XFX GeForce 8800 GT (PCI-e, 512MB)

Intro: This XFX GeForce 8800 GT is a 512 MB, mainstream 3D card.Compared to other mainstream 3D display cards on the market, it is relatively expensive at around $235.

Noteworthy Features: Is built around a nVidia GeForce 8800 GT chipset, which is more advanced than some similarly priced display cards.By way of comparison, the average cost of a product with this advanced a chipset is $320.Also, this graphics card has a 1.8 GHz memory clock speed.This is faster than the average graphics card on the market today, but is to be expected for a graphics card of this price.

Weaker Features: None noted, given available product data.

Suitability: Suited for all productivity tasks, as well as for the casual 3D gamer.This card supports DirectX 10 technology, used in Microsoft's Windows Vista OS, and is the new technology for the upcoming generation of high-performance games.

Value: In general, this graphics card's features are as expected for this price.Also, if you were to judge strictly by the card's chipset you could expect to pay about 30% more for a similarly capable card.However, mainstream 3D cards having similar features and memory have an average cost of around $190.

Suggestions: (1) Since this card is DVI-capable, you might want a DVI-enabled monitor or a flat-panel display to connect with it -- this will pass the digital video signal directly without converting it to analog, making for better performance.(2) For Editor's Reviews of the latest graphics cards, visit the graphics and sound section of CNET's website.

GPU Performance: This card is compatible with the new rendering features of DirectX 10, which is featured in the Windows Vista operating system.

Vista Capability: This is a modern graphics card capable of running all the new features in Windows Vista, including the upcoming DirectX 10.