Introduction

With the introduction of the Radeon X800GTO sometime in the early September, ATi went ahead to put out yet another mid range product. While they have something competitive on the upper and the lower end segment, they have not been able to cater well to the important mid range market. While most of the gamers out there would actually gawk at high end cards, the mid range products are usually the ones that would capture most of the gaming crowd. ATi seems to take some actions to address this problem recently and thus they have put together a card that would please the gamer with an average wallet.

Following hot on the heels of the X800GT, the X800GTO is yet another product that seems to come from an existing product line. With specifications of 12 pixel pipelines, one will immediately think of the X800 Pro GPU. With a lower operational core clock speed of just 400MHz, it appears that these new cards are more or less the reminisce of an End Of Line (EOL) product. With the X800GTO priced to be similar to NVIDIA's 6600GT 256MB, and the 6800 (vanilla), it appears that ATi plans to capture the budget-performance gamers with a "lower marked, high end product".

The Connect 3D Radeon X800GTO is the first X800GTO to reach our local shores. While the external packaging doesn't have that additional appeal, it is usually what's inside that matters. While keeping everything else at the bare minimum, Connect3D had kept the price down too. With an estimated street retail price of about SGD$ 350 (~USD$ 205), this card ought to be a good competitor to the green side. We'll find out how and why that is so in the coming pages.

---

The packaging of the Connect3D Radeon X800GTO. With simple packaging and a light bundle, some of you can enjoy the lower price such products would offer.

---

The X800GTO from Connect3D we are looking at today, comes with 256MB of GDDR3 memory, and in the PCI Express variant. As stated, Video In, Video Out functions are supported.

---

Here are some quick specifications of this card:

A Closer look at the X800 GTO from Connect3D

Just like the previous X800 GT we've seen a while back, the GTO here is a card from the previous generation. Being marketed as a new part, and priced rather competitively, it appears as though ATi wants to unload these "old" parts. The Connect 3D card we have today looks exactly just like any other X800 Pro / XT card. This Connect3D card comes with that familiar red PCB, and a large but slim single slot cooler.

While what we see here is basically an X800 Pro in disguise, we're still interested to find out what's under the hood for this new kid on the block:

This is how the card looks like from the top. Without flipping the card over for labels, it can easily pass off as any PCI Express based X800 Pro or X800 XT card. Even the heatsink/fan found on this card is the same as the ones found on a stock X800Pro/XT!

---

Once again, the back of the card is identical to the higher end X800 Pro / XT brothers. The stickers are the only thing that allows identification of this card.

---

Unlike the X800GTs we saw previously, this X800GTO requires a 6 pin PCIe Power connector. However, much like the higher end X800 Pro / XT, the X800 GTO has a higher power draw as compared to the X800GT.

---

There is an ATi Rage Theater chip found on the back of the card. This chip provides additional Video In Video Out capabilities to the card.

---

Mid-range card it may be, this Connect3D Radeon X800 GTO comes with the standard 1x VGA 1x DVI and an VIVO capable S-Video output.

A Closer look at the X800 GTO from Connect3D - Cont'd

With the large copper cooler removed, this is how the bare card looks like.

---

*Click for a larger picture of the core

The core for this card is only "marked" as X800. While the X800 Pro and the 16 pipeline X800XT shares the same markings, we will attempt to make this card function like an X800XT. More on this in the coming pages.

---

These Samsung GDDR3 2.0ns memory modules can be found on the Connect3D X800 GTO. Being rated at 2.0ns, this card can effectively operate at 1GHz.

---

As said earlier, the heatsink/fan of this particular card comes as no stranger. The heatsink mounted on this X800 GTO is exactly the same as those found on an X800 Pro / XT we've seen a while ago.

---

Like the higher end X800 Pro / XT brothers, the fan onboard this card operates rather silently. Rated at 0.30A, this fan runs at a low speed while in 2D / idle mode. When in 3D mode, the fan speeds up, producing a slight humming sound.

