ABIT OTES GeForce FX 5900 128MB

Conclusion and thoughts

Without wanting to sound pedantic, a GeForce FX 5900 is a GeForce FX 5900 is a GeForce FX 5900. What does that mean in plain English ?. Nothing much more than every card based on a certain GPU and memory specification will perform within a percent or two of one another. The basic results turned in by the ABIT OTES FX 5900 are directly in line with those obtained by the relevant Gainward model. That's precisely why one doesn't expect to see a great deal of standard deviation in a multi-card roundup.

Therefore if basic performance is not going to be the clinching factor for the vast majority of manufacturers, what other factors will come into play, then ?. Looks, certainly, will play a part in the purchasers' decision-making process. You don't really want to spend £300 and receive a reference card. Here's a situation where the OTES FX 5900 does well. A barrage of aluminium and stretchable plastic assault your eyes when first laying your gaze on the card. Its heavy weight is kind of reassuring, in a macho sort of way. The second notable feature is the lack of noise exhibited by the cooling apparatus. The aluminium block, on both sides, does its job of transferring the GPU's heat away from the core, and the LED-laden fan whisks it away through the elastic tunnel. We don't see any reason why this card cannot be specified into a number of impressive OEM machines.

The card arrived in a non-retail state for review purposes. ABIT assure us that a reasonable bundle will be provided for purchases in the retail channel. ABIT's bundle tend to be just above average. Perhaps a small area of concern is the card's inability to accept video-in signals, but ABIT may counter this suggestion with the obvious fact that this is a pure gaming card. Another touchy point could be the PCI slot that this card is bound to occupy. We've seen other FX 5900s use a single AGP slot without compromising the cooling.

However, the FX 5900 is quickly establishing itself as a reasonable opponent to the twin ATi cards that have held the performance and comparative value crown for so long. ABIT have just added to the GPU's attractiveness. A well-executed FX 5900 from the people that brought you the OTES system. Recommended.

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