Gainward GeForce3 PowerPack !!! Ti/550 XP Golden Sample

[Despotes]

I hope someone can help me with this. As the name suggests (Ti/550) I'm under the impression that this card's memory speed is 550 mhz. I checked out Gainward's site, but could not find any information confirming this. They also do not list the access speed of the memory.
This card looks VERY promising if their marketing isn't deceiving.
Can anyone confirm if this particular model actually has 550 mhz rated memory and do you know the access speed??
Thank you very much

[Kendan]

Gainward golden samples are setup to overclock and they support it overclocked. They include a choice to use the performance settings. I have a golden sample gforce2 mx 400 and I like it. Do a search for reviews on google I am sure you will find several and I am sure you will get more replies.

[Despotes]

I couldn't find a review specifically for this ti 550 . By reading the other reviews, I'm sure the 550 rating is just the overclock rating, not actual default speed. It seems the regular Geforce3 has a ram access speed of 3.8ns, but the ti 200 has either 4 or 4.4 I believe. I'm hoping the ti550 has a 3.8ns ram speed because I just ordered it:D
Here's a link to it http://www.buyeee.com/carcargainge.html

[Yodums]

Sweet buy dude thats 75 dollar sale and really good performance for that price!!!!!!!!

hehe

[Zeke009]

Found some info for the Ti550 on the European site...
Gainward GeForce3 Ti/550 XP VIVO Golden Sample (http://www.gainward.de/press/geforce3-ti.html)

Maybe I should have waited on buying the "now" vintage GeForce3 Golden Sample... oh well... I still like it!

Just how fast is the supper fast DDR RAM? 0.00001ns?

excerpt from press release
******************
Featuring NVIDIA's GeForce3 TI-500, 64MB of super-fast DDR memory, DVI, video-in/video-out (VIVO), digital video recording, video compression/decompression (software MPEG-2/DVD), and digital video editing (software included)
*
*
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In addition, Gainward offers four lower cost models:
Gainward GeForce3 Ti/550 TV/DVI “Golden Sample”TM
Gainward GeForce3 Ti/480 XP “Golden Sample”TM
Gainward GeForce3 Ti/460 TV/DVI “Golden Sample”TM
Gainward GeForce3 Ti/450 TV “Golden Sample”TM
******************

[Maximus Nickus]

I'm getting a gainwood ti200 they oc soooooo well... look at here only £175 www.watford.co.uk/products

[Despotes]

Originally posted by Zeke009
Found some info for the Ti550 on the European site...
Gainward GeForce3 Ti/550 XP VIVO Golden Sample (http://www.gainward.de/press/geforce3-ti.html)



Just how fast is the supper fast DDR RAM? 0.00001ns?


******************

Yes...just how fast is it??????? Very strange they won't reveal the access speed.

[QSW]

I just checked out the Ti550 at buyeee.com, it doesn't seem to be the golden sample version. I would wait until they have the golden sample in stock because the price difference is usually about $30-$40.

[Yodums]

I guess you'll have to wait and see for the speeds.

[Despotes]

Originally posted by QSW
I just checked out the Ti550 at buyeee.com, it doesn't seem to be the golden sample version. I would wait until they have the golden sample in stock because the price difference is usually about $30-$40.

Hmmm The only ti550 available at the Gainward site is the Golden Sample. When I ordered the board it specifically said, "Golden Sample" now it doesn't...

[QSW]

I think their main site, http://www.gainward.com.tw/product.htm, lists a non golden sample Ti550 as well.

[Zeke009]

http://www.gainward.com.tw/product.htm

Allow me to get that comma out of the link for ya. ;)
I guess I should download some IE fonts, all I saw was nice little blue boxes filling my screen. And the occasional english title for a product.

[QSW]

Thanks Zeke009 :)

Those blue boxes are probably Chinese characters as the page is from their Taiwan site.

Anyway on the right column, there are two Ti 550 listed, 3rd from the top is a Ti550 XP and the 4th is the Ti550 Golden Sample. I asked a friend who could read the chinese characters and by looking at the specs' page, he couldn't spot any difference bwtween the two. They did not mention how high the Golden Sample can be OC'ed to nor the speed of the video memory.

