[Mini-Review] XFX 9800GX2 1GB GDDR3

[mascaras]

In your Frontlines test I noticed you have Foliage turned up. Are you experiencing major halting/stuttering with that turned up? I can play that game maxed out on my Ultra except for that setting. Just about anyone I talked to with any card (besides 9800GX2) has this problem unless Foliage is turned off. It plays great for a few seconds, halts for a few seconds, plays for a few seconds etc.

I can confirm that tomorow when i change to 9800GX2 again (im with 9800GTX right now)

then then I'll report here !

regards

[cantankerous]

Great, I appreciate your time in looking into this matter.

[TEDY]

how to enable very high settings?

nm found it

[cantankerous]

I can confirm that tomorow when i change to 9800GX2 again (im with 9800GTX right now)

then then I'll report here !

regards

This was a driver issue afterall. Upon getting the new 1.02 patch for Frontlines I came across this article here.

http://planetfrontlines.gamespy.com/....php?id=149644

Apparently the new 174.74 drivers fix this issue. Since you are using those to begin with for your testing that is probably why you never came across what I mentioned. No need to waste your time looking into it now!

[Jon Boy Deluxe]

Great review, my X2 is artifacting so I'll be swapping it for a GX2

[cantankerous]

Hi Mascaras. If you still have the GX2 in your system can you check how the clock frequencies of the card is affected by the adjusting of the PCIE bus in the motherboards bios? I am sure you have heard of how the 9600 gets affected by overclocking the pcie bus, can you see how the GX2 scales when this is done? Meaning if you raise your PCIE bus by say 5%, does the core clocks of the GX2 also go up by 5%? 600mhz (GX2 def. clocks) X 1.05 (105mhz PCIE clocks) = 630mhz GPU clocks in the end, according to Rivatuner monitoring as opposed to 600mhz being read by the driver?

[mascaras]

Hi Mascaras. If you still have the GX2 in your system can you check how the clock frequencies of the card is affected by the adjusting of the PCIE bus in the motherboards bios? I am sure you have heard of how the 9600 gets affected by overclocking the pcie bus, can you see how the GX2 scales when this is done? Meaning if you raise your PCIE bus by say 5%, does the core clocks of the GX2 also go up by 5%? 600mhz (GX2 def. clocks) X 1.05 (105mhz PCIE clocks) = 630mhz GPU clocks in the end, according to Rivatuner monitoring as opposed to 600mhz being read by the driver?

hi

yes , i think all 9000 séries have that (9600GT , 9800GTX & 9800GX2)


EDIT:

Please note that the core clock of both GPUs is dependent on the PCI-Express clock signal, just like on the GeForce 9600 GT.

Source

and also the 9800GTX !



regards

[cantankerous]

Ok thanks. I figured as much but was wondering if you could test it out first hand and let me know if it scales exactly as described, and if you actually see the different clocks listed in software and if performance/score increases improve because of it.

[mascaras]

Ok thanks. I figured as much but was wondering if you could test it out first hand and let me know if it scales exactly as described, and if you actually see the different clocks listed in software and if performance/score increases improve because of it.

Im back to GX2 from GTX

tomorow i run PCI-E @ 105 and compare with my previous run with pci-e @ 100

[cantankerous]

Awesome, thanks a ton. I look very forward to your results.

[ShArKo]

vary nice review man.........

It´s a very expencive video card....here in argentina you can buy this card for u$s780 and its the most chep please.....

[Jon Boy Deluxe]

Im back to GX2 from GTX

tomorow i run PCI-E @ 105 and compare with my previous run with pci-e @ 100

Hi Mascaras,

Can I ask you a favour? From what I can tell your figures come from timedemos?

Can you please run fraps in the backround and just observe the average number and report the 'feel'.

The reason I ask is my 3870x2 died and I need to replace it. I have a 24" monitor but played crysis at 1680x1050 'very high'. I got ~20fps but it was playable.
I am using my backup card 88gt and last night, using the same setings i turned on fraps and i got ~20fps with the gt!

I need to know if the gx2 delivers consistant figures and is worth the extra money (the gx2 is twice the price of the gts/gtx) over the 512 gts/98gtx with the 9900 series coming in July...

I understand if you don't have time but I would appreciate it. Thanks for reading!

[mascaras]

first post have lot of screenshots playing Crysis with FRAPS runing (showing FPS)

you want me to run Fraps in crysis benchmark and see the Average , is that ???



runing Fraps @ Crysis Benchmark

9800GX2 default
1680x1050
Very High


2008-04-03 15:32:15 - crysis64
Frames: 1958 - Time: 60602ms - Avg: 32.409 - Min: 22 - Max: 40








--------------------------´´--------------------------------------



Btw:

with new 174.74 WHQL and 9800GX2 OC @ 700Mhz/1000Mhz/1750Mhz (Core / Mem / shader)





!TimeDemo Run 2 Finished.
Play Time: 56.05s
Average FPS: 35.69
Min FPS: 21.94
Max FPS: 41.76













regards

[nickless]

Because it's XFX thread, I just want to share with you what I've done with my XFX 9800GX2.
3d06 174.74 XG, XP x86, 800Mhz/1998Mhz/2332Mhz - 23042 marks still on air
Very nice card I think

[JCGhz]

Very Nice review... I personally went form a 3870X2 to an eVGA 9800GX2 and it was worth every pennie.. this card is much more playable on my 24in monitor.

The only thing i noticed was degraded 2D image quality but not enough to deter me from keeping the card. The 790i board is next on my list. I should've went with XFX tho but i got this one for only $500 shipped USD

[mascaras]

Results from a friend mine with 9800GX2 @ 1900x1200


9800GX2 @ 675Mhz/2200Mhz
Crysis
Windows Vista 64Bit
Very High Settings
DX10
Resol = 1900x1200
Average = 27 Fps

[begrip]

I hop you have bought all that games

[mascaras]

I hop you have bought all that games

yep always , and i bought Two new games this week




ASSASSIN`S CREED (DX10)


E8400@4Ghz
4Gb gskill
Geforce 9800GX2 default
forceware 174.74
Windows Vista 64
1680x1050
Assassins @ DX10

















..............





TrackMania Nations Forever



E8400
9800GX2 Default
Windows Vista 64bit
1680x1050
Very High Settings (Blur & Boom Off)
AA : 4x
AF : 16x



















Bench Game @ 1680x1050 with All settings ON + AA x4 + AF: x16 = 49.2 Fps





regards!

[mascaras]

3Dmark Vantage


E8400@ 4Ghz (445x9)
9800GX2 @ 700/1050/1800 (core/memory/shader)
Forceware 175.16
Windows Vista 64bit







regards