Model: GeForce 8800 GTS 320 MB
Manufacturer: Sparkle
Distributor: dollarshop
Info: calibrestyle.com.tw
Price: 349 EUR

Soooow .. it's time to Sparkle today. As you should know by now Sparkle has a somewhat "luxurious" version of the some of their graphics cards. They call it the Calibre line of products, flavorored GeForce 8800 GTS 320MB. Now we have tested quite a number of 320MB models already and next to the eVGA ACS3 version .. this one is the most eye catching. So today the turn goes to the cream of the crop product from Sparkle and we'll be comparing it with all  other brands of the GeForce 8800 320MB that are factory overclocked as well which we tested in the past month or two; obviously we'll compare it to the default clocked 640 MB model, see at what resolution the frame-buffer limitation kicks in, and have a look what default faster clocks actually are doing in terms of performance over that 640 Mb model.

Much like other companies out there with a special edition card, the Calibre series is slightly more expensive yet you'll receive some pretty nifty extra candy. In the case of the GeForce 8800 GTS 320 MB they are offering your an overclocked model armed with nothing less than a peltier cooler.

Correct .. Peltier aka TEC. Now some of you will go like: sweet bejezus Hilbert that's friggin awesome tell me more .. tell me more. Where other will go like: Oh no way José .. uh uh .. that's extra wattage man !

Yes correct, using peltier cooling is somewhat controversial; but like many manufacturers out there .. everybody is seeking some different, something fresh something new. As let's be honest .. slapping a TEC cooler onto a graphics card has great marketing value. And hey .. a true guru likes innovation right ?

There are definitely some positives and negatives about this cooling method. So fear not my fellow Guru .. we shall inform thy of all thy need to know.

What do you need to know other then the peltier cooler ? Well, the Calibre series is slightly more expensive yet you'll receive some pretty nifty extra candy.

The reference model GeForce 8800 GT runs at 500 MHz and it's memory at 1600 MHz. This model is clocked at 575 MHZ and it's memory at 1780 MHz. So it has a pre-clock as well.

Still with me ? No ? Okay, go to the next page where I'll go a little deeper into this ...