X-bit labs

PowerColor Bravo X700 Graphics Card Review: High-End Features at Affordable Price? (page 2)

Category: Video

by Alexey Stepin

[ 09/14/2005 | 01:58 PM ]

Package and Accessories

The package of the PowerColor Bravo X700 graphics card should be already known to our readers from our other reviews of PowerColor’s products – its design hasn’t changed since. The text on the front of the box indicates that we deal with a version of RADEON X700 with 256MB of GDDR2 memory, two DVI connectors and with support of HDTV display devices. The picture in the center also promises a silent cooling system on heat pipes.

We opened the box and found the following:

• PowerColor Bravo X700 graphics card
• 60mm fan
• Fastening screws
• Fan installation guide
• Two DVI-I-to-D-Sub adapters
• S-Video-to-RCA adapter
• S-Video-to-YPbPr adapter
• RCA cable
• S-Video cable
• User’s manual
• Drivers CD
• CyberLink CD (PowerDirector SE+, MediaShow SE, PowerDVD, PowerProducer DVD and Power2Go)
• Two CDs with Hitman: Contracts

The user’s manual is comprehensive, but is somewhat out-dated. It describes the process of connecting HDTV devices to the card, but the driver settings are described only for the Catalyst Control Panel rather than for the more up-to-date Control Center. The manual is in English only. The software bundle isn’t very generous as it includes only one and not very fresh game, although the PowerColor Bravo X700 belongs to the GameFX series. The CyberLink software isn’t quite appropriate here, either. The card is not equipped with a Rage Theater chip and cannot capture video from external sources, so the only really useful program on that CD (with this particular graphics card) is the software DVD player.

The quality of the S-Video and RCA cables might be better, too. On the other hand, if you really want to use these video interfaces, you can separately purchase high-quality and longer cables.

So, the accessories to the PowerColor Bravo X700 are on the whole sufficient for using the product, but the software bundle might be better. But anyway, it’s the card that we’re actually interested in, so let’s have a closer look at it.