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ABIT and VisionTek GF4 Ti 4200

We take a look at two new GeForce4 Ti 4200 video cards. One from ABIT and one from VisionTek comparing the 64MB version to the 128MB version.

Introduction

Since the GeForce4 Ti 4200’s introduction we have taken a look at a few retail Ti 4200's now, one being the Gainward GeForce4 PowerPack Ultra/650 XP Golden Sample. That video card was based on the 128MB model of the GeForce4 Ti 4200 which shares the exact same core features as a Ti 4400 and a Ti 4600. NVIDIA spec calls for the GeForce4 Ti 4200 core to be clocked at 250Mhz. The memory can come in two different forms, 128MB clocked at 222Mhz (444Mhz DDR) or 64MB clocked at 250Mhz (500Mhz DDR).

Here is a quick chart to show how the cards in this mainstream market class compare spec wise:

What we haven’t taken a look at yet is the difference between the 64MB version of the GeForce4 Ti 4200 and the 128MB version. The big question on a lot of people’s minds are which is better to have, more memory with a lower clock or less memory with a higher memory clock?

We have two new GeForce4 Ti 4200 based cards today; VisionTek’s Xtasy GeForce4 Ti 4200 128MB DDR video card and ABIT’s Siluro GeForce4 Ti 4200 64MB DDR video card. Through this review of these two cards you will be able to see how the 128MB version compares to the 64MB version right out of the box in games and benchmarks.

Let’s take a look at what ABIT and VisionTek have done with their Ti 4200’s.

ABIT Siluro GF4 Ti 4200 64MB:

ABIT is a long time honored and well-known name in the business for having extremely enthusiast-friendly hardware. This has been shown time and time again with their reputation for overclockability with ease. ABIT has made their name known with NVIDIA GPUs and their Siluro branding.

       

Their box art as usual depicts wall paintings that appear to be of the Mayan culture I think. The front of the box shows that the technology supports 64 or 128MB of DDR memory; this card has 64MB of DDR as indicated by the large circle in the bottom left corner. On the back of the box there is a graphic giving you a visual representation of how you can hook this video card up for TV or multiple monitor support. The card is packaged well in a tight bubble wrap bag and all parts are positioned so they do not shift around during transit.

   

The PCB on these cards is much shorter then the Ti 4400 and Ti 4600 PCB length which will be welcomed if you were worrying about space in your computer. ABIT has chosen to use a light blue PCB this time; this is different from their usual black colored PCB’s.

       

The HSF on the ABIT Siluro GF4 Ti 4200 is bit heftier then some other HSF’s used on the Ti 4200, definitely more that is needed for cooling this chip at stock speeds, perhaps this will indicate some good overclocking potential. There is a generous amount of thermal past on the core as well. ABIT is using some of that good Hynix RAM rated at 4ns. If we do the math 1000 divided by 4ns equals 250Mhz, which just happens to be the default speed of the RAM on this 64MB version. A VGA and DVI port are included as this card does support multi-monitor and there is also a TV-Out port.

   

All the cables you need are included! ABIT packed some quality cables in with this card, there is one that you plug into the TV-Out port which provides you with S-Video and Composite out. Then there are two extension cables, one for S-Video and one for Composite. You will also find a DVI to VGA adapter for dual VGA monitor support. A driver CD with driver version 28.32 and Siluro DVD software and manual are also included.

VisionTek Xtasy GeForce4 Ti 4200:

We all know VisionTek has definitely made themselves well known in the graphics card biz. At one time only dedicated to the OEM market; VisionTek decided to push through to the retail market and hit the number one spot as the leading manufacturer of retail video cards all in just one year. Their hardware always seems to be very high quality and has always overclocked well. Not to mention their Lifetime Warranty which just can’t be beat.

       

Their box is definitely colorful; you cannot miss it sitting on the shelf. The back gives you an overview of the features and a few screenshots depicting the kind of graphics you can get from this video card. This card is definitely not going to move around one bit during shipping. It is encased inside a plastic shell that basically locks the card down tight. While I would have liked to also see it in a static bag it should be fine as long as you handle it carefully.

   

The PCB color is VisionTek’s usual green and is the exact same size as our ABIT GF4 Ti 4200. All the components seem to be in the same places on both cards as well.

      

VisionTek went with the short blue orb style HSF. Interestingly this fan is not mounted with any kind of push pins. It is in fact held on by some type of thermal epoxy. The RAM comes in the form of Samsung 4ns parts. This being the 128MB model means the memory is only at 222Mhz by default. Since 250Mhz is the theoretical max of 4ns memory we may have some good overclocking potential with the RAM on this video card. VGA, DVI and an S-Video TV-Out port are included.

A quick installation guide, Driver CD and Power DVD CD are all included. Unfortunately there is no S-Video extension cable or DVI to VGA adapter included.