Web Site: www.ati.com
Price: $399
Back in July, we were one of the first on-line publications to deliver you an in-depth look at ATI's 64MB DDR RADEON board. We called it a preview because the card was not quite production quality, the drivers were not final code, and the tests were conducted on PC's deep within ATI's beautiful Toronto-based headquarters. Since that time, truckloads of RADEON boards have shipped and the minor issues we encountered with the initial driver release have been addressed. We have finally obtained our own retail version of the 64MB card, complete with video-in/out (VIVO) compliments of the Rage Theater companion chip.
To date, ATI has announced design wins with five different computer manufacturers based on variants of the 32MB DDR card, including the All In Wonder. Since OEM sales have historically been ATI's primary focus, it is interesting that the 64MB variant has yet to catch on in the performance market. Are system builders making a major oversight, or is the price to performance ratio for the 64MB DDR RADEON not as attractive as competing products? We have to admit that with a price tag of $399 the RADEON is an expensive card, but it should also be noted that it can be found online for around $320. Of course, maybe they just haven't seen how GOOD the box looks on the hood of a convertible.