9800 GX2 1gb ... who wants one?

[dc72]

Wait. You're giving them away? In that case...

[Rollo]

After owning the 7950 GX2 (now relegated to the cupboard since installing a 8800 GT) and the rapid decline in nVidia's support (once the 8 series came along it was practically forgotten with regards to driver fixes) I wouldn't go down that route again. The performance increase wasn't benefiting me across all of the titles I played and that appears to be the case with the 9800 GX2 also. That and the fact that dual-monitor and SLi cannot be enabled concurrently meant switching between gaming and work modes was/is a real pita.

Once bitten, twice shy.

Until nVidia develop a solution were SLi and dual/multi-monitors work harmoniously, or at least swiching doesn't interfere, I'll stick to using a single GPU and a single card.

NVIDIA is working on dual monitor support for SLi, no ETA as yet though.

I was using a 7950GX2 in one of my rigs from launch day until I replaced it with a 9800GTX recently. I didn't have any issues with "driver support" except Quad SLi took a few weeks to get working right at the beginning. The 7 series cards are mature tech, they don't really need weekly driver updates.

The way I see the "9800GX2 or not" issue is this:

1. If you have a SLi motherboard, you can get this level of power cheaper by purchasing two GTs or GTSs.

2. If you have a motherboard that isn't SLi compatible, you can't get close to this level of graphics power in a single card any other way. The GX2 even beats four 3870 cores in a lot of situations, and usually beats three.
[Review]HD3870X2 Quad-CrossfireX smasher: GeForce 9800GX2 - Expreview.com

3. If you have a 30" monitor like me, these cards are a very nice way to game, and two of them are as good as it gets. (with the possible exception of it trading blows with 9800GTX 3 way)

I'm getting framerates in the high 50s average on UT3 at 25X16 16XCSAA 16X all high quality, and it's pretty breath taking to look at.

[chuckskull]

My 8800GTS still tears through everything I play at good frame rates. Until that changes cant see myself upgrading, maybe slap in another GTS at most. Pretty cheap second hand now. Most likely just be waiting for the next generation not just 2 current cards slapped together.

[dangel]

I think really the problems with SLI are:

a: cost
b: compatability / seamless scalability
c: power
d: heat (noise too I guess)

Whilst I prefer these packaged solutions I think ATI's solution is nicer (two gpus on one PCB) by comparison but I personally will wait (like most of us) for the true next generation of cards to come out. I'd prefer a single chip solution that works in all cases like my GTX did. This generation is lazy because of lack of credible competition - nVidia hit it out the park with the 8 series but the 9 series is pretty lacklustre.

Like Chuckskull I've got nothing that's killing my card right now - and it's stock speed with watercooling atm. I'll see what I need when Crysis2 pops out

[Craig321]

Me! me me me me me me!

£352.49 including VAT @ Saverstore (MSI) & £349.95 including VAT @ Tekheads (Club).

Seriusly tempted to cane the credit card a little more but I must resiiiiist!

HEXUS.net - Review :: NVIDIA (ZOTAC) GeForce 9800 GX2 - the champ is back! : Page - 1/10
XFX GeForce 9800 GX2 Hands-On Preview - Features at GameSpot

My 8800GTX will do . The 9800GX2 isn't much of an increase in performance.

[Rollo]

I think really the problems with SLI are:

a: cost
b: compatability / seamless scalability
c: power
d: heat (noise too I guess)

Whilst I prefer these packaged solutions I think ATI's solution is nicer (two gpus on one PCB) by comparison but I personally will wait (like most of us) for the true next generation of cards to come out. I'd prefer a single chip solution that works in all cases like my GTX did. This generation is lazy because of lack of credible competition - nVidia hit it out the park with the 8 series but the 9 series is pretty lacklustre.

Like Chuckskull I've got nothing that's killing my card right now - and it's stock speed with watercooling atm. I'll see what I need when Crysis2 pops out

On points c. and d. I'd note there's no meaningful difference in the power and heat of a 3870X2 and a 9800GX2:

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

1.7% on power, 4.9% on heat.

