GF7950GX2 vs GF8800GTS

Just wondering which video card is the best:

512Mb GF7950GX2 DDR3

or

GF8800GTS

I see that the Mb of the 8800 are higher than the 7950GX2, however it looks like most of the other specs are better on the 7950GX2, but I don't know much about the other spces and how they effect overall performance.

I had order the GX2 and they called me back and said that they couldn't get it in as none of their suppliers were stocking it any longer, and my only options were to go with the 7950GT or spend about $400 more and get the 1Gb 7950GX2.

He then called me back and said that he was talking to the supplier and they now have the 8800GTS series in and that he would use that instead at the same price.

What do you guys think?

Livingston

 

Many reviews out there.

Here is one:

http://www.gamepc.com/labs/view_content.asp?id=8800&page=4

$400 more? As in, $400 more than what you were paying? Then, I'd shoot for the 8800 gtx.

 

Plus you want to have a card that is DX10 ready for when it comes out

 

http://www.gamepc.com/labs/view_content.asp?id=8800&page=6

1GIG 7950GX2 still beats 8800GTS. It's your call. If I had the money, I'd buy the fastest.

The thing you need to know about 8800 is that 8800 is so fast that it can do 2560x1600 no problem & that it is best for a single card setup. You could do 8800 SLI, but that would be an overkill.

When DirectX 10 comes out, DX9 cards will be obsolete. DX10 will be in Vista.

 

8800GTX for sure, its by far the fastest single GPU card out there and beats some of the high end SLI setups too. It also gives u support for DX10 for future games. Just make sure u have enough power, those things take TONS of juice.

 

The comparison is between the 512Mb GX2 not the 1Gb. It's 400$ more than what I am already paying, and I simply can't afford it. I'm buying my computer on a specific interest free payment plan as well, otherwise I wouldn't be able to afford it at all.

I know that the 1Gb GX2 would be better than the 8800GTS.

I also know that the 8800GTX is the best. However, I can't afford the 8800GTX or the 1Gb GX2.

So I just want to know about direct comparisons between the 512Mb 7950GX2 and the 8800GTS.

I'm also a bit concerned that since the 8800 series is so new that I may have problems with the drivers as has been the case in previous series when first released.

I'm not exactly sure how conversions work with DirectX. So when DirectX 10 comes out, will the old cards be able to support it at all, or will they be forced to stay with DirectX 9?

Livingston

 

Ah well the points a bit moot now.

The tech who gave the info was confussed when he was talking to the manager. He thought the manager couldn't get the 1Gb GX2 in and thus said he could put in the 8800GTS instead, which would be about $100 cheaper.

So if I wanted the 8800GTS I would have to pay $300 more for it.

So I said screw that and decided to take the hit and go for the 1Gb GX2 anyway.

I won't be getting Vista any time soon anyway.

Though I would still like to know how the 8800GTS compares to the 512Mb GX2...

Livingston

 

How much was the dealer selling the 8800gts and the 7950 GX2 (both 512 and 1 gig)?

Are ye sure that the 512 is not a 7950 GT?
Cause the 7950 gx2 is basically two 7900 GTs (both at 512) running off one board (as in, it looks like two cards slapped together). With modded clocks.
http://techreport.com/reviews/2006q2/geforce-7950-gx2/index.x?pg=1 (for pics).
The 7950 GT (which i believe is what the dealer meant) gets blown away by the 8800 gts.

 

http://www.nvidia.com/page/geforce_7950.html

There's no 512mb gx2. Only 1gig. 512mb on each card sandwiched together; total of 1gig.

 

Which is the reason, what I posted, and got confused, with what the OP, posted, was accurate or not..

 

Aha, those bastards. LOL

I was looking up info on SLI set ups and saw where they said that the GX2 was like a SLI setup only on the same card, and they said it was 2 7950GTs.

