GeForce GTX 285: 55nm Enabling Higher Performance
by Derek Wilson on January 15, 2009 9:00 AM EST- Posted in
- GPUs
Final Words
So here's the deal. We can find the GTX 280 for about $340 if we aren't looking very hard (it can actually be had right now before mail in rebate for $325 at newegg but we'll give the 285 the benefit of the doubt). Compared to the $380 we can grab the new GeForce GTX 285 for, that's over 11% more money for only about 10% performance improvement. Of course there are more aggressively overclocked parts out there but they tend to cost a bit more as well. We do often see decreasing value with increasing performance, but it's not something we like. And if you don't mind mail in rebates the GTX 280 can be had for $300.
It looks like the benefit to the consumer here is going to be the unloading of GTX 280 hardware at prices that put it in better competition to the Radeon 4870 1GB. Of course the 4870 1GB is still a lot cheaper, but the GTX 280 starts to get a little more attractive at only 20% more expensive than the 4870 1GB as much of the time the performance advantage is larger than that. There are exceptions, of course.
It is a little more difficult to compare the GeForce GTX 285 to AMD hardware because of the price point. AMD doesn't have a card that hits the $400 mark (without mail in rebates that is: the 4870 X2 can hit $400 after mail ins). At about $50 more expensive, as we've noted, the 4870 X2 is just over 13% higher in price. Typically the 4870 X2, even in games that don't favor AMD architecture, leads the GeForce GTX 285 by more than that, often at performance about 18% higher at 2560x1600. This indicates that even at the higher price, value (price/performance) is higher with the 4870 X2.
In spite of the potential advantages offered by the Radeon 4870 X2, we have qualms about recommending it based on our experiences since October with the introduction of Core i7 and X58 and the multitude of software titles that were released. Driver support just isn't what it needs to be to really get behind an AMD single card dual-GPU solution right now. The issue is less about what's out now and more about support for titles as they come out and fast responses to issues (which AMD can't provide). The 8.12 hotfix (that is listed as only necessary with 4850 CrossFire) actually has improved stability and performance on all the single and dual setups we've tested on Core i7. We haven't finished putting it through its paces, but so far this one is a real step in the right direction. Unfortunately it will be months before we see this hotfix rolled into a WHQL driver. We definitely recommend this hotfix at least to anyone using AMD hardware on Vista x64 with a Core i7 platform.
In summary, despite its typical 10% performance advantage, the GeForce GTX 285 offers less price/performance than the GTX 280. The closest price competitor to the GTX 285, the Radeon HD 4870 X2, also offers better value, but at a higher price. At the same time, we have reservations about putting our weight behind the 4870 X2 with the driver issues we've experienced lately.
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GhandiInstinct - Thursday, January 15, 2009 - link
Derek,These articles need to start concluding with: "So if you have to buy a video card(cpu...etc) today, buy the ____________.
Thank you.
Beoir - Thursday, January 15, 2009 - link
For a similar price you could get a 4870 X2.Do they think the customer is stupid? NVIDIA was not thinking about pricing by making it only $100 less than a dual GPU. But, to be the "glass is half full" wait a few months and I'm sure the price will drop significantly.
SiliconDoc - Monday, January 19, 2009 - link
It's stupid to get a dual gpu solution when you can have one GPU be smoking up the fps in ALL GAMES.The problem of course is, ATI doesn't have a single gpu that is even close. ATI is sucking wind.
That's a problem, so somehow, some line of hogwash must be blabbered about to fix that problem.
If you like screwing with games endlessly, trying to get CF working, then you go to another title and it takes an fps HIT, and comes out lower and nothing can fix it - go for your "pick".
There's just no way a sane person would take the 4870x2 over the GTX285, unless they loved trouble, no driver profiles, no Cuda, and no PhysX - and a huge power suction to go with all that crap - toasting any "savings" on the electric bill.
Try the Warmonger demo, it even runs at 17fps on a 3650 at 1280x1024. Check out how cool PhysX is - you've never seen any game like it - try it... then you'll see.
http://www.nvidia.com/content/graphicsplus/us/down...">http://www.nvidia.com/content/graphicsplus/us/down...
top one - download that puppy and have some real fun...
HUGE POTENTIAL, and it's already something to behold.
hk6900 - Saturday, February 21, 2009 - link
I really hope that you get curb-stomped. It'd be hilarious to see you
begging for help, and then someone stomps on the back of your head,
leaving you to die in horrible, agonizing pain. *beep*
Shut the *beep* up f aggot, before you get your face bashed in and cut
to ribbons, and your throat slit.
JarredWalton - Thursday, January 15, 2009 - link
Or for $50 more you can get a GTX 295 instead of the 4870X2. I'd be more inclined to go that route, personally. I don't think the importance of drivers and multi-GPU driver profiles can be overstated on the single card dual-GPU solutions.Goty - Thursday, January 15, 2009 - link
The GTX295 would make sense if it weren't NVIDIA's practice to shove out a halo product with issues and then stop supporting it entirely farther down the road a la the 9800GX2.Thar - Thursday, January 15, 2009 - link
These reviews left me a little confused. Where you comparing a single card to configurations with two cards in crossfire and or two cards in SLI? If I see SLI or X2 at the end of a card name am I to assume the test bed was running two cards and if I don't see it assume a single card was used?In your conclusion you say the 295 has captured the Halo yet not one bench mark showed it at the top. The only thing I could figure is you were benching a single 295 against 2 card SLI and Crossfire set ups.
Toolius - Thursday, January 15, 2009 - link
Would it be possible to update the results with 4870x2's in Crossfire ? I mean a GTX295 SLI setup is over a 1000 $ and a GTX 285 SLI setup is close to 800 $ . Considering that 4870x2's in Crossfire also cost just about the same , Can we have some figures for 4870x2's in crossfire as well PLEASE ?? Pretty Please ? With a Cherry on top :)Thar - Friday, January 16, 2009 - link
Head over to Tom's Hardware for 4870's in Crossfire. A good review that makes it clear how many cards are running in each test.Best I could tell this test on Anandtech did not have the GTX295 in a dual card SLI setup, and while they completly failed to mention it I do believe the GTX 285 and 260 were both in a two or maybe 3 card SLI setup.
IKeelU - Thursday, January 15, 2009 - link
Third sentence should probably read: "As we weren't able to get power tests done on time..." instead of: "As we weren't able to get power tests done time..."