Introduction
ASUS Extreme AX800XT/2DT PCI Express Graphics CardATI has been slow in getting its X800 XT AGP cards out to partners and the retail market. Slow is perhaps being kind. Reviewers first passed judgement on the X800 XT Platinum Edition over five months ago and we're still waiting for retail to become widely available. That, frankly, is simply not on. Enthusiasts are given a taste of gaming nirvana and then subjected to an interminable wait.
ATI is having another bash at releasing an R420 variant. This time the fun is packaged in PCI Express (PCIe) format, perfect for that high-performance PCIe PC you're thinking of building. ATI's adopted a native approach to PCIe design that doesn't rely on bridging a conventional AGP interface. As you'll no doubt know, PCIe offers a sleeker and faster conduit to the rest of the system, perfect for high-definition video and upcoming games that require ultra-fast data transfer.
ASUS is one of the first manufacturers to get its hands on the R423 core, which is driven through PCIe and resembles an X800 XT AGP card in performance and architectural setup. Sounds like an impressive package on paper. Let's find out as we delve into ASUS' Extreme ASUS Extreme AX800XT/2DT PCI Express graphics card.
