ASUS V6600 Deluxe SDR GeForce

ASUS has always produced quality products and the V6600 Deluxe is no exception. Unlike the reference based SDR boards that we have seen, the Deluxe's proprietary design results in a card that is exceptional in many ways. S-Video, composite and VR features all make this card a very strong buy, but they also effect the price. The Deluxe runs about $50 more than its Pure brother. Is the increase in price worth the additional features?

First is the S-Video out and composite out features of the card, driven by the Chrontel 7005 chip. The Chrontel chip, when paired to the ASUS V6600 Deluxe, provides a very nice addition to the card. Not only can you play your favorite games on that new 32" television you got for your birthday, but you can also display your computer display to a verity of different output devices via the composite and S-Video connectors and included cables.

The next feature that sets the Deluxe apart from the competition is the S-Video in feature, driven by the Philips SAA7113A video input processor. While we always find video in features of a card to be a nice addition, the true picture quality of the input varies from card to card. While the input from the V6600 Deluxe is not as clear as that from the Matrox G400 TV, it does provide good midrange video input performance. You could use the video input connector to do anything from burning your home videos to a CD to recording and sending an online video.

The final hardware feature that sets the V6600 Deluxe apart from other GeForce based cards is its included VR features. These glasses provide a unique gaming experience that can not be had any other way, but unique is not always better. Once the novelty attraction of the VR glasses wear off, the not so stylish glasses will most likely find their way into a desk drawer to prevent others from knowing that you have them. The VR effect provides more of a first time excitement than a long term thrill.

As far as software goes, the drives included with the V6600 Deluxe are very good for the average user. While they lack some of the advanced features found in the ELSA driver set, the included features are easy to use and navigate. Also included in the package is ASUS's software driven DVD decoder, a nice piece of software that allows you to watch DVD movies right on your desktop. This software is great for those who have a computer DVD player and want to watch a movie on their television. By simply hooking up the S-Video cables and pressing play, the DVD video can now be watched on a full size screen as opposed to the computer monitor. The boxed package also includes 2 full feature games (Darkan and Rollcage) and additional game demos, all of which are mostly useless to the avid gamer. In addition to all the 3D functions, the V6600 Deluxe provides clear and crisp 2D images at resolutions as high as 1600x1200.

When all is considered, ASUS has created a powerhouse of a card with the V6600 Deluxe. Is the increase in price worth the increase in performance and features? You bet! First, the card performs on par than any other GeForce card we have seen. In addition, the overclocked speeds of 158/208 MHz leave even the most hard-core gamer satisfied. With good DDR GeForce based cards out there now running about the same price as the $270 V6600 Deluxe, why would one opt for this card? The answer is simple: anyone who wants extreme speed and would also like video options. This card makes most sense for someone who just got a new video camcorder or other S-Video based device and would like to toy with video editing while still having a very strong gaming card. Video features aside, the ASUS V6600 Deluxe, with its highly overclockable memory and clock speeds, obtains the status of SDR GeForce card to beat: a challenge for both the consumers and the manufacturers.