Appearance and thoughts
Card appearance and thoughts
Sapphire is launching the ultimate ATI Radeon X1600 card, then? If you don't know what makes it tick, please head over to our technology look here. Pertinent points include support for shader model 3.0, a ringbus memory controller, and Avivo video-processing technology.
A look at the top shows the cooling measures Sapphire has taken to keep this a largely passive card. This RV530 core runs at 593MHz and is based on an advanced 90nm process. The front-mounted heatsink connects to the GPU and two heatpipes help even out the heat dispersal by ferrying a portion to the back of the card.
Flipping it over to one side, we see the aluminium fins that help push the heat away. Save for the custom heatsink on this model, the PCB is the same as the company's regular Radeon X1600 XT card, and it runs at the same clocks: 587MHz core and 1386MHz memory. Speaking of which, the card is equipped with 256MBytes of GDDR3 RAM, and the all-in-one heatsink covers both GPU and memory modules concurrently.
The back is regular enough. HD15 on the left, TV-Out in the middle, and DVI on the right. There's no VIVO ASIC on this model, so you can only export video out to various displays. What's pleasing about the X1K-series is ability to run ultra-high resolutions via the DVI connector. This card features a dual-link transmitter that can run large-screen panels with WQXGA resolutions. Dell's 30-inch 2560x1600-capable 3007WFP, for example.
Not quite completely passive, then. The rear-mounted heatsink's cooling is helped by a slow-spinning fan that's barely noticeable even in a quiet system. The heatsink, though, is large enough to take up a slot above the card, so you need to make sure that your motherboard/case has enough room to accommodate it.
The rear heatsink became quite warm to the touch, suggesting that a fan is indeed needed. However, it's not temperature-controlled and runs at the same speed during idle and load periods. It would have been nice to have it spin down when idling. Our testing showed that, according to ATI's CATALYST Control Center, the GPU idled at around 35c and warmed up to around 50c when under sustained 3D load and with adequate airflow directed over it.
Bundle
Due to the early sampling of this SKU, it was packaged without the accompanying retail bundle. Sapphire informs us that all shipping cards will be packaged with a full copy of The Da Vinci Code. It currently retails for an online price of around £25, so it does add significant value to the package. Further, Sapphire will add in its Select Bundle, which allows you to trial 4 full games and then choose the one that you prefer most. The full game is accessed via a web-based unlocking program, and you have the opportunity of purchasing and unlocking further full games from the bundle at a reduced price.The package will, of course, ship with the usual cables and adapters.
In summary, a reference Radeon X1600 XT design that's aimed at users who value quietness above all else. This Ultimate model will retail for around £105, making it around £15 more expensive than a regular model. That's the price you pay for near-silent operation, folks. The X1600 Pro version, running at lower clocks, will retail at around £85.
