Four GeForce 9600 GT Cards Compared

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Power Consumption, Noise Level, And Temperature

The power consumption in watts always refers to the entire test platform. The 2D value is for the common Windows desktop without load or the Aero interface (minimum value). The 3D value is measured when CPU and graphics card run at full load (peak value). The start-up screen of Mass Effect (UT3 Engine) at 1920x1200 without AA is used, which causes the CPU to reach 100% load.

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Power consumption in Watts2D (Vista Desktop)3D (Mass Effect)
GeForce GTX 260 (896 MB)111336
GeForce 9800 GTX (512 MB)126264
GeForce 9600 GT SLI (1024 MB)182302
GeForce 9600 GT (1024 MB)102187
Asus GeForce 9600 GT (512 MB)106208
MSI GeForce 9600 GT (1024 MB)105192
Palit GeForce 9600 GT (1024 MB)112215
Sparkle GeForce 9600 GT (512 MB)104204
GeForce 8800 GTS (512 MB)126269
GeForce 8800 GT (512 MB)115239
GeForce 8800 GTX (768 MB)146296
GeForce 8800 GTS (640 MB)138256
GeForce 8800 GTS (320 MB)127240
Radeon HD 4870 (512 MB)147288
Radeon HD 4850 CF (512 MB)177367
Radeon HD 4850 (512 MB)122237
Radeon HD 3870 (512 MB)95216
Radeon HD 3850 (256 MB)88192
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Noise Level (1m)2D dB(A)3D dB(A)
GeForce GTX 260 (896 MB)38.1-44.253.5-54.0
GeForce 9800 GTX (512 MB)36.244.7-45.7
GeForce 9600 GT SLI (1024 MB)37.746.4-47.0
GeForce 9600 GT (1024 MB)36.942.6-43.3
Asus GeForce 9600 GT (512 MB)0.00.0
MSI GeForce 9600 GT (1024 MB)0/40.740.7
Palit GeForce 9600 GT (1024 MB)37.137.7
Sparkle GeForce 9600 GT (512 MB)36.336.3
GeForce 8800 GTS (512 MB)36.240.1-40.5
GeForce 8800 GT (512 MB)35.842.2-42.7
GeForce 8800 GTX (768 MB)36.847.8-48.4
GeForce 8800 GTS (640 MB)36.939.7-40.2
GeForce 8800 GTS (320 MB)36.338.2-38.7
Radeon HD 4870 (512 MB)35.545.5-46.0
Radeon HD 4850 CF (512 MB)36.346.0
Radeon HD 4850 (512 MB)36.341.2
Radeon HD 3870 (512 MB)36.538.7-39.4
Radeon HD 3850 (256 MB)36.237.5

We have given several values for SLI, which refer to the individual graphics chips. For CrossFire, the table contains the value for the primary (warmer) GPU.

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Temperature in Degrees Celsius2D (Vista Desktop)3D (Mass Effect)
GeForce GTX 260 (896 MB)45-49105
GeForce 9800 GTX (512 MB)6075
GeForce 9600 GT SLI (1024 MB)38/5356/77
GeForce 9600 GT (1024 MB)4570
Asus GeForce 9600 GT (512 MB)64103
MSI GeForce 9600 GT (1024 MB)39-7953
Palit GeForce 9600 GT (1024 MB)4363
Sparkle GeForce 9600 GT (512 MB)4466
GeForce 8800 GTS (512 MB)6086
GeForce 8800 GT (512 MB)6397
GeForce 8800 GTX (768 MB)6082
GeForce 8800 GTS (640 MB)6082
GeForce 8800 GTS (320 MB)5384
Radeon HD 4870 (512 MB)7683-85
Radeon HD 4850 CF (512 MB)8083-85
Radeon HD 4850 (512 MB)7883-85
Radeon HD 3870 (512 MB)5390
Radeon HD 3850 (256 MB)4990
48 Comments Comment from the forums
  • JAYDEEJOHN
    So it beats the GTX eh? And you can find brand new nVidia drivers, but no ATI ones? And wheres the 4670? Got halfway thru, decided to skip the rest
    Reply
  • jaragon13
    What about the HD 4850? It costs less than the "last 8800 GTS 512's"
    Asus sells them for what? 170 dollars,free shipping on Newegg?
    Maybe I even saw one @ 160...
    Reply
  • Sus-penders
    Why would anyone get an 8800GTS for $179 when you can buy a better performing HD 4850, for LESS money??? ATI still exists, you know...
    Reply
  • Ryun
    No offense, as the article and tests run were good (I especially like the overall FPS charts), but this information would have been more pertinent, like, 6 months ago.
    Reply
  • Niva
    Uh, I don't get what the people about are upset for. It's a good article, I enjoyed reading and seeing where these cards fit into the scheme of things. I know ATI has made a comeback with their recent cards but until their drivers are completely open and stable I'll stick with nVidia myself so I especially enjoyed this article. Thanks Toms!
    Reply
  • L1qu1d
    Waste of 3 mins, it makes very little sense, the 9600 GTs in sli are around the 280 GTX in performance, yet it manages to get destroyed by the 4870.

    This article would've meant something around the time the cards came out...now I'd much rather like to see the 4850 cards compared or 260s or w.e else that is this gen.
    Reply
  • MooseMuffin
    NivaUh, I don't get what the people about are upset for. It's a good article, I enjoyed reading and seeing where these cards fit into the scheme of things. I know ATI has made a comeback with their recent cards but until their drivers are completely open and stable I'll stick with nVidia myself so I especially enjoyed this article. Thanks Toms!
    Exactly what is open about nvidia's drivers?
    Reply
  • wh3resmycar
    nobody reads the introduction anymore?
    Reply
  • warezme
    warms my heart to see the old 8800GTX included in this test list.

    It's amazing this ancient cards at default speed still sit in the middle of the pack and quickly rise to the top when you turn up AA and texture quality up, beating most every other card cept for 260GTX and SLI and CF rigs.

    It also explains why a pair of old 8800GTX's in SLI OC'ed to at least Ultra speeds on a fast rig are still very hard to out perform by any single card (period)
    Reply
  • There is a reason to get the 9600GT over the 8800GT, power consumption. Look at the numbers, the 9600GT has 1/2 the number of shaders (hence a smaller die). I know the shader clock runs a little faster but a good quality stock PSU with 300W (real, like antec, corsair, etc) should be fine for running it.
    Reply