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Flight Simulator

gtx 260 280

Why test the latest high-end cards with a game that’s known to be limited by the CPU? The reason was simple: Make sure that these new cards do at least as well as the preceding generation, and check the maturity of the driver – since, as we saw in the previous tests, Flight Simulator X can hold some surprises.

gtx 260 280

gtx 260 280

Sure enough, the new GeForce GT200 cards weren’t in their glory. None of them went beyond 23 fps, which is not great, even in Flight Simulator X. But the 9800 GX2 and the 8800 Ultra reached close to 30 fps, which is a lot better. We feel sure the next driver versions will improve the situation, because it’s paradoxical for gamers buying the latest generation of Nvidia cards to have to settle for inferior performance, even in a game where the CPU takes on a lot of importance.


Talkback
BadMannerKorea 06/16/2008 3:19 AM
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Lunarion 06/16/2008 3:40 AM
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-7+
Lunarion

what a POS, the 9800gx2 is $150+ cheaper and performs just about the same. Let's hope the new ATI cards coming actually make a difference

foxhound009 06/16/2008 3:56 AM
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-7+
foxhound009

woow,.... that's the new "high end" gpu????
lolz.. 3870 x2 wil get cheaper... and nvidia gtx200 lies on the shelves providing space for dust........
(I really expectede mmore from this one... :/ )

thatguy2001 06/16/2008 4:02 AM
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-6+
thatguy2001

Pretty disappointing. And here I was thinking that the gtx 280 was supposed to put the 9800gx2 to shame. Not too good.

narwhaleau 06/16/2008 4:09 AM
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narwhaleau

It is going to get owned by the 4870x2. In some cases the 3870x2 was quicker - not many, but we are talking 640 shaders total vs. 1600 total for the 4870x2.

cappster 06/16/2008 4:06 AM
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-4+
cappster

Both cards are priced out of my price range. Mainstream decently priced cards sell better than the extreme high priced cards. I think Nvidia is going to lose this round of "next gen" cards and price to performance ratio to ATI. I am a fan of whichever company will provide a nice performing card at a decent price (sub 300 dollars).

njalterio 06/16/2008 4:07 AM
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-5+
njalterio

Very disappointing, and I had to laugh when they compared the prices for the GTX 260 and the GTX 280, $450 and $600, calling the GTX 260 "nearly half the price" of the GTX 280. Way to fail at math. lol.

MooseMuffin 06/16/2008 4:11 AM
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MooseMuffin

Loud, power hungry, expensive and not a huge performance improvement. Nice job nvidia.

compy386 06/16/2008 4:17 AM
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compy386

This should be great news for AMD. The 4870 is rumored to come in at 40% above the 9800GTX so that would put it at about the 260GTX range. At $300 it would be a much better value. Plus AMD was expecting to price it in the $200s so even if it hits low, AMD can lower the price and make some money.

vochtige 06/16/2008 4:23 AM
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--1+
vochtige

i think i'll get a 8800ultra. i'll be safe for the next 5 generations of nvidia! try harder nv crew

cah027 06/16/2008 4:24 AM
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-3+
cah027

Looks like ATi might have a fighting chance of catching up to Nvidia. Hopefully this will help AMD out as a company.

Anonymous 06/16/2008 4:25 AM
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-4+

I am fairly Dissapointed I thought Nvidia would go for the High end Market with great performance and a lot of money, but it's only a lot of money

gellert 06/16/2008 4:28 AM
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sailormonz 06/16/2008 4:31 AM
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sailormonz

I don't believe quad sli with the 9800GX2 works too well, therefore these cards may be best suited for a person with tons of money to waste and wanting a SLI system with top of the line cards. These results were rather disappointing however.

annisman 06/16/2008 4:54 AM
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-3+
annisman

My 9800GX2 looks like it's gonna be staying in my case for at least another month or two. (4870x2 anyone?)

