Sparkle Calibre P880 LV
Once again, we have a Calibre card from Sparkle featuring a TEC combined with a heatsink and two fans rather than NVIDIA's stock HSF reference design. We love to see Sparkle taking risks with their cooling solution, as this is one of the best ways graphics card makers can differentiate themselves. Whether those risks pay off is a different matter, of course.
This card isn't the highest clocked card in the bunch, which we do lament. We would hope that the lower temperatures provided by the MACS Technology cooler would allow higher clock speeds than other vendor. As we will see in our analysis, this is the coolest card of the bunch, but we really think that end users would benefit more from a cooling solution that lowers temperature more dramatically (though remaining above the point where condensation would be a worry).
This card comes with Painkiller, which isn't really a significantly new or popular game. We would like to see something more recent or perhaps a gem that people may have overlooked, but bundles are really tough to do right though. Price is a bit tough to nail down, but we are seeing indications that the card may be priced at the $350-$400 price range. We would certainly like to see the card hit the streets at the lower end of that range.
Once again, we have a Calibre card from Sparkle featuring a TEC combined with a heatsink and two fans rather than NVIDIA's stock HSF reference design. We love to see Sparkle taking risks with their cooling solution, as this is one of the best ways graphics card makers can differentiate themselves. Whether those risks pay off is a different matter, of course.
This card isn't the highest clocked card in the bunch, which we do lament. We would hope that the lower temperatures provided by the MACS Technology cooler would allow higher clock speeds than other vendor. As we will see in our analysis, this is the coolest card of the bunch, but we really think that end users would benefit more from a cooling solution that lowers temperature more dramatically (though remaining above the point where condensation would be a worry).
This card comes with Painkiller, which isn't really a significantly new or popular game. We would like to see something more recent or perhaps a gem that people may have overlooked, but bundles are really tough to do right though. Price is a bit tough to nail down, but we are seeing indications that the card may be priced at the $350-$400 price range. We would certainly like to see the card hit the streets at the lower end of that range.
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bob4432 - Wednesday, March 28, 2007 - link
obviously they are all using nvidia's reference design for the pcb and most for the cooling setup. now when a company like evga orders their multi-thousand gpu order, do they spec out what exact ram chips they want vs msi, asus or xfx? to me the cards look identical to even the purple on the solid caps we can see coming out the back. is this for the memory ics too?would i be correct in saying that you are basically picking a brand based strictly on customer service and warranty as the cards are all pretty close in performance since they are just using the nvidia design and are not designing the cards in house?
KCjoker - Tuesday, March 27, 2007 - link
I just bought a EVGA 8800GTS 320mb that came at the stock 500/1600 speeds for $260USD. I would've got the 640mb version but since I only game at 1280X1024 I didn't see the need. This card rips through games at stock but I have OC'd(600/1900) it anyway since EVGA's Lifetime warranty covers it so long as you don't physically damage the card. If you're looking for a great mid range card this is it.yyrkoon - Tuesday, March 27, 2007 - link
I dont know if I would consider ANY 8 series cards right_now "mid-range". Mid-range, in my head, that would be a 7 series card, with 6 series cards being botttom feeders.
bigpow - Tuesday, March 27, 2007 - link
do what I did, skip all the PC upgrades and just buy an Xbox 360mkruer - Tuesday, March 27, 2007 - link
I assume that the power is for the whole system. I did not read anything explicitly stating this.SleepyItes - Tuesday, March 27, 2007 - link
On the XFX page, "The XFX GeForce 8800 GTS 320MB Extreme is bundled with Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter just like the MSI card."Should be "...just like the Asus card."
DerekWilson - Tuesday, March 27, 2007 - link
thanksSpacecomber - Tuesday, March 27, 2007 - link
Do stock 8800 GTS cards readily overclock to the same range of speeds that these factory overclocked cards offer? Do these factory overclocked cards have the potential for more overclocking than what you can accomplish with the standard clock speed cards? In particular, didn't you guys want to know whether the Sparkle cooler offers the potential for even more overclocking, beyond what it is set to at the factory?Lonyo - Tuesday, March 27, 2007 - link
Is there any chance of getting a case mounted temp sensor for these reviews?It seems to me that you would have to make a tradeoff with the Sparkle. Sure, you get lower GPU temps, but that heat and the heat from the TEC has to go somewhere, and that somewhere is going to be "somewhere else inside the case", since it doesn't appear to have any kind of exhausting fan setup.
metalfan49 - Tuesday, March 27, 2007 - link
I was thinking about this too. Especially as summer is coming and I won't have the weather to help keep my stuff cool.