X-bit labs

Albatron GiGi GeForce FX5900 PV Graphics Card Review

Category: Video

by Alexey Stepin

[ 09/01/2003 | 10:38 PM ]

Today we would like to introduce a graphics card from Albatron based on NVIDIA GeForce FX5900 chip. The remarkable thing about this product is not only its excellent overclocking potential and good performance, but also a very unusual and impressive package and accessories bundle. Curious? Then check out our review now!

Table of contents:

• Package
  
• Closer Look
  
• 2D Quality and Overclocking
  
• Testbed and Methods
  
• Performance
  
• Performance: OpenGL Gaming Benchmarks
  
• Performance: OpenGL Gaming Benchmarks (Continued)
  
• Performance: Direct3D Gaming Benchmarks
  
• Performance: Synthetic Benchmarks
  
• Conclusion
  

It’s no secret that most high-end graphics cards follow the reference design from the graphics chip developer. This is true for both: ATI Technologies and NVIDIA. I can’t say this is bad, because the graphics chip maker polishes off its reference design, eliminating any bugs, and thus provides higher product reliability.

Alas, every medal has its reverse side: high-end graphics cards have turned out as like as two peas. It is not good for those manufacturers that should attract the customers somehow. Those who were smart enough found ways to do it. A graphics card can appeal with rich accessories, a beautiful box and an original cooling system. Albatron was among the smartest, and its GiGi GeForce FX5900 PV graphics card will be the main hero of our today’s review.

Package

This card arrived into our test lab in a quite unusual way. It was packed into a big black bag instead of a paper or plastic box.

None of us has ever seen a package like that. Well, the card’s performance is of course in no way connected with its wrapping, but it’s always nice to see some extra accessories. By the way, this bag is large enough to fit for a notebook, for example. The biggest section of the bag contained the card itself, while cables, CDs and the user’s manual were all neatly assorted into respective pockets.

The plastic box, in which the bag itself was wrapped, also deserves a closer look.

The fantasy style is very popular nowadays, but Albatron managed to stand out remarkably here, too. Many manufacturers often depict various monsters on their product package: dragons, gargoyles, hellhounds, and other aggressive specimens from the medieval mythological zoo. The monster should evidently reflect the infinite power of the graphics accelerator. Albatron went another way, however. The package of GiGi GeForce FX5900 PV displays no dragon, but a cute and attractive pointed-ear elfin girl. It bears a striking resemblance to another elf – the Dawn from NVIDIA’s demo program.

Well, although the fragile girl can hardly be associated with the raw power of the NV35 graphics core, I felt more pleased to look at her rather than at all those hackneyed monsters.