nVidia 9800GX2 Review

KamiKazi

Tom's Hardware have done a review of the new 9800GX2.

Link

Anyone think of getting one / two of these? Any ideas what price they'll be going for?

x keo21

there already out

ricka05

[QUOTE

Anyone think of getting one / two of these? Any ideas what price they'll be going for?[/QUOTE]



http://www.overclockers.co.uk/productlist.php?groupid=701&catid=56&subid=1009

KamiKazi

Ah, didnt know they were out yet.

Anyone got one?

RoyalMarine

they're $599 on newegg.
and 580 on dabs.ie

aint seen one yet but would love to get one. somewhere close to 20 - 22,000 on 3dmark06 with a decent cpu

conzy

They're dangerously hot, One site had trouble getting a system to run at all with one, I think it was bit-tech, theres already an inovatek aluminum block out and the EK / DangerDen blocks should be out soon...

*edit* Holy **** Crysis playable at 1920*1200 :O

So is there any card between an 8800gts and a 9800GX2? 200-->600 euro is a pretty huge gap in the market

KamiKazi

599 US = 390 Euro.

Pretty awesome considering that 8800gtx's are still going for 350 euro.

Was thinking about getting a 2nd 8800gtx but I'm gonna sell it and get a 9800gx2, and buy another in a few months.

quad sli ftw

KamiKazi

conzymaher wrote: »

They're dangerously hot, One site had trouble getting a system to run at all with one, I think it was bit-tech, theres already an inovatek aluminum block out and the EK / DangerDen blocks should be out soon...

Shouldn't be too long before an aftermarket air cooler is out for them.

SickBoy

KamiKazi wrote: »

599 US = 390 Euro.

Pretty awesome considering that 8800gtx's are still going for 350 euro.

Was thinking about getting a 2nd 8800gtx but I'm gonna sell it and get a 9800gx2, and buy another in a few months.

quad sli ftw

Well that's looking at a US 9800gx2 price against a UK 8800gtx price.
You can grab an 8800gtx from Newegg.com for $399 which is €258...

conzy

I doubt there will be an aftermarket aircooler Kami, its 2x PCBs with very little space between them, unless someone releases a kit with spacers and a longer SLI link that lets you have a larger space between the cards

*edit* Why didnt Nvidia have the cards back to back with single slot coolers on each one, it probably would be slightly thicker than their design but a whole lot cooler and easier to fit aftermarket coolers

awhir

Lads the Gx2 is just 2 8800gt/gts (in between) sli'd

KamiKazi

Weren't there aftermarket coolers for the 7950gx2 though?

RoyalMarine

awhir wrote: »

Lads the Gx2 is just 2 8800gt/gts (in between) sli'd

yeah but you can have 4!

PogMoThoin

RoyalMarineComm wrote: »

yeah but you can have 4!

Ask Anti, there is absolutely no performance gain of having 3 (never mind 4) gpu's. Not yet anyways.

KamiKazi

PogMoThoin wrote: »

Ask Anti, there is absolutely no performance gain of having 3 (never mind 4) gpu's. Not yet anyways.

yes but you have the option to when the drivers are there for it, which is why 9800gx2 > 2x 8800gt/gts

conzy

Two 9800 GX2s for anything other than E-peening is pants on head retarded....

Chosen

ricka05 wrote: »

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/productlist.php?groupid=701&catid=56&subid=1009

€520 over at ripoff-OCUK, but closer to €450-470 if you are looking at other EU shops.

KamiKazi

US shops ftw.

It'll be a month or two before I updgrade anyway

Chosen

KamiKazi wrote: »

US shops ftw.

No, $/€ exchange rate ftw

KamiKazi

Chosen wrote: »

No, $/€ exchange rate ftw

Same thing

Flaccus

NewEgg doesn't ship to EU so no point in mentioning them. Specialtech seem to be one of the cheaper UK sites. Not looked into European sites yet.

