Chaintech Geforce FX 5900XT SA5900X Review
 

Chaintech has a very competitively priced video card in its products range which offers a great price/performance ratio. Just how great? We ran it through our benchmark mill so we could let you know!

One step closer for me to Explore the game world with a so called $170 "budget" card.

Well, newegg does not carry it yet. Just saved $170 for another day.;)

it's a budget when compared to the FX5950 Ultra or the upcoming videocards which will cost you double, but won't always give you double the performance, the new generation of cards really shines in the FSAA/AF tests I've seen!

Here one for $169
http://store.yahoo.com/buyxg/vc125127.html

Got the sucker in today.:)

Play time.:D

465/765 GPU Core temps idle 39C room temp 24C; load temp 52C after 3 runs 3DMark03 with score of 6168; 3DMark01 SE 16927.

3000 points less then a Ti4600 :D

http://service.futuremark.com/compare?2k1=7972468

with a close to 3ghz A64... 3DMark01 is all about CPU&SYS, less about GPU...

good clocks there on the FX Lazyman; but do bench a bit with different clockspeed, as sometimes higher != better

Still playing with it; the CHEAP man gets a "new" toy.:)

Toying with the temps now; with/without CV (those 2x40mm) 56C without.

Have not updated the latest driver yet.

Without CV. both Core and Memory speeds reset themself. Have you seen this?

http://www.cluboverclocker.com/guides/5900_Flash_Mod/

This explains my encounter with resetting OC.

my tests

if you flash it with the correct bios you can bypass the protection :)

3DMark2001
461/770: 16993

3DMark03
same: 6303

Repeated scores are very close to each other with panel close; GPU Core idle 38C; but it's hard to read the stress temp it may have dropped a couple degrees when I get to it after the runs. It never went over 54C.

I guess it is good enough. Keep my warranty instead of flashing.:)

you can flash back:)

True that I can flash back; wondering what is the highest attainable for this card.:)

http://forums.devhardware.com/archive/t-25300

Tried it, but it wouldn't save the oldbios ....CRC error. Found the above. Guess I'm not taking the chance. The card is running fantistic as it stands now.:)

I was talking about flashing the card to another FX5900XT bios which does not speed throttle the gpu :)

Loaded up the latest driver which sucks in OCing; 300 points lower 3DMark03. Couldn't get over 460/750. Back using the older driver.

Couldn't find other FX5900XT bios that would do the "thing". Right now it is not temp as it never goes over 55C; got to be the limiter of memory and core in the Bios.

no other FX5900XT bios' ? got to be kidding:

http://www.mvktech.net/index.php?opt...er&filecatid=4

:)

Tried Albatron and BFG no luck. Won't do it.

Anyway, this card kicks *** for the money. I have not experienced throttling back after two days of fussing around with 461/770 setting with 3DMark03 63XX and 3DMark01 SE 169XX. With this kind of scores, it's well into Ultra and 9800XT territory.

Played some Doom3 (finally), COD, CS with high to Xhigh settings. Excellent card for the price like Jmke said in the review.:)

Now what should I get next that is similar in performance/value ratio.

Flashed the Chaintech to 5950Ultra.;)

any artifacts ingame?

Trying to find the "right" spots; 475/800 no artifacts.

Locking up ..... :shrug:

Meaning no improvement; just for show and no go.:D

What is causing "3DMark display window lost focus"?
Never seen this before until I flashed the BIOS.

Reversed back to original.:D
No gain with Ultra bios. can't say I haven't tried.;)

HELP!!!
Reloaded with original BIOS; the Lost focus error repeats, only with 3DMark03. I could run 3DMark01SE, 3DMark05 and games (Doom3) for hours without prolbem.

Only happens with 3DMark03, any suggestions?:D

what is lost focus error?

3DMark03 stops running bench marking and prompt the error message -

are you running F@H ?

http://www.short-media.com/forum/showthread.php?t=17274


more solutions http://www.google.com/search?sourcei...us%22+3DMark03


it doesn't seem to be a hardware issue though

Yep, that's the problem. Strange, and it's random.

No F@H.

reinstall vidcard drivers, reinstall 3DMark03

be sure to use a detonator destroyer to remove all traces of the current driver

Did all you suggested ..... two loops 3DMark03 without the error.:ws:
This is done with BGF bios. Now back to ocing and see what happens.:)

flashing the BIOS can screw up the driver install, that's what I read in this thread very large thread: http://www.madshrimps.be/forums/show...&threadid=3785

With the 2.8ns memory I didn't think it would go any farther. The BGF FX5900XT BIOS has higher Core and Mem setting at default giving me 480/780 without backing off after bench marking.

Also, the Leadtek FX5950 works also but I've to back down to 800 mem which doesn't give any higher score.

When all is said and done using BGF BIOS
480 core / 785 memory
Doom3 timedemo demo1
SA5900XT 1024*768 at high 43.5 FPS

;) using BFg bios also. max clock 480/777. the ram cannot 780. thx for the tips guys.

GPU temp went up close to 90°C ......
Fan broke in half at the center of the fan hub.

Super Glue came to the rescue....

Nice to have an external temp probe attached SF-609 :)

I cannot ask for more in terms of customer service and support - within 24 hours reply :)