CONTENTS

1. Introduction
2. Videocards' features
3. Testbed configurations, test tools
4. Test results: Serious Sam: The Second Encounter
5. Test results: Return To Castle Wolfenstein
6. Test results: Code Creatures DEMO
7. Test results: Unreal Tournament 2003
8. Test results: Unreal II: The Awakening
9. Test results: RightMark 3D
10. Test results: TRAOD
11. Test results: FarCry
12. Test results: Call Of Duty
13. Test results: HALO: Combat Evolved
14. Test results: Half-Life2(beta)
15. Test results: Splinter Cell
16. Test results: Painkiller
17. Conclusions

Call of Duty, ixbt04

Total:

• Leadtek GeForce 6800 Ultra vs. ATI RADEON X800 XT: a victory
• Leadtek GeForce 6800 vs. ATI RADEON 9800 XT: the same
• Leadtek GeForce 6800 vs. NVIDIA GeForce FX 5950 Ultra: the same.

HALO: Combat Evolved

Total: Leadtek products win everywhere.

Half-Life2 (beta): ixbt07 demo

Mode with AA: a magnificent victory of 6800 and a slight advantage of 6800 Ultra.

The heaviest mode (AA and anisotropy): 6800's victory is more modest, 6800 Ultra is equal to its rival.

Total:

• Leadtek GeForce 6800 Ultra vs. ATI RADEON X800 XT: an approximate parity
• Leadtek GeForce 6800 vs. ATI RADEON 9800 XT: a victory
• Leadtek GeForce 6800 vs. NVIDIA GeForce FX 5950 Ultra: a victory.

Splinter Cell

Total: GeForce 6800/6800 Ultra wins everywhere, but Ultra shows much lower results.

Painkiller

The lightest mode (no AA or anisotropy): walkovers for NVIDIA products, a huge advantage of 6800 over its predecessor.

The heaviest mode (AA and anisotropy): 6800 scores similarly well, while the victory of 6800 Ultra has turned into a loss.

Total:

• Leadtek GeForce 6800 Ultra vs. ATI RADEON X800 XT: a loss
• Leadtek GeForce 6800 vs. ATI RADEON 9800 XT: a victory
• Leadtek GeForce 6800 vs. NVIDIA GeForce FX 5950 Ultra: a victory

Conclusions

Well, here's what we can say about performance leaving quality aside? (By the way, optimisations were on in NVIDIA products, as they are enabled by default in ATI ones and there's no way to disable them in the settings panel).

We will begin with Leadtek WinFast A400 Ultra TDH.

There are evidently no fundamental changes in the relation of forces between GeForce 6800 Ultra and RADEON X800 XT. The former's performance has increased in some places, and now it's difficult to say which of them is the leader. Surely, actual games are harder for NVIDIA, but we shouldn't forget that the company has the habit not to lay its cards on the table till a certain moment, so it definitely must have some reserves.

Second, new technologies shouldn't be forgotten either. Both companies have shown them, so it's only time that can tell which one will win. And we're also waiting for patch 1.2 for FarCry, which is rumoured to demonstrate what shaders 3.0 are.

Third, prices are an important factor as well, and this aspect is very uncertain for the moment.

Now for Leadtek WinFast A400 TDH.

Evidently, if it costs about USD 300 (the price in US stores is USD 320-360 late in June), it will oust GeForce FX 5950 Ultra for good.

Besides, ATI has no new card within USD 300, while RADEON 9800 XT is much more expensive even now. There are some RADEON 9800 PRO 256MB that are sold at about USD 280-290, but the appearance of 6800 in bulk sale will be the death of them too.

Thus, the low-end 6800 line looks perfect today, while the high-end one is approximately equal to its rival. Much will depend on the prices.

As for the cards themselves, they are high-quality, stable, and there are no claims about them.

Leadtek WinFast A400 Ultra TDH is awarded with "Excellent Package" (June).

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