The thing is the freakin store's catalogue says that the 7950GTs are 256Mbs, so I was wondering how that would equal 1Gb, and I've now looked it up and see that there is no such thing as a 7950GT at 256Mb, they are all 512.

No wonder they couldn't get the card in, the freakin thing doesn't exist.

Arg...

One more question then, when they are talking about quad SLI, would that just be the usage of 2 GX2s, or is it a completely different set up?

Livingston

 

Yes.

Quad sli, can be either with gigabyte's 4 PCIE x8 (?) slot motherboard.

Or a typical sli board, with 2 7950 GX2's.

 

Ah, my question was actually answered with the link you posted earlier, only with a few next links clicked:

http://techreport.com/reviews/2006q2/geforce-7950-gx2/index.x?pg=2

I see they say you need the following: "As far as I can tell, Quad SLI requires a motherboard BIOS update, a fairly high-wattage PSU, sufficient case cooling, and a single SLI bridge connection."

But it also said that Nvidia didn't support Quad SLI. However, it does appear to be an article from around the GX2s release date and I've now seen many places that talk about Quad SLI with the GX2s. So does quadding require what they said above, now that is is supported? Or does it just require the right SLI ready components?


As for what I am now getting which will be the GX2 the following site has this to say.

http://www.bfgtech.com/7950Gx2_1G_PCIX.html

"NOTE: For two GeForce 7950 GX2-based graphics cards running in NVIDIA SLI configurations, a minimum 450W system power supply (with 12V rating of 30A) is recommended.

At the moment I am only looking at running the one GX2, and I have ordered the 500w Superflower PSU. The following is the best spec layout I could find from someone who tested it in Europe:

http://www.teschke.de/heatpipes/News/components/Powersupplys/More_PSU/Superflower/superflower.html

Do you think it will be ok for the GX2?

Also I was looking around the slizone website and found the following page for the GX2:

http://www.nvidia.com/content/geforce_gx2_sbios/us.asp?vendor=all&sortBy=chipset

I am getting the Asus P5B Deluxe:

http://www.asus.com/products4.aspx?modelmenu=1&model=1179&l1=3&l2=11&l3=307

I'm now wondering if it will actually support the GX2...

Why is it that my computer purchasing is starting to feel more and more like seeing two trains about to colide...

Livingston

 

Not really. It's the store stock that's the MOST limiting factor here. If I ordered the parts from say newegg, I could get a MUCH better system.

500w Superflower PSU is just enough for GX2, if both specs are accurate. 30a on +12. That means the psu can't support more powerful cards.

 

I went with the SF 600w PSU.

I just hope they don't call me back and say the mainboard won't support the GX2.

I went with the P5B Deluxe WiFi.

Ah scratch that, my mate just sent me this site:

http://www.short-media.com/forum/showthread.php?t=50712

So apparently it is compatible.

Here's what I ended up ordering:

Intel Core2Duo E6600
P5B Deluxe WiFi
GF 7950GX2
2Gb kit Kingston 667Mhz
320Gb HDD3 Seagate SATA2 7200RPM, 16Mb CACHE
Pioneer 16x Dual Layer(8x)
Black Thermaltake Soprano Mid-Tower VB1430BWS
Super Flower 600w PSU

Livingston

 

DX10 cards are cheaper than high-end DX9, but they perform better... funny.

 

Bastards!!!

Now they tell me they can't get the GX2, so they want to give me a 8800GTS...

I'm not impressed...

Apparently Nvidia has clocked the 8800GTS as being faster than the GX2, but now I'm concerned with driver compatibility issues, not to mention heating issues.

Livingston

 

http://support.asus.com/download/download.aspx?SLanguage=en-us&model=P5B Deluxe/WiFi-AP

Always rely on official info. The mobo will need bios Version 0711 2006/10/04 or later for 7950GX2 support.

Driver compatibility issues? It's nVidia. If it were others, I would be concerned.

 

Well it's moot now anyway, as I can't get the GX2 from them.

I'll be getting the 8800GTS.

Livingston