9600GT SLi review

[krnmastersgt]

Well I've helped friends build systems in the past with 680i boards and aside from 1 that was damaged by UPS, I can say they aren't too bad. My personal experience with my own system was having to RMA 2 because they had faulty DIMM slots, but you could have that problem with any board, and I've had no problems getting my Q6600 to 3.6 if you consider that a mild overclock I don't know what an extreme one would be without a cherry-picked Q6600 that could attain 4+. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Blacklash]

Good job nVidia,

I am eager to see what the rest of the 9 series can do.

 

[Keysplayr]

Originally posted by: apoppin

Originally posted by: keysplayr2003

Originally posted by: apoppin

Originally posted by: keysplayr2003


Neither is saying that they aren't good. You mention a P35 board? Am I mistaken, or are the PCI-e slots limited to 1x 16x & 1x 4x? Or is that only the board apoppin has?

Check this out:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16813131142

ASUS P5N-E SLI 650i SLI 114.99
you will have to flash the BIOS to revision 803 if you want it to work with the new 45nm line of core 2 duo's.

This kind of blows your 250.00 mobo theory out the window.

I can flash my mobo that I bought last April to ver. 803, and drop a Wolfdale into it.

All it takes is a little research (about 3 minutes worth) to save yourself from marketing.

250+ dollars suddently reduced to 114.99. It's magical.

Are you picking on me
... again? What did i ever do to you but occasionally disagree respectfully?


afaik *all* p35's have this minor limitation ...
- do you somehow prefer 8x + 8x ... or to spend bigger bucks on a 16x + 16x MB ?

i picked *mine* because i love overclocking my CPU to at least 3.25Ghz *completely stable* with the incredible array of performance and tweaking options it offers ... Crossfire was just a cheap option at the time [yes, i got a GREAT deal on my MB - as usual roll;] that i planned to use IF there was a good bang-for-buck solution [there was and there will be more] to scale at least 33%. ... and my BIOS is already flashed for wolfdale

--that said in my 'defense', there is nothing wrong with your MB whatsoever

[imo]

LOL, no, not picking on you. It's only that you are the only person I know of with a P35 that I could use as a reference. That's the only reason I mentioned your board.

My P5N-E has quite a lot of overclocking options as well. I am not an o/c'ing pro by any means, so i seldom even utilize half of the options available. But i did manage to run my 6420 on a Freezer 7 pro, at 3200MHz. I think that was at 400fsb at stock voltage. Stock memory timings. I am certain, if i knew more about it, i could get it higher.

i hate being made an example of ... if i don't know why

FIRST of ALL, i would NOT even listen to the 'detractors' on your motherboard ... it is a fine board and there are always "trade offs" unless you want to spend $300 for one with the 'kitchen sink'

Secondly ... secondly ... secondly ... wait ... there is NO 'secondly' if you take my advice to IGNORE the nitpickers

Thanks!

I wasn't "listening" to them. Just crushing a little FUD, as usual.

So now that we are all clear, how bout that 9600GT SLI folks!! Looks pretty nice and scales well.

So, if the mid range is 64sp 256bit, then high end could be 160sp 384bit and enthusiast could be 256sp 512 bit. :::wakes up:::

 

[Rusin]

Well 9800 GTX has 128SP tops since it uses exactly same chip as 8800 GTS 512/1024 (8800 GTS 512: G92-400-A2, 9800 GTX: G92-420-A2)

 

[AzN]

Originally posted by: Extelleron
The 9600GT's SLI performance and the 8800GT @ $200 really puts pressure on ATI to reduce the price of the HD 3870 X2. It's really hard to justify the HD 3870 X2 for $450 when you can get the same performance from a 9600GT SLI setup for $340.

IMO HD 3870 X2 should be priced at around ~$349.

Actually you can get them around $350. I thought the retail price is $399 for the x2?

 

[Keysplayr]

Originally posted by: Azn

Originally posted by: Extelleron
The 9600GT's SLI performance and the 8800GT @ $200 really puts pressure on ATI to reduce the price of the HD 3870 X2. It's really hard to justify the HD 3870 X2 for $450 when you can get the same performance from a 9600GT SLI setup for $340.

IMO HD 3870 X2 should be priced at around ~$349.

