Testing methodology
GPU comparisons |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Graphics card | GPU clock (MHz) |
Stream processors |
Shader clock (MHz) |
Memory clock (MHz) |
Memory bus (bits) |
Graphics driver | |
| NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 (4,096MB) | 915+ | 3,072 | 915+ | 6,008 | 256 x 2 | ForceWare 301.33 | |
| ASUS GeForce GTX 680 Direct CU II TOP (2,048MB | 1,137+ | 1,536 | 1,137+ | 6,008 | 256 | ForceWare 301.33 | |
| NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 (2,048MB) | 1,006+ | 1,536 | 1,006+ | 6,008 | 256 | ForceWare 301.33 | |
| ASUS GeForce GTX 670 Direct CU II TOP (2,048MB) | 1,057+ | 1,344 | 1,057+ | 6,008 | 256 | ForceWare 301.42 | |
| NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670 (2,048MB) | 915+ | 1,344 | 915+ | 6,008 | 256 | ForceWare 301.33 | |
| NVIDIA GeForce GTX 590 (3,072MB) | 607 | 1,024 | 1,215 | 3,414 | 384 x 2 | ForceWare 296.10 | |
| NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 (1,536MB) | 772 | 512 | 1,544 | 4,008 | 384 | ForceWare 296.10 | |
| NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 (1,280MB) | 772 | 512 | 1,544 | 4,008 | 384 | ForceWare 296.10 | |
| ASUS GeForce GTX 560 Direct CU II TOP (1,024MB) in SLI | 925 | 336 x 2 | 1,850 | 4,200 | 256 x 2 | ForceWare 301.42 | |
| AMD Radeon HD 7970 (3,072MB) | 925 | 2,048 | 925 | 5,500 | 384 | Catalyst 12.4 | |
| AMD Radeon HD 7950 (3,072MB) | 800 | 1,792 | 800 | 5,000 | 384 | Catalyst 12.4 | |
| AMD Radeon HD 7870 (2,048MB) | 1,000 | 1,280 | 1,000 | 4,800 | 256 | Catalyst 12.4 | |
| AMD Radeon HD 6990 (4,096MB) | 830 | 3,072 | 830 | 5,000 | 256 x 2 | Catalyst 12.2 | |
HEXUS high-end test bench |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Intel Core i5-2500K (3.30GHz, 6MB smart cache, quad-core, LGA1155) | |||||||||||
| Motherboard | Intel Desktop Board DP67BG | |||||||||||
| Memory | 8GB Corsair Vengeance (9-9-9-24 @ 1,600MHz) | |||||||||||
| Power Supply | Corsair AX750W | |||||||||||
| Monitor | Dell 30in 3007WFP | |||||||||||
| Disk drive(s) | Crucial RealSSD C300 (256GB) | |||||||||||
| Chassis | Corsair Graphite Series 600T | |||||||||||
| Operating system | Windows 7 Ultimate (64-bit, SP1) | |||||||||||
HEXUS high-end benchmark suite |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aliens vs. Predator | DX11, 1,920x1,080 and 2,560x1,600 resolutions, 4xAA, 16xAF, very high quality | |||||||||||
| Battlefield 3 | DX11, 1,920x1,080 and 2,560x1,600 resolutions, 4xMSAA, 16xAF, ultra quality | |||||||||||
| Batman: Arkham City | DX11, 1,920x1,080 and 2,560x1,600 resolutions, 8xMSAA, extreme quality | |||||||||||
| Crysis 2 | DX11, 1,920x1,080 and 2,560x1,600 resolutions, 4xAA, ultra quality | |||||||||||
| Just Cause 2 | DX10, 1,920x1,080 and 2,560x1,600 resolutions, 4xAA, 16xAF, very high quality | |||||||||||
| Total War: Shogun 2 | DX11, 1,920x1,080 and 2,560x1,600 resolutions, 4xMSAA, 16xAF, high quality | |||||||||||
| Power Consumption | To emulate real-world usage scenarios, we record mains power draw both when idle and whilst playing Batman: Arkham City | |||||||||||
| Temperature | To emulate real-world usage scenarios, we record GPU core temperature both when idle and whilst playing Batman: AC | |||||||||||
| Noise | A PCE-318 meter is used to record noise levels when idle and whilst playing Batman: AC | |||||||||||
| Overclocking | Pushing the graphics card as far as it will go, we increase speeds and re-run the Crysis 2 benchmark | |||||||||||
Notes
We've added the card to our high-end graphics line-up. Also included are the GTX 680 variant of this card and, far more interestingly, we've included the numbers for a couple of pre-overclocked mid-range cards from the last generation, tied together in SLI. The ASUS GeForce GTX 560 Direct CU II TOP, as reviewed here, represents the same level of performance as exhibited by a GeForce GTX 560 Ti. We know that many readers opted for either the GTX 560 or Ti, so combining two, in SLI, should give us a much better understanding of how an overclocked GTX 670 performs against the mid-range stars of the last generation. What's more, the latest NVIDIA drivers, 301.42, provide support for these older cards, along with speed-up boosts for SLI.
In the ensuing graphs we've highlighted the £350 ASUS GTX 670's TOP's performance in green and shown the SLI'd GTX 560 TOP's in shades of red. The two 560s, combined, are available for some £325, making the comparison valid. Also, it provides the numbers for folk thinking of adding a second card of this ilk; we figure they'd want to know if it was worthwhile going down the SLI route or ditching the first card and purchasing something like a GTX 670.
