AOpen's TNT2 Entries

AOpen's PA3010

Not just motherboards!

For the last few years, Aopen has been making a concerted effort to move beyond motherboards, and expand their product range. This includes CD-ROM, CD-RW, and DVD-ROM drives, system cases, keyboards, modems, and everything in between. Of course, video and sound cards fall into the mix, and believe it or not, AOpen is no stranger when it comes to video. They've had cards ranging from Virge/DX to Voodoo2 and Savage3D.

Of course, our attention is firmly entrenched on their new TNT2 products, the PA3010 series. Available in both 16MB and 32MB versions, it appears AOpen has chosen to forego the hardcore gamers, and work with what may be the lowest clock rate boards in this roundup, using -8ns RAM (equivalent of 133MHz) for a 125/125MHz card. No TNT2 Ultra version of either product will be released.

AOpen's focus on value will probably result in one of the most inexpensive TNT2s available, but certainly at the cost of performance. It is unlikely that 8ns RAM will be able to overclock very high, but AOpen is releasing a "fine-tuned overclocking utility" that will allow you to increment the core and memory clocks, MHz by MHz. The Memory Clock range goes from 125 to 256MHz, while the Core chip Clock enjoys a wider range of 90MHz to 256MHz, although we don't anticipate many people underclocking their boards to TNT1 levels!

Note that while AOpen's website cites 8ns Samsung SDRAM, the close-up picture provided shows 7ns Hyundai SDRAM!

AOpen TNT2 16
Model: PA3010-A
Core Speed: 125MHz
Memory Speed: 125MHz
RAM: 16MB SDRAM
RAM Speed: -8ns Samsung
RAM Manufacturer:
Fan/Heatsink: Heatsink
Special Features: Overclocking utility included
Software Bundle
List Price: $189.95
Lowest Price: N/A

AOpen TNT2 32
Model: PA3010-N
Core Speed: 125MHz
Memory Speed: 125MHz
Overclockability: Fair
RAM: 32MB SDRAM
RAM Speed: -8ns Samsung
Fan/Heatsink: Fan and Heatsink
Special Features: Overclocking utility, TV-Out
Software Bundle: Unknown
List Price: $249.95
Lowest Price: N/A