Benchmark Analysis

For the most part, the Radeon 9000 Pro performed a bit higher than the GeForce3 Ti 200 but still below that of the GeForce3 Ti 500 and GeForce4 Ti 4200. In terms of comparisons to the GeForce4 MX line, the MX 440 doesn't offer much competition, but the GeForce4 MX 460 is a surprisingly fast card for the money. Where it falls back is in some DirectX 8 games and application tests, but otherwise it's a solid performer. The only benchmark that really broke the trend was Unreal Tournament 2003, which is also one of the games that can really load the textures on. With only one TMU per pipeline, the Radeon 9000 Pro falls behind the GeForce3 Ti 200 and even GeForce4 MX 460 in UT 2003 and this may not bode well for upcoming, texture-hungry 3D games.

Value

The ATI Radeon 9000 Pro 64-MB retail card can be found online in the $110-$120 range, which places it just above the GeForce4 MX line and still below the GeForce3 Ti 500 and GeForce4 Ti 4200 64-MB boards. In fact, this retail prices places the ATI Radeon 9000 Pro 64-MB right on target with many name brand GeForce3 Ti 200 cards, such as those from MSI, ABIT, Gainward and Leadtek. This comparison makes it a coin-toss between the two, as performance is quite close in most areas. Also keep in mind that the OEM Radeon 9000 Pro cards (albeit at lower core and memory speeds) are available at much lower prices.

* Please note that online prices are taken at the time of review and are not intended to reflect long-term trends.

Conclusion

With the release of the Radeon 9000 Pro, ATI has raised the bar for value 3D video cards. The features gap between the low-cost cards and the higher-end products has been filled, and ATI has provided full DirectX 8 compatibility to even the entry-level buyer. This relates not only to the ATI Radeon 9000 Pro retail card reviewed here, but the very inexpensive OEM versions as well. The only potential fly in the ointment has been NVIDIA's consistently lower prices, which have brought many of the GeForce3 cards into direct competition with the Radeon 9000 Pro. Even then, ATI's value board does quite well in comparison, but it's just not a clear-cut winner.

Pros:

• DirectX 8 Compliant
• Outperforms a GeForce3 Ti 200
• Catalyst Drivers keep Improving

Cons:

• Price is Matched by GeForce3 Ti
• Few Retail Amenities
• Lower Anti-aliasing Performance

Ratings: