Nvidia GeForce 9400 / 9300 IGP Chipset Reviewed

Nvidia GeForce 9400/9300 MGPU (code named the MCP7A) is an IGP chipset solution for the Intel platform, which directly competes with the chipsets from Intel. The chipset features are as follows:

• Intel Core 2 Family, Pentium D, Pentium 4, Celeron D, Celeron
• 1333 Mhz FSB
• Dual-channel DDR2-800 / DDR3-1333 Memory Interface
• DirectX 10 Support
• 16 Graphics Cores
• 580/1400 MHz (9400) or 450/1200 MHz (9300) Core/Shader Clocks
• 3.6 Billion/second Texture Fill Rate
• 128-bit Max. HDR Precision
• 2048 × 1536 Max. Analog Resolution
• 2560 × 1600 Max Digital Resolution
• GeForce Boost Technology
• HybridPower Technology
• NVIDIA PureVideo HD With full HD decode (1080i/p)
• PCI-Express 2.0 support
• 10/100/1000 Networking
• HDA (Azalia) audio
• 7.1 LPCM HD Audio Support

Guru3D tested the ECS GF9300T-A-V1.0 motherboard:

"... the GF9300 based mainboards will be a flexible solution, and not just for the budget minded. It performs as fast as any modern mainboard, you can make it a gaming rig, you can use it excellently for HTPC and if it floats your boat, it's a nice NET PC as well. I also think it's lovely we can use the integrated GPU, if not utilized for graphics, for CUDA, transcoding, PhysX and whatever new applications we'll see in the future... if you're looking for a competitive IGP solution, and a versatile and flexible mainboard that's not too expensive... this should be ranking at the top of your list. Definitely recommended." [Guru3D.com| NVIDIA GF9300 (ECS GF9300TA) mainboard review]

AnandTech had comparisons IGP boards - Nvidia 9400 / 9300 / 8300 / 8200, AMD 790GX / 780G, Intel G45 / G35:

"Everyone likes a clean victory; while NVIDIA has the opportunity to obtain just that with the GeForce 9300, there are a handful of lingering issues that cause them to hit just wide of the bullseye... if these problems are quickly addressed, the GeForce 9300 is as close to perfect as you're going to get for now... The GeForce 9300 is leaps and bounds ahead of Intel's G45, but that's not really a tremendous accomplishment. What NVIDIA has done however is effectively bring 780G-class performance to the Intel platform, which is better than nothing." [AnandTech | The IGP Chronicles Part 3: NVIDIA's GeForce 9300]

HotHardware.com tested two 9300 motherboards - Zotac GeForce 9300 and Asus P5N7A-VM - and compared it with mainboards with the Intel G45:

"In comparison to Intel's G45 chipset, the GeForce 9300 generally performs on roughly the same level in productivity applications, with a slight edge going to the G45 where its increased memory bandwidth comes into play. In any GPU intensive situation, however, the GeForce 9300 is simply on a different level than the G45. In the game tests, for example, the GeForce 9300 was up to 4.4X faster than the G45. ... If you're thinking about building a low-cost, low-power Intel-based rig or an HTPC anytime in the near future, do yourself a favor and check out the GeForce 9300 or GeForce 9400." [HotHardware.com | NVIDIA GeForce 9300 and 9400 Motherboard GPUs]

PC Perspective took a look at three motherboards - the MSI P7NGM-Digital (9300), Zotac GF9300-A-E, and ASUS P5N7A-VM (9300) - and compared it to an Intel DG45ID (G45 chipset):

"NVIDIA's new GeForce 9400 and 9300 chipsets are a breath of fresh air in a world of integrated Intel platforms that have underperformed. With the exceptions of synthetic memory performance and some nagging issues with the tested motherboards BIOS, the GF9300 chipset was a success from every angle. The graphics performance is without a doubt a level of magnitude improvement over the G45 chipset and added benefits like CUDA, Hybrid SLI and the coming onslaught of multimedia applications accelerated by GPUs make motherboards based on the NVIDIA GeForce 9400/9300 chipsets an easy choice." [pcper.com | NVIDIA GeForce 9400/9300 Chipset Review: IGP for Intel ]

As soon as the Nvidia 9300 and 9400 motherboards are available in the retail market, builders will have a choice of IGP motherboards when building a rig based on the Intel processor. Judging from the above reviews, the Nvidia 9400/9300 MGPU is the better way to go.

