Introduction

After the GeForce 8000 series with security as one of the most successful NVIDIA product lines of all the time in the history will go down, it now is about to change the naming of all graphics cards on the GeForce 9000 series – driven by the introduction of the HD 3000 series made by ATi. There was certainly a new feature on some cards with Hybrid SLI, that isn’t a real reason for the name leap but.

As part of the 9000 product offensive brought not only the “new” cards like the GeForce 9600 GT on the market, but called simply to some older run – the technical specifications were unchanged. NVIDIA as well with the GeForce current rumors effect occurs for 8600 GT, which is planned to run in the future under the name GeForce 9500 GT. This saves you not only time but can stimulate also continue purchasing the GeForce 9000 series, while the same cards as GeForce-8000-are difficult to sell.

Another product, which is now already available and in this way, is the GeForce 9600 GSO, that is to extend the new mid range series down. The GeForce 9600 GSO is a renamed GeForce 8800 GS and familiar to the popular G92 GPU, used on the GeForce 8800 GT for the first time.

Point of view a copy of the GeForce could provide us kindly 9600 GSO for a test, which we will study in detail on the following pages. The graphics card must confront not only the more expensive GeForce 9600 GT from in-house, but there are also the Radeon HD 3850 256 MB from ATi. As against this graphics card, NVIDIA had found up to now no worthy sparring partner.

Technical data

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The GeForce 9600 GSO uses heavy G92 chip, which is produced by TSMC 65-nm process and celebrated its premiere on the successful GeForce 8800 GT 754 million transistors. On the GeForce 9600 GSO are six Shadercluster of the full stage active, so the buyer can access 96 scalar Shadereinheiten, which can calculate a MADD (MultiplyADD), as well as a MUL (multiplication) per cycle. The latter is but rarely for “General Shading” tasks, because the MUL mostly with special function unit calculations (such as, for example a cosine operation) is busy. At the same time two Texturcluster are disabled by this measure, which is why still 48 full text ureinheiten available are the G92.

The TMU domain added to the GeForce 9600 GSO 555 MHz, while the scalar Shadereinheiten 1375 MHz are operated. For the first time also the memory interface was reduced in size with the GeForce 9600 GSO in the GeForce 9000 series. On the G92, although four ROP partitions with four raster operation processors are installed, but on the GeForce 9600 GSO was switched off by a ROP partition. Thus, the GPU can draw so only on a total of twelve ROPs. The limitation in the memory interface is the biggest disadvantage resulting from this incision.

A single 64-bit memory controller is connected to each partition of the space management program. With the three partitions of the ROP so only their three exist, which is a memory interface of 192 bits. You can also GeForce 9600 GSO only nor six memory devices that control (as on each storage controller two connected memory modules), which corresponds to a memory extension of 384 MB in the small version. If the manufacturer wants it to, 128-MB modules can be used instead of 64-MB – what would expand the VRAM to 768 MB. The memory is controlled on the GeForce 9600 GSO 800 MHz.

You must forgo Hybrid SLI on the video card. To use the accelerator, it is necessary to connect a 6-pin power plug with the card. The PureVideo HD technology is the GeForce 9600 GSO to date of the GeForce 9600 GT and therefore provides better video quality than on the GeForce 8800 cards (where drivers come out at least the GeForce 8800-products with G92 GPU with a soon “retrofitted” are to, appeared is he so far but not).

* The GFLOP numbers indicated by us of the G80 graphics cards correspond to the theoretical maximum output, if all beer can access the entire capacity of MADD-and MUL units. This is the case on a G80 practically never. While the MADD can be used completely for “General Shading”, has the second MUL mostly other tasks and takes care of the perspective correction or works as a Attributinterpolator or special function unit (SFU). With the ForceWare 158.19 (as well as its Windows Vista subsidiary) the second MUL cannot be used even for General shading, apparently but not completely, because “Special features” must continue to run. For this reason are the real GFLOP numbers under the theoretical maximum.

Impressions

Point of view GeForce 9600 GSO

The price for the run of point of view will be expected to be about 95 euro, where the model is listed only in two shops in Germany and still not be available until now. The most affordable GeForce 9600 GSO costs currently 75 Euro, but no copy is available by. Currently the cheapest and also actually available copy is 90 euro. As the GeForce, although it is just a renamed GeForce 8800 GS, is still very new 9600 GSO, the delivery situation should improve in the coming days a lot.

The NVIDIA typical in green PCB of the point of view GeForce 9600 GSO, not quite 20 cm in length and is thus three inches longer than many other mid-rage graphics cards. In contrast, the GeForce is but again ausladender 9600 GT with its 23 centimeters. It should be so no difficulties, accommodate the accelerator in a commercially available package. Due to the compact design the circuit boards with components is downright zugepflastert, there are only a few free spaces.

Point of view used an unusual cooling system that keeps to the single-slot, nor to the dual-slot design with the GeForce 9600 GSO. The cooler is slightly higher than an ordinary single-slot model and blocked the nearest PCI or PCIe connection accordingly, he is not close to the proportions of a dual-slot system but. The maximum power consumption of the GeForce 9600 GSO exceeds the maximum possible over the PCI bus 75 watts, which is why to operate a six-pin power connector is required.

