As already mentioned, the default clocks of a 6800GS are 425/1000. Out of the box the Gainward BLISS 6800 GS is 485/1300, which is substantially higher.

The NV42 core has a reference clock of 425 MHz, so reaching 505 MHz is rather impressive. However, this seems to be achievable from most cards sent to reviewers. This is a perfect example of how factory overclocked cards do not guarantee an inherently better core with monstrous headroom. All Gainward offer is 485 MHz out of the box and nothing more. Considering it was clocked by Gainward to 485 MHz you would assume it would go higher than 505 MHz. This is one of the reasons I’m not entirely convinced that factory overclocked cards offer headroom inherently better than reference cards.

However, Gainward have a serious enthusiast card here, not because of its core clock but because of what they’ve done with the memory...

The default memory of a reference 6800 GS is 1000 Mhz. It will be shipped with 2.0ns chips - probably Samsung, and will plateau well before it even reaches Gainward’s 1.3 GHz. How have Gainward achieved such devastating clocks?

Gainward have replaced the 2.0ns chips with much faster 1.4ns chips, which in theory should be capable of 1.4 GHz, or at the very least are designed by Samsung to reach this. As you can see, I was able to reach 1.48 GHz, which is something no 1.8ns based 6800 GS could EVER manage. This is what makes this card so special.

Let’s not forget that you get 512MB on this card instead of 256 MB, another great addition. My only concern is that a 256 MB part could have brought the price down a little and taken this card from being a well priced enthusiast part, to the no brainer “must have” 6800GS on the market. Its price premium does make it a tougher choice than it could have been…

Gainward have mentioned possible price drops on this card in the near future, perhaps by as much as £10. If this transpires it will make the card around £170, which will make this a superb deal.