Analysis: GeForce 9800 GTX GPU

Posted at: Tuesday 1st April 2008 by Clive Webster

We take a close look at the new GeForce 9800 GTX and its G92 GPU - does the new GPU really deserve to be called a 9-series GTX?

CONCLUSION
The GeForce 9800 GTX introduces the micro-controller that Nvidia will use to enabled the HybridPower aspect of Hybrid SLI on all future GeForce graphics cards and nForce motherboards. We're sceptical about the technology - routing your video output through the Northbridge could incur a performance penalty compared to just screening out directly to your monitor - and you'll need a new nForce motherboard to get the power-saving benfits of shutting down your GPU while not a gaming.

Then there's 3-Way SLI support, something we'll test and report on in the few days. But to get 3-Way SLI now, you'll need an nForce 780i SLI or 790i SLI motherboard, and this chipset doesn't support HybridPower as it doesn't have an integrated GPU. For that you'll have to wait for nForce 780a SLI (the AMD variant) and future Intel chipset releases.

The GeForce 9800 GTX GPU itself is a very minor update to the G92 chip that already powers 512MB GeForce 8800 GTS cards. That it costs a hefty chunk more (512MB GeForce 8800 GTS cards can now be found for £165, while GeForce 9800 GTX cards will sell for around £220 at launch) and performs near-identically makes the GeForce 9800 GTX a disappointing effort from Nvidia and it's hard to see how it isn't just a cynical attempt to cash-in on the allure of the new, 9-series name.