![[H]ardOCP](/images/blank.gif){kind=small}
- Date:
- Monday , February 12, 2007
- Author:
- Brent Justice
- Editor:
- Kyle Bennett
- Google +1
BFGTech GeForce 8800 GTS OC 320MB
NVIDIA’s third GeForce 8 series GPU is ready to be added to their lineup, and this time at a very attractive price point that should appeal to a lot of people. We’ll test the new BFGTech GeForce 8800 GTS OC 320MB against the competition as well as its older sibling to see exactly what the better value is, prepare for some shocking results.
BFGTech 8800 GTS OC 320MB
Debuting today, BFGTech is launching their version of the GeForce 8800 GTS 320MB with full retail availability. Traditionally BFGTech has shied away from its normal “OC” versions of their video cards lately, except with their high Water Cooled Series of 8800 GTX video card. With the 8800 GTS OC 320MB, they are once again heading back to their roots. This means that the video card is running a higher clock speed than the NVIDIA recommended reference clock frequencies out of the box.
The BFGTech GeForce 8800 GTS OC 320MB is shipped with a core clock speed of 550 MHz (500 MHz is standard), and the stream processors are clocked at 1.3 GHz (1.2 GHz is the standard). The memory frequency however is at the standard 1.6 GHz. So even though the memory size has been cut in half, the actual shader processing power and ROP performance is actually higher than a standard GeForce 8800 GTS 640MB video card!
BFGTech adorns the front of their box with a graphic at the top-right to indicate which bus type the video card is. This is a great move and should help people from choosing the wrong video card for their computer. BFGTech proudly represents the 24/7 free tech support and lifetime warranty you get with purchasing this video card, this should help relieve some worries if you have any issues with the video card itself.
On the edge of the box the specifications are listed with full clock speed frequencies and important information listed. BFGTech lets you know exactly what you are getting in the box and what the system requirements are at a quick glance.
This video card is certified for Windows Vista and does have full HDCP support.
Upon opening the box there is a welcome letter waiting for you, with some quick information you can keep in mind before using your video card. Underneath lies a BFGTech t-shirt for you to wear proudly, and a pouch. In the pouch is a driver CD, a quick install guide, a guide that explains the HDTV out connections, a small brochure, and some stickers you may place wherever you feel you need to. Yes, one of them does say “OMGWTFBFGSAUCE.”
There are two DVI to VGA connectors included if you need regular VGA hookups and an HDTV out cable. There is one 6-pin connector to Molex for power if you do not have a 6-pin auxiliary connector.
In the comparison above we have the BFGTech GeForce 8800 GTS 640MB (top) and the BFGTech GeForce 8800 GTS OC 320MB (bottom). You can see that they are exactly the same size, and if it were not for the color difference and you wouldn’t be able to tell them apart. There is no clear marking on the label on the front which lets you know which one is the 640MB or 320MB version, but the label on the fan does indicate “OC” on the bottom video card, so that’s the only way to identify the 320MB version from the front.
This is a double-slot video card; the heatsink/fan unit completely covers most of the video card. It does actively cool the GPU and RAM, which make complete contact with the heatsink. The heatsink itself is a heatpipe design; the fan brings in air from inside your case, and exhausts it outside of your case. However, with the open slits on the shroud toward the rear some of that hot air does get blown into your case as well.
The BFGTech GeForce 8800 GTS OC 320MB fully supports SLI, has full HDCP support and carries the Windows Vista Certified seal.
The only markings on the video card to identify exactly which model it is are on the back sticker, “BFGR88320GTSOCE.” With the fan itself being a large centrifugal design, noise is kept to a minimum during full load. Each DVI port supports dual-link up to 2560x1600 @ 60Hz, TV-Out, and HDTV. Only one 6-pin auxiliary power connector is required to power this video card. According to BFGTech’s box specs they recommend at least a 425W power supply with a combined 12V current rating of 28A or more.