Clearly when it comes to performance, NVIDIA’s GeForce 7800 GTX is in a class of its own, establishing new levels of performance for the high-end sector. Performance varies from application to application, for instance the flight sims we tested with are clearly more CPU-bound than the other games, resulting in a slimmer performance advantage for the GeForce 7800 GTX cards.
The shader-heavy applications in our testing suite really took advantage of the GeForce 7800 GTX. You saw this in the case of Far Cry, particularly once HDR is enabled. A single GeForce 7800 GTX card running Far Cry with HDR was able to outperform two GeForce 6800 Ultra cards running in SLI mode! The other two applications where GeForce 7800 GTX put up a particularly strong showing were Battlefield 2, where the 7800 GTX outperformed the 6800 Ultra SLI configuration in all but one test (2048x1536 with 4xAA/16xAF), while the 7800 GTX was largely able to keep up with the SLI config in Half-Life 2, matching it in performance at 2048x1536.
With more shader heavy games right around the corner, it’s pretty clear which architecture is better built for the long haul, the improvements NVIDIA has implemented into CineFX 4.0 definitely played huge dividends for the 7800 GTX, despite the so-called “modest” boost in clocks. Even more incredible is that NVIDIA is able to deliver all this performance in a single-slot package with lower power draw and better thermals than their previous high-end product, GeForce 6800 Ultra.
Besides the performance and power story, NVIDIA also delivers superior image quality thanks to their new transparency adaptive supersampling mode. By taking additional texel samples and antialiasing passes NVIDIA is able to remove the jaggies often found on thin-lined objects such as chain link fences and foliage. Just take a look at the Half-Life 2 screenshots from page 7 for an example.
GeForce 7800 GTX would best be summed up as an evolutionary product with revolutionary performance, much like the GeForce 4 a few years ago. When you add on the enhanced image quality delivered by transparency AA, the package is even sweeter. With each card selling for $600, we probably wouldn’t recommend dropping the money on a 7800 GTX SLI setup though until faster processors arrive from AMD and Intel. Clearly we were CPU-bound in multiple cases with the SLI config at practically all resolutions. Those of you with high-end LCDs who do decide to go the SLI route, may want to start shopping for a nice CRT capable of 2048x1536.
As it stands now with today’s latest applications, the GeForce 7800 GTX is definitely up for the challenge. Even with 4xAA and 16xAF thrown on for good measure!
Gigabyte P55 Lynnfield-ready Motherboard Roundup
If you're in the market for a new P55 motherboard to go along with your new Lynnfield CPU you'll definitely want to check out today's article. Inside we've devoted over 7,000 words to four different Gigabyte motherboards. From high-end to low, it's all covered here!
Left 4 Dead 2 PC Review
Valve says Left 4 Dead 2 contains so much new content, it's worthy of a sequel rather than DLC. Is this true or false? Judge for yourself in today's review!
ATI Radeon 5970 Performance Preview
After a 10-month hiatus, ATI's once again got the world's fastest graphics card. The Radeon 5970 fuses two RV870 chips onto one board for max performance, and is built for OC'ing. See how this board fares in the latest games including Modern Warfare 2, Left 4 Dead 2, and DX11 titles like STALKER: Call of Pripyat in this article!
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 PC Review
With no dedicated servers, no lean, and 18-player cap for multi, does Modern Warfare 2 for PC live up to its predecessors? Most of the reviews online have praised Infinity Ward's latest shooter but those reviews were focused for console players -- how does the PC port fare? Find out in today's review!
Sapphire Radeon 5870 Vapor-X 1GB Review
With its custom vapor chamber cooling+heatpipes and factory OC'ing, Sapphire's 5870 Vapor-X is targeted towards gamers looking for a 5870 card with a little more oomph than the stock 5870 card can provide. Best part of all is that the card sells for just $10 more than the stock Radeon 5870. See how much cooler and quieter the Vapor-X card runs inside!
Phenom II Gets A New Revision: 125W AMD Phenom II X4 965 Performance Preview
Promising lower power consumption, lower temps, and most importantly for enthusiasts, more OC'ing, AMD is back with a new CPU revision for the Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition, which now boasts a 125W TDP. Is AMD able to deliver on their promises though? Find out in today's article!
Shattered Horizon Review
FutureMark, well known for their popular 3DMark benchmarks, is venturing into new territory with Shattered Horizon. This multiplayer shooter is perhaps best known for its system requirements -- the game supports DX10 only -- but there's more underneath the surface of this game than fancy visuals. Is it worth its $20 price tag though? Read Vandy's take inside!
Borderlands PC Review
Is it an RPG or is it an FPS? Borderlands blends the best elements of both in one entertaining package. Vandy has spent the past week playing the PC version of the game and came away rather impressed. Read his full thoughts on the game in today's review!
AMD Athlon II X3 435/Athlon II X2 240e Performance Preview
Today AMD is introducing 8 new Athlon II CPUs intended to service different segments of the budget CPU market. For HTPC users, new 45W dual, triple, and quad core offerings should deliver good performance along with low power, while performance junkies on a budget will want to look at AMD's new Athlon II X3 CPUs. See how the new chips stack up in terms of performance and OC'ing in this article!