PCWizKid loves overclocking PC Hardware such as CPU's , GPU's and Memory for the most performance in a gaming rig. MSI has released a black edition of the Nividia GTX260 which is pre-overclocked with an added bonus for a "Lighting" fast performing package.
This card from MSI is based on the existing GeForce GTX 260 216-core. MSI says the N260 Lightning uses only high-end 'military grade' components, which includes ultra long lifespan solid state capacitors and are claimed to last 20% longer. You can tell by just looking at the card up close that this is heavy duty card is not just any mainstream video card. High grade parts are visible and durability of Hi-C Capacitors are which can tolerate 20% higher temperatures are terrific for those looking to kick it up a notch and overclock aswell. MSI has also proven that they have paid attention to detail and providing high performance by the implementation of a 10-phase PWM, for better power delivery. In addition to all this, the video card comes equipped with a custom cooler called the Twin Frozr, a twin-fan cooler featuring five heat pipes. All this means that the card can overclock to a greater extent safely and with greater stability.
Test System
PCWizKid's Test system uses the latest AMD Dragon Update Configurations, however today we will use the nVidia GTX260 video card instead and compare it in our benchmarks to the Sapphire ATI Radeon HD4870 Toxic Edition. - AMD AM3 Athlon II X2 250 @3Ghz to 3.37Ghz overclocked - 4GB Corsair DDR3 1600 (at 8-8-8-24 and 1.7volts timings) - MSI GTX260 Lightning vs Sapphire ATI Radeon HD4870 Toxic Ed - Seagate EIDE HDD 500GB - In Win Commander 1200 Watt Power Supply - Lian Li PC-7FW Case - SilverStone NT06 CPU Cooler - Windows 7 Ultimate RC - Ambient room temperature 21C or 70F
Video Review
Specifications
Graphics Engine
GeForce GTX 260
Bus Standard
PCI Express x16 2.0
Memory Type
GDDR3
Memory Size(MB)
1792
Memory Interface
448bits
Core Clock Speed(MHz)
680(* Use the game mode of Airforce Panel to run the overclocking settings, the default clock of black edition is 655/2100MHz.)
Memory Clock Speed(MHz)
2100
Memory Bandwidth(GB/sec)
111.9
Texture Fill Rate(billion/sec)
36.9
DVI Output
1
D-SUB Output
1
TV-Output
N/A
HDMI-Output
1
VIVO(Video-in/out)
N/A
HDTV Support
N/A
HDCP Support
Y
HDMI Support
Y
Dual-link DVI
Y
Display Ouput(Max Resolution)
2560x1600
RAMDACs
400
DirectX Version Support
10.0
OpenGL Version Support
2.1
CrossFire Support
N/A
SLI Support
Y
3-way SLI
Y
HyperMemory Tech.
N/A
TurboCache tech.
N/A
GPU Features
‧2nd Generation NVIDIA® Unified Architecture ‧PhysX™ Ready ‧3-way NVIDIA® SLI™ Technology ‧Microsoft® DirectX 10 Support ‧NVIDIA® CUDA™ Technologyv ‧PCI Express 2.0 Support ‧GigaThread™ Technology ‧NVIDIA® Lumenex™ Engine ‧16x Anti-aliasing Technology ‧128-bit floating point High Dynamic-Range (HDR) Lighting ‧OpenGL® 2.1 Optimization and Support ‧Dual-link DVI Support ‧NVIDIA® PureVideo™ HD Technology ‧Discrete, Programmable Video Processor ‧Dual-stream Hardware Acceleration ‧Dynamic Contrast Enhancement & Color Stretch ‧HDCP Capable ‧Integrated SD and HD TV Output
Conclusion - Quality , Premium and Performance - PCWizKid Recommended
Pros - Quality parts means a longer lasting video card with reliability and stability - Flexiility for overclocking and tweaking the video cards capabilities is terrific - Dual Twin Fan and 5 heatpipes provide the extra cooling beyond stock cooling - Attractive packaging and complete bundle of neccessary adapters and cables
Room for improvement - Would like to see a game included in a premium bundle like this - Airforce panel touch sensitivity is not that easy to touch and control sometimes
The maxed out amount of GDDR3 memory to 1792MB, great overclocking capabilities and its cool factor with the Twin Frozr and Airforce panel make this a top quality video card package. MSI has aimed this product to the enthusiast and conusur of GPU's realizing that by having quality components it stands out above other GTX260's and as seen in the video review takes on the ATI Radeon HD4870 which is also overclocked. The fun factor in tweaking the card to achieve maximum performance without worring about its parts overheating makes this the right choice for any beginner or hardcore overclocker. PCWizKid was pleased with the results and although perfers actual buttons instead of the touch interface for the panel it did prove to work and would attract not only the hardcore gamer and overclocker but beginners looking to easily also overclock.
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