Home | Forums | Article Search | Subscribe & Shop | Contact Us | Log Out The New GeForce 7-Series Email This Print This View My Personal Library Heavy Gear May 2006 • Vol.6 Issue 5 Page(s) 17-20 in print issue Add To My Personal Library The New GeForce 7-Series 7900 GTX, 7900 GT & 7600 GT Cards On Review ATI recently threw a one-two combination—in the form of the Radeon X1900 and CrossFire Xpress 3200—at its biggest competitor. In the course of a few months, ATI was able to draw even to Nvidia’s more established SLI technology, unveiling a faster graphics architecture and purportedly more elegant 40-lane PCI Express chipset. Granted, it took ATI quite awhile to catch up, but doing so made what was once a one-sided enthusiast market a lot more interesting. It was only a matter of time before Nvidia fired back, though. An all-new line of high-end and mainstream graphics products strikes out at ATI’s pricing structure, simultaneously shifting the performance landscape once again. The latest cards, still part of Nvidia’s well-known GeForce 7-series, are just what the doctor ordered. The GeForce 7900 Although the GeForce 7900-series cards utilize a new graphics processor called G71, changes to the retiring G70 are actually less pronounced than many enthusiasts expected. The chip’s architecture still centers on 24 pixel shader units, eight vertex shaders, and 16 ROPs. However, Nvidia claims to have made some pipeline optimizations, resulting in a reduction of transistors from 302 million to 278 million. Thanks to a shift to 90nm lithography, the G71 can also hit much higher clock speeds. Additionally, the G71 features a pair of integrated dual-link TMDS transmitters, similar to ATI processors sporting Avivo functionality. Integrating that circuitry means every GeForce 7900 card should sport two dual-link DVI connectors, each capable of accommodating a sexy 30-inch LCD. The real bummer is that while Nvidia is adamant that its silicon works with HDCP—the content-protection scheme that’s slated to roll out with HD DVD and Blu-ray players—none of the G71-based cards featured here include the decoding keys you will need to watch hi-def movies at native resolutions. That’s pretty disappointing when you consider the emphasis on enabling such large displays. Alas, it’s hard to scold Nvidia’s board partners when all of ATI’s products are similarly lacking. Output shortcomings aside, G71 is scalable enough to power two distinctly different, yet assuredly high-end cards: GeForce 7900 GTX and GeForce 7900 GT. Nvidia representatives suggest GTX boards will run from $499 to $649, while the GT should sell between $349 to $399. The GeForce 7600 GT The GeForce 7600 GT is based on an entirely different GPU, G73, which features 12 pixel shaders, five vertex shading engines, and eight ROPs. Like G71, G73 is also fabricated at 90nm, cutting power to the point that auxiliary inputs aren’t necessary. The slimmer chip does lose a little display functionality, unfortunately, dropping to one dual-link DVI output and a single-link port. However, the 7600 GT is still a powerful GeForce 6600 GT replacement with an expected price between $199 and $229, according to Nvidia. BFG GeForce 7900 GTX OC (512MB) $559 BFG (847) 281-3110 www.bfgtech.com CPU Rating: 4 Specs: G71 GPU at 670MHz; 512MB of GDDR3 memory at 820MHz (256-bit bus); (2x) dual-link DVI output; HDTV output via component adapter; dual-slot cooling; 6-pin power input required Holding the attention of a fickle audience can be tough work, yet BFG maintains a strong enthusiast following even when its Nvidia-based lineup is facing tough competition from ATI’s latest and greatest cards. BFG’s formula is well-known to most, but apparently it’s difficult to replicate; the company blends the stability of a stock reference design with the exclusivity of from-the-factory overclocking. A tremendous lifetime warranty rounds out the deal, assuaging any reservations you might have about your video card running out of its rated specification. BFG’s GeForce 7900 GTX OC continues this tradition with ease. It centers on an ordinary 7900 GTX board (if there is such a thing), which is