Conclusion:
Aside from a few issues, the
Leadtek Limited WinFast GTX260 EXTREME+ is a very impressive video card. It provides strong performance in 3D games, it has the ability to handle any multimedia tasks with ease, and it is so quiet that it is well suited for use in just about any type of system. It could be the card to provide some gaming muscle to your desktop, LAN rig, or HTPC!
The main issue with the card is that I could not use it in the 64-Bit version of Windows Vista. Leadtek support has provided some ideas that may address the issue, but trying a variety of drivers and configurations always lead to the same result... crashing to the Windows desktop in 3D games and benchmarks. Leadtek tested in 64-Bit Windows Vista with GeForce drivers version 181.20 and got their system to pass 3DMark Vantage, and I will revisit testing this issue soon (updated to be posted in the forum). Other smaller issues include that it draws a good deal of electricity while under a load, and that the utility software was rather crude (although useful for overclocking).
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Searching the Internet to buy one of these cards in the US proved to be a difficult task. None of the big stores I usually check had it, and Google didn't help much, either. I have seen mention of it costing around $300 (US), and referencing some overseas pricing suggests that it is about 220 Euros (roughly $282 US). These estimates put in the ballpark of other 896MB, 216 stream processor GTX260 overclocked cards which seem to range from about $225 to $300. We'll just have to wait and see if it can debut in the US at even more cometitive prices.
All things considered, the Leadtek Limited WinFast GTX260 EXTREME+ video card earns the Bigbruin.com "Recommended" and "Whisper Quiet" awards.
Pros:
» Solid performance in benchmarks and games
» Fan stays very quiet at idle or under a load
» GPU temperature never got that hot
» Two slot design exhausts hot air outside of case
» Nvidia PhysX and three-way SLI ready for some serious gaming fire power
Cons:
» Draws a good deal of power under a load
» Utility software has a rather crude interface
» Would crash in 3D games and benchmarks in 64-Bit Windows Vista
» US availability
Special thanks to
Leadtek for providing the Leadtek Limited WinFast GTX260 EXTREME+ Video Card to Bigbruin.com for review!
