[W1zzard]

Introduction

After ATI's successful launch of the Radeon HD 4850, NVIDIA realized that their GeForce 9800 GTX is slightly slower than the competition's product. In order to fix this problem NVIDIA quickly announced a GeForce 9800 GTX+ which is identical to the 9800 GTX, but uses a die-shrinked 55 nm version of the G92 running at higher clock speeds.

As always, Zotac has created an Amp! Edition card which runs at even higher clocks for added performance.

	Radeon HD 3850	Radeon HD 3870	GeForce 9600 GT	GeForce 8800 GT	GeForce 9800 GT	Radeon HD 4850	GeForce 9800 GTX	GeForce 9800 GTX+	Zotac 9800 GTX+ Amp	GeForce 8800 GTX	GeForce GTX 260	Radeon HD 4870	GeForce GTX 280
Shader units	320	320	64	112	112	800	128	128	128	128	192	800	240
ROPs	16	16	16	16	16	16	16	16	16	24	28	16	32
GPU	RV670	RV670	G94	G92	G92	RV770	G92	G92	G92	G80	GT200	RV770	GT200
Transistors	666M	666M	505M	754M	754M	956M	754M	754M	754M	681M	1400M	956M	1400M
Memory Size	256 MB	512 MB	512 MB	512 MB	512 MB	512 MB	512 MB	512 MB	512 MB	768 MB	896 MB	512 MB	1024 MB
Memory Bus Width	256 bit	256 bit	256 bit	256 bit	256 bit	256 bit	256 bit	256 bit	256 bit	384 bit	448 bit	256 bit	512 bit
Core Clock	670 MHz	777 MHz	650 MHz	600 MHz	600 MHz	625 MHz	675 MHz	738 MHz	756 MHz	575 MHz	576 MHz	750 MHz	602 MHz
Memory Clock	828 MHz	1126 MHz	900 MHz	900 MHz	900 MHz	993 MHz	1100 MHz	1100 MHz	1199 MHz	900 MHz	999 MHz	900 MHz	1107 MHz
Price	$99	$125	$110	$140	$160	$175	$185	$200	$220	$295	$270	$275	$430

Packaging & Contents

Zotac's package design is a bit unconventional since it uses a vertical design, other than that the box is like any other box from Zotac. The front shows the product highlights with more detailed specs on the back and the sides.



You will receive:

• Graphics card
• Manual + Driver CD + XIII Century Death or Glory full game
• DVI Adapter + HDMI Adapter
• 2x PCI-Express power adapter
• TV out cable
• SPDIF audio cable

The Card

Other than the little plus on the sticker, the GeForce 9800 GTX+ looks identical to the 9800 GTX in every aspect. Just like its predecessor it uses a dual slot cooling solution that looks very stylish thanks to the curved surface.


The card has two DVI ports, basically the most common output configuration these days. In case you need an analog VGA port you can use the included DVI adapter. When using an HDMI adapter (also included), you will also have access to HDMI+HDCP+Audio, which allows easy setup of a media PC. For the HDMI audio feature you have to connect the included SPDIF cable from your on-board audio or sound card to the input on the graphics card.


Here are the front and the back of the card, high-res versions are also available (front, back). If you choose to use these images for voltmods etc, please include a link back to this site or let us post your article.

A Closer Look

The cooler is unchanged from the non-plus 9800 GTX. It uses a complex base plate to cool not only the GPU core, but also the memory chips and the voltage regulation circuitry.


Just like the 9800 GTX, the 9800 GTX+ supports SLI and triple SLI.


Two six-pin PCI-Express power connectors supply the required power to the card.


The GDDR3 chips are made by Samsung and have the model number K4J52324QE-BJ08. They are rated for 1200 MHz operation (0.8 ns cycle time).


When I removed the heatsink I noticed that someone at Zotac used a bit too much thermal paste on the GPU. In the first picture the GPU die looks a bit like a meteorite that smashed into a sea of thermal paste. The second picture shows the GPU after some cleanup action. Please note the B1 label which indicates that this GPU is produced in a 55 nm process at TSMC. The G92 GPU from the old 9800 GTX is made in a 65 nm process.
To demonstrate the differences between the 65 nm and the 55 nm G92 I overlayed both die shots in Photoshop. The red borders mark the different die sizes. The dimly lit components are from the 65 nm A2 version, while the fully visible ones are from the 55 nm B2 silicon.

