The speed factor--I need lots of feedback!!!

[bourgeoisdude]

Hi guys! Most of you have probably seen me around somewhere in THWG forums by now. Although I am new to the forum and actually new to forums in general, I've followed video card and hardware news/reviews hard core for the past three years. I've followed computer technology pretty much since 486's and beyond.

I'm going to attempt something I have looked for for an eternity, a simple list of NVIDIA video cards, from fastest to slowest, in DX 8.1 vs. DX 9.X games. I'll start with GeForce3 and newer but may work back to the GeForce 256 if I feel like it later. This is not officially the bottom line, set in stone order--hence I want feedback (e.g., "No you moron! The FX5700LE is 3x faster than the GeForce4 Ti4200!", or whatever). Remember this is about RELATIVE SPEED ONLY, hence the DX 8.1 and DX 9.X differences (DX8.1 does not need >128MB VRAM)

DirectX 8.1 Gamer cards, fastest to slowest (UPDATE 2):

GeForce 7800 GTX 512MB PCI-e
GeForce 7800 GTX 256MB PCI-e
GeForce 7800 GT 256MB PCI-e
GeForce 6800 Ultra 256/512MB PCI-e/AGP 8X*
GeForce 6800 GT 256/512MB PCI-e/AGP 8X*
GeForce 6800 GS 256MB PCI-e
GeForce 6600 GT 128MB PCI-e**
GeForce 6600 GT 128MB AGP 8X**
GeForce 6800 GE/LE 128/256MB PCI-e/AGP 8X*
GeForce 6600 128/256MB PCI-e/AGP 8X*, +
GeForce FX5950 Ultra (256MB) AGP 8X
GeForce FX5900 (128MB) AGP 8X
GeForce 6200 128/256MB PCI-e/AGP 8X*
GeForce PCX5900 (128MB) PCI-e***
GeForce FX5800 series, 128/256MB, AGP 8X++
GeForce FX5750 Ultra, 128/256MB AGP 8X
GeForce FX5700 128MB AGP 8X
GeForce 4 Ti4800 128MB AGP 8X+++
GeForce 4 Ti4200 64MB AGP 8X/4X, 128MB AGP 8X+++
GeForce 4 Ti4600 AGP 4X/Ti4800SE AGP 8X, both 128MB+++
GeForce FX5700/FX5700LE 128MB AGP 8X
GeForce FX5600 Ultra 128MB AGP 8X
GeForce 4 Ti4200 128MB AGP 4X+++
GeForce FX5600 128MB AGP 8X
GeForce PCX5700 128MB PCI-e***
GeForce FX5200 Ultra 128/256MB AGP 8X
GeForce FX5500 128MB AGP 8X
GeForce 3 Ti series GPU's (mostly on par with each other for DX 8.1 games)
GeForce PCX5700 128MB PCI-e
GeForce FX5700 128MB PCI (NOT PCI-e)
GeForce FX5200 64/128MB AGP 8X
GeForce MX4000(SE) 64/128MB AGP 8X
GeForce 4 MX440(SE) AGP 4X(8X)
GeForce 4 MX480SE AGP 8X
GeForce 4 MX420SE AGP 8X
GeForce 4 MX420 AGP 4X
GeForce FX5200 256MB AGP 8X****

Note: I have absolutely no knowledge or experience with the GeForce FX5300, PCX5200, 6250, 6500, 6550 (does it even exist?), or other 6800 version cards. With feedback I may add them in the list later. Tell me if I left anything from the GeForce3-current GeForce GPU video cards out.

*PCI-e versus AGP version offer no noticeable or significant performance differences (assuming AGP is 8X enabled)

**There are larger memory versions available but they do not match NVIDIA recommended manufacturer specifications (more about this later)

***I have not seen official benchmarks, but have observed a CONSIDERABLE difference between GeForce FX and their corresponding GeForce PCX models. Why are the PCI-e versions SLOWER than the "older" AGP versions? No idea--but the evidence suggests that the AGP versions are faster with DX 8.1 apps. Perhaps motherboards that support PCI-e are optimised for DX 9.X games while boards with AGP are built more for DX 8.1 and before. Anybody know?

****FX5200 256MB (non-ultra) is a POS. It is not nvidia's recommended manufacturers specifications, in fact the memory is so slow it is ranked slower than all other GeForce cards on the planet other than GeForce 256 and GeForce 2 MX series. Never ever buy one.

+Different manufacturers of the card listed could result in significant performance difference. This usually is due to alternate manufacturers skamping on NVIDIA's recommended manufacturer specifications.

++Discontinued, the FX5800 was commonly known as the "dustbuster", and widely criticized on its release. Don't ever get one, it's just not worth it. Included for completeness only.

+++The GeForce 4 Ti series is intriguing. The first models released were the 4600 and the 4200 which both offered only AGP 4X versions at first, while the 4200 was slightly slower and only had a 64MB version. Later the 4800 came out which extended the AGP to 8X and increased the clock speed slightly over the 4600. Around that time the 4200 had a new 128MB 4X AGP version, but nvidia's recommended manufacturer specifications called for drastically lower memory speeds (presumedly to keep the 4600 sales up). Stupid move. Anyways, later an 8X version of the 128MB 4200 came out and addressed this (killing the 4600), and stranger yet the 4800SE came out to replace the 4600--it was a 4600 with 8X AGP and nothing more. This means the original Ti4800 was the fastest of all Geforce 4 series cards.

REMEMBER, THE ABOVE IS FASTEST TO SLOWEST WITH DIRECTX 8.1 GAMES IN GENERAL, BASED ON MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, BENCHMARKS, AND THWG FORUM FEEDBACK. Currently my first revision of the DX 8.1 list.

DX 9.X Gamer cards: To be completed (I could use feedback as I am mostly a DX8.1 gamer guy). Wait for updates.

NEED: FX5600 info.

 

[mpjesse]

My brain hurts now.

-mpjesse

 

[bourgeoisdude]

It seems I had confused the FX5700 with the FX5750 (doh). Updated (and bump)

 

[blackdog2]

its only nit pickin but there are now 2 pcx 5700s.
and i thought the 5200 ultra was faster than a 5500 although i could be wrong

 

[bourgeoisdude]

its only nit pickin but there are now 2 pcx 5700s.
and i thought the 5200 ultra was faster than a 5500 although i could be wrong

You're right...I've also looked at some old benchmarks and for the most part the FX5200 Ultra is faster than the plain-jane FX5500. I'm unfamiliar with the two separate PCX5700s...I do notice I'm missing alot of PCX models overall though. I just haven't tried them all or seen any benchmarks of the other cards in the PCX series, so I'd be guessing if I listed them here. To me though PCX is wasted money--even the GeForce 6200 has better speed than most of the GeForce PCX series, and the PCX5900 is just too expensive especially for being two generations behind as far as capability.

 

[prolfe]

Wouldn't it be easier to just go through the VGA charts here on THG? Those charts go pretty far back.....

 

[blackdog2]

more possible additions: geforce 4 ti 4400 should be just below 4600
geforce 5700 le : some had 64 bit bus and should be around the pci 5700s performance.
here is a link that might help you. or drive you to insanity!!! :twisted: