Asus AGP-V7700 GeForce2 GTS Deluxe
You get a full version copy of soldier of fortune. Though it has too much violence for my liking, the game definitely has its followers and the bundled game makes it an added bonus.
The AsusDVD 2000 DVD software player is also included. The software has DVD, VCD, MP3 and Karaoke support & also features two channels of Dolby Digital Audio. We watched a couple of DVD’s on the V7700 Deluxe and DVD quality appeared to be very similar to any other GF2 GTD cards we tested. I watched the same movies on my Pioneer DV-525 DVD player and the DVD playback was simply beyond comparison. So if you’re like me and need the best in DVD playback, a hardware decoder is the best option or the next best thing would be a recent ATI card. But then, if it’s just watching the DVD that matters to you, the Deluxe’s quality will make you more than happy.
You also get ASUS’s 3D glasses with the V7700 Deluxe. The glasses alternately polarize a pane in front of each of your eyes in sync with slightly offset images on the screen and give 3D scenes more depth and the feeling that they are popping out of your monitor. These are really cool and I just loved them! It supports Black and White, Dungeon Siege, Evolva, Giants , Isle of Morg, Madden NFL 2000, Messiah, Sacrifice and some tiltles that are coming out soon.
You also get Asus’s nifty SmartDoctor utility. The Asus Smart Doctor utility is a software which gives the current fan RPM, core temperature, and core voltage in a graphical format. It also has a feature called ‘Dynamic Overclocking’. That is, the clock speeds of the core and memory are changed according to the need. For example when playing a 3D game the clock speeds will be increased to a much higher level than when using MS Word. It also incorporates a chip overheat protection which automatically clocks down the card if the chip gets too hot.
Is it worth the money?
To answer that, first let me ask you a few questions. What is your primary activity?…3D gaming, Video digitizing or both? If it’s purely a 3D gaming card you’re looking for, with a bit of TV-in for occasional use, then the V7700 Deluxe is just ideal for you. The card will give you excellent 3D performance with average quality, fully featured digitizing.
If you’re looking for very good quality video digitizing, then ATI’s AIW will give you just that, but at the cost of poor 3D performance in comparison to the Asus V7700 deluxe. Since the V7700 deluxe does not include a TV-tuner you can only time shift what comes out of your VCR or other device and you cannot use the time shifting to change to a channel and record programs while you are away. So you will most probably want a TV-tuner as well to take full use of the Deluxe’s time shifting capability. An additional TV-tuner will set you back at least another $40-50. This is a Definite minus point for the V7700 deluxe cause both competing cards, the Matrox G400-TV and ATI’s AIW include a TV tuner.
The 2D image quality of the V7700 Deluxe is quite good too, though not as good as a G400. So my suggestion is, get a V7700 Deluxe if your priority is 3D gaming, or else, if it’s higher priority for video with gaming coming in at second ATI’s AIW is what you need. Finally if its purely video with top quality 2D that interests you then the Matrox G400-TV will do you justice.
Conclusion:
Overall I really liked the Asus V7700 Deluxe. Heck! I like most GF2 GTS boards for that matter. It also has the added benefit of fully featured but mediocre video digitizing.And despite all the extra hardware ASUS added for video digitizing, the deluxe performs with extreme stability. Only a GF2 Ultra can give you better performance than a good GF2 GTS board right now,and there too, a marked difference is visible only at 1600×1200 . As I have mentioned earlier whether this board will satisfy you, depends on what your demand is right now. The V7700 Deluxe is yet another well-engineered, quality product from ASUS.
Pros:
Fully featured Video Digitizing
Kick ass 3D performance. (Not surprising though)
DVD software
Cons:
No TV-tuner
The quality of video digitizing
