Sapphire Gets Hot by Going Cool

Accessories, Warranty And Price

Accessories

The card comes in a rather large box, and the cooler and the graphics card are packed in a special plastic shell to protect them during shipment. The software and cables are in a compartment at the bottom of the box; inside you will find several pieces of software and an assortment of cables and adapters, as well as the product manual in several languages.

In our sample package there was a copy of Cyberlink's PowerDVD 6 for the playback of DVDs and other media, and a copy of Cyberlink's Power Director 4, which enables the user to edit pictures and video. Another piece of software that was not included in our box but will be in the retail package is Sapphire's TRIXX utility. This program allows users to tweak their graphics cards in ways not possible via ATI's Catalyst Control Center.

Also included in our sample was a DVD with Sapphire Select. This application gives the user a choice of the applications and games they wish to have, instead of just a "fixed" bundle. The current version of the software includes titles such as Tony Hawk Underground, Brothers in Arms, and Prince of Persia 2 - Toxic customers can unlock two software titles for free. There are more titles to select from, and Sapphire Select gives users the option to use trial versions of the games and then purchase them if they so choose. Please read our initial launch article on Sapphire Select for more information.

Our sample was provided with an assortment of cables and adapters. First, there were two DVI-A (digital and analog) to Sub-D VGA adapters. There was also a 4-pin to 6-pin adapter to power the graphics card, just in case the user's power supply lacked a 6-pin connector. Also included is a Y/Pb/Pr output connector for HDTV, as well as a composite to composite (male to male) extension; this will let you hook up your computer to other consumer electronic devices such as VCRs and TVs. Sapphire also provided an S-Video out cable for use with devices that call for S-Video. Finally, there is a VIVO cable to get video in and out of your computer, so the user can really make good use of the provided Cyberlink software.