IceRocket : 9300, 9400, g45, geforce, igp, intel, mgpu, nvidia

Budget Graphics Compared: GeForce 9400 GT vs. Radeon HD 4550

Two new budget graphics cards came into play recently. These are the GeForce 9400 GT from Nvidia, and the Radeon HD 4550 from ATI. Their specs are as follows:

GeForce 9400 GT (US$59):

• G96 Core Code
• 314 million Transistor Count
• 55nm Manufacturing Process
• 550MHz Core Clock
• 16 Stream processors
• 1400MHz Stream Processor Clock
• 16 Texture Mapping Units (TMU) or Texture Filtering (TF) units
• 8 Raster Operator units (ROP)
• 800MHz GDDR2 Memory Clock
• 128-bit DDR Memory Bus
• 12.8GB/s Memory Bandwidth
• PCIe ver 2.0 x16 interface
• no Multi GPU Technology support
• HDCP Output Support

Radeon HD 4550 ($45-55):

• RV710 Core Code
• 242 million Transistor Count
• 55nm Manufacturing Process
• 600MHz Core Clock
• 80 Stream processors
• 600MHz Stream Processor Clock
• 8 Texture Mapping Units (TMU) or Texture Filtering (TF) units
• 4 Raster Operator units (ROP)
• 1600MHz GDDR3 Memory Clock
• 64-bit DDR Memory Bus
• 12.8GB/s Memory Bandwidth
• PCIe ver 2.0 x16 interface
• CrossfireX Multi GPU Technology support
• HDCP Output Support

AnandTech compared the HD 4550 with HD 3650, GF 9500 GT, and HD 4670 cards:

"Anyway, the point is that with cards in this class, you can't expect gaming performance. And even still we have cards that absolutely blow away integrated graphics. This really does highlight just how how horrible the performance of integrated solutions really is in comparison to any modern add-in graphics part. But that doesn't mean these cards don't have some value. Not everyone needs 3D, and these cards are priced very well. And more importantly, these cards offer a real solution to a problem HTPC builders have been faced with for a long time. The Radeon 4350 and 4550 offer quiet or silent video acceleration for full resolution blu-ray playback with the option of enabling 8 channel LPCM audio playback over HDMI. If you want to build an HTPC, one of these cards would be a very good fit." [AnandTech | ATI Radeon HD 4350 and 4550: Great HTPC Solutions]

HardwareZone gave the GeForce 9400 GT a 3.5 stars rating, and gave the Radeon HD 4550 a 4 stars rating:

"... the GeForce 9400 GT needs some improvements to match the Radeon HD 4550. In terms of performance, the 4550 was always faster than the 9400 GT, though this margin varied from game to game. When it came to power consumption, the Radeon again had the advantage, albeit a rather slight one. Finally, if you're battling for the hearts and minds of HTPC enthusiasts, ATI has a rather significant advantage in being able to offer 7.1 channel HD audio through its DVI/HDMI outputs, something that NVIDIA cannot do, even with a S/PDIF cable. Then, there's the matter of VC-1 hardware acceleration, which ATI just does better (though the market does seem to be favoring H.264 in Blu-ray nowadays)." [HardwareZone | When Budget Graphics Clash: GeForce 9400 GT Meets Radeon HD 4550 ]

I agree with HardwareZone's suggestion of taking a good look at the older mainstream graphic cards such as the GeForce 8600 GT and Radeon HD 3650, before committing to buy a 9400 GT or HD 4550.

The HD 4550 seemed to perform better than the 9400 GT, despite the Radeon's 64-bit DDR Memory Bus. And if you need 7.1 channel HD audio, the HD 4550 card is the one to get, and a nice one if you are thinking of building and HTPC.

Technorati : 4550, 9400, budget, geforce, graphics, gt, hd, htpc, radeon, value

Factory Modified GeForce 9600 GT Graphics Cards Compared

Looking to buy a new graphics card based on the GeForce 9600 GT? Maybe you'd be interested in one of the souped-up 9600 GT cards from Asus, MSI, Palit, or Sparkle.

