Best Bang Per Buck Gaming Graphics Card, January 2010

Price [in US Dollar] / Graphics Card:

• (~$50) Radeon HD 4650
• (~$65) Radeon HD 4670
• (~$65) GeForce 9600 GSO
• (~$90) GeForce 9800 GT
• (~$110) Radeon HD 4850 512MB
• (~$110) GeForce GTS 250 512MB
• (~$125) GeForce GTS 250 1GB
• (~$125) Radeon HD 4850 1 GB
• (~$155) Radeon HD 5770
• (~$200) Radeon HD 4890
• (~$250) 2 x GeForce GTS 250 1GB in SLI Configuration
• (~$250) 2 x Radeon HD 4850 1GB in CrossFire Configuration
• (~$310) 2 x Radeon HD 5770 in CrossFire
• (~$400) Two Radeon HD 4890 cards in CrossFire Configuration

 

If you are looking for a budget gaming card, the Radeon HD 4650 is it. In case you prefer Nvidia from ATI, your next choice is the GeForce 9600 GSO.

 

Looking for a nice single card, and would like to upgrade to SLI or Crossfire config later on? The GeForce GTS 250 1GB (for SLI) or Radeon HD 4850 1GB (for Crossfire) are good cards to consider. When the budget comes up, you can buy another card for that dual graphics setup. (Make sure your motherboard supports this first!)

 

[info derived from Tom’s Hardware article]

GeForce GTX 295 Reviewed

The GeForce GTX 295 (around US$520) is a dual-GPU graphics card from Nvidia that features:

• 240x2 Stream (Shader) Processors
• 576 MHz Core Clock
• 1242 MHz Shader Clock
• 999 Memory Clock x2
• 1792 MB Memory
• HDCP support
• Two Dual link DVI

The Guru of 3D took a close look at the Point of View GeForce GTX 295 single PCB, and gave it the Guru3D Top Pick stamp of approval:

“Much like any of our GeForce GTX 295 reviews, we can only conclude that the GTX 295 single PCB graphics card pwns. Really it's a 480 shader processor encounting raw fricking compute monster, I liked the first model when it was released, and I like this version just as well. … Either way, we liked the GTX 295 ever since it was introduced, and this revised model does not make that conclusion any different. If you want to be a total freak and go quad-SLI, you can mix and match the old GTX 295 with this new one, not a problem either.” [Guru of 3D |GeForce GTX 295 single PCB review]

Great graphics card to have, if you’ve got money to burn! Need more down-to-earth gaming graphics card suggestions? Head on to cedled’s Game!

Technorati Tags: geforce gtx 295, dual GPU, point of view

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Nvidia GeForce GTX 285 Reviewed

The Nvidia GeForce GTX 285 (about $400) was recently released. It is based on the GT200 Core Code, and with 55nm Manufacturing Process.

Key Features:

• 240 Stream Processors
• 80 Texture Address / 80 Filtering
• 32 ROPs
• 648MHz Core Clock
• 1476MHz Shader Clock
• 1242MHz Memory Clock
• 512-bit Memory Bus Width
• 1GB Frame Buffer
• 55nm Manufacturing Process
• GT200 Core Code

Guru of 3D reviewed the EVGA GeForce GTX 285 SSC, Inno3D GeForce GTX 285 OC, and Point of View GeForce GTX 285 EXO. The eVGA was the Top Pick:

"... the GeForce GTX 280 was the fastest single GPU on the globe, the GeForce GTX 285 is now the fastest single GPU on the globe. On average it's roughly 10% faster than the reference GTX 280. So an upgrade towards the 55nm node did bring in some additional gaming performance." [Guru3D | GeForce GTX 285 review]

HotHardware tested an EVGA GeForce GTX 285 SSC and a GeForce GTX 285 reference card:

"The new GeForce GTX 285's performance falls right where you'd expect it to--just slightly ahead of the GeForce GTX 280, but behind the flagship GTX 295. Throughout our testing, the reference GeForce GTX 285 performed right about on par with, or barely faster than a GTX 280. However the higher core, shader, and memory clock frequencies of the EVGA GeForce GTX 285 SSE Edition gave it a larger edge in performance over the GTX 280. Overall, the dual-GPU powered Radeon HD 4870 X2 and GeForce GTX 295 are faster and more powerful than the GTX 285 in games that scale well with multi-GPU configurations, but the GeForce GTX 285 is the fastest single-GPU powered graphics card available today, hands down." [HotHardware | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 285 Unveiled]

