The All-In-Wonder 2006 PCIe Edition: The Latest Multimedia Solution From ATI

Introduction

We recently looked at ATI's X1800 XL version of the All-In-Wonder, which combined powerhouse graphics along with its multimedia capabilities. We were impressed by how much gaming power the card had on top of the video features, but questioned how practical it would be given the price. The X1800 XL A-I-W handled graphics as well as any high-end card can be expected to do, but many of those on the market for an All-in-Wonder ATI card would probably prefer something a little less bulky and pricey (in the graphics dept), but still have the features of the newer A-I-W.

Luckily, ATI has an answer for this in the form of the ATI All-In-Wonder 2006 PCIExpress Edition. The A-I-W 2006 is based on ATI's X1300 line, making it more budget-friendly than it's X1800 XL big brother. Because it's based on a budget part, the A-I-W 2006 looks like a much more practical alternative for an All-In-Wonder solution, if not quite as impressive. Still, the full motion video playback and recording features, as well as the hefty software bundle add to the desirability of this card.

This is our first look at the All-In-Wonder 2006 PCIe Edition, and apart from the obvious graphical performance difference from the X1800 XL All-In-Wonder, these two cards are very similar. The All-In-Wonder series offer various multimedia features such as TV playback and recording, as well as online program downloading and scheduling for recording shows. We'll be looking at these features more closely later in the review.

We will also be looking at the performance of the A-I-W 2006 PCI-e in some gaming tests, to see how this version of the X1300 handles a couple of games at different resolutions. Interestingly, while the A-I-W 2006 architecture is based on the X1300, it's clocked lower than a standard X1300 Pro (which we tested in our X1000 series launch articles), and we will compare the two in the performance test section.

Also, we'll be looking at any differences we might see in the multimedia features of this latest All-In-Wonder part over the earlier versions, and we'll again be testing power consumption as well. The X1800 XL A-I-W costs about $380 right now, and with a suggested retail price of $199, the A-I-W 2006 is significantly more affordable. Given the fact that at the time of release, the X1800 XL A-I-W retailed at about $490, we might see a similar drop in price for the A-I-W 2006 a while after it's out, which is a good thing.

As far as availability goes, we have another "proving ground" situation for this launch, as we won't know for sure if the card will actually be buyable today, the day of the launch, but we are giving ATI the benefit of the doubt. Hopefully ATI will make good their promise and we will see some quantities of the A-I-W 2006 PCIe for sale sometime today. The recent X1800 CrossFire Edition launch was a little light on availability, but there were cards around for those who looked hard enough. We'll keep our eyes open.

We like the capabilities of the All-In-Wonder family of cards, and this one looks to be another member of the same quality. The price is still a big factor in how desirable this card will be to the individual user, especially as we are dealing with a much less powerful card for gaming. Given the fact that prices are very much subject to change, and that different PC owners will have different preferences when looking for a multimedia solution, there is a fair amount of subjectivity in the value of this card. But that said, the A-I-W 2006 has a lot of potential, so lets go ahead and take a look at the card.