AMDZone, HardwareZone, and ExtremeTech all have reviews of the graphics cards with the new Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTS chipset. The common features of the GeForce 8800 GTS are 500MHz core clock, 96 Stream Processors, 1200MHz Shader Clock, 640MB GDDR3 memory, 1600MHz memory clock, 320-bit Memory Interface, 64 Memory Bandwidth(GB/sec), 24 Texture Fill Rate.
The key features are:
- NVIDIA unified architecture with GigaThread technology
- Full Microsoft DirectX 10 Shader Model 4.0 support
- NVIDIA SLI-Ready
- 16x full-screen anti-aliasing
- True 128-bit floating point high dynamic-range(HDR) lighting
- NVIDIA Quantum EffectsTM physics processing technology
- Two dual-link DVI outputs support two 2560x1600 resolution displays
- Built for Microsoft Windows Vista
"... If you're currently running a 7800 GT or higher performing video card, while the 8800 is an incredible card, I would be hesitant to purchase it at this time. While it is excellent is has DirectX 10 support, Windows Vista is not even out yet to support and we won't see many games until spring at the earliest that support it. ... However, things are always going to be better and faster in the technology world and the bottom line is if you plan run at resolutions above 1280x1024 or you simply want a video card today the GeForce 8800 series is probably your best option and at $450 is also a value. This is the best video card on the market now and with DX10 support shall not be outdated quickly." [AMDZone, Leadtek WinFast PX8800 GTS TDH]
"Windows Vista won't be available until next year and even then, the number of upgraders may not be as large as Microsoft hopes. Add to that the lack of DirectX 10 games at the moment (which might be the case for a few more months to go) and the GeForce 8 series look like a shiny car without a proper runway to fully go into cruise mode. Although present games do benefit from the more efficient architecture in the GeForce 8800 GTS, that fact may not have the pull factor by itself to bring in the sales. The large size and power consumption of this card may also be a deterrent, though we have to say that NVIDIA has done well to keep temperature and noise at sane levels." [HardwareZone, MSI NX8800GTS-T2D640E (GeForce 8800 GTS 640MB)]
"In the end, the eVGA's GeForce 8800 GTS-and indeed most such cards based on Nvidia's reference design-isn't really better or worse than the GTX. We're a bit disappointed that the speed differential is what it is, but it's still an outstanding performer and it has some other things going for it, like a single power connector and shorter card length. It would be a steal at $450, but at $500 it's getting perilously close to the price of the GTX model. We can recommend it without reservation, if not just for performance, for the future-proofing that comes with DX10 support. However, those considering the GTX version, and with the finances to buy one, will find the price more than makes up for the performance difference." [ExtremeTech, eVGA GeForce 8800 GTS]
Looks like DirectX 10 support is a cool feature to have, letting you be ready for the next generation games. These cards tend to be quite large in physical form, so proper fitting with your motherboard could be one thing to consider. I believe that gaming enthusiasts (the target buyers for this card) would probably be on the "wait-and-see" state for the 8880 series cards as of now.
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