RaZZ3R 06/16/2008 4:57 AM
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NeoDude007 06/16/2008 4:59 AM
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-2+
NeoDude007

Boooo I want more power.

zarksentinel 06/16/2008 5:12 AM
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-5+
zarksentinel

this card is not worth the money.

dragoncyber 06/16/2008 5:12 AM
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-9+
dragoncyber

Dear Nvidia,

I am obviously not the first one to state that they are entirely angered by the results of the recent GTX280 benchmarks. I have been an Nvidia customer since the original Geforce series, always trusting the reliable green team to be at the forefront of the graphics race.

Instead this time I am completely thrown for a loop as Nvidia expects us to pay 600.00-650.00 for a (New Generation) graphics card release that performs in most cases lower than a 9800GX2 which at the time of this report is actually 150-200 dollars cheaper,and once released will most likely drop even further.

Not to mention the 9800GTX which is basically on par with an 8800 ultra is down below 300.00!! Tri-SLi anyone?? Three 9800GTX's would out perform "Quad Sli 9800GX2's" and this has already been proven on several sites (AnandTech..Hello???)WTF is wrong with Nvidia?? Tri has already been posting great numbers!!

So obviously knowing this going into a release you would want to put something on the table that would blow the doors off your current best configurations. Instead we are handed mere 15-20% gains in some situations, and actually being beat in others. And of course they didn't post SLI tests here for this report.

The next thing that really gets my goat is selling a GTX260 card for 200-250 dollars less, and it has only an 18-20% decrease in performance as compared to your new shiny Top-Of-The Line. With a little over clocking and some good cooling it's the same card in performance tets. What gives??

Now the biggest embarassment for Nvidia is that they are pushing CUDA technology and folding at home client CRAP!! These cards are designed for gaming!! Who gives a crap about how fast they can cure cancer or render 3D medical images and scans of the human body. Maybe 10% of the cards produced will be used for this purpose..the rest will be for GAMING!! What in the hell are we even talking about that junk for in this article?? Does that even matter when really what everyone cares about is will it beat the crap out of Crysis!!?? Will it Provide me solid gaming for the next 2 years?? Is it worth my hard earned money??

So far I am in AWE...yes..but not the good AWE, the bad one, the I can't believe this is happening here comes the BIG RED DRAGON(ATI)breathing fire and brimstone , I'm a scared little peseant in a village AWE!!
I am this close to throwing away my 790i board, putting my 8800GT SLi'd on Ebay, and switching over to a crossfire platform.

Again I cannot state again how utterly disappointed I am at this turn of events, and the worst part is that there will be no way they could do a GTX280 X2 card because the manufacturing process and die size are too huge, and too hot to combine them. They would literally have to redesign the entire thing, basically doing a new release all over again.

I'm afraid to say it but I think this will be like one of those boxing matches where, the underdog is in the corner getting punched on left and right...Then something clicks, and he decides enough is enough, and he throws a BIG left that hits the other guy right in the jaw. He doesnt see it coming, and has he hits the mat he thinks.."This guy still has some fight in him". Personally I hope ATI comes out on top with the 4870 X2. That will make Nvidia realize thay can't sit around in their offices all year playing Nerf Hoops, and living off the fat of their successes over the last 4 years.They have gotten fat and lazy, and this card shows it all over the place.

I am however going to wait, and see if the driver improvements make any difference at all in the upcoming weeks to a couple months. I have a 8800GT Sli system, and I'm sitting pretty as far as I am concerned. I Still consider the 8800 GT 512mb to be one of the best graphics cards ever made, and a combo of them is hard to beat. So I will wait and see what happens.

Best of Luck to any who choose to buy it upon release, I think soon you will wish you had waited just a bit longer. the price will drop drastically once all the Tech sites get there reviews out.

Mr Roboto 06/16/2008 5:10 AM
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-8+
Mr Roboto

I've had my 8800GTX for almost a year and a half and it still owns. My card was $499 when I bought it and was the most expensive card I'll ever buy. However, it's looking more and more like a great investment. This GTX280 is disappointing to say the least. I would love to see ATI jump back in the game!

What's funny is they might actually compete with this card with out even meaning to.


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