Overall, the GeForce 8800 GTS 512 MB is interesting for a few reasons Compare Prices on 512 MB GeForce 8800 GTS Video Cards . Based on a largely more powerful G92 (24%) than the one on the GeForce 8800 GT, it manages to outperform the GeForce 8800 GTX. The latter has sometimes got the upper hand (Age of Empires III, Crysis), but is more often than not beaten (Test Drive Unlimited, STALKER, Unreal Tournament 3, Call of Duty 4) or is on a par globally (Supreme Commander, Oblivion, World In Conflict). It all depends on the nature of each game and its demands in shading. Memory-wise, we remain at the same level as the GeForce 8800 GT; whether it is in capacity or in bandwidth (it only increases by 8%).

Given its £150-170 (€200-240) price tag, the choice between a GeForce 8800 GTS 512 MB and the 8800 GTX is clear despite the fact that the latter is the only one to maintain the triple SLI support. Let's note that the GeForce 8800 GTX is at the end of its lifespan and should quickly disappear. On the other hand, the unbalanced character of this new 8800 GTS which almost only counts on its raw throughput to outgrow the 8800 GT 512 MB shows its limitations. The latter is taken back by only 10% on average although its price tag is roughly 20% lower. The performance-price ratio remains in favour of the 8800 GT and the gap between the two is too small to really be significant.

We should note that this 8800 GTS 512 MB gives Nvidia the ability to present another card next to the 8800 GT without being ridiculous. Compared to the previous 8800 GTS, the increase is quite important with 31% on average when put against the 640 MB version. With regards to availability, Nvidia promised it'll be on our shelves; we'll see what it really is in a few of days.

Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTS 512 MB After the 8800 GT earthquake, Nvidia own with its new 8800 GTS a second coherent card in its catalogue. The evolution of performances compared to the previous 8800 GTS is interesting, yet by counting on computational power alone, the card has difficulties seperating itself from the 8800 GT.

The Pros

• Performances almost equivalent to that of the 8800 GTX for a cheaper price
• Decline in power consumption and with quiet performance.
• PureVideo 2

The Cons

• A performance/price ratio less appealing than that of the 8800 GT, which isn't much less efficient.

Performance Roundup

The averages obtained for each card and for each game exclude Crysis, which doesn't change the ranking, but simply couldn't be tested using the same resolution as the other games. Similarly, the numbers obtained with STALKER are found in averages taken with filters disabled, but since the game hasn't been tested with antialiasing on, it's excluded from the averages taken with filters, which boosts the card's results, STALKER being really demanding.

Join our discussion on this article!