It's an exciting time for computer lovers in general and PC gamers in particular, as a new revolution in GPU technology has meant that images and effects have never been as sharp, clear and authentic, and speed of operation is well-nigh instantaneous and glitch-free.

What has brought about this change? The concept of dual core (i.e. combining two GPUs) and the advent of SLI (Scalable Link Interface) technology, for which we have to thank Nvidia. The idea of teaming up two graphics cards in one machine is not new, but it's only now that it's become a commercial reality.

The Nvidia GeForce 7950 GX2 is currently the highest performing single graphics card on the market, uniting two graphics adapters in an SLI configuration on a single card. One word of warning if you're planning on upgrading to this new world; your motherboard must be PCI Express enabled and include an nForce4 SLI chipset. The Nvidia site has a list of approved motherboards if you're wondering where you stand.

MSI is the first to bring out a 7950 GX2 unit and, in addition to the onboard features (which we'll come to shortly), the company has added its DOT (Dynamic Overclocking Technology) Express which gives you the option to automatically or manually adjust your overclocking to fit the game you're playing. Perfect, in other words, for both hardcore and amateur gamers. The core clock speed is a respectable 500MHz and there's a 600MHz memory clock.

So what are the benefits of linking these two GPUs? A whopping 1GB of high-speed GDDR3 memory (512MB each) for a start, plus 48 pixel pipelines and 16 vertex shaders between them that use the Nvidia CineFX 4.0 shading engine to produce spectacular effects at breakneck speed.

In addition, UltraShadow II technology can deal with multiple light sources and objects (great for big fight scenes in Total War games, for instance), while Intellisample 4.0 introduces two new anti-aliasing modes.

The results on-screen are astonishing when you're playing full-on shooters like Quake 4 or Painkiller, where enemies rush at you in waves and seem frighteningly lifelike, or where you have lush or alien landscapes (like the bundled King Kong game) where every ripple in the water and trembling leaf is so natural that you could touch it. There are three DVD software packages included and the card has two dual-link DVI connectors for displays of up to 2,560 x 1,600 (though strangely only one VGA adapter) and a video-out connector.

You can tell this is cutting-edge workmanship, as the 7950 GX2 is Windows Vista OS ready, has PureVideo technology for High Definition video output and is High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) capable.

For one brief moment, this first incarnation of the Nvidia 7950 GX2 dual core SLI graphics card is undoubtedly the head of the class, with unparalleled visual quality and performance. You could even plug two of them together and have four graphics chips in one PC. Start saving now...