We've seen enough Special Ultra Xtreme XXX Golden Sample Edition graphics cards to last a lifetime, but EVGA's GeForce 8800 GTX ACS³ Edition is unique, and not because it has some fancy superscript in its name. No, the ACS³ is distinctive because it's the only card in this round-up that's done something really different with Nvidia's stock cooler, and we don't just mean another sticker.

In addition to its unique cooler, the ACS³ also has the distinction of being the fastest card in the roundup. EVGA pushes the card's core clock speed to 626MHz, which is nearly a 9% jump. The memory clock speed has also been increased from an effective 1.8GHz to an even 2.0GHz, which works out to an 11% boost.

But it's the ACS³ that really grabs your attention. This is the third revision of EVGA's Advanced Cooling System, and the company actually has a patent on the design, which is described as follows:

Graphics card apparatus with improved heat dissipation and including a planar metallic cover plate having an external perimeter configuration that generally corresponds to the plan-form of the printed circuit board used in the graphics card assembly, a plurality of thermal transfer blocks that can be selectively affixed to sources of thermal energy on the graphics card assembly and thermally coupled to the cover plate, and a fan and carriage therefor comprised of a heat sink and flow directing structure.

Flipping the card reveals that there's a little ACS action on the underside, too. A beefy, finned back plate sits directly below the graphics and memory chips, allowing for better heat dissipation on both sides of the card.

One might be tempted to assume that the ACS³ is a radical departure from Nvidia's stock GeForce 8800 series cooler, but that would be a mistake. The ACS³ is really more of a metal replacement for the plastic shroud that directs airflow with the stock cooler. It is a larger shroud, though.

As you can see in the picture above, a standard GeForce 8800 GTX cooler stops short of the edge of the card. The ACS³, however, extends the entire length of the card, with plenty of vents cut to encourage airflow.

Removing the ACS³ reveals a standard GeForce 8800 series cooler under the hood. Normally, we'd encourage graphics card makers to experiment with exotic heatsinks that deviate from the reference design, but Nvidia's latest high-end graphics card coolers are among the best we've ever used. They do a heck of a job dumping warm air out the back of a case, and they barely make a sound in the process. EVGA hasn't messed with what works here; they've just added a little twist of ACS to the equation.

Although not nearly as exciting as the Darth Vader cooler shroud, the EVGA card's assortment of bundled extras is reasonably complete. In addition to a pair of DVI-to-VGA adapters, you also get two molex adapters for the card's dual PCIe power plugs, a component video output dongle, and an S-Video cable.

EVGA throws in the requisite driver CD and a copy of Dark Messiah of Might and Magic, too. Most vendors are selling the game for around $40, so it's a decent addition to the bundle, if adventure games are your thing. If they're not, the game is new enough that you should be able to roll it on EBay and make a few bucks.

Like BFG, OCZ, and XFX, EVGA offers a lifetime warranty for its new graphics cards. However, to get the lifetime warranty, you have to register the card within 30 days of purchase, or you get stuck with only one year of coverage. Registration really isn't a big deal, but setting a 30-day deadline is a little harsh, especially when no one else has a similar registration cut-off for their lifetime warranties.

To EVGA's credit, the company offers its customers a unique step-up program that provides a measure of upgrade incentive protection. After buying an EVGA graphics card, you have 90 days to decide whether it's fast enough. If you get the upgrade itch during that time—either to keep up with the Joneses or because a graphics chip refresh has juggled prices enough to let you jump up in performance without laying out too much cash—EVGA will let you trade in your card toward a more expensive model. You can't get your money back, and you can only "step-up" once for each card you purchase. Still, it's nice to know the option is there.