X-bit labs

NVIDIA GeForce 7800 GTX: New Architecture Exposed (page 18)

Category: Video

by Alexey Stepin

[ 06/22/2005 | 12:52 PM ]

Conclusion

So you have read the theoretical part of our review of the new graphics processor from NVIDIA and of the graphics card based on it. But is the GeForce 7800 GTX a truly new-generation solution with a unique architecture? It wouldn’t be correct to answer this question in affirmative, but it would be an oversimplification to regard the G70 as just a perfected NV40. NVIDIA’s engineers have done a huge amount of work on improving the GeForce 6 architecture and the GeForce 7 came out to be a highly potent architecture, especially as concerns processing pixel shaders.

Those 24 improved pixel processors are a power than leaves no chance to GeForce 6800 or RADEON X850 based solutions where complex mathematical computations are to be performed. The eight vertex processors make up for the not very high core frequency, and the GeForce 7800 GTX almost matches the geometrical performance of the RADEON X850 XT Platinum Edition, the highest-frequency solution of today.

The GeForce 7800 GTX also continues the technological leadership of its predecessor by supporting a number of exclusive technologies. NVIDIA is still the only GPU supplier to offer such functionality as Shader Model 3.0 and High Dynamic Range in its products. ATI Technologies can’t offer anything like that, at least until the release of the R520 and graphics cards on it.

The only weak spots of the NVIDIA GeForce 7800 GTX seem to be the 16 ROP units and the relatively low memory frequency. In some cases the graphics processor may become limited by the number of raster operation units or by the memory bandwidth.

The GeForce 7800 GTX graphics card proper looks like an appealing solution. It is a single-slot device that consumes not so much power. The only disadvantage of this card is its dimensions: it is too long and you may have problems installing it into a small system case. On the other hand, the GeForce 7800 GTX is a high-end product, and we don’t think someone will put it into a microATX case or into a barebone system. Such graphics cards are born to live in huge, spacious and well-ventilated cases with a high-quality power supply that real PC enthusiasts certainly have.

The official price of the new product is $599, and that’s not very much for a device of that performance. But well, we are anticipating – we must check the GeForce 7800 GTX in real games before making our final verdict. And this is going to be the subject of the second part of our review of NVIDIA’s new graphics processor.