XFX GeForce 8800 GTS 512MB Review

[MikeC]

We have published our review of the XFX GeForce 8800 GTS 512MB Alpha Dog Edition graphics card. The GeForce 8800 GTS 512MB is a follow-up to the hugely popular GeForce 8800 GT.

http://www.nvnews.net/images/news/200712/xfx_geforce_8800_gts_512mb.jpg

The XFX GeForce 8800 GTS 512MB is a solid implementation of NVIDIA's reference design and competes with the much higher priced GeForce 8800 GTX. However, the GeForce 8800 GTS 512MB faces stiff competition from the GeForce 8800 GT, which can pose a difficult decision in choosing one model over the other.

Check it out here - http://www.nvnews.net/reviews/xfx_geforce_8800_gts_512mb/index.shtml

[methimpikehoses]

The XFX GeForce 8800 GTS 512MB is a solid implementation of NVIDIA's reference design and competes with the much higher priced GeForce 8800 GTX. However, the GeForce 8800 GTS 512MB faces stiff competition from the GeForce 8800 GT, which can pose a difficult decision in choosing one model over the other.

If this is your conclusion, why grade the card a home run? Why not a single or a double? (Or at that price point, a walk...) :confused:

[MikeC]

If this is your conclusion, why grade the card a home run? Why not a single or a double? (Or at that price point, a walk...) :confused:It was a tough call. The GTS is a derivative of the GT and I gave the GT a grand slam. Therefore, I felt the GTS should be deserving of at least a home run. A base hit would have been too harsh.

[methimpikehoses]

It was a tough call. The GTS is a derivative of the GT and I gave the GT a grand slam. Therefore, I felt the GTS should be deserving of at least a home run. A base hit would have been too harsh.

Thanks for the response. I can see how it would be tough to give a base hit because of it's excellent performance. If there were no GT, I think it would be a grand slam or home run easily. :D

[MikeC]

Preliminary overclocking results with Doom 3 at 2560x1600 w/no AA:

Default Core: 678MHz / Mem: 968MHz - 123fps

Overclocked: 800MHz / Mem: 1125MHz - 140fps

[SH64]

Nice O/Cs!

[MikeC]

Nice O/Cs!
Yes, they are. Hardware Canucks reached 820MHz / 1117MHz with their review sample:

http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/forum/hardware-canucks-reviews/3635-xfx-8800gts-512mb-g92-alpha-dog-edition-review-11.html

[MUYA]

Preliminary overclocking results with Doom 3 at 2560x1600 w/no AA:

Default Core: 678MHz / Mem: 968MHz - 123fps

Overclocked: 800MHz / Mem: 1125MHz - 140fps
As the local folks would say " WAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

Can you say "Eat the 8800 Ultra for breakfast?"

Thats phenomenal! Just out of interest..what is the shader clock?

That HSF must be really efficient? Does it get any louder per any overlock you attempt?

[SH64]

As the local folks would say " WAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

Can you say "Eat the 8800 Ultra for breakfast?"

Not really .. it quickly falls behind the Ultra once AA is enabled , thanks to the higher memory bandwidth of the Ultra.

[MUYA]

Not really .. it quickly falls behind the Ultra once AA is enabled , thanks to the higher memory bandwidth of the Ultra.
Ok let me be more precise..... "Can you say eat the 8800 Ultra's shader processing and texture throughput for breakfast" ? :p

[MUYA]

As the local folks would say " WAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

Watch from 40 secs onwards for what I mean

http://youtube.com/watch?v=4CoCzP9j34I

[SH64]

Watch from 40 secs onwards for what I mean

http://youtube.com/watch?v=4CoCzP9j34I
Were you there with the "waaaaahhhers" ?? :D

[MUYA]

Were you there with the "waaaaahhhers" ?? :D
Nope ;) I usually give those a wide berth.

[MUYA]

Preliminary overclocking results with Doom 3 at 2560x1600 w/no AA:

Default Core: 678MHz / Mem: 968MHz - 123fps

Overclocked: 800MHz / Mem: 1125MHz - 140fps
What are the temps at those clocks out of interest? Scorching or still ok?

[methimpikehoses]

Great OC results! Wow.

[MikeC]

As the local folks would say " WAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

Can you say "Eat the 8800 Ultra for breakfast?"

Thats phenomenal! Just out of interest..what is the shader clock?

That HSF must be really efficient? Does it get any louder per any overlock you attempt?Yes, the angled design of the cooling system seems to be working out well. I manually set the fan speed to 50% so noise wasn't much of an issue :)

I'll run some tests with the fan speed set to automatic and report back.

[MikeC]

What are the temps at those clocks out of interest? Scorching or still ok?Still around 62C, but since I quit Doom 3 to make clock speed adjustments, the GPU and memory had a chance to cool down. I'll set it up this evening to run the benchmark in a continuous loop and followup by testing with 3DMark and Crysis.

