Is xbit labs run by fanboys?

[ShawnD1]

I'm reading a few reviews and it seems like there are a lot of ATI-bashing comments.

[Call of Juarez] is one of the few games that can really use up over 512MB of graphics memory, at least when you enable full-screen antialiasing. Anyway, the Gainward Bliss 8800 GTS 1024MB cannot beat the GeForce 8800 GTX, let alone GeForce 8800 Ultra, and cannot provide playable performance even at 1280x1024 with the highest graphics quality settings. It should be noted that the Radeon HD 3870 X2 is no better in this test and has a much lower minimum of speed than the G92-based products.

http://xbitlabs.com/articles/v...iss8800gts-1024_8.html

That seems like a really strange thing to include, given that the graph shows the ATI card leading by a huge margin. Just forget this particular benchmark because the numbers don't actually mean anything :roll:

 

[Lithan]

That's very awkwardly worded... what it's saying is actually accurate if you understand their meaning. First, none of the cards are playable in that game at tested settings (due to minimum fps well below 30fps). Second, the ATI card dips much more than the nvidia relative to its average.

I would say since in his conclusion he actually recommends the x2 over the card he's reviewing, he's probably not biased.

 

[CP5670]

That comment does look out of place. It only makes sense for the 1600x1200 benchmarks, not the other two resolutions.

 

[Lithan]

He's saying minimum OF speed, not minimum speed.

3870 gets 46%, 27%, 43% Minimum OF avg

8800gts gets 66%, 59%, 63% Minimum OF avg

So, yes, he's taking a hatchet to the English language, but if you read what he says literally: it's true.

 

[BlizzardOne]

I'm fairly sure that Xbit labs is based out of Russia, some of the translations from Russian to English aren't particularly elegant at best. Gotta read over things two or three times before you get that "ah ha!" moment..

 

[n7]

No.

Their English is indeed worded a bit oddly sometimes, but i have yet to see them ever put out a review that is biased.

 

[CP5670]

Originally posted by: Lithan
He's saying minimum OF speed, not minimum speed.

3870 gets 46%, 27%, 43% Minimum OF avg

8800gts gets 66%, 59%, 63% Minimum OF avg

So, yes, he's taking a hatchet to the English language, but if you read what he says literally: it's true.

Oh, I get it now. It's still an odd comment even if that is what they meant. I don't know why such a percentage would be relevant.

Xbit is generally very reliable in any case. They are by far my favorite site for video card reviews, both for their large number of games tested as well as the fact that they show minimum framerates for most of them. They are the only major hardware site that still does that. Firingsquad and Rage3D used to but have stopped it for some reason.

 

[Blacklash]

The answer is no. I remember the below old article where they showed the impact of HQ settings on the 7950 GX2-

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articl...ality_vs_quantity.html

They also praised ATi's AAA over nVidia's method od Transparency AA.

Even today when they bench nVidia cards it is at HQ levels or with all optimizations off.

Some people can't handle criticism directed at companies they like, even if said criticism is justified. That sounds more like a fan boy to me than anything I've read from the fellows at X-bit.

 

[toadeater]

Their monitor reviews are some of the best anywhere. You can learn a lot from them. CNET, PC World, and the rest of the mainstream bribe-taking, astroturfing shmucks could learn a lot from them!

 

[golem]

Originally posted by: Blacklash

Some people can't handle criticism directed at companies they like, even if said criticism is justified. That sounds more like a fan boy to me than anything I've read from the fellows at X-bit.

That was the impression I got too. To take one paragraph out of a multipage review from a site that does so many reviews and then to interpret from paragraph that site is run by fanboys....

 

[BFG10K]

XBit run by fanboys? Far from it. They're one of the best websites in the business.

 

[Pelu]

dont worry... ATI get the hundred curses upon it in some games.. and nvidia get them in others... sometimes ATI free up a few curses with new cat.

 

[Brunnis]

I've got to agree with most others here. Xbit has been one of my favorite sites for years (alongside Anandtech). I can't say that I've ever noticed any fanboyism from them, so they continue to be one of my most regularly visited sites.

 

[hans007]

i'd have to say xbit labs is one of the best sites out there. if anything they are the least swayable to advertising or being given samples by manufacturers since they are in russia. some of their reviews are a little bit later because they say dont get samples from nvidia, but it definitely makes them far more objective.

they are like the opposite of hardocp. they are also one of the few sites that have specially modified boards just to measure the direct cpu and graphics card power consumption instead of just using a whole system which seems like a much much more scientific approach than just measuring it at the wall.

 

[JPB]

When I am looking to buy new hardware, Xbit is the first site I go to. Always have and always will.

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: for Xbit

 

[JACKDRUID]

xbitlabs is my fav review site due to their wide selection of games and thorough reviews. the only bad thing about them is they really take their time on these reviews, usually complete their reviews a few weeks after the introduction of product.