VGA Card Buyer's Guide 07/2003

ASUS V9950

The ASUS V9950 is based on NVIDIA's GeForceFX 5900, a.k.a. NV35. The card ships with 128 MB DDR RAM (128 bit) from Hynix in FBGA format (Hynix 22: designed for 450 MHz (900 MHz DDR)). The clock speed complies with NVIDIA's reference specifications (400/ 850), although you can modify it while in operation with SmartDoctor, a software tool ASUS includes with the card.

The card is cooled with a large copper heat sink with fine ribs and two quiet fans. The heat sink cools both the NV35 GPU and the RAM modules.

The TV-out functions are processed by the TV encoder built into the 3D chip. You connect the cable directly to the card (S-VHS). The only way to connect composite devices is by using the two-meter-long S-VHS -> composite cable that ships with the card. Considering how short the cable is, it would have been better to include a standard S-VHS-> composite adapter. A Philips SAA7108AE video encoder chip supports both video-in and video-out. There is also a built-in Silicon Image Panel Link Transmitter chip (Sil166C) that permits DVI display with resolutions as high as UXGA (1600x1200).