PCPerspective tested the BFG GeForce GTX 285 OCX 1GB and ASUS ENGTX285 TOP 1GB cards:

"... the GeForce GTX 285 is definitely using less power than the GTX 280 card all while running at higher clock speeds and performing better in our gaming tests. The 55nm process might not have paid off as much of a dividend as we were initially hoping on the GT200 design but financially this is a move NVIDIA needed to make. You really can't ask for much more than that! ... If you already own a GTX 280 or even at GTX 260 card, I don't think the GTX 285 is going to add enough performance to warrant the upgrade price but users of the 9-series cards or even 3000-series card from AMD should definitely perk up their ears a bit with the release." [PCPerspective | 55nm GT200: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 285 1GB Review]

HardwareZone tested the Zotac GeForce GTX 285 AMP! Edition 1GB GDDR3:

"... unlike the GeForce GTX 295, the GeForce GTX 285 is not as groundbreaking and its successes are no where near the scale of that achieved by its more powerful sibling. Sure, it does improve upon performance and efficiency, but it's not to the same extent as what the GeForce GTX 295 did. And without a Radeon HD 4850 X2 on hand, we cannot say with certainty if the GeForce GTX 285 is the best card in its price and performance segment. However, as far as single GPUs go, NVIDIA has clearly one-upped themselves here. The GeForce GTX 285 is certainly an improvement over the GTX 280." [HardwareZone | Cementing First Place - NVIDIA GeForce GTX 285]

AnandTech tested the EVGA NVIDIA GeForce GTX 285 in single and SLI configuration:

"In summary, despite its typical 10% performance advantage, the GeForce GTX 285 offers less price/performance than the GTX 280. The closest price competitor to the GTX 285, the Radeon HD 4870 X2, also offers better value, but at a higher price. At the same time, we have reservations about putting our weight behind the 4870 X2 with the driver issues we've experienced lately." [AnandTech | GeForce GTX 285: 55nm Enabling Higher Performance]

Do you want or need the fastest single GPU on the planet? The GTX 285 is it. If you already have a GTX 280, don't expect much of a performance upgrade. This would be good news for those targeting the GTX 280, since it would surely get more price cuts as the GTX 285 goes mainstream.

IceRocket : nvidia geforce gtx 285

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

Best Bang Per Buck Graphics Cards for October 2008

Tom's Hardware recently released their October 2008 choice picks for gaming video cards.

Recommended PCI-E cards:

• Radeon HD 3650 GDDR3 (US$35)
• Radeon HD 4670 GDDR3 ($85)
• GeForce 9600 GSO (aka GeForce 8800 GS) ($85)
• Radeon HD 3870 ($100)
• GeForce 9600 GT ($100)
• GeForce 8800 GT 512MB (aka GeForce 9800 GT 512MB) ($120)
• Radeon HD 4850 ($170)
• Radeon HD 4870 ($260)
• GeForce GTX 260 ($260)
• GeForce 9800 GX2 ($260)
• 2x Radeon HD 4850 in CrossFire Configuration ($340)
• Radeon HD 4870 X2 ($550)

If you are building a new system, and will just use it for some very light gaming on the side, the Radeon HD 3650 GDDR3 would probably be a good-enough discreet graphics solution. Other than that, the 8800 GT 512MB, 9800 GT 512MB, and HD 4850 seem to be the "middle-ground" choice cards.

Recommended AGP cards:

• Radeon HD 3650 (under $US100)
• Radeon HD 2600 XT ($100)
• Radeon HD 3850 512MB ($135)

[Source: Tom's Hardware | The Best Graphics Cards for the Money: October 2008]

It's interesting to note that an AGP HD 3650 card would cost almost 3 times a PCI-E card with the same GPU. Unless you need to replace a broken AGP card, maybe that $100 is best kept for your next system build.

