It's hard to come to a clear conclusion here, since there is no single "right" card for everyone. Aside from the price and the 3D performance, other factors, such as a card's software bundle or hardware features, often play a role in the buying decision. What's clear, however, is the difference between NVIDIA and ATi cards when it comes to the feature set. Where ATi-based cards tend to resemble each other both in looks and in features, this is not the case with NVIDIA-based cards. Here, at least the big manufacturers are putting a lot of effort into setting their products apart from their competitors' in a highly competitive market.

We chose one card from each of the price categories that we found especially worthy of recommendation and awarded it our Editor's Choice. Our main criterion in doing so were obviously the cards' 3D performance and feature set.

Mainstream Segment 07/2003: MSI FX5600-VTDR128

Even though there are no surprises when it comes to 3D performance, the MSI FX5600-VTDR128 wins an Editor's Choice award in the mainstream segment , thanks to the good multimedia capabilities and its very quiet fan. The MultiMedia Center Deluxe II software and the included remote control also make it possible to use a multimedia PC in the living room.