Thoughts and HEXUS.right2reply
The ASUS EAX1800XT TOP generally stands toe-to-toe with the tested 580/865 XFX GeForce 7800 GTX 512 but just loses on balance. In our, admittedly limited, suite of tests, the GeForce only lost at 1920x1200 in F.E.A.R. Both are factory overclocked, 512MiB versions of the basic reference SKU, and both cost just the wrong side of £450. Therefore, given the money to spend on either, it comes down to a weighing up of peripheral options, given the performance levels.This reviewer has a hard time choosing between them, given that. The ASUS definitely wins in the bundle stakes, giving you a good selection of software, new top-title game, and a gamepad to make the most of it. The XFX, while also bundling the component output cable raved about earlier in the ASUS commentary, doesn't give you much more than a copy of Tenomichi 3D Edit and copy of Far Cry.
With better display output options from the Radeon, nice quiet cooler and provision to avoid a possible PSU upgrade caused by a hungry 695MHz GPU, those are all facets of the product performance to have us smiling and nodding our approval.
However (as always), the great bundle and PSU don't come anywhere near free, the product is very hard to find, and it could be a real bitch to site in your chassis. Going back to the first page, where we wonder if AIB perfection is attainable by the TOP, we have to say it ultimately fails in those endeavours.
The EAX1800XT TOP is a fast, quiet graphics card with a great bundle, but ASUS are pricing it out of its own market with it costing £100 more than XTs from other AIBs. The bundle and performance aren't worth it at the time of writing, versus the cost of a bare board with reference clocks from another AIB, with the user having a stab at overclocking themselves if they wish.
Appealing, but not at £460 with zero availability, especially staring right in the face of upcoming new hardware. The product would have worked much better at, or at least a month closer to, launch.
HEXUS Awards
ASUS EAX1800XT TOP