Actually you can get them around $350. I thought the retail price is $399 for the x2?

Link?

Newegg is a no go. first of all, they have (had) six manufacturer models of the X2 and each are listed for 449.99. No rebates available. And all out of stock at the moment.

 

[AzN]

Originally posted by: SteelSix

Originally posted by: Avalon
I was under the impression that the 9600GT does so well compared to an 8800GT because it still has the same number of ROPs and bandwidth. Having a higher shader and core clock just help to mitigate the lack of shader processors.

So if the 9600GT does this well with 64 shaders, what would it do with 128? ROPS and bandwidth being equal..

A downclocked G92GTS

 

[AzN]

Originally posted by: keysplayr2003

Originally posted by: Azn

Originally posted by: Extelleron
The 9600GT's SLI performance and the 8800GT @ $200 really puts pressure on ATI to reduce the price of the HD 3870 X2. It's really hard to justify the HD 3870 X2 for $450 when you can get the same performance from a 9600GT SLI setup for $340.

IMO HD 3870 X2 should be priced at around ~$349.

Actually you can get them around $350. I thought the retail price is $399 for the x2?

Link?

I saw them at the hot deal section not too long ago. I guess the retail price $449 for the x2. I just checked.

 

[lopri]

Well I think it'd be best to ask in Motherboard forum with regard to the issue of 680i/780i. SLI does have a value, IMO, but the issues surrounding 680i/780i is kinda different from multi-GPU thingy. 780i has greatly improved upon 680i in terms of stability, but at the cost of performance.

 

[Keysplayr]

Originally posted by: Azn

Originally posted by: SteelSix

Originally posted by: Avalon
I was under the impression that the 9600GT does so well compared to an 8800GT because it still has the same number of ROPs and bandwidth. Having a higher shader and core clock just help to mitigate the lack of shader processors.

So if the 9600GT does this well with 64 shaders, what would it do with 128? ROPS and bandwidth being equal..

A downclocked G92GTS

This exactly shows that you really don't know how to maintain consistency.

You previously claimed that a 9600GT is simply a cut down G92. If it wasn't "cut down" and had the same amount of sp's as a 8800GTS (128), why then would it be the speed equivalent of a downclocked G92 GTS with ROP's and bandwidth being equal?

So, it is my opinion that you are just throwing these comments out there for the hell of it because you have no better information to offer, and don't want to be left out. Let me tell you, it's better to say nothing and just observe.

 

[Keysplayr]

Originally posted by: Azn

Originally posted by: keysplayr2003

Originally posted by: Azn

Originally posted by: Extelleron
The 9600GT's SLI performance and the 8800GT @ $200 really puts pressure on ATI to reduce the price of the HD 3870 X2. It's really hard to justify the HD 3870 X2 for $450 when you can get the same performance from a 9600GT SLI setup for $340.

IMO HD 3870 X2 should be priced at around ~$349.

Actually you can get them around $350. I thought the retail price is $399 for the x2?

Link?

I saw them at the hot deal section not too long ago. I guess the retail price $449 for the x2. I just checked.

Then it's probably still in hot deals somewhere. If only the link to an expired promotion. So link us to what you saw. Please.

EDIT: Actually, nevermind. We've wasted enough time.

We went off topic once with the motherboards. Lets keep it on topic now.

Thanks.

 

[AzN]

Originally posted by: keysplayr2003

Originally posted by: Azn

Originally posted by: SteelSix

Originally posted by: Avalon
I was under the impression that the 9600GT does so well compared to an 8800GT because it still has the same number of ROPs and bandwidth. Having a higher shader and core clock just help to mitigate the lack of shader processors.

So if the 9600GT does this well with 64 shaders, what would it do with 128? ROPS and bandwidth being equal..

A downclocked G92GTS

This exactly shows that you really don't know how to maintain consistency.

You previously claimed that a 9600GT is simply a cut down G92. If it wasn't "cut down" and had the same amount of sp's as a 8800GTS (128), why then would it be the speed equivalent of a downclocked G92 GTS with ROP's and bandwidth being equal?

So, it is my opinion that you are just throwing these comments out there for the hell of it because you have no better information to offer, and don't want to be left out. Let me tell you, it's better to say nothing and just observe.

O' Rly?