Technorati : agp, bang, best, buck, card, game, gaming, graphics, october, pci-e

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

AMD 790GX Integrated Graphics Chipset Reviewed

The AMD 790GX is an integrated graphics chipset that has the following features:

• HT 3.0/5,200 MT/s Processor Interface
• PCI Express 2.0/26 lanes/2x8 Graphics support
• RV610 integrated core (same with AMD 780G)
• DirectX 10.1 / OpenGL 2.1
• 700 MHz Graphics Clock
• DisplayPort, HDMI, DVI, VGA Display Outputs
• Hybrid CrossFireX, CrossFireX Multi-GPU support
• SB750 Southbridge (AMD 780G uses SB700)
• A-Link Xpress (4 x PCIe 1.1) Interconnect
• RAID 0, 1, 10, 5 support (AMD 780G lacked RAID 5)

Tom's Hardware compared the Gigabyte MA790GP-DS4H (790GX) with the Gigabyte MA78GPM-D2SH (780G) and ASUS M3N78 PRO (GeForce 8300) motherboards:

"... The SB750 is AMD's real strength here. Otherwise, we'd probably go for the inexpensive 780G with a Radeon HD 3870 or 4850. But with ACC and RAID 5 support wrapped up into AMD's new southbridge, the company finally has a platform to tie the assets it acquired from ATI into its own processor lineup. Naturally, it helps that the onboard RV610 core is now running at 700 MHz and aided by side-port memory. The main story here is ACC and what AMD is doing to make its processors more attractive in the face of a formidable opponent." [Tom's Hardware | AMD 790GX: RV610 For Enthusiasts?]

AnandTech previewed the 790GX:

"The 790GX Northbridge is actually a 780G that has its stock core clock speed increased from 500MHz to 700MHz along with a graphics core name change from Radeon HD 3200 to HD 3300. Sideport Memory, now called Performance Cache, is a "requested" feature on the boards that improves IG performance about 5% on average, sometimes less, sometimes more. The SB750 Southbridge is basically a SB700 with RAID 5 operation and the new ACC interface. Mix the two parts, stir, and you have the highest performing integrated graphics solution on the market today." [AnandTech | AMD 790GX - The Introduction]

The bottom line is that if you are decided with going with the AMD chipset route for your system build, the 790GX is the right choice if you need RAID 5, and are interested in some overclocking (thanks to the Advanced Clock Calibration).

Technorati : 780g, 790gx, 8300, amd, chipset, graphics, igp, integrated, nvidia, overclock, review, test

Best Bang Per Buck Graphics Cards for August 2008

(Please see October 2008 article)

Tom's Hardware recently released their monthly article on the Best Video Cards For The Money: August '08.

The recommended PCI-E cards were the following:

• GeForce 9500 GT GDDR3 (under $100)
• Radeon 3850 512MB (about $100)
• GeForce 9600 GT 512MB (about $125)
• Radeon 3870 (about $125)
• GeForce 8800 GT 512MB (about $150)
• Radeon 4850 (about $175)
• Radeon 4870 (about $280)
• 2x Radeon 4850 in Crossfire Configuration (about $350)
• 2x GeForce 9800 GTX in SLI Configuration (about $360)

Most inexpensive PCI-E gaming card:

"The 9500 GT GDDR3 is essentially a reworking and optimization of the popular 8600 GTS GPU on a smaller process. ... The extra $30 is well worth stepping up to a Radeon 3850, but if you want the absolute cheapest gaming card and don't plan to go higher than the 1280x1024 resolution, the 9500 GT is a good option. Just be sure to get the faster GDDR3 version, not the slower DDR2-equipped cards." [Tom's Hardware]

Maximum is US$360 for most expensive PCI-E gaming card setup:

"... we have a hard time recommending anything more expensive than two Radeon 4850s. As more data surfaces as to how the 4870, GTX 260 and GTX 280 perform in multiple card configurations compared to two 4850s in Crossfire, we might add a higher price point to the list. But for now, the power of two 4850's in Crossfire is our top recommendation for performance. ... While two Radeon 4850s are really the way to go in terms of price/performance, those of you who have an SLI motherboard will probably find staying with Nvidia's video cards a cost-effective choice. For you folks, two GeForce 9800 GTX cards are about as good as it gets..." [Tom's Hardware]

The recommended AGP cards were the following:

• Radeon HD 2600 PRO (under $100)
• Radeon HD 2600 XT (about $100)
• Radeon 3850 512MB (about $140)

Sadly for AGP, Radeon HD cards are usually a rarity on store shelves. I guess if you see a Radeon 3850 512MB for sale, grab it immediately.