Also, I was unable to overclock the shader processors since RivaTuner didn't recognize the GPU.

[Revs]

2 questions:
1. Is the PCB at all similar to the GT's (ie, will the cooler fit)?
2. How the hell can the GTS G92 clock sooo much higher than the GT G92? Higher voltage? If so would a GT G92 volt mod see the same results?

[Bman212121]

2 questions:
1. Is the PCB at all similar to the GT's (ie, will the cooler fit)?
2. How the hell can the GTS G92 clock sooo much higher than the GT G92? Higher voltage? If so would a GT G92 volt mod see the same results?

From what I've seen the GT can hit 750Mhz if you give it a better cooler. I can't remember where that link was but I remember reading it in the graphics subforum.

Here is on under water at 750, but I think there might have been one on air at 750 as well. http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showpost.php?p=2576756&postcount=36

EDIT: Actually here is one running 750Mhz on the stock cooler. http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?p=5380573

[MikeC]

2 questions:
1. Is the PCB at all similar to the GT's (ie, will the cooler fit)?
2. How the hell can the GTS G92 clock sooo much higher than the GT G92? Higher voltage? If so would a GT G92 volt mod see the same results?

I'll check out the PCB's of both graphics cards this evening and report back.

If the only difference between the GPUs is the higher clock speed and additional stream processors, then the better cooling of the GTS may account for some of the difference. There also may be other factors such as design and manufacturing efficiencies that we are not aware of. Or maybe we just got lucky :)

[DiscipleDOC]

Now, all you have to do is sell me that card....:bleh:

[SH64]

Now, all you have to do is sell me that card....:bleh:
Sorry Doc he promised to send it to me as a x-mas gift! (nana2)

[Revs]

I'll check out the PCB's of both graphics cards this evening and report back.

Cheers Mike, that'd be great :)

If the only difference between the GPUs is the higher clock speed and additional stream processors, then the better cooling of the GTS may account for some of the difference. There also may be other factors such as design and manufacturing efficiencies that we are not aware of. Or maybe we just got lucky :)

The reason I aks is i've just bunged a Zalman on mine and it now max's out at about 57*C (not 80*C as it was), so i'm thinking there's a little head room for a volt mod and some more OC testing :p

I've managed 740/1840/900 stable on mine so far. These GT's really don't like the RAM at 1000Mhz. Companys really shouldn't be sending these out with a factory OC at these speeds.

Another thing. The up-coming Asus 1Gb cards obviously have different RAM chips, does that mean a chance of a higher OC?

[4Aces]

Nice review but a couple of things, first your case or your camera was upside down :) when you showed the card inside the case. Seriously though not all of us have one of those atx/btx mutant that use an atx board but in a btx orientation placing the video card upside down for most of us allowing different air flow and probably better if the PSU is above the card with a 120-140mm fan facing down at the exposed card. Secondly I have not seen any review except yours using the words "cooler" when talking about the latest greatest Nvidia heat pump. I'm going to buy either a GT or GTS next week and have been reading any and all reviews to make a decision on which one. At other sights the dual slot cooler has not gotten the cudos you gave it but your case layout is completely different than the majority of those in the market even if you include true BTX cases. Your results were probably spot on for your configuration but not for those of us with those old style ATX cases or even worse should someone try a MATX case. There is one way and only one way to cool the 88xx series in my opinion and experience, that's water cooling with a full cover block. Currently I've got two 8800gts's, a 640 and a 320 in two different machines. The 640 is water cooled with a DD block and never goes above 60 C even after a couple of hours playing COD2. The 320 is still air cooled with the stock cooler, if the ambiant temp is 70 F or more the side of the case has to be removed and a fan placed next to the card blowing directly at it. Nvidia should sit down with Arctic Cooling and talk about heat and how to remove it from the case. Or they could sell the cards without a cooler and let us find coolers that actually work with the few bucks saved plus a few of our own :)
The only differences I see in the two cards are 16 more shaders and the larger heat pump aside from vendor overclocks. So far you're right is $50 or more extra worth the few shaders and dual slot cooler, I don't think so maybe others will who knows. Somebody mentioned the models with 1gb of memory that are out now (I've seen Palit and someone said Asus), it seems that the sweet spot for mem is a 2 to 1 ratio memory size to bus size so I doubt that a 4 to 1 ratio on the 1gb card is going to do well espcially with reference clock speeds

[MikeC]

Thanks for the feedback. I have been using a Lian Li enclosure for about a year now. The layout is unconventional and I really like that it has wheels :)

http://www.lian-li.com/product/20070315015805.jpg

Keep us posted on what graphics card you end up getting.