Presentation and bundle
Quite an understated box design from PowerColor. The company doesn't attempt to confuse the buyer with endless jargon, and it spells out exactly what's on offer here.
The back of the box continues in similar fashion. PowerColor also points out that the X800 GT will is the newest member of ATI's PCI-Express range, so potential buyers looking for an AGP version will be left wanting. We very much doubt that, due to the limited nature of the VPUs used on the X800 GT, an AGP SKU will ever be released.
The accompanying bundle usually reflects just how big a certain company is. The larger volume sellers derive economies of scale from their size, thus allowing for deluxe multi-CD bundles with even low-end cards. ASUS and MSI spring to mind. PowerColor has its bundle agreements with CyberLink and Ubisoft, who bundle in Pacific Fighters. It's a genuinely decent flight-sim title and not a mere afterthought. Hardware-wise, it's all very predictable, with 6-foot-long RCA and S-Video cables, as well as a convertor between the two. An HDTV connections box would have been nice, though. The installation CD contained only a set of ATI's CATALYST 5.7 drivers and DirectX 9.0c. No overclocking tool was present.
Speaking of CyberLink, PowerColor adds in a multi-utility suite, comprising of PowerDVD 5.0, Power2Go 3, a media-burning program, PowerProducer Gold 2, useful for home-video users who need an easy-to-use program to convert/burn video and photos on to CD/DVD. PowerDirector 3, the common video-editing software, is kind of wasted here as the card doesn't not feature ATI's Rage Theater ASIC. You can see it's a generic bundle that PowerColor includes with all its latest video cards.
Decent enough bundle and presentation considering the £110 asking price, which also includes PowerColor's 2-year limited warranty.
Let's cut to the performance chase and see just how much gaming fun £110 buys you now.