distinguishable only by BFG branding on the plastic heatsink shroud and cooling fan. Underneath all that cooling hardware you will find the G71 graphics processor. Nvidia’s specification pegs the chip at 650MHz, with vertex processors chugging along at 700MHz. GDDR3 memory at 800MHz should also accompany the processor, Nvidia says, but BFG takes things a step further, clocking the G71 at 670MHz and the 512MB of memory at 820MHz. OK, so BFG’s modified clock speeds might not be the loftiest around. However, there is no denying that the company knows how to have fun. Inside the box you will find a BFG Up All Night T-shirt and Teflon pads for the bottom of your mouse. The standard complement of DVI-to-VGA adapters is also included, along with an HDTV component output and PCI Express power adapter. Dig a little deeper, and you’ll also find a little sheet of stickers with colorful phrases, such as OMGWTFBFGSAUCE. Smile if you know what that means. Best of all, BFG sells one of the most fairly priced GeForce 7900 GTX boards out there. The card’s $559 price point is still quite a bit higher than Nvidia’s projected $499 target and a good $60 beyond competing Radeon X1900 XTX boards. Compared to the slew of $600-plus 7900 GTX’s, however, BFG is in great shape. Evga e-GeForce 7900 GTX Superclocked (512MB) $599 Evga (888) 881-3842 www.evga.com CPU Rating: 4 Specs: G71 GPU at 690MHz; 512MB of GDDR3 memory at 880MHz (256-bit bus); (2x) dual-link DVI output; HDTV output via component adapter; dual-slot cooling; 6-pin power input required Differentiation is often a tough nut to crack when all your competitors sell the exact same hardware. Still, Evga has managed to establish a niche for itself by innovating cooling solutions, slinging top-notch support at consumers, and cranking up clock speeds to nonstandard levels. The GeForce 7900 GTX is a big beast, so Evga has not had a chance to apply a variation of its ACS³ cooling technology yet. The company has stepped up with a lifetime warranty and 24/7 tech support, though. Moreover, a 90-day upgrade program allows qualified customers to apply the full value of their existing card toward the purchase of an even better product, should one materialize. Of course, anyone buying a 7900 GTX today is unlikely to see anything faster within three months, but the program might be more applicable to those who purchase later in 2006, ahead of next-generation hardware. If you would rather not wait to enjoy the latest graphics technology, Evga’s Superclocked 7900 GTX is still plenty attractive right now. The card obviously ships overclocked, featuring a core at 690MHz (a 40MHz jump) and memory at 880MHz (a whopping 80MHz increase). Although you won’t find any visual indication of the card’s premium pedigree, as it employs Nvidia’s standard dual-slot cooler, my benchmark numbers show a measurable advantage to the faster frequencies in several tests (see “A Bevy Of Benchmark Results” for more). Evga complements the card with a fairly standard bundle that includes VGA adapters, an HDTV dongle, a PCI-E power cable, and an S-Video cable. So, priced at $599, you can safely assume the Superclocked card’s premium price tag is a reflection on superior performance. XFX GeForce 7900 GTX 512MB DDR3 XXX Edition $699 XFX (909) 230-9800 www.xfxforce.com CPU Rating: 4 Specs: G71 GPU at 700MHz; 512MB of GDDR3 memory at 900MHz (256-bit bus); (2x) dual-link DVI output; HDTV output via component adapter; dual-slot cooling; 6-pin power input required A jet engine, in and of itself, is immensely powerful. However, throwing an afterburner on it can increase thrust by up to 50%. XFX basically took the standard GeForce 7900 GTX and added a serious afterburner to yield its GeForce 7900 GTX 512MB DDR3 XXX Edition. I’m not sure where XFX got the name, but the video card is certainly hard core, in a Vin-Diesel-as-Xander-Cage sort of way. Rather than shooting for conservative overclocks, XFX tunes its flagship board with a 700MHz core speed and 900MHz memory bus. That is an almost 8% increase for the core and nearly 13% jump on the memory pathway. The card sports stock cooling, so there’s undoubtedly