Leadtek WinFast PX7800GTX TDH MyVIVO Grange-over-Sands

Probably the most exciting area of the PC market, and the one that has prompted the most development in speed and technology, is games. When a new graphics card is launched, it's an exciting prospect, and the Leadtek PX7800GTX is no exception to this rule.

The Leadtek is based around Nvidia's flagship GeForce 7800 GTX GPU, which normally operates at 430MHz with the memory running at 600MHz (1.2GHz effective). As the Leadtek works flawlessly at these higher settings, and the BIOS is fully supported by Leadtek, we have to wonder why it isn't installed as standard.

The GeForce 7800 GTX GPU is essentially an evolution of the GeForce 6800 Ultra. It has 24 pixel pipelines, but only 16 ROPs, meaning it can only output 16 pixels per clock, the same as the 6800 Ultra. However, the extra processing power of 7800 GTX GPU means it has much more muscle. It's also less power-hungry, so it doesn't require such a hefty power supply. One benefit to this is that the 7800 GTX has a smaller, quieter cooler than the 6800 Ultra, although it's still not exactly quiet. The Leadtek is a single-slot card, so it should fit in most SFF PCs too.

The card's performance is exceptional, and all of the games we tested were playable at all of the configurations we tried. In fact, the CPU proved to be a bottleneck, with games such as Half-Life 2 zooming along at 80fps, regardless of the settings. Considering that our test rig has an Athlon 64 FX-55 overclocked to 2.8GHz inside it, that's no mean feat.

Unfortunately, the fact that most games are CPU-limited means that the 7800 GTX is rarely used to its fullest potential. And when you also consider that most people will have a display capable of only 1,280 x 1,024, this limits the card's capabilities even more. To get the most out of this card, you'll need a monitor that's capable of 1,600 x 1,200.

However, the GeForce 7800 GTX isn't designed for running today's games and it's with advanced features, such as HDR (High Dynamic Range) lighting, that it really shines. With the HDR patch for Far Cry, there's a huge performance difference between the 7800 GTX and 6800 Ultra, and with more HDR and Shader Model 3 (SM 3) games on the way, cards such as the Leadtek will soon be able to show off their skills.

Despite the Leadtek's already blistering performance, in true CPC style, we overclocked it anyway. Using Coolbits, we raised the GPU from 450MHz to 499MHz, and the RAM from 625MHz (1.25GHz effective) to 710MHz (1.42GHz effective). In Far Cry at 1,600 x 1,200 with 4x AA and 8x AF, this boosted the frame rate by 10 per cent.

The bundled copy of Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory is an excellent game with lots of SM 3 effects, including HDR, to give the 7800 GTX a workout. Also included is the far less exciting Prince of Persia: Warrior Within. As with all GeForce 7800 GTX cards, the Leadtek also has ViVo.

CONCLUSION

The Leadtek is one of the fastest 3D cards on the market and, in an SLI configuration, could be the fastest graphics setup in the world. At £363.66, it isn't cheap, but it's better value than other GeForce 7800 GTX cards we've tested. However, the Leadtek also costs around £140 more than a 6800 GT, which still performs superbly in current games. Currently, the 7800 GTX is overkill, but when new HDR and SM 3 games arrive, it will make much more sense.

Author: Andrew Spode Miller

Leadtek WinFast PX7800GTX TDH MyVIVO