Lots of reviews out now and mostly positive.

Fudzilla has found the GX2 beating 2 GTS's in sli, possibly due to the superior AFR it uses. So maybe Nvidias claims about the 9 series scaling better in SLI are true.

http://www.fudzilla.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6392&Itemid=40

Other reviews I have read have not seen any issues with overheating, and lots of user reviews on XS have said the card is not much louder then the Ultra under load despite official reviews. It also overclocks very well.

http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3266&p=1

http://www.tweaktown.com/articles/13...ion/index.html

http://enthusiast.hardocp.com/articl...50aHVzaWFzdA==

http://www.guru3d.com/article/Videocards/512/1/

http://forums.vr-zone.com/showthread.php?t=249249

http://www.firingsquad.com/hardware/...mance_preview/

http://www.tomshardware.com/2008/03/...00_gx2_review/

As regards Quad Sli, 2 GX2's with the sli driver are giving good results providing you can clock your cpu enough. Crysis is getting 60fps+ at 1600x1200 on High.

http://www.fudzilla.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6392&Itemid=40

There is also advantages to using the new 790i mobo. It appears to be giving better performance/scaling in sli over the 780i/680i and runs a lot cooler then 780i/680i. Also seems alot more stable and has great overclocking potential on par with the X48. While the X48 can overclock DDR3 to 1800mhz, the 790i will run DDR3 natively at 1800mhz or 2000mhz. Shame about the price of DDR3 though.

http://www.guru3d.com/article/mainboard/513/1

http://enthusiast.hardocp.com/article.html?art=MTQ3NiwxLCxoZW50aHVzaWFzdA==

I can understand why people are annoyed with these nvidia cards, as the GX2 is essentially 2 downlclocked GTS's, with a few small differences with regards to the way sli is implemented. Same thing is happening with 790i, due to the high costs of DDR3. Though it is a new more stable, more overclockable, cooler running chipset with revamped sli support, and not just a 780i with DDR3 support that many people have said.

However there are also those criticising people for buying these cards as it's only for e-peen, retarded etc.. Or they spread disinformation that there is no performance gain to be had using 3 gpu's or sli is not needed. I think this is juvenile. It's a hobby and people should be able to spend their money as they see fit without being criticised by twats on various forums.

conzy

heh, didn't mean to offend anyone, but to me, spending almost a grand on graphics cards that will produce ridiculous amounts of heat just for gaming seems a bit silly...

I said it was all well and good for e-peeening / benching though

Flaccus

Well I wasn't actually pointing you out, though your sentiments are more harshly demonstrated by prats on other forums I saw 3 idiots getting banned on XS forums for hassling people over their setups.

With the right cooling, heat won't be an issue I reckon.

What will be interesting is whether quad gx2 is going to outperform tri sli 9800gtx.

awhir

Flaccus wrote: »

Well I wasn't actually pointing you out, though your sentiments are more harshly demonstrated by prats on other forums I saw 3 idiots getting banned on XS forums for hassling people over their setups.

With the right cooling, heat won't be an issue I reckon.

What will be interesting is whether quad gx2 is going to outperform tri sli 9800gtx.

fal i tought you would have a skulltrain it supports quad sli :rolleyes:

conzy

Tri 9800GTXs will probably reel in the big benchmark numbers as it will be easier to mount waterblocks / LN2 pots etc...

At stock id say the 9800GX2s will hold the lead, if they scale anywhere as good as the ATI cards are currently scaling, 2 3850s beating 8800Ultras in some cases....

You planning on watercooling them? Nvidia didnt send any pre-release cards to EK / DD so it will be a few weeks before they get their blocks out

conzy

For the craic would it be possible to use three 9800GX2s on a Skulltrail?

