First up is one of our favorites around
here?MDK2.
Lets see how this card handles OpenGL?
MDK2
(OPENGL TEST)
![](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
As
you can see, we hit the CPU limit right through
1024x768, not to mention the fact that we?ve
exceeded 60FPS at 1600x1200x32!
Now let?s see how we do with the
venerable Quake 3.
First up, the Fastest and Normal
settings?
QUAKE
3 (OPENGL TEST)
![](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
With
numbers like this, the card is just begging for us
to give it the juice with the High Quality test,
all options set to maximum, phasers set to kill.
To give you a comparison, we?ve thrown
the results from a recent review of one of the
Impact 4?s brothers, the Hercules 3D Prophet
II?
![](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
I
think it?s a close race folks.
Although this card is ?no frills?, it
is also ?no nonsense?.
From what we?ve seen so far, this puppy
is ready for a fight.
With excellent performance in all areas of
the standard benchmarks, I think this card
deserves a 10 for ripping through whatever
we threw at it.
![](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7) |
Overclocking
With The X-Micro Impact 4 Ultra |
More
Power! |
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After
the excellent performance that we saw in the
standard benchmarks, I just couldn?t wait to see
just how much we could squeeze out of this card.
When it came to the core speed, we got it
to top out at a solid 315MHz!
With the performance that we?ve seen with
similar cards, I thought we would have no problem
pushing the RAM speed to 500MHz.
Well, we almost got there but had to settle
for 495MHz.
So let?s see what a little more juice
does to the 3Dmark tests?
![](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
If
you compare the results, you?ll find a gain of
over 300 points at 1600x1200x32!
This looks pretty sweet.
Now let?s see how MDK2 performed?
![](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
Very
nice!
We shattered the 60FPS barrier with a
whopping 71FPS at 1600x1200x32.
Now we?ll run Quake 3 and see how the
results compare to the Hercules Prophet II running
at a core 305MHz and Memory Clock speed of
500MHz.?
![](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
Although
we didn?t quite break the 60FPS barrier at
1600x1200x32, it was pretty close.
As far as the comparison goes, taking into
account the difference in the test systems, it?s
safe to say it was neck-in-neck.
We
found the card to be very over clock friendly.
The card's performance virtually match's
that of the Hercules Prophet II.
With excellent performance and stability
while running the Over clocked Benchmarks, I give
the X-Micro Impact 4 a 9.
![](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
If
you're shopping for an Ultra and don?t
need all the little bells and whistles that other
manufacturers offer, then the X-Micro Impact
4 Ultra is a sensible choice.
By sticking with a standard reference
design that has earned itself the status of a
market leader, X-Micro has been able to offer a
quality video card with exceptional value and
performance.
We are confident that the steps taken to
cut unnecessary costs will translate into
significant savings for the buyer.
Although their software bundle is a little light,
the X-Micro Impact 4 Ultra still offers several
useful software packages.
After
taking an average of the scores
in each section, we give the X-Micro Impact 4
Ultra a HotHardware heat meter rating of a...
![](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
The
silence is deafening and I can't Handle It!
So get into the HotHardware Conference Room now!
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