AFTER FIELDING a number of lackluster mid-range graphics chips based on its GeForce FX architecture, NVIDIA finally got its act together with the GeForce FX 5700 Ultra. When we reviewed the 5700 Ultra back in October, the card's performance in DirectX 8-class games was at least as good as—and often much better than—ATI's Radeon 9600 XT. Unfortunately, the 5700 Ultra stumbled in a number of DirectX 9-class games and synthetic benchmarks, casting a shadow of doubt about how the card might handle next-generation DirectX titles.

Not content to bet the mid-range farm on the 5700 Ultra, NVIDIA has added yet another GeForce FX card to its lineup, the GeForce FX 5900 XT. The 5900 XT will share the same $200 price point as NVIDIA's existing GeForce FX 5700 Ultra, and both will compete with ATI's $200 Radeon 9600 XT. This new card's "XT" moniker suggests NVIDIA wants to knock the Radeon 9600 XT off its pedestal. NVIDIA has even whipped up an answer to ATI's much-lauded Half-Life 2 bundle to sweeten the 5900 XT.

Can its pseudo-eight-pipe graphics core help elevate the GeForce FX 5900 XT above the competition? There's only one way to find out.