9800GX2 Reviewed

[Mhill2029]

Here's a full review of the 9800GX2, drivers seem buggy
and this was just a quick run but wow. If these results are
anything to go by, the GX2 is going to be fast!

http://en.expreview.com/2008/03/13/geforce-9800gx2-got-reviewed-and-still-buggy/

[newls1]

Something about those numbers just dont seem rght. I will wait for a more reliable source to compair the cards.

[Talonman]

I am waiting on the more official reviews too... (and GX2 OC'ed model from EVGA.)

I have a slow 8600 GT, and know I am going to buy a new card. Waiting until mid, or late 2008 to see what comes out is not an option for me. I am ready to buy.

I have looked at the 3870's, but think I still like the GX2 better. I do realize if I already had a 8800 GTX or Ultra, upgrading to the GX2 would probably only be giving me a 30% increase in speed. I wouldn't spend the money then...

Going from a 8600 GT to a GX2 should get me into the fast lane quick, and I would love to know what % faster I would actually be operating at... :)

The GX2 still acting up with INTEL mobo's right now scares me a bit, but I feel that with driver updates, the issue should be resolved? Not really sure yet...

Between the 3870 x 2, and a GX2, I am thinking the GX2 will win...

It will cost more, but I have the money right now, and think the EVGA 'step up program' kind of covers my bet if I end up not wanting to keep the card.

[purecain]

no way are those benchmarks a fair comparison.... and the numbers are not right for the 3870x2 for a start....

[Talonman]

Mabey not... I would't know for sure. :)

I guess the smart money is always on wait for some quality reviews to be posted first!

New link to check out: http://www.computerbase.de/news/hardware/grafikkarten/nvidia/2008/februar/benchmarks_bilder_geforce_9800_gx2/

Looks like if I remove all the SLI options out of the picture, I keep landing on the GX2...
Looking at the cards in this review, by their measureing stick, slowest to fastest:

ATi Radeon HD 3870: $179.99 after rebate. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102719

For a 34% speed increase and $185.00 more bucks...

Nvidia 8800 GTX: $364.99 after rebate. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130072

For another 10% speed increase, and an ebay deal $???...

Nvidia 8800 Ultra: $ ??? Not sure if you can still buy these new any more?

For another 13% speed increase... (We need to see this number move more!!) ;)

Nvidia 9800 GX2: $600.00 ish?

Note: -- No intel mobo's beond this point -- :rolleyes:

For another 9% speed increase, and you can run SLI, put $200.00 back in your pocket...

Nvidia 8800 GT SLI. $199.99 after rebate X 2 = $400.00 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130318

For another 6% speed increase, and $140.00 bucks more...

Nvidia 8800 GTS 512 MB SLI. $269.99 after rebate X 2 = $540.00 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130312

Make your mouse hover over the 8800 Ultra on the bottom of the page under 'Performancerating'.
The Ultra looks to be only 13% slower than the GX2 at 1920 X 1200 res overall. That is my favorite performance numbers to look at too, with my 24" FPD. Man.... I hope we at least get nVidias reported 30% speed increase minimum, over the Ultra!

On the GX2, between driver improvements, and better OC-ability over the Ultra, might get us closer to 30% faster? (If both take place!) ;)

The link posted above has the GX2 current %'s at:

12% faster than the Ultra in Bioshock.

42% faster than the Ultra in Crysis.

14% faster than the Ultra in HL2:EP2.

9% slower than the Ultra in World in Conflict. (Gasp!)

And 13% faster over all than the Ultra....
My wise friend ferr, posted this at the [H]
More to a card than core speed.

Compared to the 8800 GTX, the 9800GX2:

- renders 110% more textures per second
- renders 39% more pixels per second
- 50% increased memory bandwidth
- has 33% more pixel shaders
- 100% more vertex shaders
- 32% more bus width

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_NVIDIA_Graphics_Processing_Units#GeF orce_9_series

It makes me think some driver updates may actually get some more top end out of this card... :shrug:

[Talonman]

If anybody spots any more GX2 reviews, be sure to post them up... :up:

I need to see that 30% over the Ultra bad! ;)

The 42% faster than the Ultra in Crysis looks good, but I need to see a few more games do the same.

Here is a good one of the GX2 -vs- the 3870x2: http://forums.vr-zone.com/showthread.php?t=249249

I am also impressed by how much faster the Quad SLI is over a single GX2! (They say 50% to 80% faster than a single GX2.)
Not an option for me, but fun numbers to look at none the less..

[Talonman]

GX2 review at TweakTown:

http://www.tweaktown.com/articles/1331/1/page_1_introduction/index.html

Note: They used an old driver...

[adamsleath]

should be closer in price to 2x8800gt sli imo...something like 450ish usd.

but there always seems to be a non-linear price scaling (ridiculous price premium) for the top of the heap for pc hware toys...whether it is xtremely ridiculously overpriced fx's (extinct) and their counterparts the X series intel cpu's, or stupidly overpriced gx2's.

but if a gx2 is less $ than an ultra and drivers are fixed it will be an attractive option for "rich dorks" - (a borrowed euphemism hope the originator doesn't mind)

also an attractive option for those who dont pay for their hardware :ROTF:

[AliG]

Nope, its going to be a $600 msrp (or maybe it was $549, it was big regardless)

[Talonman]

Good news on the price! :) Better than $700.00 for sure!

The way I look at it using the EVGA's 90 day step up...

