FIRST LOOK: Gigabyte K8NXP-SLI
by Wesley Fink on November 24, 2004 9:00 PM EST- Posted in
- Motherboards
Test Setup
The review of the nVidia SLI reference board did a thorough job of comparing performance of single and dual video cards in standard and SLI configurations. For an in-depth look at SLI, you should start with that review.The goal in this First Look is to first compare performance of the K8NXP-SLI as a motherboard to the top Athlon 64 boards that we have tested. For that reason, we have included performance benchmarks of the nVidia nForce4 Reference board running the same FX55. We also verified performance of the K8NXP-SLI compared to the K8NXP-9. Since they are based on the same design, it is not surprising that base performance with a single nVidia 6800 Ultra were virtually identical between the 2 boards. The same results are therefore reported for both boards running a single 6800 Ultra.
To evaluate SLI performance, we also tested performance of two additional video cards in both single and dual GPU configurations. This included the nVidia Reference GeForce 6800 GT and the Gigabyte 6600GT. In all Athlon 64 benchmarks, the CPU was an AMD FX55 and memory was 2-2-2-10 DDR memory by OCZ. We have no problems in any configuration running the OCZ memory at 2-2-2-10 timings on the K8NXP-SLI.
For reference, test results were also included for the Abit Fatality 925XE 1066FSB running a 3.46EE CPU and an Intel 925X with the 560 3.6GHz 800FSB CPU. All benchmarks on all Reference platforms were run with the PCI Express nVidia 6800 Ultra.
| Performance Test Configuration | |
| Processor(s): | AMD Athlon 64 FX55 (2.6GHz) Socket 939 Intel 3.46EE (1066FSB) Intel 560 (3.6GHz 800FSB) |
| RAM: | 2 x 512MB OCZ PC3200 Platinum Rev. 2 2 X 512MB Micron DDR2-533 |
| Hard Drive(s): | Seagate 120GB 7200 RPM IDE (8MB Buffer) |
| Chipset Drivers:/strong> | nVidia nForce 6.31 Beta (nForce4) |
| Video Card(s): | Gigabyte 6600 GT (PCI Express, Single and SLI) nVidia 6800 GT (PCI Express, Single and SLI) nVidia 6800 Ultra (PCI Express) |
| Video Drivers: | nVidia nForce 61.93 Beta (nForce4 SLI) nVidia nForce 61.81 Beta (nForce4) |
| Operating System(s): | Windows XP Professional SP1 |
| Motherboards: | Gigabyte K8NXP-SLI (nForce4 SLI) Gigabyte K8NXP-9 (nForce4 PCIe) nVidia nForce4 Ultra Reference Board Abit Fatality AA8XE (Intel 925XE) Intel 925X Reference Board |
Since the review of the nVidia SLI had found that the biggest advantage for SLI were higher resolutions with "eye-candy" turned on, we ran both our standard 1024x768 resolution for benchmarks, plus the same benchmarks at 1280x1024 with features like Anti-Aliasing and Anisotropic Filtering at their highest levels wherever that option was conveniently available. The same set of DX9 and DX8.1/Open GL benchmarks were run at both resolutions with both single and dual 6600GT and 6800GT.
To clarify test results, benchmarks are reported in separate graphs for standard results at 1024x768 resolution and enhanced results at 1280x1024. Since 1600x1200 normally requires a 20" or larger flat panel monitor, we did not report 1600x1200 results, since most readers will not run at that resolution. For a complete evaluation of 1600x1200 SLI performance, please refer to the nVidia SLI launch review.
Facebook
Twitter
RSS
58 Comments
View All Comments
bob661 - Thursday, November 25, 2004 - link
Actually, there were quite a few people that asked for resolutions higher than 16x12. I think for SLI benches, high res testing is probably the best. People that didn't read the initial article would get the wrong impression of SLI.Omega215D - Thursday, November 25, 2004 - link
what i'd like to know is when are they going to start phasing out those useless serial ports and maybe the LPT printer ports? I figure if your going to spend money on performance parts might as well get USB printers and game controllers.Also, any idea on when USB will be fully bootable that way PS2 ports can be phased out? Just wanna save on IRQs and make room for more USB's or Firewires so I don't have to rely on slot taking expansions.
Wesley Fink - Thursday, November 25, 2004 - link
#2 - Read on in the review. I did test at 1280 x1024 also because 1024x768 was limiting in some benches - but not as much as you might expect. The 1024x768 was provided mostly to allow comparison to past motherboard reviews.I believe most will run 1280x1024 which is doable with most 19" flat panels. The cheapest flat panel I know of that runs 1600x1200 resolution is the 20.1" Dell at about $750. That's 16x12 entry level.
Most any decent 19" CRT can support 1600x1200 as you stated, but have you ever tried to play a game at 1600x1200 on a 19" CRT. I tried it just to see for this review and it was pretty ugly. However 16x12 was OK on the 22" Diamondtron, though I prefer 1280x1024 on the 19" flat panels for most gaming.
Anand got criticized for gearing everything in his SLI launch review to 1600x1200, so it figures I would get criticized for 1280x1024 which was suggested in the comments on his review. Guess we will never please everybody.
AnnoyedGrunt - Thursday, November 25, 2004 - link
Well, this was a Mobo review, so that's one reason why it would make sense to run in resolutions that were CPU limited instead of video card limited. I doubt there would be much of a difference in SLI performance between the ASUS and Gigabyte solutions (although it certainly wouldn't hurt to have more data).-D'oh!
Decoder - Thursday, November 25, 2004 - link
#2 . I agree with you 100%. I run my Dell 2001FP at 1600x1200 and i will going SLI so that i can play games at 1600x1200 only.Decoder - Thursday, November 25, 2004 - link
cnq - Thursday, November 25, 2004 - link
"Since 1600x1200 normally requires a 20" or larger flat panel monitor, we did not report 1600x1200 results, since most readers will not run at that resolution."Wesley, with all due respect, there is not a single reader who is waiting to buy SLI who says to himself, "Boy I'd really like to see how fast SLI does at middling resolutions. Yeah, that's why I'm splurging thousands for an SLI rig. 1024x768 all the way baby!"
*ALL* SLI buyers will be running EVERYTHING at 16x12 or even 20x15, since current single card solutions can keep up at 10x7 and 12x10. No one would be dumb enough to pair up a couple of 68GT's or 68U's and then limit themselves to resolutions that a single 66GT could handle.
People who buy SLI are going to have money to spend, so don't worry, their monitors WILL be able to handle 16x12. An ordinary $250 19" CRT can do that, much less the kind of monitors that SLI fanatics will have.
Any SLI prospective purchasers out there planning to run their games at 1024x768? Didn't think so.
C'mon Wesley, really. You're doing quite a disservice benchmarking SLI at resolutions that aren't even graphics card limited in the first place.
HiroProt - Wednesday, November 24, 2004 - link
Great review, Wesley!Looks like Gigabyte has done it this time around. The question is: when can we buy these boards? I assume that the non-SLI version will be available first, since it already hit 1.0.
Do you have any more availability info, Wesley?