High-End Graphics Cards Performance

This category includes the following solutions:

• ATI Radeon HD 2900 XT 1GB - $549 (?)
• ATI Radeon HD 2900 XT 512MB - $399
• ATI Radeon HD 2900 Pro 512MB - $249
• Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTX - $599
• Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTS 640MB - $449
• Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTS 320MB - $299

Formally, ATI Radeon HD 2900 Pro and Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTS 320MB with the price-point below $300 should be included into the mainstream category. However since they are built on the same GPUs and boast serious technical specs that are comparable with those of more powerful solutions, we decided to also include them into the High-End group.

BioShock

BioShock is the only game in this review that doesn’t support full-screen antialiasing in DirectX 10 mode. That’s why we performed the test with anisotropic filtering only.

Despite using some advanced special effects, particularly water with a dynamic physical model, BioShock is as demanding an application as some other DirectX 10 games. Thus, the Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTX easily ensures a comfortable level of performance at every resolution including 1920x1200 at the maximum level of detail. The minimum speed of any version of GeForce 8800 GTS is no lower than 25fps at the highest resolution.

The products from the former ATI Technologies are somewhat less successful. Excepting the ATI Radeon HD 2900 Pro, they are limited to 1600x1200. The double amount and higher frequency of memory of the Radeon HD 2900 XT 1GB is not in fact called for as it is less than 2fps ahead of the Radeon HD 2900 XT. The Radeon HD 2900 Pro, which differs from the Radeon HD 2900 XT in the frequencies only, can ensure a comfortable speed at 1280x1024. It is 11-12% behind the senior model at 1280x1024 and 1600x1200 and about 16-17% behind it at 1920x1200.

The results of the ATI Radeon HD 2900 are similar to those of the Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTS although the latter looks somewhat better as concerns the minimum of speed. Considering that the minimum speed of the ATI Radeon HD 2900 XT is below 25fps at 1920x1200, this graphics card is less appealing to owners of 23-24” monitors whereas the GeForce 8800 GTS and Radeon HD 2900 XT are roughly equals for playing at 1280x1024, 1600x1200 and 1680x1050.

The ATI Radeon HD 2900 Pro deserves a special word as it delivers superb results for its official price of $249.