***Nvidia GTX480 & 470 reviews & discussion***

[Things change I've changed]

Sure it runs hot and draws a lot of power but if you're spending that much on a graphics card anyway, why would you care?

I care a lot, these days I like to pay more for 'efficiency' when it comes to tech, I spend more on a better washing machine for example because it has lower running costs and is more efficient, just because the initial outlay is expensive that doesn't mean that you shouldn't take into consideration how much it's going to cost to run, think about when you purchase a car for example, they cost a ton of money but many people will think about the petrel costs per mile etc.

 

[CaptainRAVE]

100% agree with you here, seems that for the last two rounds Ati have really upped their game. I wonder if this is to do with AMD owning them now??? Thoughts?

That certainly is possible. The 5xxx and 4xxx series have been really really good. The 4870X2 is what pulled me away from Nvidia after sticking with them for years. I dont understand sticking with a brand though - I go for whichever card gives me the best cost vs performance/features/temps/power etc. So far ATI are doing very well!

 

[mattyfez]

He means compared to a multi-gpu solution lol... 2x5850 = same price as 480... 2x5850 wipes the floor with a single 480... heck... a single card isn't far off and half the price

And then there is a bigger PSU, a more expensive motheboard, compatability isues and flakey drivers... fine if you dont mind the extra cost and config/admin

 

[Jono8]

I care a lot, these days I like to pay more for 'efficiency' when it comes to tech, I spend more on a better washing machine for example because it has lower running costs and is more efficient, just because the initial outlay is expensive that doesn't mean that you shouldn't take into consideration how much it's going to cost to run, think about when you purchase a car for example, they cost a ton of money but many people will think about the petrel costs per mile etc.

Not people who want the most powerful car you can buy.....

 

[Jono8]

He means compared to a multi-gpu solution lol... 2x5850 = same price as 480... 2x5850 wipes the floor with a single 480... heck... a single card isn't far off and half the price

I'm sorry but from all the reviews i have read, the 5850 is quite a way off the performance of the 480.

 

[Mr Fujisawa]

Lol nooo... 8800 "Ultra" was a shade under the 400 mark iirc...

Order Date: 9 Jan, 07, 1:39 pm
BFG GeForce 8800 GTX OC 768MB GDDR3 HDTV/Dual DVI (PCI-Express) - Retail £337.99 1 £337.99
City Link Parcel Next Day (Saturday Delivery): £18.25
VAT: £62.34
Order Total: £418.58

so take off the sat delivery and yeh, just under 400 for the 8800gtx. cant find my 280 order but that was about £440 i think

 

[mattyfez]

Lol... what happens if that kind of noise ****es you off? It does me... my vapo(u)r-x cards are too noisy for my liking... :S

That is an issue, but the idle load noise is kind of acceptable, it only gets loud when its working, and that generally means the hi-fi is considerably louder by default!

 

[Adrianr]

Surely any CUDA card will work with CUDA stuff?

Nope. Adobe are only certifying a few cards to work with it. For example the GTX285 does, and all the Quadro cards, but none of the other 200 series GPU's do.

 

[Things change I've changed]

Not people who want the most powerful car you can buy.....

But gpu's don't costs hundreds of thousands of pounds though do they, the point is people take into consideration the cost of running of items that cost a lot more than a gpu, just because it's the 'best' gpu it doesn't mean that people should'nt think about it's running costs, it's not the same as going and buying a Ferrari, as obviously you would have to be pretty stonking rich to buy one, but you don't need to be rich to buy a GPU @ £400/£500, it's more of an enthusiasts hobby.

 

[Jono8]

But gpu's don't costs hundreds of thousands of pounds though do they, the point is people take into consideration the cost of running of items that cost a lot more than a gpu, just because it's the 'best' gpu it doesn't mean that people should'nt think about it's running costs, it's not the same as going and buying a Ferrari, as obviously you would have to be pretty stonking rich to buy one, but you don't need to be rich to buy a GPU @ £400/£500, it's more of an enthusiasts hobby.

