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Connect3D Radeon 9550se Video Graphics Card

Saturday, January 28th, 2006 | Reviews, Video Card Reviews

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The Connect3D ATI Radeon 9550se is a 128Mb graphics card. If you are familiar with the procedure to open your computer and plug in a new card then you should find installation simple. Your monitor connects to the new video port on the card, and you only need to install the new video driver software to have a running installation. The card also includes an S-video output, which you can use with a suitably equipped TV.

For the casual gamer, this AGP video card provides value for money enhancement of the computer graphics. AGP 8x, provided on this product, is a widely used specification for fast communication between the card and the motherboard.

The latest games are increasingly demanding of the graphics, with movie quality effects becoming the norm, and adding this card produces a noticeable improvement in response and smoothness of the video, adding to enjoyment of the gameplay.

Graphics are very processor intensive, and the Radeon 9550se visual processing unit on this card boasts some of the latest tricks to take care of the complex calculations associated particularly with the creation of 3D images. These include the trademarked technologies of SMARTSHADER 2.0, which allows complex effects at faster speeds; SMOOTHVISION 2.1 which uses the latest anti-aliasing techniques; and VIDEOSHADER, which integrates shading on a pixel level.

The chipset on the card takes care of the heavy calculation work associated with providing enhanced graphic output.

In use, the card produces impressive cinematic quality graphics, with a noticeable enhancement of the latest demanding games. This means that game play becomes a more immersing experience, and greatly increases the value of your existing games. The Radeon 9550se chip is claimed to be optimized for the most-demanding 2D and 3D next-generation games and applications, without imposing strain on the existing CPU.

This card is not for those who want current state-of-the-art graphics. There are cards with 256Mb of memory available and faster speeds, albeit at a higher cost. Having said that, the 128Mb mark seems to be an acceptable level for a video card at this time. For the time being, this card is more than adequate to transform the performance of any current software. Hardcore gaming enthusiasts will want to explore the range of faster video boards now available, which include greater memory and faster speeds, but these cost several times the price of this board. For the money, this ATI 128MB video card is an excellent choice to transform your video performance.

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