The most likely home for the X1300 is in a media centre PC, since it provides a good range of video outputs and can accelerate video decoding. ATI’s cards boast Avivo technology (page 83), and the X1300 should handle 720p and 1080i video (if backed by a fast CPU) and output the results via the dual-link DVI or D-SUB ports. The TV-out interface supports S-Video, composite and component connections.

This Connect3D offering is a full-height card, unlike MSI’s 7300 series cards, so may not be suitable for small cases. We advise spending the extra $3 for the HIS (see below), as Connect3D’s fan was one of the noisiest on test.

Our game tests revealed poor gaming performance: at 1024 x 768, it scored 15fps and 18fps in Far Cry and Call of Duty 2 respectively. Oddly, it’s CrossFire compatible, but we can’t see anyone taking this route.

The X1300 Pro costs $20 more than this, but it’s nearly 30 percent faster. It still isn’t enough to run at high-quality settings at 1024 x 768, so if you simply want the cheapest card it’s a straight choice on features between the plain X1300 and the 7300 LE.