The cooling system consists of a cooling plate, on which several rough strips made of aluminium are positioned, which can transfer the heat better. A sunken copper cooling block is mounted directly on the GPU, to ensure correct operation. About the actual construction of the cooling point has mounted of view a plastic lid, which covers almost the entire graphics card. Whether the lid only to optical beautify is intended or should optimize the draught, is not clear.

Speaking air: this is generated by a 70-mm axial fan, which makes a not so good impression in practice – more on this in the section of volume. The axial fan takes in the cool air from the housing and blows them throughout the fins. Then the heat air at the VTS over again in the housing into gepustet. On the point of view GeForce, a 384 MB GDDR3 memory 9600 GSO is built by Samsung, produced with an access time of a nanosecond.

On Windows added to the GeForce 9600 like all current GeForce products not down, but still operates with the maximum clock rates. Hybrid SLI is not supported by the GeForce 9600 GSO. The Dutch manufacturer equipped the bracket of with a dual-link DVI graphics card- and (fortunately) with one modern HDMI interface, which not only the image, but also the tone is emitted. It needs to connect the graphics card but additional SPDIF cable with the sound chip. A HDTV output is also available.

You can expect logically no miracle of equipment for the intended purchase price of less than 100 euros. The buyer will encounter only an electricity, as well as the above mentioned SPDIF cable. In addition, a DVI to HDMI adapter box has been settled.

Test system

Test system:

• Processor
  • Intel Core 2 extreme QX9770 (overclocked by multiplier to 4 GHz, quad-core)
• CPU cooler
  • Noctua NH-U12P
• Motherboard
  • Asus P5E3 Deluxe WiFi-AP (Intel X 38, BIOS version: 1104) main test Board and for CrossFire systems
  • XFX nForce 790i ultra (NVIDIA nForce 790i, BIOS version: 811N1P01_Beta) for SLI Systems
• Memory
  • 2 x 1024 MB G.skill DDR3-1600 (7-7-7-18)
  • 2 x 1024 MB Patriot DDR3-1600 (7-7-7-18)
• Graphics cards
  • ATi Radeon HD 3870 X 2 (825 / 900), 2 x 512 MB
  • ATi Radeon HD 3870 512 MB (775 / 1125)
  • ATi Radeon HD 3850 (668 / 828), 512 MB (simulates the Radeon HD 3870 down cycles through)
  • ATi Radeon HD 3850 (668 / 828), 256 MB
  • ATi Radeon HD 3650 (725 / 800), 512 MB
  • NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GX2 (600 / 1512 / 1000), 2 x 512 MB
  • NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GTX (675, 1675, 1100), 512 MB
  • NVIDIA GeForce 9600 GT (650, 1625, 900), 512 MB
  • Point of view GeForce 9600 GSO (555 / 1350 / 800), 384 MB
  • NVIDIA GeForce 8800 Ultra (612-1512 / 1080), 768 MB
  • NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTX (575 / 1350 / 900), 768 MB
  • NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTS 512 (650 / 1625 / 970), 512 MB
  • NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT (600 / 1512 / 900), 512 MB
  • NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GTS (675 / 1450 / 1000), 256 MB
  • NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GT (540 / 1190 / 700), 256 MB
• Power supply
  • M850 Coolermaster real power Pro modular (850 Watts)
• Peripherals
  • Toshiba SD-H802A HD-DVD drive
  • Pioneer BDC-202BK SATA Blu-ray drive
  • Samsung SpinPoint F1 SATA2 HDD with 750 GB, and 32 MB cache
• Housing
  • Coolermaster of stacker 832
• Driver versions
  • NVIDIA ForceWare 174.16
  • NVIDIA ForceWare 174.53 (9800 GX2, 9800 GTX)
  • NVIDIA ForceWare 175.16 (9600 GSO)
  • ATi catalyst 8.3
• Software
  • Microsoft Windows Vista x 64 SP1
  • Microsoft DirectX 9.0 c
  • Microsoft Direct3D 10

Benchmarks

The following benchmarks were used during our test:

• Synthetic benchmarks:
  • 3DMark06 version 1.0.2
  • 3DMark Vantage 1.0
• Game benchmarks:
  • Assassin’s creed, D3D10, full version, version 1.0
  • Bioshock, D3D10, full version, version 1.1
  • Call of duty 4, full version, version 1.5
  • Call of Juarez, D3D10, full version, version 1.1.0.0
  • Clive Barker’s Jericho, demo
  • Company of heroes, D3D10, full version, version 1.71
  • Crysis, full version, version 1.21
  • F.e.a.r., full version, version 1.08
  • Gothic 3, full version, version 1.12
  • Lost planet, D3D10, full version
  • Rainbow Six Vegas, full version, version 1.06
  • Stalker, full version, version 1.0005
  • Unreal Tournament 3, full version, patch 1.2
  • World in conflict, D3D10, full version, patch 1007

All benchmarks run with maximum details, so that the graphics card will be charged as high. As settings we chose this 1280 x 1024 and 1600 x 1200 (and 2560 x 1600 for graphics cards with 512 MB or more and a corresponding power). So we pay tribute to the modern high end Accelerator, make the resolutions by their computing power lower than 1280 x 1024 CPU limited. In addition to the pure resolutions we can iterate through the benchmark course with two (and if possible eight x) anti-aliasing and 16-fachen anisotropic filter. We use TSSAA (NVIDIA) or AAA (ATi) to smooth alpha-test textures because of compatibility problems no longer within our benchmark show.