Package Bundle included with the card

It appears that Connect3D wants to target the market with really attractive pricing with this X800 GTO. As such, the bundle together with this card comes bare and simple. With just basic drivers, documentations and a mandatory bunch of S-Video and HDTV out, there's nothing much left to talk about. Though this move of being simple might win hardcore enthusiasts on the budget, it would be a better idea for Connect3D to follow the suit by adding just a couple of software and/or games to compliment this fine card.

But nevertheless, here's what is packed together with the card:

The usual documentations and drivers that comes with just every other card. Particularly, the graphics drivers, a simple installation guide, and a Getting Started Guide is provided. The lack of any software / game bundles just makes the package seems bare in this field.

---

On the "hardware" side, there's also nothing spectacular about it. Keeping to bare minimum, Connect3D has just provided enough for day to day operations. This includes the 4 pin to 6 pin power connector converter, a S-Video out Component cable, VIVO cable, and HDTV component cable, and lastly, the DVI to VGA converter.

Test Setup & Benchmark Used

We tested this card against NVIDIA's competing card for this sector, the GeForce 6800 PCIe. We pitted both of these against each other, mainly due to the price bracket that the Connect3D card falls into. Being priced at mid SGD$ 300s, this card actually competes head-to-head against the pricing of most GeForce 6800 PCIe.

Boasting a 12 pixel pipeline architecture, the X800 GTO we are seeing today runs at a default core clock speed of 400MHz, while the GeForce 6800 runs only at 325MHz. Would the X800GTO triumph over the GeForce 6800, or will it be the other way round? Look in the coming pages of benchmarks to find out more.

We tested both cards in 2 different resolutions. While a set of benchmarks are done in 1024x768, we tested both cards at a higher 1280x1024 resolution, together with 8x Anti Aliasing and 8x Anisotropic Filtering settings. Since most of gamers of this age would usually go with 1280x1024 resolution in games, we tested the cards out in a setting that would likely be a choice for users.

 

The Connect3D Radeon X800GTO running on our test bed.

 

Test Bed Configuration:

• AMD Athlon 64 3800+ (Newcastle core @ 2.2GHz)

• Gigabyte K8NXP-SLi Motherboard

• 2x 512MB PDP Patriot 3200+ XBLK+ (Samsung K4H560838F-TCCD) @ 2-2-2-5 timings

• Connect3D Radeon X800GTO 256MB

• Inno3D Geforce 6800 PCIe 256MB

• HIS Radeon X800GT iTurbo 256MB

• Seagate 7200.7 40GB PATA Hard drive

• Coolermaster RealPower 550W PSU

 

Test Benchmarks:

• Futuremark 3DMark 2001SE (Version 3.30)

• Futuremark 3DMark 03 (Version 3.60)

• Futuremark 3DMark 05 (Version 1.20)

• Doom III Timedemo, Mid Quality

• CounterStrike: Source Video Stress Test, High Quality

• Far Cry (via Hardware OC FC Bench), Max Quality

• Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory Timedemo, Default Quality

Benchmarks: Futuremark 3DMark 2001SE / 03 / 05

The performance of this card puts itself as one of the most value for money card in it's price bracket. In most cases, the GeForce 6800 PCIe falls into the backseat, as the X800 GTO manages to pull off a higher score. Especially in higher quality / resolution tests, the X800 GTO shows it's might, since it's been a tradition for ATi to excel in such scenarios.

3DMark 2001SE:

In 3DMark 2001SE, Direct X 8.1 functions are tested on both cards. The Connect3D X800GTO got more 3000 point lead ahead of the Geforce 6800.

3DMark 03:

3DMark 03 tests more on the Direct X 9 capabilities on both cards. The Connect3D X800GTO manages to clinch a near 700 point lead over NVIDIA's competing model in this test.

