.
Patti Mikula
Public Relations Manager
Desktop Products
ATI Technologies Inc.
Patti's reply touches on ATI's general product availability, especially in the retail channel. The separate editorial, mentioned in my thoughts above, touches on some questions I had initially posed to ATI in the initial and final sections of this article. Those tough questions and thoughts have since been split off from the main performance evaluation, keeping it focused, as should be the case in a reference product evaluation. As soon as ATI have a reponse for us, we'll publish it in full. I've also got a UK exclusive review of the Sapphire X850 XT Platinum Edition to bring you very soon, so stay tuned for that.
Paul Dutton, a Managing Editor at , has this to add:
Although our editorial focuses on the technology and performance of the ATI RADEON X850 XT Platinum Edition, it also touches on the question of the real world availability of ATI's high-end products.
is publishing a separate article on this particular subject, and related matters, and to this end we have posed a series of straight questions to ATI.
At the time of writing we are still awaiting their formal response, but we have been assured that when the sun rises in Toronto, we will be provided with the "remaining answers" to our question
So keep your eye out for the separate editorial about ATI product availability, the review of Sapphire's retail X850 XT PE and hopefully Evesham's X850 XT PE Decimator demonstrator.
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ATI's RADEON X800, X800 XL Get MSRP (2005-03-05)