Shootouts

NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GTX 512MB

By Vincent Chang - 1 Apr 2008

The NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GTX 512MB

The NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GTX 512MB

With a length equal to the GeForce 9800 GX2, the new GeForce 9800 GTX is however much lighter than the dual GPU card. The cooler itself is hidden below the plastic shroud and while larger than the one on the GeForce 8800 GTS 512MB, it is quite similar. The fan is reasonably quiet by our reckoning even as it remained audible throughout.

The reference NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GTX 512MB uses a shrouded cooler that reminds us of the GeForce 8800 GTS. Obviously, the 9800 GTX is longer and requires more power.

NVIDIA recommends a PSU of at least 450W for a single GeForce 9800 GTX, with the power requirements climbing up to 750W for SLI and 1000W if you're inclined to go all the way with 3-way SLI. These are quite high if typical of requirements for high-end graphics cards nowadays and while it may seem ridiculous to you, there is apparently enough demand for these products.

Two six-pin power connectors are found onboard the GeForce 9800 GTX, with a maximum TDP power consumption rated at 160W by NVIDIA.

Other features that have been added for the GeForce 9 series, like HDMI integration within the graphics card and PureVideo HD enhancements are present on this card. Audio headers for the S/PDIF cable are found at the top of the GeForce 9800 GTX and though there is no native HDMI port, DVI-to-HDMI adapters are found within some of the retail sets we received. Consumers can easily connect these adapters and the S/PDIF cable to the appropriate connector on the motherboard for the HDMI experience. Unlike ATI and its partners, it seems that DisplayPort is not on NVIDIA's to-do list for the year, so don't expect to find such a connector on the GeForce 9800 GTX.

While NVIDIA went with a HDMI output on the GeForce 9800 GX2, it's the usual, same set of outputs on the GTX, including a pair of dual-link DVI outputs and a mini-DIN connector.

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