X1900XT 512mb vs. 8800GTS 640mb vs. 8800GTS 320mb

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RussianSensation

Elite Member
Sep 5, 2003
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Originally posted by: RussianSensation
Originally posted by: CaiNaM

yes, you provide a very narrow view indeed...

You want to look at 1280x1024? Ok here you go:

Battlefield 2142 - 1280x1024 - 4AA/16AF
8800GTS 320 = 82.2 (min 58)
X1900XT = 62.1 (min 53)

This is the problem with comparing 1280x1024. Both cards easily deliver playable resolution when minimum framerates are in the 50s. Since majority of people here have said they bought it to play at 1280x1024 on their LCD (limited to 60 frames), neither card is the winner in this game. That is why in my original post I chose high resolutions because in some of these games 8800GTS can handle 1600x1200 or more.


Company of Heroes - 1280x1024, 16AF

8800GTS 320 = 56.9 (min 19.8)
X1900XT = 74.3 (min 35.4)

Gothic 3 - 1280x1024, 16AF
8800GTS 320 = 26.8 (min 13)
X1900XT = 31.3 (min 19)

Neverwinter Nights 2 - 1280x1024, 4AA/16AF
8800GTS 320 = 18.9 (min 11)
X1900XT = 19 (min 11)

Supreme Commander - 1280x1024, 4AA/16AF
8800GTS 320 = 67.9 (min 59)
X1900XT = 50.2 (min 46)

Again by numbers, 8800GTS is the winner, but either card is more than adequate for a strategy type game that is not as sensitive to framerates as a first-person shooter.

Still the 8800GTS 320mb doesn't look that good vs. X1900XT even at 1280x1024.

Also I own an Nvidia card myself and am totally indifferent about the brands but it's very interesting how X800 series beat out 6800 series, X1900 series beat out 7900/7950 series and ATI has basically been faster since 9700Pro, yet Anandtech forums are filled with Nvidia fanboys that continue to favour Nvidia no matter what.

 

KCjoker

Junior Member
Dec 31, 2004
1
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You fail to take into account how much better IQ is on the 8800GTS 320 over the X1900XT 512. Also we'll have to wait and see but I think the benefit of DX10 will come into play in newer games. I don't mind the extra $60 and less ram when factoring in these two issues.
 

AnotherGuy

Senior member
Dec 9, 2003
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Hey i consider myself an ATI fanboy but not that i relle give a sh%$ about ATI or nVidia when it comes down to click 'checkout'... whatever performs better will win my pocket.... somehow nVidia really is 'One Step Ahead' as their logo says... while ATI is always catching up later but with better stuff sometimes ( 1800 series definitly NOT 1 of those times)
 

F1shF4t

Golden Member
Oct 18, 2005
1,583
1
71
Originally posted by: Mogadon
I was also under the impression that the current Nvidia drivers have not been optimised for the 320MB version, but are optimised for the 640MB version. Hence the card is using its VRAM as if it has 640MB when it only has 320MB, that's what a number of reviewers deduced anyway, I guess we'll just wait and see what the next release of Forceware brings.

Yea thats the same impression i'm getting while using my 8800gts 320mg.
Cause when i play something like stalker it runs fine for a while then it slows down considerably. The thing is that changing AA, AF does not affect performance at all
 

PingSpike

Lifer
Feb 25, 2004
21,758
602
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Originally posted by: Dark Cupcake
Originally posted by: Mogadon
I was also under the impression that the current Nvidia drivers have not been optimised for the 320MB version, but are optimised for the 640MB version. Hence the card is using its VRAM as if it has 640MB when it only has 320MB, that's what a number of reviewers deduced anyway, I guess we'll just wait and see what the next release of Forceware brings.

Yea thats the same impression i'm getting while using my 8800gts 320mg.
Cause when i play something like stalker it runs fine for a while then it slows down considerably. The thing is that changing AA, AF does not affect performance at all

If you look at anands benchmarks for when the 320mb came out, it seems pretty likely there is some kind of driver issue. While its expected that the card would take a big performance hit when forced to use system ram, other cards with even less ram and slower vpu performance start besting it above certain resolutions. If it was a frame buffer issue alone, those cards would still be falling behind. It seems a logical conclusion that, at least with the driver and OS that was tested, memory is handled incorrectly.

Whether or not that can be fixed in a driver, I don't know. I'd say probably though.

OP point that video ram matters again are correct though. But thats mostly at very high settings and resolutions, which was indicated in the initial reviews.
 

BucNews

Member
Mar 11, 2007
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I think the problem exposed in those benchmarks is a question of memory and not processing power.

THe X1900XTX has 48 pixel shaders, the 8800GTS has 96 and the 8800GTX has 128. The limit of 320mb on the GTS is where, IMHO, the card falls down.
 

CaiNaM

Diamond Member
Oct 26, 2000
3,718
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Originally posted by: RussianSensation
Originally posted by: RussianSensation
Originally posted by: CaiNaM

yes, you provide a very narrow view indeed...

You want to look at 1280x1024? Ok here you go:

rather than adressing my point, again you include the CoH numbers when every other review contradicts them by showing the GTS is faster...

i and others have showed you plenty of links which contradicts your conclusion, yet you stick to you narrow view 'somewhat' backed by one review. tell me, what other motive is there for that other than trying to push a skewed viewpoint?

a big reason i upgraded from the XT was i couldn't play rainbow 6: vegas at my native res (1680x1050). anandtech has similar results here where the XTX barely averages 20fps... my 320mb version ran it a solid 10fps higher, making the game playable (in this game at that res it performs on par with my 640mb GTS).

the bottom line is that the 320mb GTS performs very well in most cases, and this is stated by just about every evaluation written on it. in a few select cases at high resolutions using AA, it seems to be severely handicapped by the lack of the extra memory, but 1600 and below seems to be handled well by the 320mb.

i don't see that your using a single review to contradict all this is can't be labeled as anything other than pusing a narrow, biased point of view. it's blatantly obvious objectivity is not your intention here.
 

BucNews

Member
Mar 11, 2007
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I think the key now that I have seen more reviews is that the 8800GTS 320 will outperform last generation cards when the game makes heavy use of pixel shaders -- because it has more of them... in fact, double what the X1900XTX has.

It also will depend on the resolution you are going to play at.

Lets dispense with the flame-war style that seems to be developing and just talk about the cards, the benchmarks and how to wade through them to make an educated decision for each person's particular usage case.
 

RussianSensation

Elite Member
Sep 5, 2003
19,458
765
126
Originally posted by: Wreckage

Of course once you look at scores for the 640mb and then the GTX, I'm not sure what the OP is crying about?

Let's just hope ATI forces Nvidia to faze out the 320mb version of the GTS and Nvidia moves the 640mb version into the $260 price range because the 320mb card lifespan in more intensive game even without AA/AF could prove rather short.
 

TanisHalfElven

Diamond Member
Jun 29, 2001
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Originally posted by: RussianSensation
Originally posted by: Wreckage

Of course once you look at scores for the 640mb and then the GTX, I'm not sure what the OP is crying about?

Let's just hope ATI forces Nvidia to faze out the 320mb version of the GTS and Nvidia moves the 640mb version into the $260 price range because the 320mb card lifespan in more intensive game even without AA/AF could prove rather short.

i run oblivion maxed out with mods with at 12x10 16xAF and 8xCSAA. and thats the best looking game out there. how is that not better than x1900xtx/x1950xtx ?

edit.
i just went ahead and double checked my claim. it definatly true.
thing is dude as much as i hate to make someone feel bad for only owning a x1900xt, the 8800gts 320 kills every other graphic card in the pricve range.