GeForce 9800 GX2

[CP5670]

The render ahead limit has been increased in DX10, not by Vista. It still won't work in any existing DX9 games.

 

[nRollo]

Originally posted by: CP5670
The render ahead limit has been increased in DX10, not by Vista. It still won't work in any existing DX9 games.

I don't believe this is true- but I'll check on it. Do you have a link to a source for this?

 

[CP5670]

I know that the limit is related to DX9 and not XP, as can be seen here or here. I'm not completely sure of it, but unless the DX10 features in Vista can retroactively affect the DX9 mode, it seems unlikely that the fourth GPU will have any effect. Tri-SLI should still work though.

 

[krnmastersgt]

CP is right on that one, DX 10 unlocked that 3 frame render limit.

 

[Rusin]

Atleast Nvidia can squeeze two G92's and 2x512MB vram in to one small pcb and make it work..makes wonder why they are using two huge pcb's (one huge would be understandable)

 

[BFG10K]

CP is right on that one, DX 10 unlocked that 3 frame render limit.

Yep. Also OpenGL never had the limit to begin with.

 

[ChrisRay]

Originally posted by: CP5670
The render ahead limit has been increased in DX10, not by Vista. It still won't work in any existing DX9 games.

They can. Actually DirectX 9.0 under Windows XP is "not" the same as DirectX 9.0 under Vista. Its called DirectX 9EX. It's a DirectX9.0 backwards compatibility mode that allows for the features of the Windows Driver Display Model. The entire ideas of this version of DirectX 9.0 for Vista was to maintain compatibility with D3D9 applications while offering the advanced flexibility of what Vista offers.

Chris.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DirectX#DirectX_10

Has a small touch up on the subject.

Heres an overview of Windows Vista's DirectX capabilities.

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb173477.aspx

 

[NinjaJedi]

Originally posted by: chizow

Originally posted by: taltamir

Originally posted by: BudAshes

Originally posted by: LTG
I have a feeling anyone buying the 3870x2 is going to have some regrets when this card comes out.

Let's face it, if you're willing to spend $450 on ATI's X2 with super noise, why not get super noise from the 9800 GX2 and be much faster, for probably not much more cash.

uh oh a guy with 11 posts and the default black guy avatar has a feeling. Everybody watch out!

Oooh, ooh, someone with few posts said something smart. Lets call him a noob because how many posts you have on anandtech is the only indication of your computer experience! [/sarcasm]

nitro, the entire thing is freakishly huge, but the FAN is tiny... and the heatsink is 50% alumium 50% plastic on top... so its pathetic when it comes to cooling.
Most aftermarket fans feature a much smaller but better placed 100% copper heatsink with a fan twice or three times as big or larger

Only the original run of G92 GT had a small, noisy fan. Second run editions switched to the same larger, lower RPM fan as the G80s and G92 GTS, which is not loud up to 80-85% (depending on how loud your existing case fans are).

9800GX2 fan looks to be bigger than the G80 fans though, with the diamater being very close to the height of the card. The holes on the PCB are also rather large and look as if they expose half of the fan for air intake from two sides. Interesting design, although the custom PCB design probably costs a bit more in the end.

This part will have to be priced close to the X2 though. Core is G92 450 A2, so it might be able to hit higher clockspeeds than the 512MB GTS depending on cooling. If I had to guess, NV is shooting for higher clockspeeds on both cores than the GTS 512MB in order to convincingly beat the X2 and justify being later to market.

Regardless of who comes out on top in performance/noise/cooling IMO the one PCB is a better design for at least 2 reasons. 1. cost of manufacturing *should* be lower 2. after market coolers *should* be easier to find or produce. I do not know the price cause they have not listed it yet but the new 3870x2 block compared to the 7950gx2 water block from danger den will probably be considerably less. (I could be wrong) It looks like right now some after market coolers are already compatible with the 3870x2. One company already is making a 3870x2 with an after market cooler.

http://www.tweaktown.com/revie..._3_the_card/index.html

here is danger dens new block
http://www.dangerden.com/