NVIDIA's GeForce 9800 GX2 officially ready to shred your wallet

Not like we needed NVIDIA (of all companies) to tell us that the GeForce 9800 GX2 was more than a figment of our imagination, but nevertheless, one of the worst kept secrets in GPU history is finally "official." Reportedly, this beast of a card is available today from a number of retailers for upwards of $600 (MSRP), and just in case you're not absolutely sure such graphical prowess is really worth that kind of change, feel free to take a glance at early tests and the full review listed below before digging into that 401(k).

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Read - NVIDIA's official GeForce 9800 GX2 page
Read - GeForce 9800 GX2 gets reviewed
Read - GeForce 9800 GX2 gets reviewed (again)
Read - Quad SLI test
Read - GeForce 9800 GX2 gets taken apart on video

[Flashpoint @ Mar 18th 2008 10:46AM]

I'm gonna buy this and run DOOM. If I see even one microsecond of slowdown I'm taking it back.


On a sidenote, CRYSIS is coming to PS3 (but, not to Xbox 360)
I think it might be easier to just get a PS3?

[Shiba @ Mar 18th 2008 7:16PM]

Yeah but Crysis on consoles isn't going to look anywhere near as good as Crysis maxed out on a PC. (someone has to say it)

Probably won't look that bad overall though, Somewhere between medium and high is my guess. (Very High is the max)

[Jonathan Worrel @ Mar 18th 2008 1:50PM]

WOOT just ordered my EVGA 9800GX2 from Newegg this morning at 6:15am. Can't wait!

[ekwmin @ Mar 18th 2008 4:51PM]

Interesting. Since they (AMD and NVIDIA) can't produce a graphics card that can deliver decent DX10 performance, they'll just keep fusing multiple cards together. Hope they don't become like Gillette and Shick, just keep adding more blades in the shaver.

[Otis @ Mar 26th 2008 6:43AM]

Dam i got the 6200. Now that SUCKS.
I half to run halo at 620X480. But im getting the
8800 soon. Cant wait!

[PS3guy @ Mar 18th 2008 10:51AM]

Just get the PS3 or Xbox 360 and save a bunch of money.

[kojo87 @ Mar 18th 2008 12:51PM]

or get ATI and save a bunch of money.

[kev @ Mar 18th 2008 1:46PM]

Or do neither, get a job, and save even more money.

[Aguiluz @ Mar 18th 2008 3:47PM]

A PS3 Fanboy supporting the competition*? Wow, that's a first**...

Consoles are for peeps who can't use computers, PCs are for the real pros.


*competition = Xbox 360
**first time I seen one, so don't hammer me if you see one earlier. :)

[James @ Mar 18th 2008 6:34PM]

no, it doesn't have directx 10... pc's are way better

[asphixiated @ Mar 18th 2008 10:52AM]

It's a shame that nvidia's new flagship only has 1 SLi connector, it would be so incredibly bad-ass for 6-way SLi..

[Phil Perman @ Mar 18th 2008 10:56AM]

The returns on 4 way Crossfire over 3 way were practically nil, and its expected to be pretty much the same story for SLI, so 6 say SLI would be a pretty big waste of money

[Esat @ Mar 18th 2008 11:02AM]

Why would I part with legal tender for a product that will rip apart the seams of my primary method of transport for said legal tender as well as various cards including ID cards and credit cards?

Unless this product performed another function, such as for example enabling me to play games at a higher framerate and better graphical quality then thats another story.

One can but only dream....

[mattweiler @ Mar 18th 2008 12:18PM]

Well said good sir....well said

[Alexander @ Mar 18th 2008 4:52PM]

I don't think I have ever seen nothing put so eloquently.

[The Purveyor of Justice @ Mar 18th 2008 11:05AM]

Uhhhh... those benches aren't that impressive. You can get similar performance with dual 9600gt's for less.

[Ken @ Mar 18th 2008 11:19AM]

OK ATI, here's what is likely your last chance!!! The 9800 GX2 is officially disappointing and can't handidly beat the 3870 X2. Come out with a release now and secure the crown.

[Chris @ Mar 18th 2008 11:20AM]

What happened to that $450 price they were talking about? I never really believed them but $500 should really be the max.

[Galley @ Mar 18th 2008 11:22AM]

I'll never understand hardcore PC gamers. $600 will get you a PS3 that runs at 1080p. How much more resolution do you need?

[Zak @ Mar 18th 2008 11:33AM]

And you will continue to never understand gamers as long as you keep thinking that screen resolution is the only reason to buy a faster video card.

[Chris @ Mar 18th 2008 11:36AM]

1080p yeah right, try playing anything at 2650 X 1600p on a PS3.

[Galley @ Mar 18th 2008 11:37AM]

@Zak
You're right. I forgot about all of the really technical graphical goodness. Dopey me!

