ASUS EN9800GX2 review - first look at 9800 GX2

Page 4 - Test configuration

The test configuration was prepared by our partners from Multirama (they supplied us with ASUS EN9800GX2, 2x Gigabyte 8800GTS 512 и MSI HD3870X2) and Solytrade , that supplied the motherboard, processor, PSU, hard drive and monitor. As you can see the quad core processor we used was overclocked to 3600MHz (9x400). The reason was that we attempted to minimize the "suffocating" of these extremely fast cards by the processor, but we also took in to account that not every gamer will possess the knowledge and ability to go even further with such a processor. We should point out that the water cooler we used through the testing was rather feeble and was nor much of a help when overcklocking :)

Despite all this, near ending of tests an beginning attempts of overclock, we discovered that even at 3600MHz of our quad core processor, the card is heavily suppressed by his inadequate performance. In other words in our tests ASUS GeForce EN9800GX2 despite it's results, did not use a vast amount of it's potential. But more of this you'll find at the overclock page of the review, we mention it now so you can keep it in mind when reading the following pages of graphics and results.

Hardware:

• XFX 780i 3-way SLI Motherboard
• Intel QuadCore Q6600 @ 3.6GHz 9x400
• A-DATA DDR800 2x2GB @ 1066MHz 12-5-5-5
• 36GB Western Digital Raptor 10 000 RPM
• Corsair TX750W PSU
• Belinea o.display 4_24" - 24" LCD 1920x1200 max

Software:

• Windows Vista Ultimate x86
• NVIDIA 174.54 x86 WHQL Drivers (за 9800 GX2)
• NVIDIA 169.25 x86 WHQL Drivers (за 8800 Ultra и 8800 GTS 512)
• AMD Catalyst 8.3 WHQL Drivers (за HD 3870 X2)

Videocards we tested:

• ASUS EN9800GX2 1GB
• 8800 Ultra 768MB
• HD3870X2 1GB
• 2x8800 GTS 512MB SLI
All the combinations are in the high class, price ranging between 1100-1200 leva (~550-600 Euro), excluding HD3870X2, which is prices below 750 leva (~375 Euro).

List of tests:

• Crysis DirectX 10 1.2 (high detail, 1680x1050 4xAA, 1900x1200 NO AA, 1900x1200 4xAA)
• World in Conflict DirectX 10 (max detail, 1680x1050 4xAA, 1920x1200 NO AA, 1920x1200 4xAA)
• Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts (max detail, 1680x1050 8xCSAA, 1900x1200 8xCSAA)
• Unreal Tournament 3 1.2 (max detail, 1680x1050 NO AA, 1920x1200 NO AA)
• Call of Juarez DirectX 10 Benchmark (max detail, 1680x1050 4xAA, 1920x1200 4xAA)
• 3DMark06

Resolutions / settings, we chose for the tests are rather high and demanding, but completely reasonable. It's assumed that once you cashed in about 1000 leva (500 Euro) for videocard, then you won't be expecting little from it. It's also very likely that you have a big LCD monitor supporting high resolutions, since as we know that playing on LCD at lesser than native resolution is unpleasant.

We tested without no changes on the drivers of the cards with a single exception - HD 3870 X2 in Crysis (more for that will be in the Crysis page). If any other remarks were made they are noted in each test. Let the testing begin now...