Tom's Hardware tested 4 modified 9600 GT graphics cards:

"If you prefer a lot of performance, you should go with the super-quiet Sparkle Calibre. If you can live with a little less speed, but want to have HDMI and DisplayPort, you should buy the Palit Sonic version. The MSI Hybrid Freezer is a nice gimmick, but you can get a 9800 GTX for the same money. If you are interested in having a silent HTPC, you might want to take a look at the Asus card; the cooler is solid, and only under full load conditions does it require a slight air flow." [Tom's Hardware | Four GeForce 9600 GT Cards Compared]

Of the 4 cards reviewed, it looks like the Sparkle Calibre gets performance honors. The Palit Sonic is something to consider if you plan to use HDMI or DisplayPort on your rig.

Technorati : 9600, geforce, gt, modified

NVIDIA GeForce 9500 GT 512MB GDDR3

The GeForce 9500 GT (US$70-90) is a GPU from Nvidia that features:

• G96 Core Code
• 314 million Transisitor Count
• 65nm Manufacturing Process
• 550MHz Core Clock
• 32 Stream Processors
• 1400MHz Stream Processor Clock
• 16 Texture Mapping Units (TMU) or Texture Filtering (TF) units
• 8 Raster Operator units (ROP)
• 1600MHz GDDR3 or 1000MHz GDDR2 Memory Clock
• 128-bit DDR Memory Bus
• 25.6GB/s (GDDR3) or 16.0GB/s (GDDR2) Memory Bandwidth
• PCIe ver 2.0 x16 interface
• Multi GPU Technology support
• 2 x Dual-Link DVI Output support
• HDCP Output Support

HardwareZone gave the Zotac GeForce 9500 GT 512MB GDDR3 a 4 out of 5 rating:

"While the GeForce 9500 GT does not appear to be a blatant carbon copy of any existing GeForce 8 GPU like how the GeForce 9800 GT is practically a GeForce 8800 GT, it is also not that different from the incumbent GeForce 8600 series. ... ATI's competing Radeon HD 3650 was quite clearly the inferior GPU compared to the newcomer, so NVIDIA still has the edge here. Power consumption too was quite favorable for the GeForce 9500 GT. ... if you already possess a GeForce 8 card of a similar caliber (or even a GeForce 7 of the same range), it's a lateral upgrade at best, not a move up the performance ladder. If you're new to all these and looking for a decent mainstream option, the GeForce 9500 GT could be a good choice at its price range of US$70 - 90. " [HardwareZone | NVIDIA GeForce 9500 GT 512MB GDDR3]

As HardwareZone suggests, if you plan to play modern games, it would be best to spend a little bit more and get a true performance mainstream GPU like a GeForce 9600 GSO, GeForce 9600 GT or Radeon HD 3850. And yes, if you are not in a hurry for a new 9600 GT, it might be worthwhile to wait for the coming 55nm Manufacturing Process versions.

Technorati : 9500, geforce, gt, nvidia

Integrated Chipsets: AMD 780G vs. Nvidia GeForce 8200

When planning an AMD rig build using integrated chipsets, the usual question is which chipset to use: AMD 780G or Nvidia GeForce 8200?

Features common to both chipsets:

• 940 pins AM2+ processor socket
• HT 3.0 (1.8 GHz) CPU interface
• DDR2-667/800/1066 Dual Channel DDR2 memory support (up to 8GB)
• Gigabit Ethernet
• 12x USB 2.0
• 5x 32 Bit PCI 2.3 support
• 6x SATA/300 w/ NCQ
• Blu-ray, Betamax/HD-DVD HD video
• Direct X 10.0, Shader Model 4.0
• D-Sub, DVI-D and HDMI w/ HDCP
• HDMI 1.3

AMD 780G Features:

• dual chipset design
• AMD Sb700 Southbridge
• PCIe x4 (2GB/s) chipset interlink
• 26 PCIe 2.0 Lanes PCIe support
• 0, 1,10, JBOD RAID modes
• Radeon HD2400 (RV610)-based graphics core
• 40 Graphics stream processors
• Crossfire X possible (Option: Radeon HD 2400/3450)
• ATI Avivo HD video decoding

Nvidia GeForce 8200 Features:

• Single chipset design
• 19 PCIe 2.0 Lanes PCIe support
• 0, 1,10, 5, JBOD RAID modes
• GeForce 8400 GS (G86)-based graphics core
• 16 Graphics stream processors
• Hybrid Graphics-only (Option: GeForce 8400 GS/8500 GT)
• Power Saving: HybridPower switches off discrete graphics in 2D
• Nvidia PureVideo HD

