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The
Package |
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More Than Just A
Video Card |
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ATI's suggested
retail price for the RADEON 9700 Pro is $399, so ideally,
the All-In-Wonder variant will run roughly $500.
However, the package will include more than just the card
and Multimedia Center software suite. ATI
is planning to include a Remote Wonder ($50 value) with the board.
Besides full control over MMC 8.0, the Remote Wonder also
comes with a plug-in to control WinAmp and PowerPoint in
addition to DiVX. Given the RF (radio frequency)
technology of the remote, you can be in a different room as the
receiver and maintain control over, say, WinAmp.
Removing the "line of sight" restriction greatly eases use,
and since ATI has added support for unique remote
identification numbers, you don't have to worry about a
neighbor with a similar setup accidentally interfering with
your own Remote Wonder.
Like it's
predecessor, the R300 core supports component output,
designed primarily with HDTV in mind. Just recently,
the necessary YPrPb dongle became available on ATI's website
for $29. So in an attempt to add further value to the
All-In-Wonder RADEON 9700 Pro, the YPrPb adapter is also
included - a useful feature for those with larger displays
that generally offer composite input.
With support for 480i,
480p,720p, and 1080i
With past All-In-Wonder
products, ATI has bundled a full video editing application
to take advantage of the card's features. ATI will
follow suit this time as well, only with Pinnacle Studio 8
rather than ULEAD's Video Studio 6 software. The
specialized application will support the 3D transitions and effects made
possible by the R300's programmable pixel shaders.
We'll dive further into the editing possibilities with the
card, once the hardware becomes available.
Of course we
expected an All-In-Wonder variant of the RADEON 9700 Pro.
What we didn't expect though, was that ATI wanted this
All-In-Wonder to rival the gaming-oriented 9700 Pro in terms
of 3D performance. Moreover, we'd expect ATI to
include a Remote Wonder, but not necessarily the YPrPb
adapter. Factoring in the Personal Video Recorder
features, as well as the new Theater 200 companion chip, ATI
is clearly focused on making the All-In-Wonder RADEON 9700
an attractive high end sell.
But then there's
that issue of price, right? Keeping in mind that the
card is not yet available, we'll make this as easy as
possible. If you are in the market for a high-end
video card in any capacity - GeForce4 Ti 4600, RADEON 9700
Pro, NV30, or even Parhelia, you've clearly got some money
to work with. Spending four hundred dollars on a RADEON 9700 Pro is like buying a new car. It's hardly
an investment in the future, but until you blow a head
gasket (or need an upgrade in the case of the video card),
you'll have fun with it. If you're willing to part ways with
the money, be sure to consider the "option packages" that
might make the ownership experience a little more exciting.
Recaro seats, touch-screen navigation and Xenon gas
headlights may not be necessary, but there's something to be
said for a fully-loaded ride. The All-In-Wonder RADEON
9700 will likely sell for $100 more than the 9700 Pro
itself, but that $100 will add an entirely new level of
functionality to your computer. Can you say that about
your car's optional trunk mat?
So will it be worth
the extra $100 to opt for the All-In-Wonder rather than the
RADEON 9700 Pro? From what we saw at the press launch
- absolutely, without a doubt. Will the whole package
be worth $500? Now that one is up to you.
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