[ReductiMat @ Mar 18th 2008 11:38AM]

My thirty inch monitor needs 2560 x 1600 resolution.

[Ayle @ Mar 18th 2008 11:44AM]

Bragging rights.

[Bad Beaver @ Mar 18th 2008 11:47AM]

Correct, you do not understand hardcore PC gamers ;) There is no such thing as "enough" in hardcore PC gaming.

[Ollie @ Mar 18th 2008 11:50AM]

Try playing the latest PC games at 2560x1600px on a 30" display and feel enlightened.

[daschupa @ Mar 18th 2008 11:54AM]

Pfft, with this card I can read engadget at 253984fps. Try getting FIRST with your crummy lil card.

[Jon @ Mar 18th 2008 11:23AM]

Crap my new xps420 ca,me with a 475 wt pS .. Not gonna cut it

[Jagannath's Clone @ Mar 18th 2008 11:25AM]

[offtopic]

try replying to me ;)

[/offtopic]

[Aguiluz @ Mar 19th 2008 1:56AM]

Jagannath's Clone:
"Try replying to me ;)"

Fingers crossed, this will attach to your comment.

And if I did, now what?

[Aguiluz @ Mar 19th 2008 1:59AM]

Hey, it worked!

Do I get a prize?

[ijyt @ Mar 18th 2008 11:27AM]

Yay, that means £400 for us.

[Wisam @ Mar 18th 2008 11:35AM]

With this card or not. I am buying PS3 to play MGS4 and that's final!

[Paul @ Mar 18th 2008 12:09PM]

A solution with two 8800 GTS 512's in SLI is both faster AND cheaper than this new card.

Plus with this whole 2 pcb thing going on there will surely be driver issues for the first 6 months as is the case with all "new tech" at nvidia.

[ijyt @ Mar 18th 2008 12:35PM]

2x GTS' = £400.

[Zeus.:God @ Mar 18th 2008 6:03PM]

Yeah- too bad you can get more performance than 2 GTSs with this in SLI...

[Forcewinder @ Mar 18th 2008 12:36PM]

I'm building a computer this summer...10 bucks says another card will be out by then and this one will be selling for 500

[db2 @ Mar 18th 2008 12:41PM]

For that price, I expect at LEAST 6 consonants. Maybe next time, Nvidia. Maybe next time.

[V3LOCIP3D3 @ Mar 18th 2008 12:56PM]

From the reviews it seemes that dual 8800 Ultras would be the best way to go. definately outperforming a single 9800 gx2, and in SLi mode, I'm sure there wouldnt be a very big difference (becuase in sli mode, a 9800gx2 would have quad gpus, which few games would ever utilize) . . . i'd say the best config would be 3 8800 ultras

[Good_Bytes @ Mar 18th 2008 1:29PM]

If no one buys it... companies will stop selling their video card at such ridiculous profit, and we would be able to get them at significantly cheaper price. However, as long as idiots buy them ... that day will never come and price will increase.

[jamie @ Mar 18th 2008 1:52PM]

If people never bought stuff like this then the companies would never bother to create new products, so we'd all be sitting around playing pong in glorious monochrome.....

Yes it's at a rediculous price now but in 4 years time when they slap it, or somthing similar to it, into a next-gen console I'm sure the prolitariat will be able to afford it, for now though it shall remain in the realm of the bourgouis.... :)

[Evan @ Mar 18th 2008 1:52PM]

After pricing out game-capable laptops with a fraction of the power, these cards don't seem exorbitantly overpriced anymore. (Now they seem only moderately overpriced.)

[White|Phatt @ Mar 18th 2008 4:46PM]

It's too bad that the 9800 GX2 is such a failboat. But really, The G94 GPU engine itself isn't any different then what they've been using. It's just that it has 64 stream processors instead of the 128 stream processors used in the 8800 series G92 cards (or so I've read).

I'm kind of disappointed in NVidia right now, and I'm less then hopeful that better drivers will redeem the 9800GX2's proposed performance. Only time will tell, But damn, if the thing isn't going to save the world with it's graphics capabilities I wish they would at least lower the price to something slightly above the 8800 GT.

Then they could bring an end to the 8800 production to focus on redeeming themselves with better performing 9800 series hardware.

Long story short - The 8800 G92 still kicks ass no matter what the 9800 is said to accomplish.

-Matt

[p3nis @ Mar 18th 2008 5:42PM]

$200 8800GT ftw

[tony @ Apr 16th 2008 12:49AM]

if my system has 2 6-pin power plugs, (700w), do i need to change the power supple that has a 6-pin and a 8-pin, or can i get an adaptor to use the 9800 gx2?

[fREAK on E @ Jun 22nd 2008 4:38PM]

ok there are here some very good commenters that will tell which card i will buy @ summer with 400$