Flaccus

I could have had a skull if I pushed a bit, but I had a workstation mobo before (with 2 dual core 3.0gig xeons even before quad core2's were out) and fbdimms leave a lot to be desired. Besides needing cooling, they are slow as hell and really drag performance down. Plus isn't skull socket 771. Already got me eng sample QX9770 775 to play with

The gx2 only has a single golden finger (it's a g92 afterall), so only 2 gx2's possible on any mobo.
Tri will be possible on the 8800gtx, ultra, and up and coming 9800gtx, and rumoured on the 9800gt when it surfaces.

From what I have read the 9800gtx will be expected to be around ultra performance, maybe slightly faster, and quad gx2 is coming out ahead of tri sli ultras in benches I've seen. I guess we will find out when the new gtx is launched first week of next month.

Watercooling is on the cards next month for sure. I am trying to decide what exactly to go for.

Sqaull20

Those 9800gtx's Sli are the ones to watch...

The yanks will be getting them for $330 each and they will run much cooler and overclock very well...

One 9800gtx should be as fast as an Ultra and if they scale like the 9600gt etc they will smoke a 9800gx2 for only $60 more...


Anyone looking at getting a 9800gx2 should wait until they come out first...

L31mr0d

great time to be buying 2nd hand 8800GTX's/Ultra's from the states tbh. The forsale sections on US tech/oc forums are going to start getting flooded with them now with people moving over to the 9800GTX/GX2. Plus with the dollar to euro exchange being so good its a win win situation.

Sqaull20

L31mr0d wrote: »

great time to be buying 2nd hand 8800GTX's/Ultra's from the states tbh. The forsale sections on US tech/oc forums are going to start getting flooded with them now with people moving over to the 9800GTX/GX2. Plus with the dollar to euro exchange being so good its a win win situation.

Import tax kills that though, I bought a psp a while back off a guy on toms hardware and sent they psp as a gift etc and I was still charged €50 import tax..

Flaccus

Sqaull20 wrote: »

Those 9800gtx's Sli are the ones to watch...

The yanks will be getting them for $330 each and they will run much cooler and overclock very well...

One 9800gtx should be as fast as an Ultra and if they scale like the 9600gt etc they will smoke a 9800gx2 for only $60 more...


Anyone looking at getting a 9800gx2 should wait until they come out first...

Nvidia have said the gx2 will still be top dog. And the gtx will be cheaper then gx2 for sure. Still hard to tell at this stage whether trisli gtx's will beat quad sli gx'2 or vice versa. I guess it will depend on how high the gtx can clock, and how high you can clock your cpu so as not to bottleneck the cards.

conzy

Any idea when the 9800gtx / gts / gt / gs whatever will be out? They need to fill the 400 euro void between the 8800gt/gts and the 9800GX2!

I dunno what to get, I was planning on a 8800gts 512mb but I had an 8800gts 640mb and it doesnt seem like enough of an upgrade

Maybe a cheap 8800gtx from the states would be nice......

Sqaull20

Fools day I think...

L31mr0d

Sqaull20 wrote: »

Import tax kills that though, I bought a psp a while back off a guy on toms hardware and sent they psp as a gift etc and I was still charged €50 import tax..

i've never been charged a cent

Sqaull20

L31mr0d wrote: »

i've never been charged a cent

Do you mind me asking how?

pm me if you dont feel comfortable saying on thread...

awhir

send it as a gift squall

Flaccus

Depends on the courier. If it's FedEx, DHL or any courier that operates out of a port of entry in Shannon, it goes into a clearing area/bonding warehouse for inspection and you get hit by customs. But anything send by USPS -> An Post generally avoids this. That's my experience anyway. If I have to use a courier I never get them to declare it as a gift..customs can always revalue the item at their discretion...plus even if they don't you still can get caught for tax on the cost of actual postage. So generally I usually ask the company sending to write something like sample parts and a nominal value of $50.

Sqaull20

Who have you bought off in the states Flaccus?

Any crowd you can recommend?

Im going to be getting a 9800gx2 or sli 9800gtx/8800gts etc in the next few weeks and they are so cheap over there....