I can get a midrange card now like the GTS, and have less credit toward the MSRP of the new tech card.
I would then be running at a single GTS'es speed.

-or-

I jump on the bloated price of a GX2, and have $600 already locked up toward the new tech cards, providing I see something better within the next 90 days after I am able to click buy.
I would be then running at GX2 speed.

3 months is a long time....
I also know the EVGA OC'ed GX2 is still at least two weeks out.

If the 90 days goes by, and no new tech cards get released, and the rumored mid year 'new tech' release actually turnes into early 09, what then...
I guess I will just have to live with GX2 speed, insted of GTS speed. As each month goes by that the GX2 is still king, it averages down lower $$ as to what it is actually costing me extra per month, to run the 'single fastest card' currently out.
I don't want to defend the price of the GX2, I am just saying I would be willing to buy it, and roll the dice on catching a 90 day step up come mid year!

If I do end up getting stuck keeping my next purchase for the next 10 months or so, I don't want to find myself looking at a single GTS that I wish had more to give me, in my intel mobo, and wishing it was a GX2... :(

I just want 1 card that will make my 1920 x 1200 res fly AFAP until the new tech cards shame the entire 9 Series. I hope it's soon too! :up:
I'll be right there in line with the rest of the boy's for mine. ;)

[xMrBunglex]

your logic is terrible. Step Up is not a down payment plan. you understand EVGA makes profit every time people step up. they offer this program because they get to buy back slightly used video cards for a low price. you are the one that will eat the difference. better just to wait if you don't like anything that is out at the moment. the GX2 is ridiculously overpriced and we all know that. don't buy one and try to convince yourself that you're making a smart business move. at least be honest with yourself and admit you're buying an overpriced status symbol.

[Talonman]

The Step Up is MSRP to MSRP, I think I pay shipping... Not so bad?
So why not run the faster card. Don't you believe the new tech card's will have a higher MSRP than the GX2? I do... I just fill the gap in card cost between the two plus shipping. Not so bad when turning an old card in, for a new faster one? If EVGA makes a couple bucks too, good for them. I don't see the big down side for me.

Status symbol... mabey, but not my biggest consirn, my 1920 x 1200 res is. I wish my 8600 GT would still do it for me, but it dosen't.

Name me one other card that will give me the same performance as the GX2, that my res won't notice the swap between the two cards? To be honest, I think the GX2 will have it's hands full. I wish it was faster, and might be as driver improvements get made. I think the 3870 has showen performance improvements, as it's drivers were updated... I am betting the GX2 will follow the same pattern, and probably lengthen it's lead a tad, over the other cards.

I am allowed to like the GX2 right... I mean, I won't get baned for it correct? :)

[The Nemesis]

Seems like a single GX2 is faster than a single 8800GTX Ultra as it should be. What I would like to see is how a single GX2 stacks up against 2 8800GTX's. I'm still thinking 3 8800GTX's in Tri SLI will be the way to go for people who already own one or two 8800GTX's.

[Talonman]

3 8800 GTX'es in SLI should spank a GX2 bad I would think? :)

[Dan_c]

3 8800 GTX'es in SLI should spank a GX2 bad I would think? :)

really bad too! and since the GTX clocks higher, 3 of them might spank quad-sli too.

[The Nemesis]

really bad too! and since the GTX clocks higher, 3 of them might spank quad-sli too.

That's kinda what I was getting at but I failed to type my entire thoughts.:rolleyes:

[Dan_c]

I may be an NV fanboy, but I still licke my new (case-less) mATX setup, so the GX2 loocks really good. but that's just because I can't sli. if I could, I wouldn't even bother too loock for best qotes on the GX2, and keep my GTS SLi setup...
still, I couldn't buy a gfx card with bad OpenGL performance at this price tag... we still have to wait and see ( come on 25th!)

[AliG]

The upcoming gddr4 3870x2 will be smaller than the gx2 I believe if you need something small, the thing I personally like about the gx2 is the large silent fan it has, its cooling setup beats that of the rv670, r680 and other g92 cards

[Dan_c]

ATI+Open GL= way worse... the cooling on the GX2 really is ok, tho

[Talonman]

Do you guys know if the GX2 only vents the hot air out the back, and not in your case?

[Dan_c]

Some more pics... As I see it, you need good ventiation in the case, cause only a bit of tha hot air is directed back, out of the case through the exhaust of the card, the rest beeing dumped on the side vents. The temps in the previews loock good, better then the X2's.
Enjoy...

[Talonman]

Thanks,

I was thinking the 2 sides were intake only, and the warmed air would exit out the back...

[Dan_c]

It doesn't seem to have mutch of an exhaust, out the back I mean. It's split, and more then half is outside the shroud. So i thinck intacke is up/down, exhaust side. A high cfm, in the lower front of the case would help alot, or a side panel axhaust fan...
Don't know yet... Still wayting on Gainward's move on these cards, and then I'll design my case acording to the airflow needed. Still runing case-less so far, not knowing what gfx will be slant in there...

[Dan_c]

Sorry, I meant this pic:

and def. need good wide cases, with a good mesh on the back side (by the vid card slots)...

[Talonman]

Some if the other boy's are telling me the stock cooling works well. :shrug:

We will have to wait for some numbers on that... :)

[alexio]

The GX2 actually has 42% less memory bandwidth and 33% less memory than the 8800U as the memory pool isn't shared but instead duplicated for both cores. The same goes for any SLI or Crossfire config. Just so you guys know.