Despotes: Pls update us when you receive your Ti550. Info on OC'ed limits, 2D image quality would be nice. Thanks in advance :p

[Despotes]

Well, that's a disappointment. I was hoping that it actually was a Golden Sample. Don't know why the US site doesn't have the non Golden Sample listed. I made out a number 3.5ns(through the funky fonts) so I think the Golden samples may have 3.5ns access speeds.
I still don't know why it would be called the ti550 if it wasn't the Golden Sample. Ti 550 implies a guaranteed 550 memory oc. Aren't the only boards that are guaranteed a specified oc value, Golden Samples??:(

QSW--will update when I receive it

Gotta love that marketing:rolleyes:

[Zeke009]

QSW,

hehe, I am missing some fonts on this little bugga of a machine. I managed to blow up my test install of WinXP Pro (2462) and just did a reinstall on top of it (2600). Didnt want to take the time to retrieve some data and stuff. It's only a test machine. But I am missing TONS of fonts and some other bells and whistles here.

Now, I can't read chinese. I am not even going to guess at what this says, I have copied and pasted the little blue boxes I see. hehe, blue boxes...
內建自行設定可程式化的 nFinite FX™ 特效引擎
光速記憶體架構™..提供先進的儲存陣列技術.挑戰高速儲存頻寬限度.
貼圖引擎提供高等指令之水紋及貼圖.
可程式化頂點光影效能.
循序變形.
可程式化表面矩陣校調.
主架構可活潑生動添寫及插補.
建置型態.
霧狀效果.
覆重置.立視圖.非線性.
透視效能.
魚眼.廣角.鮮明特效.液面反射.

[QSW]

Despotes, u may be getting a Golden Sample after all! I bugged my friend to go thru the specs more thoroughly and he spotted that the Golden Sample has DVI-out and the other only has TV-out. He still couldn't find any reference about the 3.5ns ram though :(

Oh mann, I am so tempted to order it now. Asus V8200 T5 is supposed to have 3.5ns ram too but I read in another forum that it came with Elite MT 3.8ns. Arrgh...have to resist the temptation!

[Despotes]

Originally posted by QSW
Despotes, u may be getting a Golden Sample after all! I bugged my friend to go thru the specs more thoroughly and he spotted that the Golden Sample has DVI-out and the other only has TV-out. He still couldn't find any reference about the 3.5ns ram though :(

Oh mann, I am so tempted to order it now. Asus V8200 T5 is supposed to have 3.5ns ram too but I read in another forum that it came with Elite MT 3.8ns. Arrgh...have to resist the temptation!

Don't resist, join the dark side...:D

I printed out and compared all the square blue boxes, the numbers are shown too, between the Golden S. and the non G.S. The boxes all match:) and more importantly, the numbers are the same.

[Zeke009]

Originally posted by Zeke009
Found some info for the Ti550 on the European site...
Gainward GeForce3 Ti/550 XP VIVO Golden Sample (http://www.gainward.de/press/geforce3-ti.html)
Goto the bottom of that page and check the chart. It has info about more Gainward Ti models.
The american gainward site seems to update once a quarter every other year.

[Despotes]

Originally posted by Zeke009

Goto the bottom of that page and check the chart. It has info about more Gainward Ti models.
The american gainward site seems to update once a quarter every other year.

Checked it out. Didn't see a non-Golden Sample ti 550. The US site is only listing what will be available in the USA? :) Like the Elsa US site :(

[Zeke009]

hmmm, Who knows what they are listing. Since you can order from over seas I doubt it matters.

The only difference I have seen is the US site lists ULTRA Fast DDR SDRAM, while the European site is listing super fast DDR SDRAM... found that kinda funny... still no numbers.

Aside from copying and pasting, www.buyeee.com does mention at the top of this page (http://www.buyeee.com/carcargainge.html) that the ULTRA FAST ddr sdram is 3.8ns for the Ti/550 XP Golden Sample. Still have not seen any mention of a Ti/550 non-golden sample.

[Despotes]

Originally posted by Zeke009
hmmm, Who knows what they are listing. Since you can order from over seas I doubt it matters.

The only difference I have seen is the US site lists ULTRA Fast DDR SDRAM, while the European site is listing super fast DDR SDRAM... found that kinda funny... still no numbers.

Aside from copying and pasting, www.buyeee.com does mention at the top of this page (http://www.buyeee.com/carcargainge.html) that the ULTRA FAST ddr sdram is 3.8ns for the Ti/550 XP Golden Sample. Still have not seen any mention of a Ti/550 non-golden sample.

