9800GX2 tested?

[crenn]

http://forums.vr-zone.com/showthread.php?t=229048

See for yourself, they can't tell... but it seems only 1 of the 2 cores is working....

[crenn]

More stuff I've found:
tomshardware.com/2008/01/05/exclusive_nvidia_geforce_9800gx2/


<I'll update this list as I find more stuff>

[Spawn-Inc]

DAM! now if thats not sexy i don't know what is!

http://images.tomshardware.com/2008/01/05/geforce_sli.jpg

chewy eat your heart out!

[Indybird]

Yeah, I've got a little $500 pile-o-cash set aside for one of these. I personally think that this is the most bad-ass looking graphics card I've ever seen.

I've been talking with other people on other forums about this card for a while. Heres what they think the pros and cons will be:
Pros:
-Due to "sandwich" design w/ the GPUs facing each other, will be easy to watercool
-Has HDMI, with Optical Audio input
-Great price (assuming it is ~$450) for what is essentially two 8800GTs in SLI
-Potential for Quad-SLI
-"Sandwich" cooler will cool better than ATI's HD3870X2's design

Cons:
-Double PCB setup makes it impossible to have aftermarket Air cooling
-SLI doesn't scale as well as Crossfire does so this card may not equal two 8800GTs
-nvidia's drivers stunk on the 7950GX2 and possibly will again

I don't exactly agree w/ these but that is what everyone is saying. Personally, I think nvidia is really going to make this an awesome card w/ good drivers this time around, which will most likely out-perform the HD3870X2 (which is already insane!).

-Indybird

[Spawn-Inc]

Cons:
-Double PCB setup makes it impossible to have aftermarket Air cooling


if nvidia can make one the after market people can. it might not cool as much as an after mark one can with say a 8800GT/GTX/Ultra etc. but they will make it better than stock.

also while typing the above i thought about the thermalright coolers. since they can go both ways then you can place one on each side, though it will take up 4-5 slots i would think.

[Indybird]

if nvidia can make one the after market people can. it might not cool as much as an after mark one can with say a 8800GT/GTX/Ultra etc. but they will make it better than stock.

also while typing the above i thought about the thermalright coolers. since they can go both ways then you can place one on each side, though it will take up 4-5 slots i would think.

No thats not quite how it works; the GPUs are facing each other, with the cooler sandwiched in between. From the looks of it the air vents out half into the case and half out the back.

-Indybird

[noopypoop]

if nvidia can make one the after market people can. it might not cool as much as an after mark one can with say a 8800GT/GTX/Ultra etc. but they will make it better than stock.

also while typing the above i thought about the thermalright coolers. since they can go both ways then you can place one on each side, though it will take up 4-5 slots i would think.


Im sure that they could make a special new cooler that is made to accomadate the second gpu


Edit: are there any pictures that show the way the gpu's are "sandwhiched"? Id like to see if i could figure out a good cooling solution for this

[Spawn-Inc]

No thats not quite how it works; the GPUs are facing each other, with the cooler sandwiched in between. From the looks of it the air vents out half into the case and half out the back.

-Indybird

i'm sure there is enough space for 2 of the HR-03 coolers plus brackets. if not ohwell. someone will make something.

i'm sure there will be some kind of heatpipe massive fins design once they come out.

[crenn]

If you think about it, SLI has matured a lot over the years since it was first released, I'm expecting for NVidia to be able to manage the internal SLI better this time around.

[Scotty]

It looks like a beast, the sandwich design is great. Lets hope it is actually somethign worth of peoples money.

[J-Roc]

Yeah, I've got a little $500 pile-o-cash set aside for one of these.

Considering the Ultras still carry a hefty price tag of $600-$700, i would expect the 9800 to start in this range. Allthough ATI's new card might add some price relief.

[Indybird]

Considering the Ultras still carry a hefty price tag of $600-$700, i would expect the 9800 to start in this range. Allthough ATI's new card might add some price relief.

nvidia said that the MSRP is going to be $449, so I added on $50 to that and set my goal. Worst case scenario I'm not seeing it going over $550 in which case another $50 shouldn't be to hard to muster up or reallocate.

-Indybird

[J-Roc]

nvidia said that the MSRP is going to be $449, so I added on $50 to that and set my goal. Worst case scenario I'm not seeing it going over $550 in which case another $50 shouldn't be to hard to muster up or reallocate.