"Both chipsets have reached a level of integration, performance and efficiency that is far above what most of us associate with the term "integrated chipset". The AMD 780G and Nvidia's GeForce 8200/8300 include all features and interfaces for a modern desktop solution, multimedia system or HTPC. ... They don't deliver less performance than high-end chipsets, and they even come with decent graphics engines, which are excellent for office and multimedia, and for playing HD video from Blu-ray in FullHD resolution. ... If you don't specifically want to run dual, three-way or quad graphics, or need more sophisticated platform features such as hardcore overclocking options, these motherboards do in fact suffice - and they still provide a nice upgrade path for graphics. Nvidia was more consistent in executing its platform strategy with Hybrid Power, while AMD offers better video features (Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD, Display Port) and FullHD video decoding efficiency." [Tom's Hardware | AMD and Nvidia Platforms Do Battle : Hybrid Graphics Platforms to Fire Up Multi-GPU Rendering?]

So, it boils down to what to choose. As the above article states, the 780G won in video (FullHD video decoding), while the 8200 won in graphics (Hybrid Power implementation).

Fudzilla.com tested four 780G and one 8200 motherboards:

"While AMD might not be the gaming platform of choice, it is a good choice for HTPC. Geforce 8200 consumes less power compared to 780G, but AMD still has the superior graphics-power and the better multimedia support. Using a 45W TDP CPU such as the AMD Athlon X2 4850e, this configuration is the best possibility to go for." [Fudzilla | Four 780G and one GeForce 8200 tested]

If you are more inclined to choose the chipset with the lower power consumption, the 8200 should be your best bet (Further reading: IGP Chipset Power Consumption Compared). Also, it's also helpful to note that some Linux users tend to experience less video driver compatibility problems with Nvidia graphics than ATI ones, in case you are looking to use a Linux distro as your operating system.

AnandTech tested six (6) motherboards with integrated graphics. The chipsets were: GF8300, GF8200, AMD 790GX, AMD 780G, Intel G35, and Intel G45:

"... it is difficult to declare a true winner at this time, especially given the fact that the new NVIDIA chipsets are launching shortly. However, if we had to choose one chipset for primary HTPC usage, it would be the NVIDIA GeForce 8200. The GF8200 offers 8-channel LPCM output, no hassle 1080P/24 fps playback capabilities, modest pricing, and a relatively low power envelope when paired with an appropriate processor such as the Phenom X3 8750 or Phenom X4 9350e." [AnandTech | AMD 780G vs. Intel G45 vs. NVIDIA GeForce 8200]

As of now, it seems the GF 8200 and AMD 780G chipsets are the ideal choices, with the GF 8200 more favorable for HTPC usage.

Technorati : 780g, 790gx, 8200, 8300, amd, chipset, g35, g45, geforce, graphics, igp, integrated, nvidia

Nvidia GeForce GTX 280 GPU Reviewed

The Nvidia GTX 280 1GB GDDR3 (US$649) is a graphics card that features:

• GT200 Core
• 1400 million transistor count
• 65nm manufacturing process
• 602MHz Core Clock
• 240 Stream Processors
• 1296MHz Stream Processor Clock
• 2214MHz GDDR3 Memory Clock
• 512-bit DDR Memory Bus
• 141.7GB/s Memory Bandwidth
• PCIe ver 2.0 x16 interface

Tom's Hardware likes the GTX 280, having improved GeForce 8 architecture, overall performance, very low power consumption at idle, and accelerated CUDA software:

"The new very-high-end GTX 280 from Nvidia ($650) suffers a little from comparison with the 9800 GX2, which regularly bested its performance in tests, despite the inherent and irremediable drawbacks of bi-GPU cards. But in reality, the real threat is from the card's "little sister," the GTX 260, especially since the price will almost buy you two GTX 260s to run in SLI!" [Tom's Hardware | Nvidia GeForce GTX 260/280 Review]

HardwareZone.com gives the GTX 280 4 out of 5 stars:

"For all this, NVIDIA is asking quite the premium for its new high-end flagship, with the GTX 280 priced at a whopping US$649 at launch, far beyond any existing high-end GPUs now. By contrast, the GTX 260 will be available for US$399, which once you consider the likely performance delta between the two, looks like much better value. If getting the best is your main prerogative then the GTX 280 is exactly that, but you'll have to pay dearly for it. The key to really take advantage of the GTX 280 is cutting edge games at extreme quality settings as well as GP-GPU computing tasks, so keep these in mind and you won't be disappointed. For all other purposes and needs, the GTX 280 would easily be an overkill." [HardwareZone | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280 1GB GDDR3]

The GeForce GTX 280 is a nice card, but the GTX 260 would probably be the much more attractive one, considering its very attractive price at around US$400.