After careful consideration and multiple analysis of even recorded game sequences, we have come to the conclusion that the quality of texture filtering on current ATi-and NVIDIA graphics cards in the standard setting (with slight advantages for GeForce products) are comparable. At NVIDIA, we change any settings and we leave in the ATi driver the a.i.-function on “Standard”.

Driver settings: NVIDIA graphics cards (G8x, G9x)

• Texture filtering: Quality
• Vertical sync: off
• Force MipMaps: no
• Trilinear optimization: A
• Anisotropic sample optimization: from
• Negative LOD bias: clamp
• Gamma adjusted AA: A
• AA mode: 1xAA, 4xAA, 8xQAA
• Transparency AA: from

Driver settings: ATi video cards (R(V)6×0)

• Catalyst a.i.: Standard
• Mipmap detail level: high quality
• Wait for vertical refresh: always off
• AA mode: 1xAA, 4xAA, 8xAA
• Adaptive anti-aliasing: off

Theoretical benchmarks

FillRate Tester

• This useful little program is used to measure the fill rates of a graphics card. In contrast to the computer or fill rates tests integrated in the 3DMark that primarily measure the bandwidth in the case of single-texturing, this program can be quite differentiated information on different types of fill rate, including the PixelShader fill rates, which we want to look at.

  Refreshrate has been tested in 1024 x 768 in 32-bit with 24 bit Z and 8 bit buffer and 60 Hz.

• Download: Fillrate Tester

Fablemark

• The Fablemark was developed as the subsequent Templemark of PowerVR and serves despite a very high share in Overdraw of the display of the strengths of the KYRO chip regarding the stencil buffer.
  Of course the performance of the stencil calls also on all other cards strongly so that this test can be an indication of upcoming games, insert a Z / stencil-only pass prior to actual rendering, to prevent advance any Overdraw.
  Has been tested using the following command line: [InstallDir] D3DFablemark.exe benchmark = 1 – width = xxxx-height = xxxx-bpp = 32 ”

• More information: PowerVR.com
• Download: PowerVR.com

ShaderMark

• The ShaderMark is currently available in the current version 2.1 and was developed by Tommti systems. Thanks to numerous updates, is the benchmark is still on the amount of time, and measures the performance of the shader units of modern graphics cards. It supports also the shader model 3.0, which is why it is suitable for a comparison of current architectures. Tested up to 25 different shader instructions in the resolution are 1920 x 1200, which are all written in HLSL (high level shader language) high-level language.

• Download: ShaderMark.de

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Synthetic benchmarks

3DMark06

The well-known series of benchmark from Futuremark is now published in version 2006 and consequently listens to the name “3DMark06″. Of the six test scenes, measure the performance of the graphics card four sequences and show a graphic splendour that is unparalleled. To achieve that Finns set which is why not only massively the shader model 3.0 is used on most modern 3D technology, extremely elaborate textures, spectacular particle effects, shadow complex computations and as another highlight “High Dynamic Range Rendering” – short HDRR – are used. While Futuremark opts for FP16 HDR, which currently provides the best possible image quality, but is also expensive to calculate. There are more details about this program in our detailed article.

3DMark Vantage

After some years on the knob has the long-serving 3DMark06 and affects not only the graphic now somewhat dusty but in addition, the CPU limit for fast graphics cards is becoming more and more apparent, it was high time for a successor. Accordingly the Finnish manufacturer Futuremark has brought the 3DMark Vantage on the market after a long wait, who is from the outset been programmed for the Direct3D 10 API. Graphically, the two game tests accordingly much for the eye, and in particular the second test can set highlights offer. FP16 HDR, depth of field, Parallax Occlusion Mapping, a physical simulation on the GPU, various Shadereffekten, and much more, 3DMark Vantage easily brings the 3D hardware to the performance limit. We test the program (if the video cards allow it) in the performance, high and extreme preset. There are more details about this program in our detailed article.

Direct3D 9 benchmarks

Call of duty 4

The latest addition from the famous “call of duty” series is not for the first time in the second world war, but some decades later in the future. But this does not detract, on the contrary the fun even. The atmosphere is in call of duty 4 so realistic that you can dive without problems in the world. But not only playful white the first-person shooter to please, also technical in contrast to the (PC) ancestors made call of duty 2 front – and that one large step, although you used still same graphics engine. Visually call of duty 4 However, is on a completely different level: send shader and an intelligent use of Parallax mapping cover up the partly somewhat weak textures. Already call of duty 2 could score points in the show with a unique display of smoke; the successor is in this regard to the second part of the series in nothing and comes along with a smoke show to impress the white. On Direct3D 10 support you but do without: call of duty 4 is still solely on the predecessor of Direct3D 9.