Well, I think you are you are wrong . There is clearly a place in the market for this card as there are some people who will simply want the best, at any cost. In this case the 480 is the fastest single GPU solution. If they want to go multi GPU then they will get 2 x 480's as this is the fastest two gpu solution.

I won't buy one as it is too expensive, too hot and draws too much power for what it is but then i have no desire to have the fastest graphics card available.

I think using cars as an analogy is actually very apt.

 

[gurusan]

Nope. Adobe are only certifying a few cards to work with it. For example the GTX285 does, and all the Quadro cards, but none of the other 200 series GPU's do.

That's stupid. That means it will be very easy to crack. The 285 has the exact same features as an 8600GT, it just does it faster obviously.

 

[rypt]

He means compared to a multi-gpu solution lol... 2x5850 = same price as 480... 2x5850 wipes the floor with a single 480... heck... a single card isn't far off and half the price

Exactly, for 99.99% of things what matters is the performance at a price point rather than ultimate performance.
It doesn't matter if the 480 is the fastest GPU to ever see the light of day if you can get 2 5850s for the same price and they will be faster.

The only time you care about fastest is if you are going for something like 4x480 for say pure CUDA computational power, but that is <0.01% of the market

 

[mattyfez]

But gpu's don't costs hundreds of thousands of pounds though do they, the point is people take into consideration the cost of running of items that cost a lot more than a gpu, just because it's the 'best' gpu it doesn't mean that people should'nt think about it's running costs, it's not the same as going and buying a Ferrari, as obviously you would have to be pretty stonking rich to buy one, but you don't need to be rich to buy a GPU @ £400/£500, it's more of an enthusiasts hobby.

Thats a good point actually, we see wattage comparisons all the time, but has there ever been a decent table drawn up with, say a high end i7 oc rig as a baseline, and various high end gpu configurations, comparing the actual cost difference in pounds per year based on an arbitary electrical unit price?

EDIT: It could be based on say 50hrs per week idle load 6hrs prime95 and 6 hrs 3Dmark vantage loops per week?

Would make very interesting reading, could even do a spreadsheet so you can change the price of the electricity.

Im to lazy to do this but it would be a very good idea

 

[Tute]

Well, I think you are you are wrong . There is clearly a place in the market for this card as there are some people who will simply want the best, at any cost. In this case the 480 is the fastest single GPU solution. If they want to go multi GPU then they will get 2 x 480's as this is the fastest two gpu solution.

I won't buy one as it is too expensive, too hot and draws too much power for what it is but then i have no desire to have the fastest graphics card available.

I think using cars as an analogy is actually very apt.

I don't even think it's going to appeal to those who just simply want the fastest single GPU solution. With Crossfire/SLI being so good these days, many will just go for the HD5970, and those with an ounce of sense will be happy to sacrifice 10% of performance for a 50% saving financially.

I think that 90% of people who buy these will do so simply because "OMG IT'S NOT ATI!!! LOLZ".

 

[rypt]

Nope. Adobe are only certifying a few cards to work with it. For example the GTX285 does, and all the Quadro cards, but none of the other 200 series GPU's do.

So the issue here is Adobe rather than you actually needing the 480...

 

[rypt]

I'm sorry but from all the reviews i have read, the 5850 is quite a way off the performance of the 480.

A single yes, an xfire setup is not though ... learn to read please

 

[Spokwiththeears]

Insanely hot, ridiculously loud and terrible price to performance ratio before you add on the extra cost of your electricity bill.

Jog on Fermi.

 

[Lightnix]

That's stupid. That means it will be very easy to crack. The 285 has the exact same features as an 8600GT, it just does it faster obviously.

It's possible that the acceleration in question requires double precision, and since only the GTX200 series and GTX400 series cards support it, that's why the other cards are left out.

 

[Jono8]

A single yes, an xfire setup is not though ... learn to read please

No you learn to read please. You said, and i quote: "2x5850 wipes the floor with a single 480... heck... a single card isn't far off "

 

[demonfatality]

Even when ahead, at the high resolutions and demanding settings this kind of top-of-the-range card should target, the GTX 480's performance advantage is rarely more than ten percent. Considering the six month wait since the release of the HD 5870 this is deeply disappointing, and we certainly hoped and expected more.