There are big differences in performance between the 9800GX2 and all single GPU cards, as well as the 3870X2:

Nvidia's GeForce 9800 GX2 graphics card - The Tech Report - Page 10

he GX2 is oftentimes faster than three Radeon HD 3870 GPUs and sometimes faster than four. Nvidia's superior building block in the G92 GPU makes such feats possible...The GX2 absolutely whups Nvidia's incumbent product in this price range, the GeForce 8800 Ultra.

[dangel]

On points c. and d. I'd note there's no meaningful difference in the power and heat of a 3870X2 and a 9800GX2:

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

1.7% on power, 4.9% on heat.

I'm not arguing ATI over nVidia - you misunderstand - I'm comparing single nVidia to dual. All I was saying is I think ATI have done a better packaging job - i.e. two gpu's on a single PCB (no need to defend nVidia relax) and proper multimonitor support.

There are big differences in performance between the 9800GX2 and all single GPU cards, as well as the 3870X2:

Nvidia's GeForce 9800 GX2 graphics card - The Tech Report - Page 10

All of that said, the GX2 is still an SLI-based product, so it has its weaknesses. Multi-GPU schemes require driver updates in order to work optimally with newer games.

Which is kinda what puts me off (aside from power, cost, heat). Maybe i'll pick up a cheap GTX off ebay if nVidia's next gen stuff is too far out and my games suddenly run like crap.

[magneticman]

awww you guys..

i just read the review on hexus and was just about to order one then i read this thead.. ah well, i'll wait for the 9900GX2 then

[philehidiot]

I've been debating this one with myself for a long time. It's a toughie. On the one hand I have a 26" monitor running at 1920x1200 - bought out of idiocy when I didn't consider the sheer cost of graphics cards required to power it.... My 8800GTS 640 is struggling and it's not exactly old. I don't have an SLI mobo and am not prepared to fork out for one when it'll cost the best part of £300 for a DDR3 compatible one (DDR2 is fine for now, but I buy for the long term and that means DDR3). There's simply no point in buying ANY of the 8800 series as the improvement I'll see is pathetic when you consider the outlay for a new card.

And now both major manufacturers are resorting to dual GPU set ups.

ATI's 3870x2 falls down on enough games that haven't been profiled to make it not worth buying. On the face of it, it's good value, but when I'd end up with less performance than I have now if I happen to buy a non-profiled game it just doesn't make good sense.

Nvidia clearly has nothing decent ready to throw out as their new generation is just their old generation (and the second half of their old generation was actually their new generation - confusing misdirection is the new marketing), and so has gone down the same route as ATI in an attempt to steal back the performance crown. Yet again, we're back to SLI profiling having being done for each and every game. You have more chance of Nvidia having profiled games as their SLI tech has been out in the public domain for a while longer than Crossfire but the support for their last 2 in 1 card wasn't exactly stellar.

Personally, I'd love a 9800GX2. It would mean I could have decent frame rates in all my games at native res without having to delve into the dark arts of overclocking a GPU (I've fried enough of them, thank you very much).

Unfortunately, as I say, I buy for the long term and I can't see the 9800GX2 having good enough driver support once their next baby comes out. I only have to look at the driver support for my 8800GTS and see how long it it has been since new drivers came out to put doubt into my mind. And at £350, only a little doubt is required to make me put my wallet away.

As for why lots of mid range cards are coming out and nothing really useful on the high end - could it be a combination of poor yields of high ends cores and also that only Nvidia nforce boards support SLI and they think they can make more money by selling 2x 9600GTs and a 780i?

Nvidia shot themselves in the foot with this one by dropping support for the 7950GX2 off too early. I hope they read this and realise that good service will see return business. Bad service will see people thinking "well, I know they're rubbish so I'll try someone different - they can't be much worse".

[Lambbuster]

I've bought one, so lets see