X-bit labs

There Will Be Speed: The Clash of Modern Multi-GPU Technologies (page 5)

Category: Video

by Alexey Stepin , Yaroslav Lyssenko, Anton Shilov

[ 03/24/2008 | 05:01 PM ]

Gainward Bliss 9800 GX2 1024MB

Package and Accessories

Nvidia’s new dual-processor solution is represented by the Gainward Bliss 9800 GX2 1024MB graphics card in this review. We’ll now tell you about its packaging and accessories. An important thing, the number 1024 shouldn’t mislead you. The card does not have two 1GB sets of memory chips. The total amount of graphics memory available to 3D applications is 512 megabytes like with the standard GeForce 9800 GX2.

Gainward didn’t develop a new package design, and the box the card comes in is quite familiar to us:

It is a mild and even plain design, but we don’t think it’s appropriate for a top-class expensive product. The package protects the card against possible damage during transportation and storage well enough, though. Besides the card proper, the box contains the following:

• DVI-I→D-Sub adapter;
• S/PDIF cable;
• Brief installation guide;
• CD disk with drivers and full user’s manual;
• DVD disk with Tomb Raider: Anniversary game.

The accessories are scanty. There are no additional cables or adapters. You will find a copy of Tomb Raider: Anniversary in the box – it was included with every product from Gainward we reviewed recently. The lack of DVI-I → HDMI and 8-pin PCI Express adapters is quite a serious problem. Not all modern PSUs offer an 8-pin power adapter for graphics cards, but the GeForce 9800 GX2 doesn’t work if you plug a 6-pin connector into its 8-pin header.

So, while the package of the Gainward Bliss 9800 GX2 1024MB is rather good, the accessories are no good at all especially as the product belongs to the highest price category. We guess the vendor should have made his flagship product more appealing to the potential buyer.