some behind-the-scenes binning going on to ensure stable operation at such aggressive speeds. XFX’s is so confident in the XXX Edition’s longevity, in fact, that it protects the card with a double lifetime warranty. The guarantee may sound a bit ominous, sort of like a double life sentence, but the extra-beefy warranty protects your investment for as long as you own it. Should you decide to pawn it off on eBay for a next-generation card, the second owner is also covered. He will have to register with XFX, of course, but that is a great way to improve the resale value of computer hardware. Nothing on the card’s exterior betrays its inner beast. A sticker with XFX’s logo sits on the fan, and two pieces of Nvidia’s marquee grace the transparent heatsink shroud. Otherwise, the 7900 GTX XXX Edition looks completely stock. Dual-slot cooling, a pair of dual-link DVI ports, a component output, and an auxiliary PCI-E power port resemble the old GeForce 7800 GTX 512MB. An exposed SLI connector serves to remind you that for just $1,400, the fury of 48 pixel shading engines might be unleashed. Unfortunately, there’s not much to brag about in the way of value-added extras. XFX does bundle some requisite hardware, though, such as an HDTV component output, two DVI-to-VGA adapters, and a PCI-E power cable. You don’t get any software, T-shirts, or game pads. The $700 price tag simply pays for crazy-fast hardware and a bulletproof warranty, leading me to debate whether the extra speed is worth roughly $150. Bottom line: If you’re shooting for the moon and already have a well-equipped system, XFX’s XXX Edition reigns supreme. If this card means the difference between getting 1GB or 2GB of system memory, however, go with the extra RAM. Evga e-GeForce 7900 GT CO Superclocked (256MB) $359 Evga (888) 881-3842 www.evga.com CPU Rating: 4.5 Specs: G71 GPU at 550MHz; 256MB of GDDR3 memory at 790MHz (256-bit bus); (2x) dual-link DVI output; HDTV output via component adapter; single-slot cooling; 6-pin power input required Of the new cards in Nvidia’s arsenal, its GeForce 7900 GT is unquestionably the most well-rounded. It borrows internals from the flagship 7900 GTX and the sexy size of a 7600 GT. It needs extra power, so you just know there’s serious horsepower under the hood. Yet, you’re kept wondering how a deceptively small copper heatsink can so efficiently siphon 80W of heat off such a complicated core. Evga confounds the question by totally tweaking Nvidia’s reference specifications. Evga’s GeForce 7900 GT CO Superclocked takes a chip intended to run at 450MHz and cranks it up to 550MHz. Then it tunes a 660MHz memory bus up to 790MHz. Granted, the MSRP jumps to $349 (street prices are a little higher, as of this writing), but it all works out percentage-wise. It might be tempting to raise an eyebrow at Evga’s super-aggressive overclocking move. After all, the 7900 GT CO Superclocked sports the same tiny cooler as Nvidia’s reference GeForce 7600 GT. But the real value in this card is a confidence-inspiring lifetime warranty that protects against any possibility of failure. And even with higher clock speeds, the fan on our sample never seemed taxed. Overheating shouldn’t be a concern with this jewel. As power users we naturally gravitate toward the fastest hardware available. It’d be downright dumb, however, to ignore the elegance of a 24-pipe card capable of outmaneuvering last generation’s behemoth in almost every benchmark, all the while dressed in a dainty little single-slot cooler. Sure, it’d be nice to have an extra 256MB of memory. Then again, emphasis on the essentials is what keeps this card’s price manageable. Most vendors seem to have zeroed in on a best-fit connectivity suite consisting of two dual-link DVI outputs and a component-out. The GeForce 7900 GT CO Superclocked takes that same route, not surprisingly. A pair of VGA adapters comes with the card in case you haven’t adopted DVI yet. Similarly, you also get an HDTV dongle, PCI-E power adapter, and users manual. There are no games, but given the value added elsewhere, I’m still happy calling this card my favorite. XFX GeForce 7600 GT 256MB DDR3 XXX