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| Page 1 of 10 | Author: wymun
Date of review: 25-January-2002
Type Of Review: Videocards |
GF3 as a standard?
For the astute few, Nvidia’s newest GF3 variants – the Ti500 and Ti200, may be viewed as a prudent, yet strategic move to attain even greater market dominance.
Intrinsically, the Titanium(s) represent mere offshoots of the original GF3, differentiated only by clock/memory speeds. By further segmenting the GF3, Nvidia aims to up the baseline ante of 3D graphics in the mid-term, thereby extending the GF3 chipset life-cycle by another year or so, whilst still shrewdly fulfilling their claim to a 6 month product development cycle. Notably, this move has been actively replayed by Nvidia - from the onset of TNT Ultras till today's GF3 variants, and has become an integral part of their product strategy 
But more significantly, this maneuver aims to tactically counter specific new-entrant threats from the likes of ATI’s 7500 and 8500 RADEON cards. The RADEON boards were set to captivate users who desired uncompromising 2D cum decent 3D capabilities. By introducing 2 new products with more than comparable 3D performance, numerous fringe buyers were evidently swayed and recaptured into the Nvidia fold.
Economically, the production of these lesser and greater GF3 versions, also maximizes yield and returns on existing GF3 chips. Consider how their conception simply means incorporating another process layer for chip sorting procedures, thereby issuing a higher tolerance of rejects (i.e. chips that failed the original GF3 criteria may be re-used as GF3 Ti200s!) and charging a premium for the hot-rod overclockers (i.e. GF3 Ti500s)!! Moreover, being dominant leaders in the 3D arena, what better way to “throttle” or mediate market appetite by such adaptation to present-day trends of an economic slowdown?
In retrospect, Nvidia has certainly played their cards right with the Titanium(s) – at least from a business perspective. 
Hence, it is unsurprising that manufacturers such as Elsa have jumped onto the Titanium bandwagon without hesitation, in a broad attempt to lure compulsive upgraders and geeks alike. Today, Elsa's GF3 Ti200 and Ti500 renditions step into the limelight for our evaluation. 
The Elsa brotherhood rendered in “Titanium” quality!
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