XFX's HD-695X-ZNFC video card is based on AMD's Radeon HD 6950 chipset, and falls at the lower end of AMD's enthusiast line.

Intended primarily for gamers who want to amp up their graphics performance without spending a ton of money, the HD-695X-ZNFC has a core clock running at a speed of 800MHz and an effective memory clock of 1,250MHz, and contains 1GB of GDDR5 memory operating over a 256-bit memory interface. It's driven by 1,408 stream processing units.

With the XFX HD-695X-ZNFC installed, a user can display resolutions up to 2,560 by 1,600. The card supports current-generation video standards like DirectX 11 and OpenGL 3.2. In addition, the card gives the user access to AMD's proprietary technologies: Advanced Parallel Processing, for GP-GPU computing tasks; HD3D, for playing games and viewing other content in stereoscopic 3D; CrossFireX, for using multiple cards in concert to achieve even higher frame rates, and Eyefinity, for connecting up to five monitors via the card's five output ports (one HDMI, two MiniDisplayPort, one single-link DVI, and one dual-link DVI).

Because of the size of the heat sink–fan unit on the XFX HD-695X-ZNFC, it consumes two expansion slots in your computer. In terms of electricity, the card requires a power supply that's rated for a maximum output of 500 watts or more and has at least two free six-pin PCI Express power connectors. As it measures approximately 10.2 inches in length, the card will fit into most cases without too much trouble.

More CPU and Component reviews: