The AOpen uses its own design. According to the specs, the model marked S possesses the following technologies:

This is just an improved monitoring technology. It  monitors core and memory voltages, as well as conrols them. By the way, the same technology can help if the mainboard has problems with AGP power supply (for example, if the voltage is a bit lower than the default one).

AOpen also offers an overclocker (the new version of the utility can define the maximum cooler's rotational speed):

The voltage and fan's rotatinal speed are stored in the card's flash memory, and rebooting thus does not change them.

This system controls the rotatinal speed and temperatures:
 

You can either set the cooling fan speed yourselves or let the card control it through the ACS technology. By the way, in 2D the fan remains idle almost all the time (if a certain rotational speed is not set forcedly).

But the most interesting inovation is
 

These are card's status LEDs. You can find out whether the core and memory voltages are within the limits, define the AGP mode, and card's mode (2D/3D). Also, if any parameters deviate from the default values (for example, cooler's rotational speed), the LEDs will let you know.

Here is how beautful it looks:

But you would hardly enjoy all those lights even in a transparent PC cases as the LEDs are attached to the card undernearth. The developers should think about moving them to the top. 

Here's the cooler.
 
   

AOpen Aeolus GeForce FX 5600S 256MB
This is a usual cooler but with a powerful fan able to rotate at 5000 rpm.

The card is not equipped with an external TV codec, and the TV-out is realized right in the NV31.

Here is the processor:

It was made on the 20th week this year (in May).

The box contains the following stuff.

Testbed and drivers

Testbed: 

• Pentium 4 3200 MHz based computer:
• Intel Pentium 4 3200 MHz CPU;
• DFI LANParty Pro875 (i875P) mainboard; 
• 1024 MB DDR SDRAM; 
• Seagate Barracuda IV 40GB HDD; 
• Windows XP SP1; DirectX 9.0a;
• ViewSonic P810 (21") and ViewSonic P817 (21") monitors.
• NVIDIA drivers v45.23.

VSync off, S3TC off in applications. 

Cards for comparison:

• MSI FX5600-VTD (GeForce FX 5600, 325/275 (550) MHz, 128 MB;
• Sapphire Atlantis RADEON 9600 (325/200 (400) MHz, 256 MB, driver 6.368);
• Connect3D RADEON 9600 (325/200 (400) MHz, 128 MB, driver 6.368).

Test results

Before we start examining 2D quality, I should say there are no complete techniques for objective 2D quality estimation because: 

1. 2D quality much depends on certain samples for almost all modern 3D accelerators; 
2. Besides videocards, 2D quality depends on monitors and cables; 
3. Moreover, certain monitors might not work properly with certain video cards. 

With the ViewSonic P817 monitor and BNC Bargo cable the card showed excellent quality at the following resolutions and clock speeds: 

Test results: performance comparison

Conventional signs: ANISO 8xP - Anisotropic 8x Performance (earlier it was called Balanced), ANISO 8xQ - Anisotropic 8x Quality, ANISO 16xQ - Anisotropic 16x Quality. 

Test applications: 

• Return to Castle Wolfenstein (MultiPlayer) (id Software/Activision) - OpenGL, multitexturing, ixbt0703-demo, test settings - maximum, S3TC OFF, the configurations can be downloaded from here
• Serious Sam: The Second Encounter v.1.05 (Croteam/GodGames) - OpenGL, multitexturing, ixbt0703 demo, test settings: quality, S3TC OFF 
• Quake3 Arena v.1.17 (id Software/Activision) - OpenGL, multitexturing, ixbt0703 demo, test settings - maximum: detailing level - High, texture detailing level - #4, S3TC OFF, smoothness of curves is much increased through variables r_subdivisions "1" and r_lodCurveError "30000" (at default r_lodCurveError is 250 !), the configurations can be downloaded from here
• Unreal Tournament 2003 v.2225 (Digital Extreme/Epic Games) - Direct3D, Vertex Shaders, Hardware T&L, Dot3, cube texturing, default quality
• Code Creatures Benchmark Pro (CodeCult) - the game that demonstrates card's operation in DirectX 8.1, Shaders, HW T&L.
• Unreal II: The Awakening (Legend Ent./Epic Games) - Direct3D, Vertex Shaders, Hardware T&L, Dot3, cube texturing, default quality

Quake3 Arena

It was expected that the card would perform such way as compared to the 128MB FX 5600 card coming with the faster memory, as well as that it would beat ATI's solutions. 

Serious Sam: The Second Encounter

Here the RADEON 9600 takes the lead, and only in 1600x1200 (when the speeds are not playable at all) the FX 5600 outsores it. 

Return to Castle Wolfenstein (Multiplayer)

Just the same. 

Code Creatures

Now the FX 5600 leads the group and only in 1600x1200 it falls behind the pack.

Unreal Tournament 2003

The picture is like in Serious Sam: TSE & RtCW. 

Unreal II: The Awakening

The FX 5600 is smashed to pieces.

Conclusion

Well, this is an average card based on the FX 5600. I already mentioned before that such cards do not need extra 128 MB at all.

But from the standpoint of a unique product, this card has some interesting features. Overclcokers would be glad to have memory with the speed reserve, changeable voltages, a utility with the temperature control and warning LEDS. 

This is a pleasant find for those who like experimenting and overclocking.

In our 3Digest you can find full comparison characteristics for video cards of this and other classes. 
 
 
 

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