second x2 review

[HighlandeR]

Roll on 9800GX2

Aint touching that noisy basta

 

[LoadsaMoney]

I read over on Guru that the 3870 X2 will beat the 9800 GX2, as Nvidia have had to downclock it due to heat/power consumption, oh dear

 

[luismenendez]

If you added another 20% to the 3870X2's results then a lot more people would be happy.

I am happy if it gets similar performance to 2x3870 as i don't have a crossfire mobo.

To be honest I am quite happy with the performance I see in pconline. I am pretty sure it will get better after a couple of drivers updates

I can see the 8800gtx and ultra dropping their price soon....

 

[Tute]

Nope i was trying to edit to my post to say it was only 1280x1024, but my internet was playing up, and how is that crap, its bloody true, how is it not, 2x AMD GPU's barely beating a single Nvidia GPU that is over 1 year old does not show that they can't compete with them, and Nvidia is not on another level, course it does.

I can't believe its louder than a passing train, jesus!!!

Barely beating? It hands the GTX it's own backside.

You spent ages going on about how ATi has had it's performance crown taken - well it's going to take it back, at least until the GX2 launches. And you're still whinging away.

Also, if you believe for half a second it's "louder than a train" then I suggest you switch your computer off, and never touch one again - as clearly you are a danger to yourself and others.
What's probably likely is that it's about the noise level of the 2900XT at worst, which really isn't as bad as a lot of people make out (Willhub I personally think you had a faulty card).

Either way nothing's concrete until some proper reputable sites come out with their reviews. Personally i'm going to defer until Toms and Anandtech, but it looks likely i'll get one if it's as good as that benchmark claims.

 

[LoadsaMoney]

Barely beating? It hands the GTX it's own backside.

You spent ages going on about how ATi has had it's performance crown taken - well it's going to take it back, at least until the GX2 launches. And you're still whinging away.

Also, if you believe for half a second it's "louder than a train" then I suggest you switch your computer off, and never touch one again - as clearly you are a danger to yourself and others.
What's probably likely is that it's about the noise level of the 2900XT at worst, which really isn't as bad as a lot of people make out (Willhub I personally think you had a faulty card).

Either way nothing's concrete until some proper reputable sites come out with their reviews. Personally i'm going to defer until Toms and Anandtech, but it looks likely i'll get one if it's as good as that benchmark claims.

I never said it was louder than a train, i said i can't believe it is, which i can't, and it is barely beating the Ultra in some, and in some its slower, that is not handing it its backside im afraid to say.

I agree though, lets wait for the proper reviews from the reputables, and hopefully we can get to see it with the better drivers that it has been delayed for.

 

[ozzaman]

Well all i can gather from initial early reviews is that it seems to 'roughly' be as good as the GTX or Ultra.

The most common thing that is mentioned though is the scope for further improvements. This can be either taken as a good, or bad thing, to be honest. Good that a driver optimization will unlock maybe 10-20 fps more in certain games, and bad because as a X2 owner your going to be waiting for them most of the time.

I thinks i will get me one.... p.s. theres some people in this thread who have almost a weird/gay attachment to nvidia that is slightly worrying...

 

[Tute]

I never said it was louder than a train, i said i can't believe it is, which i can't, and it is barely beating the Ultra in some, and in some its slower, that is not handing it its backside im afraid to say.

I'm going to quote this again for you.

Bioshock 1280x1024 = 4% Slower
Bioshock 1920x1200 = 24% Faster
Bioshock 2560x1600 = 39% Faster

COJ 1280x1024 = 11% Faster
COJ 1920x1200 = 24% Faster
COJ 2560x1600 = 10% Faster

COJ 1280x1024 4AA 16AF = 13% Faster
COJ 1920x1200 4AA 16AF = 23% Faster

Lost Planet 1280x1024 = 27% Slower
Lost Planet 1920x1200 = 30% Slower
Lost Planet 2560x1600 = 37% Faster

Lost Planet 1280x1024 4AA 16AF = 18% Slower
Lost Planet 1920x1200 4AA 16AF = 18% Slower
Lost Planet 2560x1600 4AA 16AF = 10% Faster

Crysis 1280x1024 = 13% Slower
Crysis 1920x1200 = 2% Slower
Crysis 2560x1600 = 12% Slower

COD4 1280x1024 = 42% Faster
COD4 1920x1200 = 32% Faster
COD4 2560x1600 = 26% Faster

COD4 1280x1024 4AA 16AF = 27% Faster
COD4 1920x1200 4AA 16AF = 20% Faster
COD4 2560x1600 4AA 16AF = 16% Faster

NFSro 1280x1024 = 32% Faster
NFSro 1920x1200 = 38% Faster

NFSro 1280x1024 4AA 16AF = 72% Slower
NFSro 1920x1200 4AA 16AF = 67% Slower

Serious Sam 2 1280x1024 HAA 16AF = 30% Faster
Serious Sam 2 1920x1200 HAA 16AF = 45% Faster
Serious Sam 2 2560x1600 HAA 16AF = 78% Faster

UT3 1280x1024 = 7% Faster
UT3 1920x1200 = 24% Faster
UT3 2560x1600 = 37% Faster

F.E.A.R. 1600x1200 = 20% Faster
F.E.A.R. 2048x1536 = 20% Faster

Now, ignoring the 1280x1024 results, which are quite clearly CPU limited in a number of titles (and Crysis and LP), I would consider that handing it's arse to it.

I agree though, lets wait for the proper reviews from the reputables, and hopefully we can get to see it with the better drivers that it has been delayed for.

Agreed.

 

[jaykay]

TBH i don't care about old tech vs new.

It always going to be super ceded might as well get the best atm.
So if its a card using 2 old ass cores then so be it. If its good don't complain.

