GTX 480 and GTX 470 Reviews

[joshd]

Too heavy underclocking it seems. Not enough processing power left, especially for those Vista / Win7 effects.

But my 5850 sits in low power 3d all the time with dual monitors instead of 2d, and then jumps back and forth to full power 3d, which produces flickering. It seems nV have solved this with the GTX480 by just having it run at 3d mem clocks all the time, hence the 90C idle temps on one of the reviews.

[jam2k]

Yeah looks like 5850/5870 running out of memory in GTA4 @1080p

[grimREEFER]

It's running @ 92C+ in Crysis @ stock clocks, what overclocking are you talking about? Or starting spaceship fan noise for these overclocks?
I wouldn't want my card to run hotter than 85C, overclocked or not...

idk, thats sorta an arbitrary number.
i dont know if there is a direct correlation between temp and any sort of lifespan problem, these things were built with the knowledge that they would run hot.
and most will come with lifetime warranties.

[mindfury]

But my 5850 sits in low power 3d all the time with dual monitors instead of 2d, and then jumps back and forth to full power 3d, which produces flickering.

Keeping mem at 3D frequency will fix it.

Memory clock switching does not occur in mutli-monitor scenarios for the with hardware PowerPlay systems for the reason OpenGL guy commented on (which, as he pointed out, I've also commented on previously). With R700, the flash in multimon mode wasn't so much of an issue because it basically only does it when you boot a game, and in many instances it may also be changing resolution as it loads up, so that wasn't deemed an issue; with hardware PowerPlay, because we can get much lower lows and because it is hardware activity based PowerPlay states will move around frequently - both at the desktop and even in games - and so in multi-panel mode we have restricted the memory clock switching so that the screen flashing as it moves states on some of them do not occur.

Even though, in multi-mon modes, we have to restrict the engine clock a little more than we can in single panel modes, we still achieve better power savings than we could with 2D/3D switching.

http://forum.beyond3d.com/showpost.p...9&postcount=49

[mindfury]

Best Fermi Review in my opinon:

http://translate.google.com/translat...&sl=auto&tl=en

[-Sweeper_]

the performance hit with AA seems smaller than cypress

[BrokenWall]

http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/201...1-5gb-review/1

[annihilat0r]

http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/201...1-5gb-review/1

Is that really a review?

I mean 5 games?

[azza21]

The you and I must have different versions or something. Mine is ULTRA loud...as is one of my HD 4890 cards. My GTX 295 does beat them all out though....


If the mic isn't set properly it will take directional sound and not ambient. My Canon S2IS has the same problem and it picks up EVERY sound from a nail scratch to a pen writing on paper if the wrong setting is selected.

The GTX 470 isn't quiet by any stretch but it doesn't make as much racket as that video would lead you to believe. I'm just stating this from my personal experience with the card.

The HD 5870 is VERY quiet though. There is no doubt about that.

I second that, my 4870x2 isn't to bad at all.

Anyway after reading through countless reviews the conclusion i've come to is the 480 gtx i good but the wattage it uses does worrying me to the point that i'm going to hold off buying it until there is a revision BECAUSE i want these badbois (480 gtx) is SLI, the performance is too good to not go for SLI., well impressive.

As for the reviews, its seems to me SOME sites either have some nvidia buffs reviewing the card or they just fallen in love with the card which is odd because OTHER sites are honest and frank in there conclusions.


Honest straight up reviewer:
Anandtech
Techpowerup
legitreviews
Toms Hardware
Hexus
bit-tech.net

Clearly nVidia nut or paid off:
Guru3D
HardwareCanucks
Hardware heaven <--- They taking the p+ss or what

All the respectable sites come to the same summery:
Wattage is shockingly high
HEAT is a problem
Noise is a problem
Price is slightly to high

Performance is GOOD
Performance is SLI is AMAZING!
Future Proof

[jaredpace]

I've updated the Compliation of results I posted in the OTHER thread with HD5850, and some more review data as they came available. Thought i more appropriate here

It's a big img now so had to shrink it.

Here shrunk it some more:

[azza21]

Here shrunk it some more:

Thanks for that mate.

[RPGWiZaRD]

Thx for that compilation, it's really all you need, so you don't have to read thru multiple reviews.

So it handles AA even better than 5xxx series, that's nice but otherwise the results are rather underhelming for a 6 months delay. 10% advantage without AA and 15% with AA. :s

[SnipingWaste]

I can see a major problem later with it pulling that much power. It think we will see the GTX470/480 killing many PSU. There are many that have low grade OEM 600W to 700W PSU and from 1 review I read the the wires for the PCI-E 6pin and 8pin got hot and that was with a high end 900W Corsair. The high end Corsairs have lower gauge wire (the lower the gauge of wire the larger the diamator) so it that got warm then whats going to happen to wires on a low end OEM PSU?

[KingOfsorroW]

Nice graph, jaredpace.

[Musho]

Thx for that compilation, it's really all you need, so you don't have to read thru multiple reviews.

So it handles AA even better than 5xxx series, that's nice but otherwise the results are rather underhelming for a 6 months delay. 10% advantage without AA and 15% with AA. :s

Not to mention the huge power draw. This will make it harder to scale your performance with multi-GPU configurations, due to the insane amounts of cooling and power you will need. Meh, I'm kinda disappointed. I don't think ATI is going to have to lower their prices

[SKYMTL]

Given all the questions about noise levels, and the uncertainty of [H] videos, it would be interesting if you would do a test comparing all the GPUs you mentioned, and actually test actual Decibels from, say 2 locations, across a couple games. Or maybe just do it for a few of the cards (the 4xx and the 5xxx)?

Would you be willing to do that? I'm sure people would like to see the data for actual games, not a synthetic test like Furmark (especially if AMD throttles this application, which alters results).

I already have a Fluke dB meter on the way as well as a heatsink I am confident I will be able to run passively on my i5 750 system May as well put this to bed once and for all and back up my claims with real numbers.

Thanks for the numbers!

No clue on the HWC thing... its 5-6 points higher than the other ones it seems

Are there enough 2560 x 1600 data points to make a compilation of that as well?

Yeah.
Their numbers are way off than everyone else but there might be an explanation for it.

HWC is the only review site from that charts which is running i7 Quad at 4Ghz with turbo on.

Rest all are 3.8ghz or less. ( most are way less than 3.8G )

Firingsquad is the only one which is running 980X but only at 3.3Ghz.

Someone needs to do analysis of how Fermi scales with increase in CPU freq.
So I dont know, that might be the reason for those numbers.

The 15% number is pretty much established now I think... Anandtech mentioned 15% in their review too. This difference rises in minimum FPS, though, might affect some people's decisions. Obv this means a lower maximum FPS difference, but who cares about max FPS anyway.

btw majord (does this stand for "major chord"? ) about the HWC review. Your numbers show 22% over 5870 for 1920 with 4AA, but HWC's own compilation shows 18%:

There is a reason for this.

If you look at the numbers on that GREAT chart that was posted, there were a number of games that weren't included. Unfortunately, including two Far Cry 2 results and not including the AvP, L4D 2 and some other results meant the percentage is shifted WAY too far in NVIDIA's favor.

Also, we are using a highly overclocked system to eliminate as much CPU bottleneck (a major problem at 1680) as possible.

[RPGWiZaRD]

I can't help but already getting interested in what ATI will release next, now's the perfect opportunity to really eat back some huge chunk of market share from nvidia because even Fermi's refresh will arrive rather late and this architecture doesn't look very scalable. Imagine what damage a card that would do if it had TDP around GTX 470 levels (215W TDP would be the perfect spot so it would make Fermi look even worse) but performed 30~40% better than GTX 480 on a smaller process node with improved tessellation performance. I think this is totally plausible with a good design.

[SKYMTL]

As for the reviews, its seems to me SOME sites either have some nvidia buffs reviewing the card or they just fallen in love with the card which is odd because OTHER sites are honest and frank in there conclusions.

Right. You sir are guilty of not actually READING the reviews. To you:

Fermi sucks = honest

Fermi is a good performer but has issues with power consumption & heat = dishonest & paid by NVIDIA.

Take a step back into reality because things are not so black and white when it comes to conclusions.

Benchmark numbers don't lie unless you are one of those sites who has no clue how to properly force DX11 in certain titles like Dirt 2 and BF:BC2.

[Funky]

Best Fermi Review in my opinon:

http://translate.google.com/translat...&sl=auto&tl=en

this is fantastic review. Nicely done by whoever reviewed it.

[jaredpace]

Nice graph, jaredpace.

Hey no problem, but MAJORD is the guy who did the hard work getting the numbers in.

[azza21]

Right. You sir are guilty of not actually READING the reviews. To you:

Fermi sucks = honest

Fermi is a good performer but has issues with power consumption & heat = dishonest & paid by NVIDIA.

Take a step back into reality because things are not so black and white when it comes to conclusions.

Benchmark numbers don't lie unless you are one of those sites who has no clue how to properly force DX11 in certain titles like Dirt 2 and BF:BC2.

You sir are guilty of not actually READING the what i wrote.

I said the 480 looks good, i also said i will be buying a couple of 480, in SLI it looks phenomenal, the power does concern me at the moment.

All the sites/reviews generally say the same thing, heat, power, some noise/price is a problem. Some reviwers are slightly more up nVidia ass then other which is noticable on the the reviews mentioned.

Not that there not superb reviews infact all the writeup have generably been of a very high standard, really impressed by you guys and the writeups you do, you really do help out the perspective buyer decide, its just some reviewers are more in favour of a product then others, i guess thats always going to be the case.

Price and noise seems to be a slight issue GOING on what quite a few reviews have said, you don't think i guess so its dependent on the reviewer.

Anyone keep the good work up

[Meizuman]

I think I've never been so dissappointed by a new gen from nvidia as I am currently. Ok maybe it is the fastest single card (at stock speed) but a 6 month old card where all mods are available and there are coming some special editions with maybe 1500+ GPU our way maybe...I still prefer to bench 5870...

On the practical side I would never ever put that money-burner into my allday system...GPU 500€, power bill another 250€??? Ah yes and you need ear protection - 50€...maybe lots of Asperin also ^^
Also all reviews have been done in OPEN test systems - putting a 480 in a closed tower and thinking of summer with 32°C+ in my flat...lol that card will be killed before august for sure...

So I am one of thoose calling it: EPIC FAIL!

@xdan oh man please resize that image....

Here's one with closed system. In NZXT Hush Silent case, went up to 105°C

http://translate.google.fi/translate...C2&sl=fi&tl=en

[zalbard]

105C? This can't be with the fan spinning at 100%, right?
Perhaps Nvidia just needs a driver or a BIOS fix... This is just way too dangerous.

[SKYMTL]

You sir are guilty of not actually READING the what i wrote.

I said the 480 looks good, i also said i will be buying a couple of 480, in SLI it looks phenomenal, the power does concern me at the moment.

All the sites/reviews generally say the same thing, heat, power, some noise/price is a problem. Some reviwers are slightly more up nVidia ass then other which is noticable on the the reviews mentioned.

Not that there not superb reviews infact all the writeup have generably been of a very high standard, really impressed by you guys and the writeups you do, you really do help out the perspective buyer decide, its just some reviewers are more in favour of a product then others, i guess thats always going to be the case.

Price and noise seems to be a slight issue GOING on what quite a few reviews have said, you don't think i guess so its dependent on the reviewer.

Anyone keep the good work up

Very well. However, I think we made it very clear that the GTX 480 is a disappointment for all intents and purposes while the GTX 470 is a great value (power consumption and heat aside). I'll stick to that as well.

[JumpingJack]

Here shrunk it some more:

Nice job dude.