-Indybird

Oh, i was unaware of the MSRP. Boy if that's all they want, i might actually be able to an ultra for sub $400.

[Quakken]

So they'll be having a huge price shift to compete with ATi stuff... interesting.

I'll still be getting the ATI stuff though.

[Indybird]

So they'll be having a huge price shift to compete with ATi stuff... interesting.

I'll still be getting the ATI stuff though.

I would be getting the ATI but, I've got a few reasons (some better than others) why I want the nvidia:
-Will most likely have better performance G92>R670
-More games support SLI
-Will buy from evga, who is the only manufacturer with Step-Up*
-Looks bad-ass

*The only reason this matters to me is because the 9800GTX and GTS are rumored to be coming out around May-June and I want to be able to step-up when they come out. This is one of my main reasons for going with nvidia. I'm really suprised that companies like Sapphire (ATI's biggest manufacturer) haven't done anything to compete with nvidia's biggest manufacturer, evga and introduced something like step-up.

-Indybird

[Quakken]

You see, I couldn't care less about performance. I am just a die hard fan.

[Nick_Black]

You see, I couldn't care less about performance. I am just a die hard fan.

lol was that suposto be a pun? :p



anyways, does this use two PCI-e slots or just one? and do you need sli to run it? ...I cheeped out on my mobo, (nForce650i Ultra)

Edit: oh, and is it overclockable?

[Indybird]

anyways, does this use two PCI-e slots or just one? and do you need sli to run it? ...I cheeped out on my mobo, (nForce650i Ultra)
It only uses one PCI-E slot. I don't really know what you mean by "do you need sli to run it?"; If you mean "do you need an SLI-mobo" then no you don't. If you mean "does it use SLI?" then yes, it uses an on-board SLI bridge and SLI for this card is always 100% on.


Edit: oh, and is it overclockable?
It will be overclockable by a little bit, I am seeing it overclocking just like an 8800GT.

-Indybird

[Spawn-Inc]

Edit: oh, and is it overclockable?

every card is...:)

[Indybird]

The "9800 series" (sounds like more than just the GX2) will be shown off at CeBIT. Hopefully that'll fully fill us in on their performance. Source. (http://www.techpowerup.com/?51561)

I'm getting so impatient waiting for these. If the 9800GTX is equal to or better than the GX2, then I might get that instead.

-Indybird

[Nick_Black]

ok, this card has been keeping my interest, so I think I'll sumerize my findings in one post for other people to read (corect me if I'm wrong, it's likely some of thease "facts" are total bs.. but I'll give you a source link to each "fact" I state..


2 65nm die's :
same as the 8800, just shrunk down, and Sli'd on 2 pcb's,

goes to one PCIe slot

takes up 2 slot spaces on your case

aproximently %30 faster than the 8800 ultra.

1GB Frame Buffer

256 Stream Processors Total

(^ from here (http://enthusiast.hardocp.com/article.html?art=MTQzOSwxLCxoZW50aHVzaWFzdA==)

Quad SLI suport here (http://gizmodo.com/340457/new-nvidia-geforce-9800-gx2-has-2-processors-1gb-memory-eats-ps3-for-breakfast)

2 DVI outputs

expected price $450 USD

February 14, 2008. release date.

toms Hardaware (http://www.tomshardware.com/2008/01/05/exclusive_nvidia_geforce_9800gx2/)

benchmarks on 3DMark06:

(with Core 2 Quad Q9550 )

3DMark06 Default : 14180

3DMark06 4AA/16AF : 11516

found that here (http://forums.vr-zone.com/showthread.php?t=229048)

naked pics here (http://forums.vr-zone.com/showthread.php?t=230836)

These cards are gonna run EXTREAMLY hot (and aperently are quite fragile too..

here (http://www.fudzilla.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5540&Itemid=34)

launch date delay'd till march.

seen here (http://www.fudzilla.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5629&Itemid=34)

I found ome other stuff 2.. but can't remember where I found it (just what power conectors, and what the other plugs on the back do (besides the 2 DVI's.. I heard some speculation that there's gonna be a sound card built in or something.. but it sounded quite scetchy too me...)


hope this post is of any help.. :D

[crenn]

I found out the benchmark isn't a 9800GX2 but a 'simulated' 9800GX2 using underclocked 8800GTS.