I was a bit skeptical when I read this change--(see earlier post) because the manufacturer's sites did not have this info. available. The card I ordered was the Golden Sample and it did not list the access speed at the time I ordered it. I even sent an e mail asking what the access speed was.
Now the site is NOT showing a Golden Sample anywhere...and the card I ordered magically turned into a non-Golden Sample ti 550.
I haven't received any response to my e-mail yet either.(don't expect to)

[Despotes]

One more unusual change. On Pricewatch.com, buyee.com now gives a description of this card as having 550 mhz memory! Uhhh, I think that is a little misleading, no? :rolleyes:

[Zeke009]

I think the whole naming scheme that Gainward and some other card makers is misleading and confusing. Seems to be getting out of hand. It used to be when you see a name of a product, you had a good idea of what the card could do. Now you have the same model (Ti 500) named as XP, extasy, and so on.

[spaceghostkille]

if you guys head over to www.newegg.com you can get a GF3 Ti200 w/ 4 ns memory for 200 bucks shipped. Check it out. This card will easily OC to Ti500 speeds for around 100 dollars less.

[QSW]

Despotes: You received your card yet? Is it s Golden Sample?

I am still deciding between the Leadtek Ti 500, Asus V8200 T5 and the Gainward Ti550.

[Despotes]

Originally posted by QSW
Despotes: You received your card yet? Is it s Golden Sample?

I am still deciding between the Leadtek Ti 500, Asus V8200 T5 and the Gainward Ti550.

Not yet. It's due the 15th. I'll let you know as soon as I test it. I'll compare it to my Geforce2GTS(22.40) scores. The new card comes with the 21.81's.
What factor will lead you to deciding on which card to order??(Asus=$$)
I hope it's a Golden Sample. The site isn't showing it as one anymore and they told me the GS isn't available yet in the US.(I got into a tift with the sales support about this change...they denied it)
The US Gainward site doesn't even have a NON Golden Sample Ti/550 on their site. So, I'm hoping it is a G.S. We shall see.
:rolleyes:

[QSW]

Despotes : If the Gainward, u receive from buyeee is indeed a Golden Sample, I will get that. For $325, it seems to be the best value for money and I need a card with good 2d image quality. Text looks fuzzy on my 21" monitor with my Visiontek GF2 Ultra at high resolutions. It seems like Gainward's Ti550's specs varies, it depends on which of their site you go to. After going thru all of them. I believe they will have 2 versions (like their regular GF3). The regular one will have TV-out and DVI while the golden sample version has those + Video In capability.

After reading the review of the Leadtek Ti 500 TD at Firingsquad, I nearly ordered it becoz it is widely available and it's the cheapest. BUT in other forums and review sites, ppl have noticed that the card that Firingsquad reviewed had better RFI filters. Here's a quote from a post from nvnews' forum :


By the way, the supposed-high quality 2D . . . won't be happening for you, friend. It appears Leadtek pulled a fast one on us (or maybe not, but it makes for a good conspiracy theory). If you compare the pictures from Firingsquad vs. those of VR-zone, you'll see the RFI filter is markedly different between them. I called Leadtek and they told me (after I was transferred several times) that the one sent to VR-zone is in fact the shipping model. And isn't it dandy . . . VR-zone hasn't yet caught onto the fact that some readers are interested in their subjective opinion of the 2D image clarity. So you'll just see benchmarks . . .

I will only get the Asus T5 as my last resort, I like its features. But I would wait for some reviews on it first b4 buying.

Guru3D's reviewed the Hercules TI500 and the video memory was overclocked to 590mhz. Pretty imppressive!

A lot of ppl are happy with the Visiontek too but I am hesistant to try my luck with VT again after my experience with their GF2 Ultra.

I look forward to reading your post when u receive your Gainward Ti550 :)

[Despotes]

Just received my card from the FedEx guy. It's not a golden Sample :( Well, time to install and bench. I'll try to be back with the results(modem problems). :)

[Despotes]

QSW, read my post Gainward Ti/550 oc 270/602.:)

[QSW]

Wow, that's a nice overclock. Are u gonna mod the card with bigger heatsinks on the ram and maybe a bigger hsf on the core?

How's the 2D image quality? My old Visiontek sucks at resolutions above 1600x1200 :(

I wonder if the Golden Sample (if it exists) will clock even higher :p