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ATI and NVIDIA are sort of like the Yin and Yang of the PC gamer's universe. Is ATI Ying? Is NVIDIA Yang? It doesn't really matter. All I know is that NVIDIA recently released a stellar GPU in the 8800 GT, and now, only about a half-month later, ATI is ready to answer back with two new cards, in hopes of balancing out the universe.

Today we are looking the PowerColor HD 3850 Xtreme PCS. The GPU powering this piece of hardware was previously known as the RV670.  Dumping the XT / Pro nomenclature, the slower, less expensive variety of the RV670 comes as the HD 3850, while the more expensive, faster cards come as HD 3870. The HD 3870's primary rival is NVIDIA's 8800 GT 512 MB, while our HD 3850 will probably face stiff and quick competition from the soon-upcoming 8800 GT 256 MB.

In a savvy marketing maneuver, NVIDIA brought up the release date of 8800 GT by two weeks to be the first to market with a new GPU. But the 8800 GT sells for around $279 right now. The sub $200 range is a massive segment of the market; and right now, it's wide open. Can the HD 3850 take it? Yet to hit the stores, the PowerColor HD 3850 Xtreme PCS looks like it is going to retail for about $200 clams.  

The PowerColor HD 3850 Xtreme PCS is Neoseeker's first look at the RV670.

The two forces of ATI and NVIDIA constantly struggle against each other. And while you can't win every battle you fight, if you lose all the time, your cooked.

Let's take a look at the HD 3850.