Gainward FX Ultra/1000 Plus; 5-10% Faster Than Reference Card

[NFS4]

Ultra/1000 Plus Golden Sample
GeForce FX 5800 Ultra
500 MHz+/ 1GHz+
12 layer High Performance/Wide-Bandwidth hardware
design.
Enhanced clock settings offer 5-10% better 3D performance than reference design
Low Noise Cooling
Mass Production Now
Early March



http://www.vr-zone.com/#2961

 

[Ryan]

I'll believe it when I see it

 

[JSSheridan]

A little too expensive to compete with the 9700, even if it is faster. 649 EUR = 697.16 USD and 499 EUR = 536.09 USD according to XE.com. Peace.

 

[ElFenix]

is this just a gainward thing?

 

[Insane3D]

Just curious... Isn't the 7dB rating on the fan for those cards only 7dB when it's not running a game?

 

[m1ke101]

wow thats going to be expensive.

 

[yhelothar]

lol european prices are much higher than US..
the original reference board costed 600 euros in europe, while only costing $399 at US..

it's gonna cost a lot less at US.. i'm guessing around $370 at newegg or so..

 

[BoberFett]

7dB is practically silent. ~20-30dB is considered a quiet computer fan. 7 would mean NO fan.

If Gainward can pull this off, then maybe the FX has a little life in it. But I wouldn't buy one until ATI shows their hand.

 

[Czar]

I just dont get this, alot of companies are releasing low noise geforce fx cards while nvidia put the loudest noise maker possible on the reference card. That blower is the most stupid thing nvidia has ever done

 

[paperfist]

I'm confused, I thought the only FX Ultras to be available were to people that preordered them? The rest of the FX cards to hit shelves would be non-ultras?

Please someone unconfuse me!

 

[Viper96720]

I've seen sites that you can still preorder ultras from.

 

[Viper96720]

Seen alienware has them available for computer builds. But you can't get it separately they only have a 9000pro listed.

 

[bluemax]

I'm glad to see it out... this will drive down prices of the 9700's!
Who's going to want a $400-500 card when you could get a $200-$250 9700?

I'm not saying it's a bad card, I'd be all giddy if they GAVE me one. But there's no way I can justify the price/performance.

 

[Varsh]

Well you won't know till the card's come out now will you? At the moment it's only speculation, barely anyone has the actual GF FX cards so whoever hasn't tested the new and final product should stop dissing the GF FX till it's fully up and about and if the "7dB" is true, then I presume that it can EASILY be overclocked to hell, I wouldn't be surprised if it was almost 25-30% overall faster than the 9700pro, but again we don't know till it's out now would we? So how about we just sit like some good lil cub scouts and wait for the fire to burn once the cards are out ne?

 

[acid16]

Sorry but who gives a sh!t anyways. At the best BEST BEST, The Geforce FX will be 10% better than the Radeon 9700 series. Wow, 10%??? As it is, none of the games on the market even come close to maxing out the 9700, so why pay even more money for a card that won't give you any benefits for atleast a year, and by that time, there will be some new cards out that will blow the Geforce FX away. Man, it's the GeForce4 all over again............

 

[bluemax]

Hey, that 10% is WORTH IT to die-hard nVidia raving fanatics who will pay $400 and $500 for the latest-and-greatest GF-FX!!

And anyone who thinks that just because a fan it quiet means it cools better is just showing how little they know.
7db! I can overclock it higher!

 

[Hottie]

Originally posted by: Varsh
if the "7dB" is true, then I presume that it can EASILY be overclocked to hell, I wouldn't be surprised if it was almost 25-30% overall faster than the 9700pro, but again we don't know till it's out now would we? So how about we just sit like some good lil cub scouts and wait for the fire to burn once the cards are out ne?

 

[The Sauce]

Originally posted by: acid16
Sorry but who gives a sh!t anyways. At the best BEST BEST, The Geforce FX will be 10% better than the Radeon 9700 series. Wow, 10%??? As it is, none of the games on the market even come close to maxing out the 9700, so why pay even more money for a card that won't give you any benefits for atleast a year, and by that time, there will be some new cards out that will blow the Geforce FX away. Man, it's the GeForce4 all over again............

Well, I am looking into a video card that will run at 1600x1200 for an LCD which has this as native resolution. Given that scenario I don;t think that your statement is correct. I bet a 9700 would break a sweat if everything was maxed out at 1600x1200.

 

[Instigator]

As it is, none of the games on the market even come close to maxing out the 9700,

Umm, try Unreal 2. If you can hit 60fps at 1024x768x32 with 4x FSAA and 16 aniso then your statement would be true. Unreal 2 can EASILY bring a 9700 Pro to its knees! It can bring any current card to its knees.

 

[BFG10K]

I'm still waiting for the retail reviews. Where the heck are they?

I just dont get this, alot of companies are releasing low noise geforce fx cards while nvidia put the loudest noise maker possible on the reference card. That blower is the most stupid thing nvidia has ever done

It probably allowed nVidia to get the card out earlier to the previewers as they didn't have to worry about the cooling noise. If nVidia tried to design something more elaborate like the OEMs then it would have delayed the card even more.

As it is, none of the games on the market even come close to maxing out the 9700,

Unreal 2 and UT2003 are some good examples.

 

[Wurrmm]

Interesting...but what is with all that extra stuff like sound card and fire wire?? Will they sell just the vid card so that it will be cheaper??

 

[EdipisReks]

Originally posted by: acid16 As it is, none of the games on the market even come close to maxing out the 9700

you obviously haven't been playing many games, lately.

 

[RanDum72]

Just curious... Isn't the 7dB rating on the fan for those cards only 7dB when it's not running a game?

Maybe its a typo, like they forgot the "0" so its actually 70dB?
7dB is a bold claim, I'll believe it when I hear it.