My 9800GX2 vs 8800GTX benchmarks

[Whitestar]

Setup:
Mainboard: EVGA 680i SLI
CPU: C2D E6700 @ stock 2.67
Mem: 3GB OCZ XTC Platinum 6400 (800Mhz) dual channel
HDD: WD 1500 Raptor
Audio: Audigy 2
OS: Win XP SP 2
Drivers: 175.16 (EVGA 9800GX2 Superclocked) and 169.21 (EVGA 8800GTX KO ACS3)


9800GX2 scores
---------------
3DMark05: 17063 (8800GTX score: not run yet)
3DMark06: 12661 (8800GTX score: not run yet)

Crysis 1280x1024 High (shadows at medium): 46 (8800GTX score: 49)
Crysis 1280x1024 Very High (shadows at medium): 38 (8800GTX score: 32)
Crysis 1680x1050 High (shadows at medium): 40 (8800GTX score: 38)

UT3 HOCBench Containment 8xAF 1280x1024: 91 (8800GTX score: 91)
UT3 HOCBench Containment 8xAF 1600x1200: 89 (8800GTX score: 73)

HL2Ep2 HOCBench Demo1 8xAF 4xAA 1280x1024: 133 (8800GTX score: 137)
HL2Ep2 HOCBench Demo1 8xAF 4xAA 1600x1200: 126 (8800GTX score: 114)


Now call me crazy but isn't this weird? Shouldn't my GX2 outperform my old 8800GTX? In Crysis High at 1280x1024 my 8800GTX actually BEATS GX2 with 3 fps! This is particularly disappointing since I play Crysis mostly in 1280x1024.

Question 1. Is there something wrong with my GX2? Or do I need a more powerful CPU, like the E8400 for example, which runs at 3.0GHz? Should I try to overclock my current CPU and see what happens?

Question 2. Would I be better off returning the GX2 and getting a second 8800GTX instead? Surely 8800GTX SLI would give better results than this? And if I do, will I be able to combine my current EVGA 8800GTX KO ACS3 with a lesser clocked standard EVGA 8800GTX in SLI? Or do I have to have two identical cards?

Thoughts, anyone?

 

[BFG10K]

Would I be better off returning the GX2 and getting a second 8800GTX instead?

Return the GX2 and wait for the 4xxx/GT200 instead. Honestly, it's pretty crazy to be picking up a GX2 with new single cards about a month away.

 

[ajaidevsingh]

I had the 9800 GX2 for a week and i also like to play at 1280*1024 (8x AF) without AA and GX2 for the cost did not perform good at alll...

Kept the 3870 X2 instead..!! BTW The Customer support team said that SLi was for better for higher resolution than lower resolution!!!

 

[Whitestar]

Originally posted by: BFG10K

Would I be better off returning the GX2 and getting a second 8800GTX instead?

Return the GX2 and wait for the 4xxx/GT200 instead. Honestly, it's pretty crazy to be picking up a GX2 with new single cards about a month away.

The reason I did it was that a friend is bying a computer and he will buy my 8800GTX, so I get the GX2 very cheap.

I thought the GT200 would not come until november or something like that. Isn't it 9900 that comes in a months time?

 

[BFG10K]

The reason I did it was that a friend is bying a computer and he will buy my 8800GTX, so I get the GX2 very cheap.

Still sell the GTX and return the GX2, then use the money from the GTX to go towards a true next gen. In the meantime use onboard or something.

I thought the GT200 would not come until november or something like that. Isn't it 9900 that comes in a months time?

No, the GT200 and 4xxx are both coming in about a month and are both high-end cards. As far as we can tell 99xx is a possible rebrand of the current 9800 series @ 55nm.

There are two sticky threads with detailed info in this forum. I'd read both before committing to a GX2.

 

[Whitestar]

Originally posted by: BFG10K

The reason I did it was that a friend is bying a computer and he will buy my 8800GTX, so I get the GX2 very cheap.

Still sell the GTX and return the GX2, then use the money from the GTX to go towards a true next gen. In the meantime use onboard or something.

I thought the GT200 would not come until november or something like that. Isn't it 9900 that comes in a months time?

No, the GT200 and 4xxx are both coming in about a month and are both high-end cards. As far as we can tell 99xx is a possible rebrand of the current 9800 series @ 55nm.

There are two sticky threads with detailed info in this forum. I'd read both before committing to a GX2.

Ok, thanks for clearing that up. Seems like it was a bit of a hasty decision on my part. Will wait for the GT200. Is that the true next gen from nVidia?