Bundle, accessories and warranty
Is Asus trying to say its EAX1650XT is the Golf GTi of graphics - fast enough, but affordable for the everyday boy racer? Perhaps we should read something into the fact that the Golf is no longer the hot hatch of choice, and is much more likely to be seen out doing the weekly shopping.
If you're planning a quiet evening in and don't have a copy of War and Peace to hand, there's always the back of Asus's box. It could take you just as long to get through all that text.
Now the box art becomes clear, as inside you will find a copy of GTI Racing as the bundled game title. You also get a nice faux leather wallet to keep it plus the driver and manual CDs in - or you could pass it on to a friend for Christmas.
At least Asus bundles the requisite PCI Express power adapter, considering the fact you must connect this to use the card. The usual twin DVI-VGA dongles are supplied, plus a component analog video breakout cable.
Warranty considerations
Asus backs its graphics cards with a 3-year warranty that starts on the date of purchase, as shown on the customer's sales invoice. The warranty is for the card and not restricted to the individual initially purchasing it, so is transferable to a new owner. As long as the original invoice is kept and handed on to subsequent buyers during the 3-year period the remainder of the warranty is valid.Asus quotes a maximum turnaround time of 14 working days to fix a faulty unit, and guarantees to replace any defective hardware with a part that is at least equal to, if not better than, the original spec. Warranty claims are handled by ASUS UK and all returned goods are sent back to a UK address, rather than to a central HQ. However, 14 working days is nearly three weeks. We reckon that's too long to be without your graphics card.