Far as I'm aware a 9600gt is clocked 650/1800/1625 No? Are you talking about some uber OC version of the 9600gt? A GTS is clocked 670/1970/1625. So yes downclocked G92GTS.

I think you need to do the observing keysplayr2003

 

[AzN]

Originally posted by: keysplayr2003

Originally posted by: Azn

Originally posted by: keysplayr2003

Originally posted by: Azn

Originally posted by: Extelleron
The 9600GT's SLI performance and the 8800GT @ $200 really puts pressure on ATI to reduce the price of the HD 3870 X2. It's really hard to justify the HD 3870 X2 for $450 when you can get the same performance from a 9600GT SLI setup for $340.

IMO HD 3870 X2 should be priced at around ~$349.

Actually you can get them around $350. I thought the retail price is $399 for the x2?

Link?

I saw them at the hot deal section not too long ago. I guess the retail price $449 for the x2. I just checked.

Then it's probably still in hot deals somewhere. If only the link to an expired promotion. So link us to what you saw. Please.

EDIT: Actually, nevermind. We've wasted enough time.

We went off topic once with the motherboards. Lets keep it on topic now.

Thanks.

I can search for you but I think you can search for yourself if you really wanted.

It was the deal @ Microcenter I saw on the hot deal section when X2 was released.

 

[lopri]

Well I was first excited with the possible changes made to the G92 core, but then I realized I hadn't seen a review comparing 8800 GT and 9600 GT with a same driver set. According to what I hear, there is an improvement (both in Pure Video and 3D) but not as drastic as it has been shown in the first slew of reviews. I am more inclined to believe the memory side since I've always thought 8800 GT/GTS are strained by its memory configuration. There really isn't a lot that can bring if I think about it. Design tweak was once done from G80->G92, and that was with the die shrink of 90nm->65nm.

I think the truth in between: More tweaks to the core, higher core frequency, tweaks to the drivers, and improved configuration with regard to memory.

 

[thilanliyan]

nm

 

[AzN]

Originally posted by: lopri
Well I was first excited with the possible changes made to the G92 core, but then I realized I hadn't seen a review comparing 8800 GT and 9600 GT with a same driver set. According to what I hear, there is an improvement (both in Pure Video and 3D) but not as drastic as it has been shown in the first slew of reviews. I am more inclined to believe the memory side since I've always thought 8800 GT/GTS are strained by its memory configuration. There really isn't a lot that can bring if I think about it. Design tweak was once done from G80->G92, and that was with the die shrink of 90nm->65nm.

I think the truth in between: More tweaks to the core, higher core frequency, tweaks to the drivers, and improved configuration with regard to memory.

http://www.pcper.com/article.php?aid=522&type=expert

Other than those features chages, NVIDIA was eager to promote some "new" features that the GeForce 9600 GT. I say "new" like that only because these features ALREADY existed on the G92 cores of the 8800 GT and GTS, they just weren't advertised as heavily. Take this compression technology that allows more efficient transfer of data from memory to the GPU - NVIDIA is comparing it to the G80 in the graph above, not G92.

 

[AzN]

Nvidia updated their purevideo but there is no evidence or any of the articles out there that g94 has an advantage over g92.

Please enlighten me if there is some actual facts about these supposed tweaks.

 

[SniperDaws]

Azn what have you got against the 9600GT ?

ive gone through a lot of benchmarks its pretty clear that the 9600GT performs as good as the 8800GT all this on half the hardware of the 8800GT

the 9600gt simply isnt just a cut down version of the 8800GT because

1 the 9600GT would perform half as good as the 8800GT.

2 the 9800GT will be the same as the 8800GTS ( a G92 with 128 SP's.)


There is more to a graphics card than SP's.

 

[Keysplayr]

Originally posted by: Azn


I can search for you but I think you can search for yourself if you really wanted.

Entirely unsatisfactory.

It was the deal @ Microcenter I saw on the hot deal section when X2 was released.

3870X2 at MicroCenter

You might think this is fun. But I'm growing tired of it.

 

[AzN]

http://www.bit-tech.net/conten...s_512/8800gts-flow.jpg
G92GTS

http://www.bit-tech.net/conten..._graphics_card/g94.jpg
G94

 

[thilanliyan]

Originally posted by: keysplayr2003

Originally posted by: Extelleron
Saying that nVidia's Intel chipsets are good is really not an accurate statement at this point.

