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Published: September 16, 2008 | Source: XFX | Author: Rich Weatherstone

XFX 280GTX XXX Edition

Test Setup
 
To ensure there were no bottlenecks for this review we used the highest specification CPU and memory we could get our hands on. A common mistake made when benchmarking graphics cards is that the rest of the PC system isn’t sufficient enough to test the GPU to its limits. This results in a bottleneck situation, where the system can only run at the speed of its slowest component. For this reason, the test configuration chosen below has been specially selected to give each of the graphics card on test the headroom they require in order to produce the best results.
 
 Test Setup
 
Due to the limited amount of benchmarks and games available for testing with PhysX at present there will only be a small amount of testing in this review. Hopefully this will be added to in the near future as PhysX benchmarking and games no doubt increase in popularity.
 
PhysX FluidMark
1280 x 1024 0 x MSAA
1280 x 1024 x 8 MSAA
1280 x 1024 32 x MSAA
1600 x 1200 0 x MSAA
1600 x 1200 8 x MSAA
1600 x 1200 32 x MSAA
1920 x 1200 0 x MSAA
1920 x 1200 8 x MSAA
1920 x 1200 32 x MSAA
2560 x 1600 0 x MSAA
2560 x 1600 8 x MSAA
2560 x 1600 32 x MSAA
3DMark Vantage (No PhysX)
1280 x 1024 / Performance Mode
1600 x 1200 / High Mode
1920 x 1200 / Extreme Mode
 
3DMark Vantage (PhysX Enabled) 
1280 x 1024 / Performance Mode
1600 x 1200 / High Mode
1920 x 1200 / Extreme Mode
 
Unreal Tournament III (No PhysX)
1280 x1024 / DX10 / High / 0xAA / 0xAF
1920 x1200 / DX10 / High / 0xAA / 0xAF
2560 x1600/ DX10 / High / 0xAA / 0xAF
 
Unreal Tournament III (PhysX Enabled)
1280 x1024 / DX10 / High / 0xAA / 0xAF
1920 x1200 / DX10 / High / 0xAA / 0xAF
2560 x1600/ DX10 / High / 0xAA / 0xAF
 
A new addition to our benchmarking suite for this review will be used: PhysX FluidMark.
 
 
Overclocking
 
Pre-Overclocked GPU’s never overclock massively so it was with some surprise that I managed to ramp up the core an additional 70mhz to a stonking 740mhz and the memory to a blisteringly quick 1300mhz.
 
 
Quite an impressive leap was to be had with the overclock, although temperatures started to creep towards the 90’s after long periods of time. Let’s now take a look at how the card performs with a series of PhysX benchmarks…