What's an artifact?

[btbam]

Ok, after much reading and trying and trying I finally got rivatuner to display my 6800oc as 16pipes.

now what is an artifact and how will I know if the 16 pipelines is working alright?

 

[1336]

Weird crap that shouldn't be on the screen.

 

[Bateluer]

Artifact

 

[SonicIce]

Artifact
Ohh those kind!
It's like when your videocard gets to hot or something and your image quality takes a real dive or you get like dots all over your screen or weird shapes everywhere or colors way off or something, it's a sign that somethings wrong.
The OTHER artifacts.
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[BFG10K]

An artifact is a rendering error or defect that is usually related to hardware issues.

 

[Dethfrumbelo]

Of course if your a Brit, you call it an Artefact.
...Colour
...Sceptre
...

 

[VIAN]

WOW, I've never seen artifacts THAT bad.