|
Overclocking
Just like all the other video cards we get our paws on, it's time for the overclocking tests.
Out of the box, the card ticks in at 398.25/303.75 core and memory (a slight underclock on the 400 core and slight overclock on the 300 memory). This was according to the Rage3D Tweak. by adjusting the sliders, and testing for stability...
... we managed to hit a maximum overclock of 454/383 which is really good, considering the card's default speed. However, considering the improvement in our performance...
Splinter Cell @ 1280, Max Detail
Not much big of a difference, is there? Is it really important to gain around 4 fps and maybe take the risk of blowing up your card? Considering the benchmarks taken today, I'm pretty sure the card demonstrates that there is no reason to overclock this card, especially with the meagre OC performance, but if you like to live on the edge, go for it.
3D Image Quality
Framerates don't mean anything if the card displays a lousy picture. Thankfully, many cards released int he last year are almost on equal footing.
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
FIC No AA/AF
|
XFX No AA/AF
|
FIC 4xAA/8xAF
|
XFX 4xAA/8xAF
|
3D image quality is pretty good; a little bit smoother than the 5600... not by much but you can see the difference.
2D Quality
|
|
FIC A96P 9600 Pro
|
XFX FX5600 Ultra
|
|
Black Text (12Pt)
|
9
|
9
|
|
Black Text (6Pt)
|
7
|
7
|
|
White Text (12Pt)
|
8
|
8
|
|
White Text (6Pt)
|
7
|
6
|
As for the 2d Quality, the result is pretty much the same but we see a little improvement in the 9600 Pro in compared to the 5600 Ultra. Tests are subjective, so this is simply my opinion.
Final Words
LAN gamers looking for good speed (albeit at lower resolutions), and a card that is cheap enough for you to still be able to buy parts to mod your rig, I would say this is a great choice. With good image quality, texture and performance this card makes this a good choice for the serious gamers without serious cash. Dual monitor support this is very nice, and like I said before, two primary displays are really great, and I'm sure that all the multimedia followers will love it.
If you are looking to play games like Half-Life 2 and Doom 3 this card will probably do the trick but don't expect much. Seriously, we still say Doom will need high-end card to play it as developers meant it, but it should still be playable at a lower resolution... I hope.
There is nothing really wrong with the card, but I suppose if there is anything to complain about, it is the lack of software extras, and small extras, like ramsinks. Not so much for cooling mind you, but more to just distinguish it from other cards.
FIC have themselves a real nice product in the A96P Radeon 9600 Pro. Granted, the 9600 Pro is not the fastest card on the market, but it is also not the most expensive. Performance was excellent, despite the so-so overclocking performance.
Pros: Really good price, excellent image quality, dual primary display, and good o/c capabilities.
Cons: Small bundle, the card is nice looking but not fancy.
Bottom Line: This card is certainly the best buy on the market right now. More so than the 9800? Yes, certainly if you compare the price to the performance. If you got any comments, be sure to hit us up in our forums.
HOME
|