Flaccus

Only bought from FrozenCPU in the US. Mostly case stuff / mods / watercooling. Never been charged a cent in import duty. Other times I have got people who are over there working for a few weeks to buy from NewEgg, Frys or BestBuy and bring it back.

Sqaull20

Will give frozen cpu a try now...

I have just found a 8800gt on dollarshops.eu for 160 euro...

But I can get them to ship it, they should to Ireland because Terror had a link of an offer from them in the bargain alerts thread in building and upgrading....

8800gt in sli for 320, would be the job...

http://www.dollarshops.eu/

KamiKazi

actually looking at some of the reviews two 9600 gt's in sli perform better than a 9800gx2 in the game and resolution I play ( cod4 @ 1280x720 ).

9800gx2 = 380 pounds & 2x9600gt = 180 pounds.

Dont know what to go for

Sqaull20

KamiKazi wrote: »

actually looking at some of the reviews two 9600 gt's in sli perform better than a 9800gx2 in the game and resolution I play ( cod4 @ 1280x720 ).

9800gx2 = 380 pounds & 2x9600gt = 180 pounds.

Dont know what to go for

Where can you get the 9600gt's for that?

Cheapest I have seen that ship here is £105 each

KamiKazi

link

shipping not included.

Sqaull20

KamiKazi wrote: »

link

shipping not included.

Thanks...

Those deals would do your head in

2 x 9600gt €260

2 x 8800gt €328

2 x 8800gts €402

L31mr0d

Flaccus wrote: »

send by USPS -> An Post

ditto... just request the seller to ship via USPS as the package will go straight to anpost when it comes into Ireland.

flaccus, just wondering, you said you're not into 3Dmark in another thread yet you always stay at the front of released tech. Can I ask why? Surely benching is the main reason for perpetually upgrading?

Flaccus

I don't know..ask my bank manager I do overclock my stuff allright, and I play alot games, but I don't spend time running 3dmark or prime or other benches as I found out in the past I spent nearly all my time doing that and not actually using the gear. If my games work when clocked it's stable enough for me. I suppose it's a form of OCD really when you get down to it.

Kami - those 9600gt's in sli are beating a GX2, but only in COD4. In other games the GX2 is matching and sometimes beating 2 GTS's in sli.

Sqaull20

Flaccus wrote: »

I don't know..ask my bank manager I do overclock my stuff allright, and I play alot games, but I don't spend time running 3dmark or prime or other benches as I found out in the past I spent nearly all my time doing that and not actually using the gear. If my games work when clocked it's stable enough for me. I suppose it's a form of OCD really when you get down to it.

Kami - those 9600gt's in sli are beating a GX2, but only in COD4. In other games the GX2 is matching and sometimes beating 2 GTS's in sli.

Its power consumption is brillant too, same idle consumption as 2 x 9600gt and same load as 2 by 8800gt and it can compete with 2 Ultra's/Gtx in Sli...

You can always Quad Sli it in the future too and power consumption would be similar to 2 Ultra's/Gtx in Sli...

Its great card, but still a bit too expensive..

http://techreport.com/articles.x/14355/9

Sqaull20

One question?

I have a 22" monitor on my desk with a 32" samsung hdtv above it, sometimes I watch films on the tv with the pc...

Can I still do that with the 9800gx2 without having to switch between tv dvi cable and monitor dvi cable ( as in switching between monitor 1 and 2, only using one screen at a time) or do I have to switch dvi cables everytime I want use the tv or monitor?

DanGerMus

think they come with hdmi output on em

Flaccus

I'll let you when mine arrive next week
Waiting for gtx reviews first

DanGerMus

Yeah i'm waiting on the GTX aswell Gx2 is beyond what i'd like to spend. I think the gtx would be a worthwhile upgrade for me as i have an x1950pro256mb. doesn't seem like current 8800gtx owers will be runnin out to get one though. Well they won't be gaining much anyway.