Graphics Chips Compared Plus Test Configurations
We ran the following graphics cards on a PC with an Intel Core i7-920 CPU overclocked to 3.8 GHz (its default clock rate is 2.66 GHz), minimizing the possibility of a processor-based bottleneck.
Swipe to scroll horizontally
| Nvidia Graphics Cards | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vendor and GPU | Internal Reference | RAM | GPU Clock | Shader | Memory Clock | SPs |
| GeForce GTX 295 | 2 x GT200b | 2 x 896 MB GDDR3 | 576 MHz | 4.0, 1,242 MHz | 2 x 999 MHz | 2 x 240 |
| GeForce GTX 285 | GT200b | 1,024 MB GDDR3 | 648 MHz | 4.0, 1,476 MHz | 2 x 1,242 MHz | 240 |
| GeForce GTX 280 | GT200 | 1,024 MB GDDR3 | 602 MHz | 4.0, 1,296 MHz | 2 x 1,107 MHz | 240 |
| GeForce GTX 275 | GT200b | 896 GDDR3 | 633 MHz | 4.0, 1,404 MHz | 2 x 1,134 MHz | 240 |
| Zotac GeForce GTX 260² (GTX 260 216 SPs) | GT200b | 896 GDDR3 | 576 MHz | 4.0, 1,242 MHz | 2 x 999 MHz | 216 |
| GeForce GTX 260 216SPs | GT200b | 896 GDDR3 | 576 MHz | 4.0, 1,242 MHz | 2 x 999 MHz | 216 |
| GeForce GTX 260 | GT200 | 896 GDDR3 | 576 MHz | 4.0, 1,242 MHz | 2 x 999 MHz | 192 |
| Zotac GTS 250 1 GB (GTS 250) | G92b | 1,024 MB GDDR3 | 740 MHz | 4.0, 1,836 MHz | 2 x 1,100 MHz | 128 |
| GeForce GTS 250 | G92b | 1,024 MB GDDR3 | 740 MHz | 4.0, 1,836 MHz | 2 x 1,100 MHz | 128 |
| GeForce 9800 GX2 | 2 x G92 | 2 x 512 MB GDDR3 | 600 MHz | 4.0, 1,500 MHz | 2 x 1,000 MHz | 2 x 128 |
| GeForce 9800 GTX+ | G92b | 512 MB GDDR3 | 738 MHz | 4.0, 1,836 MHz | 2 x 1100 MHz | 128 |
| GeForce 9800 GTX | G92 | 512 MB GDDR3 | 675 MHz | 4.0, 1,688 MHz | 2 x 1,100 MHz | 128 |
| GeForce 9600 GT | G94 | 1,024 MB GDDR3 | 650 MHz | 4.0, 1,625 MHz | 2 x 900 MHz | 64 |
| GeForce 9600 GT | G94 | 512 MB GDDR3 | 650 MHz | 4.0, 1,625 MHz | 2 x 900 MHz | 64 |
| GeForce 8800 GTS 512 | G92 | 512 MB GDDR3 | 650 MHz | 4.0, 1,625 MHz | 2 x 972 MHz | 128 |
| GeForce 8800 GT | G92 | 1,024 MB GDDR3 | 600 MHz | 4.0, 1,500 MHz | 2 x 900 MHz | 112 |
| GeForce 8800 GT | G92 | 512 MB GDDR3 | 600 MHz | 4.0, 1,500 MHz | 2 x 900 MHz | 112 |
| GeForce 8800 Ultra | G80 | 768 MB GDDR3 | 612 MHz | 4.0, 1,512 MHz | 2 x 1,080 MHz | 128 |
| GeForce 8800 GTX | G80 | 768 MB GDDR3 | 576 MHz | 4.0, 1,350 MHz | 2 x 900 MHz | 128 |
| GeForce 8800 GTS | G80 | 640 MB GDDR3 | 513 MHz | 4.0, 1,188 MHz | 2 x 792 MHz | 96 |
| GeForce 8800 GTS | G80 | 320 MB GDDR3 | 513 MHz | 4.0, 1,188 MHz | 2 x 792 MHz | 96 |
Swipe to scroll horizontally
| ATI Graphics Cards | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vendor and GPU | Codename | RAM | GPU Clock | Shader | Memory Clock | SPs |
| Radeon HD 4890 | R790 | 1,024 MB GDDR5 | 850 MHz | 4.1 | 4 x 975 MHz | 800 |
| Radeon HD 4870 X2 | R700 (2 x RV770) | 2 x 1,024 MB GDDR5 | 750 MHz | 4.1 | 4 x 900 MHz | 2 x 800 |
| HIS H487QT1GP ICEQ4+ (HD 4870) | RV770 | 1,024 MB GDDR5 | 770 MHz | 4.1 | 4 x 1000 MHz | 800 |
| Sapphire Vapor-X HD4870 2G (HD 4870) | RV770 | 2,048 MB GDDR5 | 750 MHz | 4.1 | 4 x 900 MHz | 800 |
| Radeon HD 4870 | RV770 | 512 MB GDDR5 | 750 MHz | 4.1 | 4 x 900 MHz | 800 |
| Sapphire HD4850 1G (HD 4850) | RV770 | 1,024 MB GDDR3 | 625 MHz | 4.1 | 2 x 993 MHz | 800 |
| Radeon HD 4850 | RV770 | 512 MB GDDR3 | 625 MHz | 4.1 | 2 x 993 MHz | 800 |
| Radeon HD 4770 | RV740 | 512 MB GDDR5 | 750 MHz | 4.1 | 4 x 800 MHz | 640 |
| Radeon HD 4670 | RV730 | 512 MB GDDR3 | 750 MHz | 4.1 | 2 x 1,000 MHz | 320 |
| Radeon HD 3870 X2 | R680 | 2 x 512 MB GDDR3 | 823 MHz | 4.1 | 2 x 900 MHz | 2 x 320 |
| Radeon HD 3870 | RV670 | 512 MB GDDR4 | 776 MHz | 4.1 | 2 x 1,125 MHz | 320 |
| Radeon HD 3850 | RV670 | 256 MB GDDR3 | 668 MHz | 4.1 | 2 x 829 MHz | 320 |
SPs=Stream Processors, R680=2xRV670, R700=2xRV770, Shader 2.0=DirectX 9.0, 3.0=DirectX 9.0c, 4.0=DirectX 10, Shader 4.1=DirectX 10.1
Swipe to scroll horizontally
| Test System For Nvidia and ATI Graphics Cards | |
|---|---|
| Motherboard | Asus P6T, PCIe 2.0, ICH10R, 3-Way SLI |
| Chipset | Intel X58 |
| Memory | Corsair, 3 x 2 GB DDR3, TR3X6G1600C8D, 2 x 570 MHz 8-8-8-20 |
| Audio | Realtek ALC1200 |
| LAN | Realtek RTL8111C |
| HDDs | SATA, Western Digital, Raptor WD300HLFS, WD5000AAKS |
| DVD | Gigabyte GO-D1600C |
| Power Supply | CoolerMaster RS-850-EMBA 850 W |
| Drivers and Configuration | |
| Graphics | ATI Catalyst 9.5, Nvidia GeForce 185.85 WHQL |
| OS | Windows Vista Ultimate 32-Bit, SP1 |
| DirectX | 9, 10, and 10.1 |
| Chipset Driver | Intel 9.1.0.1007 |
