Galaxy Geforce 8800 GT HDMI w/ Xtreme Tuner

Revison 2:  Galaxy Geforce 8800 GT (HDMI version)

Company: Galaxy
Price: 249 USD/EUR
Info: galaxytech.com

** Please read ** Our initial review of this product was taken offline as we received an early version of the product. This early version had a "beta" version of the cooler on it that made a truck-load of noise, negatively effecting the conclusion. Galaxy claimed to have a new cooler ready for the final product and asked if we could revise the review based on the new and final cooler. And therefore we have updated this initial article to Version 2; based on new facts with the final cooling solution implemented. And it sure is a lot better. Not only that, the new models now have Dual BIOS and Xtreme tuner software.

Though 98% of the article is similar to the first review as the clocks speeds/PCB and everything besides the cooler remained at exactly the same specifications. Overclocking results, everything is the same. The biggest changes can be found in temperature monitoring, heat build-up, photo-shoot and obviously the conclusion.

Let's continue .. with version 2 and final release of this product.

In a Galaxy far far away a young Jedi ...  Oh have stop making that pun. Hey everyone, today a new review from the guys and gals at Galaxy technology. Now you all know it ... the GeForce 8800 GT 512Mb is a trendy and hip card. Even if the card is 100% reference it still rocks due to it's price versus performance ratio.

Ever since the GeForce 8800 GT/GTS series have been released everyone was flabbergasted by two things, precisely... the vast amount of bang for bucks (this card really rocks for the money you pay for it), and more unfortunate... the heat the card creates. It's pretty safe to say that the 8800 GT & GTS with reference coolers run rather hot, very hot as we've seen temps over 90 degrees C when the GPU is fully utilized. The cards can handle it though, so don't be worried about it. It however is not sexy ... see sexy is when a card will diverts from traditional cooling and utilize a more unconventional cooling method.

So what then if a company decides to pimp a graphics card ? As that's what Galaxy did. They, to date, made the best looking and innovative GeForce 8800 GT to date, period. Well not period, I mean I do have to at the very least tell you the difference over the reference model. How about a Blue PCB, custom cooler, black connector panel, HDMI output, two 6-pin power connector for optimal multi-phase power connectivity... really a Guru's wet dream (oh come on admit it!).

It doesn't stop there though as this is supposed to be a tweakers card. For the fun factor the core clocks are set at default, but I can already tell you that we easily reached a 700 Mhz core frequency and the memory .. ugh that memory .. at 2400 MHz overclocked.

Surely that doesn't suck as performance is then close to the 768 MB GeForce 8800 GTX. Are your juices flowing yet ? Good, go to the next page please.