AMD/ATi alliance fails to create nvidia "killer"
By Jonathan Schlaffer
AMD/ATi have released a new crop of graphic cards, the HD3850, 3870 and 3870×2. Comparable nvidia cards would include the Geforce 8800GTS, 8800GT and 8800GTX. Nvidia has its 9 series in the works, the first of which is expected to be the 9800 series. Most people would look at the $200 price range for a graphics card. How do ATi and nvidia fair in this category? Let’s find out.
I was in possession of a Geforce 8800GTS purchased about a year ago and decided to compare it to the ATi Radeon HD3850.
Test system was as follows:
Gigabyte M61-P-S3 motherboard with BIOS version F7c (latest as of 1/31/2008)
AMD Phenom 9600 processor
3GB of Corsair DDR2 memory
dual 250GB 7200RPM hard drives
Geforce 8800GTS 320MB and VisionTek Radeon HD3850 OC Edition
Windows Vista Home Premium
All tests were run using 3Dmark06 basic edition. The patch for the Phenom 9600 TLB error was disabled and both cards were used in a PCIe 1.0 slot. Power settings within Vista were set to “Maximum Performance.”
With these settings the HD3850 when overclocked to the maximum core and clock rate managed to score 9150 in 3Dmark06 basic. The Geforce 8800GTS that’s one year old managed a score of 8399. That’s a difference of 751 points. At these scores, it’s not even worth mentioning.
A one year old card from nvidia manages to score on par with what could be considered an equal offering from ATi. It doesn’t look like the thrashing will end there. The Geforce 8800GT manages to toss a wrench into ATi’s hope of creating an equal card. The HD3870 is slightly faster than the HD3850 but its not enough to make a huge difference.
ATi’s fastest card, the HD3870×2 costs about $450, twice as much as the HD3850 or HD3870 and I consider that to be out of range of most gamers.
There are two things that the HD3850/3870 do better than the 8800GTS. They are quieter cards, even when overclocked and they generate less heat. At times, the 8800GTS sounds like a small dust buster inside your PC. With the HD3850 installed, sometimes I wondered if the fan was even working (it was).
If you are looking to replace your 8800GTS, I couldn’t recommend the HD3850 or HD3870. You are better off just going with a Geforce 8800GT and if you can’t afford one now, save your money and wait.
With nvidia’s acquisition of Aegia PhysX, we’ll soon be looking at graphics cards from that company with integrated PhysX processing. For the time being and possibly for the next generation, ATi will be playing second seat to nvidia but by now that’s just the natural order of things.
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on Friday, February 8th, 2008 at 4:38 pm
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February 9th, 2008
This is such a biased report…
The 3850 was made to compete with the 8600gts which for virtually the same price blows it away in performance. Why would you recommend a 8800GT and not a 3870? that’s retarded, because it’s only 10% slower but costs 20% less than your average 512mb 8800GT. How much did Nvidia pay you for this report?
February 10th, 2008
And Nvidia’s latest cards also fail to beat their very own (over a year old) 8800gtx.
This article definitely is biased and full of half truths.
February 10th, 2008
The 8800GT is meant as a faster replacement for the 8800GTS not the 8800GTX. Based on benchmark scores, the HD3850 is designed to compete with the 8800GTS series. A year on and ATi can’t manage to beat what was nvidia’s best one year ago. The HD3850 should have been able to score near the 8800GTS but it doesn’t.
As for the HD3850 being a competitor to the 8600 series. The 8600 series can score around 5K to 6K in 3Dmark06, the HD3850 is in the 8K to 9K range, I’ve never seen it top 10,000 but I suppose it’s possible.
The 8800GT scores easily in the 10K to 11K range. Now, what do you suppose the HD3850 was designed for. I say it was designed as competition for the 8800GT/GTS and fails at it. It scores too high to be in the same league as the lowly 8600 series and scores too low to danger the 8800GT in any way.
February 10th, 2008
That`s a stupid review.We all know that ati is not at the same level with nvidia probably because amd bought ati and now she`s recovering.
February 10th, 2008
That really is quite the badly done reveiw.
You didn’t specifiy who made the Nv card when the cost of that card (looking at a local popular online retailer) can range anywhere from $230 up to $330 – with the avg being more towards the $300/300+ range and going as high as $450. Then you compare it vs. a card that, from the same retailer, costs $195? This card scores higher (albeit it just slightly) and you make it sound like it’s primary benefit is that it is quieter?
Contending that “A year on and ATi can’t manage to beat what was nvidia’s best one year ago.” is also retarded b/c a) That’s not true, ATI has already with the X2 which is currently better than even the GTX ultra (again for less money) and b) that was clearly not the point of the 3850/3870.
Trying to kill Nvidia in one fell swoop would be both unrealistic, impractical & unnecessary. When the 880GT came out how many people kicked themselves for buying a GTX or GTS within the prior months? That and the overall success of the GT, 38×0s points to the fact that a good quality card with a better price and better bang for buck is a great way to go whether you’re trying to compete or just sell more cards. It may not get you the performance crown but more importantly it will get you market share and great reviews. Which is exactly what ATI/AMD needed at the time.
The closing statements especially seem like biased fanboism. As I understand it, with the X2 ATI currently holds the performance crown, Nvidia with their upcoming sandwhich card (I believe it’s 2 GT cards?) is likely to take it back in short order, though it will remain to be seen how well that design works vs. ATIs. Since the design is significantly different and Nv’s prior attempt at a similiar model was a bust it’s not completely unlikely that particular faults might hold what should be a suprior card back. After that we have Nvidia’s new line and ATI’s has their new chip in the pipeline as well. Given all that, knowing what both companies have in the pipeline – it seems silly to think that ATI will just fall into second seat and just stay there when they seem to so far be having success with their current strategy.
The effect of Nvidia aquiring Aegia will remain to be seen since PPUs in themselves have never really been successful in the first place. But one way or the other I doubt that we’ll see the effects of that in the immediate future though b/c if nothing else that, like say DX10.1, requires games that support it to be useful. With Nvidia’s development programs this has a decent chance of being likely but it will take time and if ATI has significant market share by that time they will most likely have a say in the matter as well.
February 10th, 2008
Awful “review”. This is fanboism at its finest.
You probably bought the 8800 GTS at around 300 last year. Today the average price of the GTS 320 is around 220. Compare that to the average price of the 3850 being around 185. 35 dollars difference and the cheaper outperforms the more expensive. The 8800GT 256 is what you should have put against the HD 3850. It is closer in price (around 15-25 dollar difference) and beats the 3850 in lower resolutions (sub 16×12).
The 8800GT 512 is NOW the best card for the money. When it was released, the 3870 was tied in price performance, followed by huge gouging making the 3870 a much better deal. However, lots of sites out there are having huge sales at the time of this post putting the 8800GT at around 235. At this price, it is pointless to buy a 3870.
Do your research before you post drivel like this.
February 10th, 2008
Sorry my dear tech.blorge, but this review plays with the mistake!!!