First off are the problems that 680i users had; I don't remember what they were and I haven't personally owned one, but I remember a lot of users needing to RMA their boards.
Now a lot of users are finding that they spent $200 on a motherboard that won't work with the new 45nm Quads.

Just take a look on newegg. A 780i motherboard costs $250. Even a 750i board costs $160 and there are few options.

You can get a good P35 board for well under $100; recently there has been deals for an IP-35E for $60AR. You can get a 650i for around $80, but it's not going to get anywhere near 500FSB.

Neither is saying that they aren't good. You mention a P35 board? Am I mistaken, or are the PCI-e slots limited to 1x 16x & 1x 4x? Or is that only the board apoppin has?

Check this out:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16813131142

ASUS P5N-E SLI 650i SLI 114.99
you will have to flash the BIOS to revision 803 if you want it to work with the new 45nm line of core 2 duo's.

This kind of blows your 250.00 mobo theory out the window.

I can flash my mobo that I bought last April to ver. 803, and drop a Wolfdale into it.

All it takes is a little research (about 3 minutes worth) to save yourself from marketing.

250+ dollars suddently reduced to 114.99. It's magical.

I think it was the quad core 45nm models that were the problem, which is what Extelleron said in the first place...so no...nothing magical about it. The Wolfdale CPUs were always listed as compatible. There was a fairly large thread about it at XTremesystems.

 

[SniperDaws]

Originally posted by: Azn
http://www.bit-tech.net/conten...s_512/8800gts-flow.jpg
G92GTS

http://www.bit-tech.net/conten..._graphics_card/g94.jpg
G94

you can show all the pictures you like the fact is the 9600GT with half the hardware performs as good as the 8800GT.


EDIT: and im very sorry to the thread starter as this wasnt the topic of debate and it seems to have gone the wrong way.

 

[AzN]

Originally posted by: keysplayr2003

Originally posted by: Azn

Originally posted by: keysplayr2003

Originally posted by: Azn

Originally posted by: keysplayr2003

Originally posted by: Azn

Originally posted by: Extelleron
The 9600GT's SLI performance and the 8800GT @ $200 really puts pressure on ATI to reduce the price of the HD 3870 X2. It's really hard to justify the HD 3870 X2 for $450 when you can get the same performance from a 9600GT SLI setup for $340.

IMO HD 3870 X2 should be priced at around ~$349.

Actually you can get them around $350. I thought the retail price is $399 for the x2?

Link?

I saw them at the hot deal section not too long ago. I guess the retail price $449 for the x2. I just checked.

Then it's probably still in hot deals somewhere. If only the link to an expired promotion. So link us to what you saw. Please.

EDIT: Actually, nevermind. We've wasted enough time.

We went off topic once with the motherboards. Lets keep it on topic now.

Thanks.

I can search for you but I think you can search for yourself if you really wanted.

Entirely unsatisfactory.

It was the deal @ Microcenter I saw on the hot deal section when X2 was released.

3870X2 at MicroCenter

You might think this is fun. But I'm growing tired of it.

Deal was dead long time ago.

That's why it was a hot deal section. Maybe you need another day job if you are already getting tired of it.
http://forums.anandtech.com/me...ight_key=y&keyword1=x2

 

[AzN]

Originally posted by: SniperDaws

Originally posted by: Azn
http://www.bit-tech.net/conten...s_512/8800gts-flow.jpg
G92GTS

http://www.bit-tech.net/conten..._graphics_card/g94.jpg
G94

you can show all the pictures you like the fact is the 9600GT with half the hardware performs as good as the 8800GT.


EDIT: and im very sorry to the thread starter as this wasnt the topic of debate and it seems to have gone the wrong way.

I never said it doesn't perform. I'm happy you got a 9600gt. Not my business what you got but the facts remain. There is no evidence of these supposed optimizations Keys is talking about.

The layout is exactly the same just on a smaller scale.

 

[Keysplayr]

Thanks. Now it would be kewl if you went up and changed your post where you said they can be had for 350.00. That was misleading. You might feel like I'm giving you a hard time. And you'd be right.
I..... do..... not...... like..... FUD.....
Or when folks say things on a whim, at least without checking first.