Technorati : agp, ati, bang, best, card, graphics, nvidia, pci-e, value, video

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

EVGA nForce 750i SLI FTW Intel Motherboard Reviewed

The EVGA nForce 750i SLI FTW ($US200) is a motherboard for Intel that features:

• Intel Core 2 Extreme, Core 2 Quad, Core 2 Duo, Pentium EE, Pentium D, & Pentium processor support
• Nvidia nForce 750i SLI MCP and SPP chipset
• dual channel DDR2-800 memory support, up to 8GB
• 8x USB 2.0 ports
• 4x Serial ATA II, with RAID 0, 1, 0+1, 5, and JBOD
• Gb LAN
• 2x 1394a ports
• Azalia High-Definition audio
• 2x PCI Express v2.0 x16 slots

"... users who would like to build an SLI graphics subsystem have very limited options when it comes to choosing mainboards for LGA 775 processors. Nvidia nForce 6 series doesn't support contemporary Intel processors, NVIDIA nForce 780i SLI and nForce 750i SLI run very warm and unstable during overclocking. ... we can only leave the decision making to SLI fans here. You may either use only one graphics card, or give up CPU overclocking altogether or overclock to pretty mediocre speeds. You may wait for new Nvidia chipsets or even switch to ATI graphics cards. The choice is yours, and at this time we cannot recommend any Nvidia nForce 750i SLI based mainboards. None of them are really good, so no wonder very few companies have them in their product range." [X-bit Labs | EVGA nForce 750i SLI FTW Mainboard Review: Rehabilitated?]

As it seems, overclocking fans won't be interested in the nForce 750i SLI mobos. If you just have to have a system with an Intel processor and 2 graphics cards in SLI, probably the best way to have it is to run it at stock speeds.

Technorati : 750i, evga, intel, motherboard, nforce, nvidia, review, sli

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

Intel X48 and Nvidia nForce 790i Ultra SLI Chipsets Compared

Planning to build a new rig that features support for the latest processors, PCI Express 2.0 and DDR3-1600 memory? Two high-end chipsets from Intel (X48) and Nvidia (nForce 790i Ultra SLI) were compared, to help you decide which chipset to choose for your upcoming high-end rig.

X48 and nForce 790i SLI Ultra Common Features:

• 800, 1066, 1333, 1600 FSB
• Dual channel DDR3 memory (8GB max)
• 2 x16 (rev. 2.0) PCIe
• 6x SATA/300 w/ NCQ ports
• 0, 1,10, 5 RAID
• GbE NIC

The nForce 790i SLI Ultra, has these extra features:

• 1 x16 (1.0) PCIe support
• 62 PCIe Lanes (against 40 for X48)
• UltraATA Port
• Second GbE NIC

The Intel X48, however, has more USB 2.0 ports (12 vs. 10 for the 790i).

"Both platforms provide a better feature set and more flexibility than any other chipset for the Intel architecture available today. ... There are small advantages for the X48 chipset regarding performance and overclocking, but they don't really count towards my conclusion, as no one will ever notice them. ... the Intel chipset will be maxed out with two ATI Radeon HD graphics cards, the Nvidia platform will work with up to three GeForce 8800 GTX or faster cards, or with the GeForce 9800 GX2 double deckers, effectively providing quad graphics for the enthusiast." [Tom's Hardware | High-End Chipset Battle]

Tom's Hardware also suggests the upcoming Intel P45 chipset for those who do NOT need dual PCI Express graphics.

Technorati : 790i, chipset, intel, motherboard, nforce, nvidia, x48

What Gives More Performance: CPU or GPU Upgrade?

When upgrading a PC rig, one is faced with the question: Which upgrade would give me more gaming performance? A processor upgrade, or a graphics card upgrade?

Tom's Hardware mixed and matched seven (7) graphics cards and four (4) processors:

Graphics cards:

• Geforce 6800 GT
• 7950 GT
• 8800 GT
• 8800 GTS 512
• 9600 GT 1024
• 9800 GTX

Processors:

• Intel E2160
• E6750
• Q6600
• X6800EE

"The change to a new generation of graphics card achieves more, but the CPU should still have sufficient brawn to provide the basic level the card requires. Changing from a Geforce 6800 GT to a current Geforce 8800 or 9800 can quintuple the overall results for 3D games. Changing from a Geforce 7950 GT to one of the new G92 graphic chips will at least double the overall results." [Tom's Hardware | GPU vs. CPU Upgrade: Extensive Tests]

As Tom's Hardware states, a system would properly utilize the full 3D potential of GeForce 8 and 9 graphics cards, provided that the processor (CPU) has a speed of 2600 to 3000 MHz.

