VisionTek releases 9600/9800 XT Videocards
 

Alcatraz, CA., September 30, 2003 - - VisionTek, a division of Hartford Computer Group and a leading supplier of advanced PC graphics cards and memory solutions, today announced two new products, which will be bundled with Half-Life® 2, as part of ATI’s new product launch from The Rock on Alcatraz Island. VisionTek’s two new products are the XTASY 9800 XT 256MB, a high-end 3D graphics accelerator built utilizing ATI’s RADEON™ 9800 XT VPU, and the XTASY 9600 XT 128MB, a powerful mid-range 3D graphics accelerator built around the ATI RADEON 9600 XT VPU.

VisionTek is ATI’s Premium Retail Partner for North America and will be among the first of ATI’s add-in board partners to deliver the new products. “The PC platform is the cutting edge of technology for the gaming industry, and the XTASY 9800 XT just pushed the bar higher for everyone else.” remarked Jeff Hoeft, graphics product manager for VisionTek. ”Hard core gamers want the best visual experience and the fastest performance, both of which reach new heights in the XTASY 9800 XT.”

Both products are designed to deliver unparalleled performance in today’s graphically demanding and shader-intensive DirectX® 9 games. In recently released benchmarks that reflect the visual processing demands of the new generation of games, ATI processors pulled away from the competition by a wide margin.

“We are excited to see the power of our new processors paired with a brand that is so well known and is so broadly available to consumers," commented Rick Bergman, senior vice president, marketing and general manager, desktop, ATI Technologies, Inc. “Partnering with companies such as VisionTek helps us achieve our goal of delivering the ultimate visual experience.”


The XTASY 9800 XT features ATI’s RADEON 9800 XT VPU, a 256-bit memory interface with 256MB of high speed DDR memory, full Microsoft DirectX® 9 support and an 8-pixel pipeline. The card has a core clock speed of 412MHz and an effective memory clock of 730MHz. In addition, purchasers of the XTASY 9800 XT will receive a free copy of Half-Life ® 2, when the game ships. It has a suggested retail price of $499.

The XTASY 9600 XT features ATI’s RADEON 9600 XT VPU, a 256-bit memory interface with 128MB of high speed DDR memory, full Microsoft DirectX® 9 support and an 4-pixel pipeline. The card has a core clock speed of 500MHz and an effective memory clock of 600MHz. In addition, purchasers of the XTASY 9600 XT will receive a free copy of Half-Life ® 2, when the game ships. It has a suggested retail price of $199.

About VisionTek:
VisionTek is a division of Hartford Computer Group Inc. Founded in 1978, Hartford has evolved into an organization specializing in technology services, IT asset management, and IT equipment services. Hartford Computer Group acquired the VisionTek and XTASY brands in December 2002 and is committed to bringing the most innovative and best performing products to PC enthusiasts.

About ATI Technologies:
ATI Technologies Inc. is a world leader in the design and manufacture of innovative 3D graphics and digital media silicon solutions. An industry pioneer since 1985, ATI is the world's foremost visual processor unit (VPU) provider and is dedicated to deliver leading-edge performance solutions for the full range of PC and Mac desktop and notebook platforms, workstation, set-top and digital television, game console and handheld markets. With 2001 revenues in excess of US $1 billion, ATI has more than 1,900 employees in the Americas, Europe and Asia. ATI common shares trade on NASDAQ (ATYT) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (ATY).