Technorati : 260, 280, card, geforce, graphics, gtx, nvidia, review

Best Bang Per Buck Graphics Cards for May 2008

(Please see October 2008 article)

Tom's Hardware recently released their monthly article on the Best Graphics Cards for the Money: May 08.

The recommended PCI-E cards on the list were:

• Radeon HD 2600 XT (under US$100)
• GeForce 8600 GT (under US$100)
• GeForce 8600 GTS (~US$105)
• GeForce 8800 GS (~US$130)
• GeForce 9600 GT 512MB (~US$155)
• Radeon 3870 (~US$155)
• GeForce 8800 GT 512MB (~US$175)
• GeForce 8800 GTS 512MB (~US$220)
• 2x GeForce 8800 GS in SLI configuration (~US$260)
• 2x Radeon 3870 in Crossfire Configuration (~US$310)
• 2x GeForce 9600 GT 512MB in SLI configuration (~US$310)
• 2x GeForce 8800 GT 512MB in SLI configuration (~US$350)

"... the performance increase of two 8800 GTs over two 9600 GTs is usually not worth mentioning, but there are a handful of games where at high resolutions the 8800 GT will win by a significant percentage. If high resolution gaming with high image quality options enabled is your forte, and budget isn't a concern, two 8800 GTs might be justifiable for you. ... Spending more than $350 will provide very little extra in the way of performance. Two 8800 GTs will outperform the 9800 GTX or 9800 GX2 in the great majority of situations." [Tom's Hardware | The Best Graphics Cards for the Money: May 08]

If you are a gamer on a budget, it would probably be best to opt for a GeForce 8600 GTS (~US$105). A GeForce 8800 GT 512MB looks like a good midprice buy at $175, especially if you plan to upgrade to two 8800 GT cards in SLI.

For AGP cards, Tom's Hardware chose these cards:

• Radeon HD 2600 PRO (under US$100)
• Radeon HD 2600 XT (~US$100)
• Radeon 3850 512MB (~US$175)

"[The Radeon 3850 512MB AGP] is the most powerful AGP card you can get. Perhaps you have an AGP gaming system you just can't bear to part with, or perhaps you an anomalous motherboard that has both a dual-core CPU and AGP slot - whatever the reason, you can't get better than an AGP 3850. If anyone ever releases a more powerful card in the future for the dying bus, we'll be incredibly surprised." [Tom's Hardware]

There isn't much to choose from on the AGP bus, and the mentioned Radeon cards are quite rare (at least, from my side of the world). I guess the if you really need to get an AGP card now, the next best easier-to-find card would be a GeForce 7600 GS (which should be easy to get under $100).

Technorati : agp, ati, card, geforce, graphics, nvidia, pcie, radeon, value

Is Two GeForce 9600 GT Cards in SLI Worth It?

X-bit Labs tests a system with two (2) mainstream GeForce 9600 GT graphics cards in SLI, and compares its performance with premium-class single graphics cards. The idea is to know if this two 9600 GT tandem is a good alternative to the higher priced GeForce 8800 GTS 512MB, GeForce 9800 GTX, or the Radeon HD 3870 X2 graphics cards.

"The GeForce 9600 GT SLI configuration has done very well in our tests, showing high performance and proving that the G94 chip has optimal architecture. ... The GeForce 9600 GT SLI had higher performance than one such card in nearly all of our tests. ... But in most of the tests the GeForce 9600 GT SLI subsystem had the same or higher performance as such cards as ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2, Nvidia GeForce 9800 GTX and GeForce 8800 GTS 512MB. ... Summing it up, the GeForce 9600 GT SLI is currently a high-quality and fast graphics subsystem." [X-bit Labs | Affordable Multi-GPU: Two GeForce 9600 GT in SLI]

So, is it worth it to put two 9600 GTs in SLI? If you already have a single 9600 GT, and a motherboard that supports SLI, then buying a second 9600 GT is a great affordable graphics upgrade, increasing graphics performance to the level of the GeForce 9800 GTX and Radeon HD 3870 X2 cards.

Technorati : 9600, card, geforce, graphics, gt, nvidia, review, sli