Gigabyte Radeon X800 Pro Review

Much like memory when running at the same speeds, all Radeon X800 Pros should give the same performance with the same speeds. That is the case with the Gigabyte and PowerColor X800 Pros. Both cards were neck and neck in benchmarks and games. The deciding factor really comes down to the price, bundle, and overclockability (if this is a word). Coming in at $383.00, the card is definitely not cheap.

…The bundle is pretty decent, with two full version games to keep gamers busy. The overclocking potential is definitely good because it overclocked better than the PowerColor version. Unfortunately, as a consumer, I’d spend the extra $50 and go with the PowerColor X800 Pro VIVO. The PowerColor comes with faster GDDR3, two better games, and hardware components that match the X800XT PE. The VIVO is definitely worth the $50, as it easily turns into an XT PE. But then again, not everyone out there is willing to void the warranties and put the hardware to risk. Added into the tough decision is Nvidia’s 6800 line. Currently, a 6800GT goes for about $370-$399. It is definitely the better card for gaming, but has issues with 2D image quality. As far as the offering from Gigabyte goes, it is worth the look, but it needs a better bundle to win my credit card.

Pros:
Great 2D image quality
Great 3D performance
Single slot cooler
Quiet
Less power hungry than Nvidia counterpart
Comes with 2 full version games
Cooler is larger than reference, and covers front side memory
Cons:
ATI’s weak OpenGL support
Slightly pricey for an X800 Pro

Gigabyte Radeon X800 Pro @ InsaneTek