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08/08/2004 |
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Siluro T400 AGP Graphics Card Sporting a GeForce2 MX400 chipset, TV-Out, 64MB of 6ns 128-bit SDRAM, and some cracking WinDVD software, this card should delight any cost conscious gamer, writes Dave Cook.
Along with adding more memory, a new motherboard, and a faster CPU, upgrading your old graphics card is a great way to boost the performance of an ageing PC. A company such as Abit, famous for its motherboards, is well aware of this, of course. And yet, while Abit has been manufacturing quality PC components for years, it has never produced graphics cards – until now. Abit might be a “newcomer” to the graphics market, but the company has got off to a flying start if its Siluro T400 is anything to go by. The Siluro T4000 is based on the nVidia GeForce2 MX400 chipset. It may not boast the alacrity of the very latest GeForce3 accelerators. But then what’s the point of paying through the nose for tomorrow’s technology when, as yet, there are few games capable of taking full advantage of it?
As you might imagine, a graphics card such as the Siluro T400 -sporting 64 MB of 6ns 128-bit SDRAM - offers loads of bang for bucks. This includes AGP 2x/4x support with integrated 350MHz RAMDAC for screen resolutions up to 2048 x 1536 at 75Hz. The T400 carries a 200MHz core clock, but overclockers out there might like to note that, with a little extra cooling, it’s possible to get the core running up to 240MHz with no adverse effect on the card’s capabilities. A TV-Out connecter (S-Video) at the rear of the card provides the option of big-screen gaming, video editing, and so forth. Usefully, Abit also provide an S-Video to Composite adaptor cable. Since many older TVs provide only composite connectors, this is a definite plus. Installation For testing purposes, the Siluro T400 was installed on a Windows 2000 machine. However, the card will also work on Windows 9x, Me, and Windows XP Professional operating systems. Thanks to some solid drivers and an extremely clear user manual, the Siluro T400 took a mere five minutes to install. We began by removing the existing display drivers from Device Manager before switching off and removing an old ATI graphics card that, frankly, had seen better days. We then eased the Siluro T400 into the motherboard’s AGP slot, rebooted the computer, and installed the new drivers from the supplied CD. It was as simple as that. Even the most un-practical user has every chance of passing this test with flying colours. DVD
Some rather nifty E-Color 3Deep software is also supplied, which enables you to define image quality and gamma correction for all those 3D-Games. In addition, you can tune the card to correct colours on Web images to something called "True Internet Colour" for a supposedly more accurate and vibrant display. Verdict While the Siluro T400 might not be right at the cutting edge of today’s technology, it boasts enough capability to last you for years. And when it comes to easy installation, reliability, and sheer value for money, this card quite simply cannot be beaten. |
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Bang
For Bucks
As
for the Siluro T400’s DVD capabilities, the included version of
WinDVD is a most welcome addition. Moreover, when a DirectDraw video
application such as WinDVD is launched on the primary display, you
can force the secondary display to be a full screen representation
of the playback. This is a real bonus for DVD enthusiasts since it
means you can easily watch your DVD movies on TV. Overall, the
TwinView option works well, though results will depend on the
quality of your TV - after all, its screen resolution is unlikely to
match that of your monitor’s.