Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)So let me confirm what the first reviewer mentioned - driver issues. I'm running XP, brand new build of a gaming machine. Yes this card is longer than normal. Yes you will need a powerful power supply (>500 watts) with a 6 pin PCI-E connector. Yes this card is noisy. Yes this card is approaching bleeding edge, thus most systems will require some sort of upgrade. If you're not gaming on this machine - this card is going to be overkill. Save some money and back down a few levels (X1650). If you still want this card, look for the version with 512 Megs of RAM as the price upgrade is often marginal.
The stock fan on this card is awful. Once you begin taxing the card in 3D rendering (most games), this card can overheat and shut-down. Now, I have an Antec Solo case with 2x 90 cm fans at the front and water cooling the processor with a 120 cm fan at the rear. Not to mention a truepower PS with 2x 80cm fans. I have had to add a 120 cm fan blowing directly on the video card to have it remain stable for more than 40 minutes.
ATI has recently come out with CCC 7.3 drivers, which should help most Vista users, but they have not helped me. I'm now using the Omega drivers (3d party) that are working much better. I find the CCC console much too restricting over what ATI used to use, but this is probably fine for 90% of the users. One nice thing is that this version finally has a good utility for removing all sources of drivers. The past versions would leave artifacts in the registry that would affect future installations - a problem the first reviewer might have run into.
Now don't get me wrong - I LOVE this card! What it is capable of doing is wonderful. My gaming experience has never been better. Again, bleeding edge issues.
Something to also consider, this is not a DX10 supported card (Direct X). What this means is in 9-12 months, when games start hitting the market supporting this, you will be one version behind. With these cards now available for 1.5-2x the price, it's a financial decision. For gamers, this means a typical 1 year replacement cycle will still hold true.
Click Here to see more reviews about: ATI Radeon X1950 Pro HD PCI Express 256MB Video Card
Designed for gamers who want to fully experience what's on the screen, the ATI Radeon X1950 Pro HD PCI Express Video Card features cutting edge graphics processing technologies, as well as the advanced features hardcore gamers are looking for. One of ATI's fastest and most flexible 3D processors, the ATI X1950 ensures your high-definition graphics performance will never be compromised. This allows you to experience hyper-realistic light blooms, lifelike skin textures, and silky smooth hair, making this video card the only choice for all die-hard gamers.
For avid gamers, the ATI X1950 Pro features support for up to 256 MB GDDR3 memory for incredibly fast frame buffering, and Shader Model 3.0, which enables simultaneous high dynamic range lighting effects and full screen anti-aliasing to bring your characters and their surroundings to life. With stunning 3D graphics powered by 3Dc+ texture compression, and faster clock speeds (up to 1.0 GHz), gamers with this graphics card can have confidence that their system can conquer any game. The Radeon X1950 Pro will also prepare your system for Windows Vista to ensure you get the most out of your high-definition display, and prime your computer for future video technologies. With the Windows Vista user interface and multimedia features, you can display your graphics however you like--on a large flat panel, a projector, or in a multiple-monitor environment with dual DVI (2 dual-link) outputs, HDTV, D-sub, and Avivo support.
Designed to turn your PC into the ultimate gaming platform, this graphics card is also the ultimate upgrade to your multimedia system, setting the standard for image quality in photos and DVD movies, even providing full support for HDCP content. Rediscover your photos and video in stunning clarity with the Avivo video and display engine, which lets you experience 1.07 billion colors (when attached to 10-bit displays). The X1950 Pro also readies your system for HDCP2 and multi-format high-definition content.
The X1950 Pro supports ATI's Crossfire multi-GPU technology, features a 1.38 GHz memory speed, and includes High Dynamic Range (HDR) rendering, support for Microsoft DirectX 9.0 and OpenGL. You also get a hierarchical Z-Buffer and Early Z-Test functions that reduce overdraw by detecting and discarding hidden pixels, as well as loss-less Z-Buffer Compression (up to 48:1) with Fast Z-Buffer Clear that reduces memory bandwidth consumption by over 50-percent. The X1950 Pro has been optimized for performance at high-display resolutions, including widescreen HDTV resolutions, and it allows you to simultaneously drive two high-resolution panels.
This graphics card requires Intel Pentium 4 or AMD Athlon 64 FX CPU's running at 2.4 GHz or higher, a 450-Watt power supply or greater, a PCI Express compliant power supply, and a super VGA or DVI-I compatible monitor. The X1950 also requires Microsoft Windows XP, XP 64, or Media Center Edition 2005, a PCI Express X16 compliant slot, a CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive, a minimum of 64MB system RAM, and 150MB available hard-disk space. As with all ATI products, this graphics card comes with ATI's hassle-free one-year limited warranty.
What's in the Box ATI Radeon X1950 Pro HD PCI Express Video Card, quick install and user manuals, setup CD, composite and S-Video cables, HDTV out cable, and two DVI-to-VGA adapters.
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