Tbh, i would just use the 3870 crossfire to see how fast it is. It probably maybe slowly at the start, but after a few drivers it will be on par or maybe a bit faster.

 

[LoadsaMoney]

Yeah forget 1280x1024, but why ignore the other results, is it because the Ultra is handing the X2 its arse.

 

[ozzaman]

I think the 3870X2 makes buying a crossfire 3870 system redundant. Why go through all that hassle when its all set up and done on the one card.

 

[LoadsaMoney]

Actually your right, it is handing the Ultra its arse.

Performance difference in terms of HD 3870 X2 to 8800Ultra

Bioshock 1920x1200 = 24% Faster
Bioshock 2560x1600 = 39% Faster

COJ 1920x1200 = 24% Faster
COJ 2560x1600 = 10% Faster

COJ 1920x1200 4AA 16AF = 23% Faster

Lost Planet 2560x1600 = 37% Faster

Lost Planet 2560x1600 4AA 16AF = 10% Faster

COD4 1920x1200 = 32% Faster
COD4 2560x1600 = 26% Faster

COD4 1920x1200 4AA 16AF = 20% Faster
COD4 2560x1600 4AA 16AF = 16% Faster

NFSro 1280x1024 = 32% Faster
NFSro 1920x1200 = 38% Faster

Serious Sam 2 1280x1024 HAA 16AF = 30% Faster
Serious Sam 2 1920x1200 HAA 16AF = 45% Faster
Serious Sam 2 2560x1600 HAA 16AF = 78% Faster

UT3 1280x1024 = 7% Faster
UT3 1920x1200 = 24% Faster
UT3 2560x1600 = 37% Faster

F.E.A.R. 1600x1200 = 20% Faster
F.E.A.R. 2048x1536 = 20% Faster

 

[Tute]

Yeah forget 1280x1024, but why ignore the other results, is it because the Ultra is handing the X2 its arse.

Well I think you'll agree that the X2 wins all of the following benchmarks.

- Bioshock (CPU limited at 1280x1024)
- CoJ (even with AA)
- CoD4 (even with AA)
- NFS Pro Street (without AA)
- Serious Sam 2
- Unreal Tournament 3
- F.E.A.R

Whereas it seems to struggle in the rest.

Lost Planet is an odd one in that the X2 takes the performance crown at extreme resolutions. I don't quite understand why that's happening but it's so far behind at lower resolutions (I don't think it's CPU limitation). Drivers maybe?

Also it struggles with NFS Pro Street when AA is applied - again I think this is down to a driver issue with this specific game, otherwise it would show poor performance across the board in that particular game.

Now, bar the dreadful Crysis (I expect this is something at Crytek's end given their track record) I think that's a pretty good showing, if it is indeed true.

And so what if it's an "old" tech? If ATi have developed a GPU which Crossfires well, why not slap two on a card? Clearly it's working, otherwise they wouldn't be about to take the performance crown back.

Actually your right, it is handing the Ultra its arse.

*cheer* \o/

 

[queamin]

The problem is gtx and ultra have been out a long while, now if the x2 was beating them across the board then ok but it not.
The point some people are trying to get over is why should nvidia worry/bother in releasing anything ground breaking/new design when
1. they got the top 2 single cards in production nevermind ultra/gtx/640
2. when a refresh (8800 gt/gts against 3870)can keep up with anything ATI can make at moment just like intel and their chips everything just slows down until the one behind catches up or takes the lead.

 

[RizlaKing]

I love how the nvidia fanboys are comparing a new product with immature drivers to an established product with mature drivers. I may be wrong but i seem to recall the GTX\Ultra having a lot les fps when they first came out then they do now thx to drivers. This card looks good so far not brilliant fair comment but it is looking good. For me though the deal breaker is going to be the price you can buy 3870's for about £135 in the UK so £270 for xfire if this is more then that then it's not worth it and people may as well get 2 standard 3870's and xfire them if Amd\Ati really want to do some damage to nvidia then a UK price of £250 would get them that.

 

[queamin]

I not a fanboy this is the first nvidia card i had in 4 cards and i hate nvidia drivers i said so enough,gtx is 13 or 14 months old and still one of the best cards about if ati never made a mess of this gen then maybe i would have brought one.

 

[theforce]

If someone has already a 38** card and can't or can't be arsed selling and wants some more extra performance would go for another 38** card logically tto save money of use the extra feature available in his motherboard. Also that thing seems like it needs a huge case to fit in so people with average cases shouldn't be tempted with one of these unless you are willing to cut some HHD trays inside your HDD to make space for it!

 

[LoadsaMoney]

And so what if it's an "old" tech?

The 8 series are single GPU's that were released in November 2006, it is now nearly the end of Jan 2008, we should have cards blowing those away now, but we don't, we dont even have 2x GPU cards getting released now in 2008 that are blowing those old 2006 single GPU cards away, thats laughable no matter how you look at it.

 

[queamin]

I want to go back to ATI i think their drivers are much better then nvidia's but willnot buy a ATI card if it not at least on par with the nvidia card at that price range

 

[jaykay]

The 8 series are single GPU's that were released in November 2006, it is now nearly the end of Jan 2008, we should have cards blowing those away, but we don't, we dont even have 2x GPU cards blowing those away, thats why.

Big woop.

CPU's have had it worst. We had the AMD 64 for 3-4 years straight at top, with minimal performance increases and we managed to survive.

We are just going through a slow patch, nothing much it will speed up just be patient.

 

[queamin]

Big woop.

CPU's have had it worst. We had the AMD 64 for 3-4 years straight at top, with minimal performance increases and we managed to survive.

We are just going through a slow patch, nothing much it will speed up just be patient.

But we need AMD to push intel and nvidia