ATI All-in-Wonder Radeon

WHAT'S HOT: The All-in-Wonder Radeon packs some nifty extras, such as VIVO (video-in, video-out), which allows it to capture analog video and then export it to videotape. Also included are a TV tuner and DVD decoding. The card performed well in most of our test games: It achieved 73 frames per second in Quake III at 1024-by-768-pixel resolution in 32-bit color, and 86 fps in Test Drive 6 at the same settings. (For comparison, the Hercules 3D Prophet II Ultra hit 93 fps in Quake III and 112 fps in Test Drive 6.) A $50 price drop this month makes it even more attractive.

WHAT'S NOT: This Radeon was able to complete all of our 1600-by-1200-pixel resolution tests in 32-bit color. If you're strictly looking to improve gaming performance, your money would be better spent on a GeForce2- or 3-based card. ATI tunes its drivers for maximum performance in 32-bit color, so don't expect a big boost in frame rates by dropping to 16-bit color depth.

WHAT ELSE: ATI's Radeon boards feature enhanced MPEG-2 decoding that should improve DVD picture quality on most computer monitors. The All-in-Wonder's generous software bundle includes Ulead's VideoStudio 4.01, a video-editing application with a jukebox-style interface. Drag and drop video clips to the storyboard area and add voice-overs, titles, music, sound, wipes, and 3D objects. Also bundled is MatchWare's Mediator 5 color-calibration utility.

BEST USE: Respectable gaming performance and a bevy of video features make the All-in-Wonder Radeon a great one-card solution for those interested in video editing.

SUMMARY

ATI All-in-Wonder Radeon 4X AGP, ATI Radeon chip, 32MB of DDR SDRAM, 350-MHz RAMDAC; TV tuner, TV/stereo/VCR output adapter, video input adapter; graphics/video-editing software. $199 905/882-2600 www.ati.com