Edition $209 XFX (909) 230-9800 www.xfxforce.com CPU Rating: 4 Specs: G73 GPU at 590MHz; 256MB of GDDR3 memory at 800MHz (128-bit bus); one dual-link DVI output; HDTV output via component adapter; single-slot cooling Making a mainstream card look like a gaming powerhouse can’t be easy. XFX’s approach seems smart enough, though. It takes the GeForce 7600 GT, accelerates the card’s vital clock speeds, and affixes the same XXX Edition suffix it uses to distinguish its 7900 GTX board. Whereas the high-end flagship shoulders a massive price premium, the GeForce 7600 GT XXX Edition isn’t much more expensive than other 7600 GT boards out there. Then again, Evga sells an even faster version of the card, so XFX isn’t going to be the mainstream performance leader. Nevertheless, the GeForce 7600 GT 256MB DDR3 XXX Edition is still plenty fast. Nvidia’s G73 GPU, which would normally run at 560MHz, is ratcheted up to 590MHz. And the memory bus, rated at 700MHz, trucks along at 800MHz instead. XFX manages to achieve those speeds without altering the card’s remarkably small reference cooling configuration. In fact, everything about the board’s physical setup screams mainstream chic. It doesn’t require any extra power; the single-slot cooler is very quiet in 2D mode; and it easily fits in a small-form-factor chassis. And still, two dual-link DVI outputs, component out, and full SLI compatibility serve as reminders that 12 pixel pipelines lay coiled underneath that heatsink ready to inject unprecedented performance at such a reasonable price point. You can actually find more conservatively clocked 7600 GT cards priced under $200. Those might be more tempting for truly budget-conscious gamers, as anything over $200 nudges you tantalizingly close to a GeForce 7900 GT. by Chris Angelini A Bevy Of Benchmark Results I tested the latest cards from Nvidia and its intended competition at ATI—a total of eight boards. Intel’s D975XBX motherboard served as the benchmark platform, armed with an Intel Pentium Extreme Edition 955 processor and 1GB of the fastest low-latency Corsair memory. I used Western Digital’s newest 150GB 10,000rpm Raptor hard drive, integrated HD Audio, and PC Power and Cooling’s Turbo-Cool 850 SSI PSU. I configured each setup for optimal image quality in each graphics card’s driver. Nvidia provided its beta ForceWare 84.20 package (as of this writing, none of the company’s certified drivers supports these new cards), and ATI delivered Catalyst 6.3. Finally, I ran all the tests with 4XAA and 8XAF enabled. The benchmark results prove that there’s little reason to run without the graphical goodies turned on. Perhaps the most exciting results come from Evga’s GeForce 7900 GT with 256MB of memory. Priced at less than $300, the card delivers better performance than XFX’s aging GeForce 7800 GTX with 512MB, a card you can still find for nearly $700 online. In just about every comparison, the Evga card is faster, effectively keeping up with even higher-end GeForce 7900 GTX boards. The one exception is Quake 4 at Ultra Quality settings. The 7900 GT’s 256MB frame buffer puts it at a disadvantage to the 512MB boards. There’s no substitute for raw horsepower, though. Each of the GeForce 7900 GTX cards puts down admirable benchmark scores, trading victories in a number of tests. But it comes as little surprise that the highest-clocked board, XFX’s XXX Edition, takes the most first-place finishes. ATI’s Radeon X1900 XTX puts up quite a fight against the newer GeForce 7900 GTX boards, especially in Half-Life 2 and Far Cry. Where ATI really comes up short is with its Radeon X1600 XT. Although the board is significantly cheaper than any GeForce 7600 GT card out there, it simply got worked. Supposedly, a Radeon X1800 GTO is slated to do battle with the 7600 GT, but I’ve yet to see one and can’t comment on its performance. View Chart.  User Reviews Write your own User Review   Name:   Cornelius City:   Glendale State:   Arizona One-Line Summary:   Trans-fan to the end L.E.M. Build a bigger fan and they will come. Review:   Any SR71-ALS is a friend of mine. Io you. 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