So what now, brown cow? For practicality, I'd say that upgrading to the most inexpensive processor at the mentioned MHz range (2.6 - 3 GHz) would be the first step. Then, gather enough moolah to snag one of those GeForce 8 or 9 series cards.

Technorati : card, cpu, gpu, graphics, processor, upgrade

Build an Energy Efficient PC

Tom's Hardware has a great guide on energy efficiency, discussing about ways to save power at different levels: technology, component, product, and user.

"Selecting the right components is important in building an energy efficient machine. If you go for an old Pentium D instead of the current Core 2 Duo processor, you will get two processing cores in both cases and even higher clock speeds with the Pentium D. The old Pentium generation is based on the NetBurst architecture, though, which is considerably slower than the Core 2 family (including the Pentium Dual Core, which is a stripped down version). Despite its deficient performance, the Pentium D will still consume much more power than a Core 2 processor under all possible conditions. Clearly, selecting the right technology is very important." [Tom's Hardware | Tom's Energy Efficiency Guide]

The guide also suggests some component choices for your next PC build.

AMD System:

• Gigabyte GA-MA78GM with AMD780G Chipset motherboard
• AMD Phenom X4 9100e processor

Intel System:

• ECS G33T with Intel G33 Chipset motherboard
• Intel Core 2 Duo E8400

Other components:

• Samsung Spinpoint F1 HD103UJ (1 TB) hard drive
• Western Digital WD10EACS hard drive
• Radeon HD 3870 graphics card
• GeForce 9600 GT graphics card
• Silverstone ST50EF Plus (500 W) power supply unit

It's interesting to see that Tom's Hardware chose an AMD780G Chipset motherboard for the AMD system. I'm sure that Nvidia fans may opt for a motherboard with the NVIDIA GeForce 8200 chipset, but unless we have the concrete numbers as to which chipset is more efficient, we may just have to go with subjectivity on this matter.

Other than that, I'm sure that the components mentioned in the article would be a good guideline for your next energy efficient PC build.

Technorati : amd, build, efficient, energy, intel, pc

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

IGP Chipset Power Consumption Compared

AnandTech takes a quick look at the power consumption of three chipsets that feature an Integrated Graphics Processor (IGP). The mainboards tested were the Gigabyte MA78GM-S2H (AMD 780G), ASUS P5E-VM HDMI (Intel G35), and Biostar TF8200 A2+ (Nvidia GF8200).

Processors used for the tests were the following:

• AMD Athlon LE1600 and Intel Core 2 Duo E2200 (minimum spec processors)
• AMD 4850e X2 and Intel E7200 (middle ground performance)
• AMD Phenom 9550 and Intel Core 2 Quad Q9300 (entry-level quad-core processors)

"... the results today should provide a better indication to each platform's power requirements with a variety of CPUs likely to end up in these boards and applications that tend to stress those same processors. Unless the next NVIDIA driver set increases power consumption, then we have a surprise winner between the latest IGP chipsets from the big three. The next question we will answer is performance per watt and those results are likely to lead us down another path." [AnandTech | IGP Power Consumption - 780G, GF8200, and G35]

The motherboard that had the lowest power consumption was the Biostar that featured the Nvidia GF8200 chipset. This was true, regardless of what processor it had on.

As AnandTech puts it, Power Consumption is something to consider, when looking to build a quiet PC rig with integrated graphics on the motherboard.

Technorati : consumption, igp, integrated graphics, mainboard, motherboard, power

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

Nvidia GeForce 9800 GTX Cards Reviewed

Tom's Hardware, AnandTech, ExtremeTech, HardwareZone test the new Nvidia GeForce 9800 GTX graphics cards (US$299 - 349).

GeForce 9800 GTX Baseline Specs:

• G92 Core Code
• 65nm manufacturing process
• 675MHz Core Code
• 128 Stream Processors
• 1688MHz Stream Processor Clock
• 2200MHz GDDR3 Memory Clock
• 256-bit DDR Memory Bus
• 70.4GB/s Memory Bandwidth
• PCIe ver 2.0 x16 interface
• SLI Multi GPU technology