ASUS vs ASUS: GeForce 8800 Ultra vs. Radeon HD 2900 XT.

Review: ASUS vs ASUS: GeForce 8800 Ultra vs. Radeon HD 2900 XT.

Final thoughts, HEXUS awards, HEXUS.where2buy, HEXUS.right2reply, further reading

ASUS is in the fortunate position of being able to release both NVIDIA and AMD high-end graphics-card SKUs that are based on sound technology.

Let's conclude with the ASUS EAH2900XT first. It's the fastest GPU produced by AMD/ATI and features an intelligent unified shading architecture and is rich in multimedia capabilities.

However, it's not the fastest graphics card around and, looking at our benchmarks, only matches NVIDIA's third-rung G80 part, GeForce 8800 GTS 640.

As we alluded to throughout this review, the EAH2900XT's price is its redeemer and the excellent software bundle makes it a reasonable choice for folks with £250 to spend on a graphics-card upgrade.

Moving on the ASUS EN8800GTS, it's based on the speediest GPU around today, the GeForce 8800 Ultra.

ASUS, though, has opted for a default-clocked model that's nothing more than reference. We could level the same observation at the EAH2900XT but we note that very few AMD partners are launching faster-than-default models right now.

Our thinking is that if you decide on the fastest GPU available, are willing to spend £400+ and NVIDIA's partners such as XFX and eVGA have overclocked models, why buy a reference card when pre-overclocked SKUs are available for just £25 more?.

The hardcore enthusiast with really deep pockets will want more than reference performance, and ASUS doesn't oblige. That, in a nutshell, is the inherent problem of releasing such an expensive product; a stock-clocked GeForce 8800 Ultra, whilst undeniably fast, is bordering on the pointless.

Out of the two, then, we'd opt for the ASUS EAH2900XT. That may appear to be, prima facie, contradictory advice given the EN8800ULTRA's benchmark dominance, but exorbitant pricing and default-clocked status means it's a generic card in a niche market - £400+, remember - where performance is everything.

HEXUS Awards

Attractive pricing and reasonable high-end performance is enough for the ASUS EAH2900XT to garner the HEXUS Gaming Value award.

ASUS EAH2900XT

HEXUS Where2Buy

The ASUS EAH2900XT/HTVDI/512MB can be purchased for around £250 here.
The ASUS EN8800ULTRA/G/HTDP/768M/A can be purchased for around £420 here.

HEXUS Right2Reply

At HEXUS.net, we invite the companies whose products we test to comment on our articles. If any of ASUS' representatives choose to respond, we'll publish their commentary here verbatim.

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Why aren't you waiting on ATi's newer drivers? Fair enough on the initial review you want to get it out ASAP, so you're forced to use what you're given, but it's hardly a like-for-like test when one card is using drivers which have been matured over 8 months to ones which are around a month old. It's a well accepted opinion that the HD2x00s are vastly improving with driver updates, yet all we're seeing are the same reviews based on the 7.7 BETA's.

It was the same when the GTX came out - performance was far diminished to where it was a couple of months down the line - albeit still a vast improvement over where nV were at.

this_is_gav

We contacted AMD yesterday and were informed that the latest drivers for the Radeon HD 2900 XT were the ones at launch, dated 18th June (CAT 7.5 Beta) - a month old.

In fact, giving AMD/ATI all possible benefit, we've tested with CATALYST 7.7 Beta - the drivers that shipped with the Radeon HD 2400/2600 cards. Performance has not improved over CAT 7.5.

Now, we'd happily incorporate any new drivers as soon as they become available but, right now, if you were to buy this card, you would be receiving month-old, somewhat immature drivers.

We've accurately reflected the current state of play, I feel.