NVIDIA 9500 GT: Mainstream Graphics Update
by Derek Wilson on September 5, 2008 10:15 PM EST- Posted in
- GPUs
Even though sub $100 hardware is very high volume, we don't often see a lot of heated debate surrounding them. People don't usually get excited about mainstream and low end hardware. The battle for who can run the newest game with the coolest effects at the highest resolution, while not applicable to most people, tends to generate quite a bit of interest. There is a lot of brand loyalty in this industry, and people like to see the horse they backed come out on top. Others, while not siding with a particular company, jump on the wagon with what ever company has the fastest part at any given time. I, myself, am a fan of the fastest hardware out at any given time. I get excited by how far we've come, and how much closer the top of the line gets us to the next step. Keeping up with top of the line hardware is more like attending a sporting event or taking in a play: the struggle itself is entertainment value.
For some, knowing what's best does have relevance. For many many others, it is more important for to keep track of hardware that, while cheap, is as capable as possible. And that is where we are today.
At the end of July, NVIDIA released their GeForce 9500 GT. This part (well, the GDDR3 version anyway) is almost a drop in replacement for the 8600 GT as far as the specifications go. In fact, the prices are nearly the same as well.
No, it isn't that exciting. But even these very low end add in cards are head and feet above integrated graphics solutions. While we'd love to see everything get more performance, the price of the 8600 GT has dropped significantly over time. We haven't gotten to a point where people who aren't willing or able to spend above $100 on a graphics card can get good experiences on modern games. At least software and hardware complexity tend to parallel each other to the point where the disparity in how new a title can be played on cheap hardware isn't getting any worse.
So with so many similarities, why release this part? There won't be an endless supply of G84 hardware going forward. Thus the G96 comes along with nearly the same specs selling at the same price. The decreased die size of the 65nm G96 (as opposed to the 80nm G84) will also help to increase profits for NVIDIA and board partners on this hardware while they sell at the same price point. There are rumors that NVIDIA will even move the G96 to 55nm later this year further increasing their saving and possibly enabling passive cooling solutions. But we will have to wait for a while yet to find out if that will actually happen.
Before we get into the 9500 GT itself, let's take a look at the state of the industry that brought us to this point.
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djfourmoney - Sunday, September 7, 2008 - link
HD4670 crushes it and its already available in Europe for 67-77 Euro depending on website. That's under $100-105US and while the 9600GT is around $150 online (before rebate) I don't ASSUME rebates will happen and I don't purchase based on rebates.For people with say Dell 530's like my mother's PC, most people can't afford to spend more than $100 or aren't willing too.
Hardcore PC gamers should not confuse themselves with "average" PC users, you aren't one of them and they aren't one of you. If feel spending $200 on a card is justifted, I for one don't. I am a console loyalist that occasionally plays games on the PC. Now that my PC and Console and connected to the same monitor, I don't have to leave the room to play either. I plan on combining both, but I still have a PS2 and I haven't moved on to a PS3 yet and price really as nothing to do with it.
I priced it out and its much cheaper for me to buy a few PC titles and a decent video card, than a PS3 used or new. MS just reduced the cost of the Xbox 360 to $199 and I recently talked a co-worker into buying a new PC and he gave his old one to his son. Great, however he wants to play Rock Band and ummm the current GPU won't cut it. I suggested a 9600GT at first, but I'll tell him to pick up a HD4670 and while it won't run quite as fast as the 9600GT, its close enough and the price is right. He was about to buy his son a Xbox 360, but I told him he could get a good card and that's one less thing he'll be buying his son for Xmas, since many Games For Windows titles are Xbox 360 titles too.
The PC game market needs better titles more accessable games, accesable graphics. They should also look into selling bundled video cards with a few included titles, not just one. Most PC owners may only have one game, maybe too. As more people are connecting there PC's to HDTV's and using there PC's at Media Centers, this is yet another chance for the PC Game market to captialize on this.
frozentundra123456 - Saturday, September 6, 2008 - link
Another way to improve graphics upgradability on consumer PCs would be to build OEM computers with a better power supply. Almost any computer you buy from a best buy type store will have a power supply that is only around 300 watts. This limits upgrades from integrated graphics to an HD3650 or 9500GT type card, and even then the power supply is still marginal.I agree that spending 50 to 100 dollars more on the graphics card will give much better performance per dollar, but one then has to upgrade the power supply which adds another 100 dollars or so to the price. Also upgrading the power supply is something most non-technical users might not want to attempt, while simply dropping in a graphics card is something almost anyone can do.
Since the manufacturer has to include a power supply anyway (obviously), how much more could it cost to make it 400 to 500 watts instead of 300?? The user would then be able to upgrade to a mid-level card instead of the low end without having to upgrade the power supply anyway.
GaryJohnson - Saturday, September 6, 2008 - link
The OEMs don't really have any incentive to do that. It would decrease profit and the average computer user wouldn't know the difference. Besides, they'd much rather you come back and buy a whole new PC from them when you decide you need an upgrade.idealego - Saturday, September 6, 2008 - link
You can buy passively cooled 9500 GTs for about $70, maybe less. This appeals to some people for a number of reasons: it's cheap, it's silent, it has a low power supply requirement and some people simply don't play newer, demanding games.For example, I have a friend who plays nothing but WoW and has a crappy, big-brand computer with the stock power supply. For him this video card is perfect, as it's cheap, it's silent and and he can be fairly sure his power supply isn't going to have a problem with it.
VooDooAddict - Saturday, September 6, 2008 - link
You summed it up well.There are many people out there who only play World of Warcraft and web games.
feelingshorter - Saturday, September 6, 2008 - link
Strengths? ATI is already in the works to release their 4670, which beats the 9500GT by a very large margin. It was benchmarked on some chinese website. Infact nvidia is already in the works to also release a 9550GT in response.idealego - Saturday, September 6, 2008 - link
I could have also said "the strengths of this class of video card". I don't care who has the best $70 card--the point is simply that these video cards fill a niche for some people.feelingshorter - Saturday, September 6, 2008 - link
Unbelievable what nvidia is doing, releasing so many cards. 9400gt/9500gt/9600gt/9600GSO/9800gt/9800GTX. I was looking for a sub 100 video card but i think ill just put out more $ and buy a 4850.tacoburrito - Saturday, September 6, 2008 - link
I think most of the low end cards are OEMs only. I'm guessing that the machines that churn out these GPUs are not reliable in producing chips capable of the same specs. This could be why Nvidia have to repackage them into a low end and sub-low end. Fuuny thing is that I don't see AMD with the same dilemna with their Radeon HD lineup.It is hard to even justify paying $70 for a card when a mere $50 more would net you a sub-high end 9800GT.
Clauzii - Friday, September 5, 2008 - link
Nice article. It -looks- like nVidia need to up their midrange even more, since the prices keep them from doing much at the moment.