3DMark 05:

In 3DMark 05, both cards are tested predominantly on Direct X 9.0C functions. The results in this test has shown X800GTO's strength, being able to pull off a near 1000 point lead over the 6800 PCIe.

Benchmarks: CS: Source / Doom 3 / Splinter Cell / Far Cry

CounterStrike: Source Video Stress Test:

Based on Valve's Source engine, this CS:Source Video Stress Test is an in-game benchmark, that could be activated in the main menu. In this test, the X800GTO managed to lead over the 6800 by about 20fps in both low and higher quality settings. Although traditionally, ATi cards are favored in this test, the difference is still pretty respectable.

Doom III Time Demo:

Due to the strong OpenGL element present in Doom III's engine, NVIDIA cards are usually favored in this test. The X800 GTO got wide 12fps difference when compared against the GeForce 6800 in lower resolution tests. With a higher resolution and quality settings being switched on, the difference the cards were pushed closer, with just a difference of 3fps, with the 6800 leading.

Far Cry (via FC Bench):

By using a third party benchmarking software, FC Bench by Hardware OC, we were able to determine the performance of both cards in Crytek's popular game, Far Cry. In this test, we turned on the in-game quality settings to the max, and benchmarked in 2 different settings. While the competition between both cards are close in lower resolution, once AA/AF settings were turned on, together with higher resolution, the X800 GTO excelled, with a 10fps lead.

Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory:

By using a Time Demo script found in the game, we were able to benchmark both card's performance in this test. At lower resolution, the GeForce 6800 got a very marginal lead over the X800 GTO. With AA and AF settings were turned on, together with a higher resolution, the X800 GTO manages to clinch just a 3fps lead over the GeForce 6800.

Unlocking & Overclocking

From the pictures in the previous pages, and from our knowledge, this Connect 3D card looks exactly like the X800 Pro / X800 XT from the previous generation. With only 12 pipelines, this Connect 3D X800 GTO sounds more like a rebadged X800 Pro VIVO. While users of that older card might remember the unlocking craze it generated due it's impressive success rate of getting a 16 pipeline X800 XT just by a BIOS flash. Not only were we successful in the BIOS flash, we were able to overclock this card to an impressive 570MHz on the Core, and 1140MHz on the Memory! With just a little more then SGD$ 300, the kind of performance you can get here is actually close to what an X850XT can do when it's overclocked!

With the above said, we loaded the Connect3D X800 GTO with a Built By ATi X800 XT BIOS found over at TechPowerUp! ATi BIOS collection:

After loading all required files into a floppy disk, and booted into a DOS environment, the flashing process was as simple as typing the above command. This is what you should see after the flashing process is completed.

---

After the flashing process, it is best to check for any broken or defective pipelines, by running this High Dynamic Range based Torture test, Rthdribl. As seen in this picture, the card did not produce any visual artifacts, after a prolonged, overnight run of this test.

---

*Click for a larger picture

---

*Click for a larger picture

Conclusion

While there is nothing to shout about when looking at it's plain vanilla package and no extra value added features included with this Connect3D X800GTO, this card is still worth a serious consideration. The performance of the card itself already justifies it's price tag. Put it this way, this card is stright and to the point, it delivers performance goodness at the lowest price it can sell for. Connect3D sees the importance in keeping the bundle as simple as possible in order to keep the price down.

Once loaded with the X800XT BIOS, this Connect3D card essentially transforms into a performer that's on par with the flagship of it's generation. Just with a simple BIOS flash, this card can work as well as a card that's worth at least SGD$ 200 more. With this added factor, the price/performance ratio is simply one of the best anyone can ask for!

---

One last look at this value for money card.

---

Overall Rating : 85 VRMarks!

** VR-Zone is now throwing a special Christmas Special Promotion for this product... Club VR members get it at a special price of SGD$ 38!! More details, check this!

Discuss This Review In Forum

 

  Return Home

  Check Hottest Deals

  Check Latest Prices