Conclusion:
In general, these cards are good enough for comfortable gaming on 1024x768, 32 bit with 4x AA and 16x AF. They barely have enough processing power for higher resolution gaming, but this is to be expected since these are mainstream graphics cards. For the next generation of games, these cards have just enough shader power, but don't expect to run them with AA and AF above 30 fps with full details. We can see that memory capacity is not an issue, since the performance limiting factor is bandwidth and speed. Using higher speeds (through overclocking) can provide higher fps, providing just enough power to pass the 30 fps mark.Since the performance is generally the same for all cards, features and bundle will be the determining factor for most people. For those with a tight budget, we recommend choosing the MSI RX700 Pro. The price is just right, it has enough processing power (the performance difference is not significant) and the bundle is more geared for gamers (no video input, no HDTV output, two full games). You don't get hardware monitoring, but the card should run fine without it.
Those who want more features will be considering either the Gigabyte X700 Pro or ASUS Extreme X700 Pro. The Gigabyte X700 Pro offers more in bundles (games, HDTV output) not to mention silent running, but we couldn't recommend this card to non-experienced users. With no fan, this card gets too hot, so you still have to use a fan. Gigabyte also didn't include hardware monitoring functions, which we feel should have been included to monitor the card's health (especially since it only relies on passive cooling).
The ASUS Extreme X700 Pro offers what the others don't have: full hardware monitoring for temperatures, voltages plus fan control. This feature is quite rare and can be very useful if you're planning to overclock the card. While this feature is important, you have to consider the lack of bundle and heatsinks for the memory on the back of the card. Both can be had for a little extra effort but we think ASUS should've bundled them. Having 256 MBs is nice, although it doesn't influence performance. There's also video input (sans HDTV output) courtesy of the Rage Theater chip. We recommend this card for those who want more out of the X700 Pro.
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