How we test
GPU comparisons |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Graphics card | Approx. pricing |
GPU clock (MHz) |
Stream processors |
Shader clock (MHz) |
Memory clock (MHz) |
Memory bus (bits) |
Graphics driver |
| ASUS GeForce GTX 590 3,072MB | £579 | 612 | 1,024 | 1,224 | 3,424 | 384 x 2 | ForceWare 267.71 |
| NVIDIA GeForce GTX 590 3,072MB | £569 | 607 | 1,024 | 1,214 | 3,414 | 384 x 2 | ForceWare 267.71 |
| ASUS GeForce GTX 580 SLI | £770 | 772 | 512 | 1,544 | 4,008 | 384 x 2 | ForceWare 266.58 |
| ASUS GeForce GTX 570 SLI | £540 | 732 | 960 | 1,464 | 3,600 | 320 x 2 | ForceWare 266.58 |
| ASUS GeForce GTX 580 1,536MB | £385 | 772 | 1,024 | 1,544 | 4,008 | 384 | ForceWare 266.58 |
| ASUS GeForce GTX 570 1,280MB | £270 | 732 | 480 | 1,464 | 3,800 | 320 | ForceWare 266.58 |
| Sapphire Radeon HD 6990 4,096MB OC | £540 | 880 | 3,072 | 880 | 5,000 | 256 x 2 | Catalyst 11.4 |
| Sapphire Radeon HD 6990 4,096MB | £540 | 830 | 3,072 | 830 | 5,000 | 256 x 2 | Catalyst 11.4 |
| HIS Radeon HD 6970 XF | £570 | 880 | 3,072 | 880 | 5,500 | 256 x 2 | Catalyst 11.4 | Sapphire Radeon HD 6950 XF | £410 | 800 | 2,816 | 800 | 5,000 | 256 x 2 | Catalyst 11.4 | HIS Radeon HD 6970 2,048 | £285 | 880 | 1,536 | 880 | 5,500 | 256 | Catalyst 11.4 | Sapphire Radeon HD 6950 2,048 | £205 | 800 | 1,408 | 800 | 5,000 | 256 | Catalyst 11.4 | Sapphire Radeon HD 5970 2,048 | £500 | 725 | 3,200 | 725 | 4,000 | 256 x 2 | Catalyst 11.4 |
Test bench |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | Intel Core i7 980X (3.33GHz, 12MB L3 cache, six-core, LGA1366) | |||||||||||
| Motherboard | ASUS P6X58D-E (0502 BIOS) | |||||||||||
| Memory | 6GB Corsair Dominator (9-9-9-24-2T @ 1,600MHz) | |||||||||||
| Power Supply | Corsair HX1000W | |||||||||||
| Monitor | Dell 30in 3007WFP | |||||||||||
| Disk drive(s) | Crucial RealSSD C300 (256GB) | |||||||||||
| Chassis | Corsair Obsidian Series 700D | |||||||||||
| Operating system | Windows 7 SP1, 64-bit | |||||||||||
Benchmarks |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3DMark 11 | Extreme preset, overall score and combined test results recorded. | |||||||||||
| Aliens vs. Predator | DX11, 1,920x1,080 and 2,560x1,600 resolutions, 4xAA, 16xAF, very high quality. | |||||||||||
| Call of Duty: Black Ops | DX9, 1,920x1,080 and 2,560x1,600 resolutions, 4xAA, ultra quality, FRAPS-recorded benchmark. | |||||||||||
| F1 2010 | DX11, 1,920x1,080 and 2,560x1,600 resolutions, 8xAA, ultra quality, Monaco circuit. | |||||||||||
| Just Cause 2 | DX10, 1,920x1,080 and 2,560x1,600 resolutions, 4xAA, 16xAF, very high quality, Dark Tower benchmark. | |||||||||||
| Metro 2033 | DX11, 1,920x1,080 and 2,560x1,600 resolutions, 4xAA, 16xAF, very high quality. | |||||||||||
| StarCraft II | DX9, 1,920x1,080 and 2,560x1,600 resolutions, 4xAA, ultra quality. | |||||||||||
| Power consumption | To emulate real-world usage scenarios, we record mains power draw both when idle and whilst playing Just Cause 2. | |||||||||||
| Temperature | To emulate real-world usage scenarios, we record GPU core temperature both when idle and whilst playing Just Cause 2. | |||||||||||
| Noise | A PCE-318 noise level meter is placed at front of a Corsair 700D chassis with side panel on. | |||||||||||
Notes
We (ahem, I) tested a total of 13 graphics from scratch! All AMD cards are tested on the publicly-available Catalyst 11.4 preview driver, while the GeForce cards are on the ForceWare 266.58 set. We wanted to test all GeForce on the v267.71 used for the GTX 590 but the driver only supports the range-topping card. After speaking to NVIDIA we were assured that there are no major performance optimisations in the GTX 590-only driver.
This is strictly a high-end shootout. To this end, we've tested GeForce GTX 570 SLI and GTX 580 SLI, together with Radeon HD 6950 and 6970 CrossFire. Lastly, not forgetting AMD's very best card, the Radeon HD 6990 has been put through its paces in both stock and OC modes.
Putting the GeForce GTX 590 in amongst such powerhouses will tell us exactly where it stacks up. Ready for us numbers? Of course you are.
