The bundle

NBox package

Next you see the card

Then the incredible bundle

For the FX5900U-VTD256 and FX5900-TD128, MSI utilized one of the fanciest retail packages we’ve ever seen. The box dwarfs MSI’s rivals; it’s so large it actually has its own integrated handle (and it needs it)! In contrast, the packaging for the N5900 Ultra is very understated, MSI instead goes with a more businesslike approach. Inside the box you’ll find the N5900 Ultra card first, you then lift the cardboard cutout it rests in to see a treasure chest of goodies: Battlefield 1942, Command and Conquer: Generals, and Unreal 2: The Awakening.

These games aren’t demo versions either, this is the real deal here folks, complete with game manuals (although the Unreal 2 manual that came with our card was written in Mandarin). All too often card manufacturers forget this feature in particular, so we were pleasantly surprised to see that MSI shipped the NBox N5900 Ultra with printed documentation for the games. Also included in the packaging was a copy of Intervideo’s WinProducer and WinCoder.

MSI’s website also lists MSI Media Center, Virtual Drive 7, Restore It 3, and 5.1-channel DVD playback software among the list of bundled software programs, but these applications were not included in the packaging of our card so we believe that to be a misprint. Of course, if you’re considering purchasing the NBox, chances are you want it for the games and with BF1942, C&C Generals, and Unreal 2, the N5900 Ultra certainly delivers on this aspect in spades: this is clearly the best game bundle we’ve seen ship with a video card.

nMouse

In addition to the games, MSI also includes an 800dpi optical USB mouse within the N5900 Ultra’s packaging. Dubbed nMouse, the top of the mouse is constructed of brushed aluminum, while the sides and bottom are composed of plastic. This gives the mouse a hollow feel that’s a bit creepy in all honesty. The nMouse also features a scroll wheel with a swank blue LED underneath it.

nMouse compared to Logitech Wheel Mouse Optical

IntelliMouse Explorer dwarfs the nMouse

Blue LED under scroll wheel

Unfortunately the mouse is tiny. Logitech’s Wheel Mouse Optical dwarfs the MSI nMouse, and the Wheel Mouse Optical is one of the smaller mice on the market. In operation, we found MSI’s mouse to be too small for gaming, and pressing the scroll wheel is more difficult than it should be (it does provide lots of tactile feedback however if you like that in a scroll wheel). As a result, we just can’t see anyone using the mouse on their primary PC; it would however make a good choice for those of you with small children.

Rounding out the bundle of hardware accessories is MSI’s standard VIVO module, a DVI-to-VGA adapter, S-Video cable, and a power adapter.