8800GTS shootout - XFX 8800GTS XXX vs Gainward 8800GTS "Golden Sample"
Conclusion
Published: 5th March 2007 | Source: XFX | Price: |
Comparing the cards against each other sees XFX winning straight out on every benchmark. clocking those stream processors up to 1500MHz over the stock speed of 1200MHz really makes a difference.
The only downfall of this is that this seems to inhibit overclocking, but seeing as how the XFX card still beats out the Gainward Golden sample with 34Mhz lower core clock speed I don't think this is a huge issue.
Where can you get the cards from?
Tekheads stock the "XXX" Edition for £299
Dabs stock the "XXX" Edition for £329
Update
Aria UK stock the Gainward card for £293 the Golden sample
The XFX "XXX" Edition card seems to be a pretty good bet for your money if you are looking for a blazingly fast 8800GTS and cannot stretch to a GTX. XFX offer a "Double Lifetime" warranty in the US, but disappointingly, do not offer this in Europe.
At this point it's worth mentioning the 320mb cards that are available, which seem exceptional value for money with only a small performance hit. For around £200 you can grab one of these cards (XFX Gainward) and you have yourself a great performing card at an even better price. Certainly something to add into consideration when looking at the 8800 series. Also note XFX are bundling G.R.A.W. with these cards.
The XFX "XXX" edition gets "Editors Choice" and also "Recommended" for being a blazingly fast 8800GTS with looks to match.
Pro's
+ Extremely fast
+ Good looks
+ Solid Hardware bundle
+ Decent Overclocking
Con's
- Bad software bundle
- Slightly expensive compared to normal 8800GTS
The Gainward card gets out-gunned by the XFX but it is still a solid card and produces a very nice overclock. It gets a "Recommended" Award.
Pro's
+ Fast
+ Excellent software bundle
+ Solid hardware bundle
+ Very good overclocking
Con's
- Again slightly expensive compared to the normal 8800GTS
- Beaten out by XFX "XXX" Edition card
- Stock stream processors
Thanks to Gainward and XFX for Supplying the review sample
Discuss in the Forums
Most Recent Comments
Yeah, thanks to your review, i bought the xxx gts 640, WOW wont need to look at staticice for another18 months!
Aye they do pwn somewhat :D
9500 on 3dmark06 - *sigh*, yeah. . . . .. they really DO pwn!
very interesting review :)
Great review Kemp.
Somewhere along the line I was wishing u`d take a screw-driver to those coolers, the pcbs look almost identical asif these guyz are working extremely close together. Like in the same building :p
I see many are already posing whether it`s better value to get a base card and do all the clocking uself. Meh.
Somewhere along the line I was wishing u`d take a screw-driver to those coolers, the pcbs look almost identical asif these guyz are working extremely close together. Like in the same building :p
I see many are already posing whether it`s better value to get a base card and do all the clocking uself. Meh.
Great review Kemp.
Somewhere along the line I was wishing u`d take a screw-driver to those coolers, the pcbs look almost identical asif these guyz are working extremely close together. Like in the same building :p
I see many are already posing whether it`s better value to get a base card and do all the clocking uself. Meh.
They're all the same as the reference boards i expect.
As for the clocking we can oc the core but not the stream processors:(
Aye they're all reference boards basically so the coolers the same as the reference. I could have taken em apart but not sure how much use it would have been.
I took the 8800GTX apart in that review.
If your particularly interested I could take apart another GTS and post some pics?
And ye you can OC the core clocks/memory clocks but I haven't found a way of doing the stream processors yet
I took the 8800GTX apart in that review.
If your particularly interested I could take apart another GTS and post some pics?
And ye you can OC the core clocks/memory clocks but I haven't found a way of doing the stream processors yet
Is the stream process likely to involve some kind of firm upgrade that some guy is probably working on in his pc room as we speak ? lol Now these are out I guess theres a further reference for him to work off.
If I`m the only one looking for hardcore up-cooler shots, I wouldn`t bother, if I do some searching there bound to be something out there ;)
If I`m the only one looking for hardcore up-cooler shots, I wouldn`t bother, if I do some searching there bound to be something out there ;)
I have pics of my EN8800 GTS nekkid if you want to have a look at them
CSS Valid
i use ATitool for my oc'ing and you can have it load the oc on startup and it tells the temp... i have mine running at 640/1000
havnt seen the temp go above 70*c yet cuz i got some insain air fed to my card at all times... two 80mm fans and a 120mm all blowing on it