Test System

Test System
CPU:	Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 @ 3.6 GHz (Wolfdale, 6144 KB Cache)
Motherboard:	Gigabyte P35C-DS3R Intel P35
Memory:	2x 1024MB A.DATA DDR2 1066+ CL4
Harddisk:	WD Raptor 740ADFD 74 GB
Power Supply:	OCZ GameXStream 700W
Software:	Windows XP SP2
Drivers:	NVIDIA: 175.19, GTX 260 & 280: 177.41, 9500 GT & 9800 GT: 177.72 ATI: Catalyst 8.7

• All video card results were obtained on this exact system with the exact same configuration.
• All games were set to their highest quality setting

Each benchmark was tested at the following settings and resolution:

• 1024 x 768, No Anti-aliasing, No anisotropic filtering. This is a standard resolution without demanding display settings.
• 1280 x 1024, 2x Anti-aliasing, 8x anisotropic filtering. Common resolution for most smaller flatscreens today (17" - 19"). A bit of eye candy turned on in the drivers.
• 1680 x 1050, 4x Anti-aliasing, 16x anisotropic filter. Most common widescreen resolution on larger displays (19" - 22"). Very good looking driver graphics settings.
• 1920 x 1200, 4x Anti-aliasing, 16x anisotropic filter. Typical widescreen resolution for large displays (22" - 26"). Very good looking driver graphics settings.

Call of Duty 4

Call of Duty 4 is a first-person shooter that is built on the award winning Call of Duty Series. It is the first version to play in modern times. In a near-future conflict between the United States, Europe and Russia you get to play as a United States Marine and a British SAS operative. The engine is Infinity Ward's own creation and has true dynamic lighting, depth of field, dynamic shadows and HDR. Even though the game plot is scripted you will find yourself in intense battles, often working together with computer controlled team mates.

Call of Juarez

Call of Juarez was one of the first DX10 titles available on the market, that's why it was heavily used to demonstrate the benefits of DirectX 10. It runs on the Chrome Engine created by the polish game studio Techland. This first-person shooter game is set in a Wild West theme with the plot unfolding from the perspective of two characters: Billy and Reverend Ray. Each offers a different play style to keep the game interesting. Also included in the game is a "Concentration Mode" which slows down time in hectic situations - a feature first pioneered by the Max Payne Series.

Company Of Heroes

The real-time strategy game Company of Heroes is set during World War II where you take two American companies through several fights all over France to liberate the country from German occupation. Company of Heroes is the first game to use Relic's next-generation engine "Essence Engine" which includes support for HDR lighting, Shader Model 3.0, normal mapping, dynamic lighting and shadows. You are able to zoom in from the tactical view of the battle field to see the individual units fighting. Often you catch yourself admiring the detailed animations of the soldiers while the fight around you is raging. We tested the DX9 version of the game at maximum details.

Crysis

After the tremendous success of Far Cry, the German game studio Crytek released their latest shooter Crysis in 2007. The game was by far the most hyped and anticipated game in 2007, the forums were full of "Can my system run Crysis?" threads because of the high hardware requirements of this game. Just like in Far Cry the plot evolves on a small island with a thick and richly detailed jungle world. A lot of attention has been given to small details like correct physics. For example when you fire on a tree trunk, it will shatter and the tree will fall over leaving a stump behind. Enemies in a car can be stopped by shooting the tire of the car. The game graphics are by far the best ever seen in a PC game so far, yet the game still runs well on most computers. We tested the DX9 version with graphics set to "High", which is the highest non-DX10 setting in the game.

Enemy Territory: Quake Wars

The first-person shooter Enemy Territory: Quake Wars is set in the science-fiction universe of Quake and requires several classes to work together to achieve certain goals on a map. In the campaign mode you gain experience which you can use to buy upgrades for your class. The player gets to pick from five classes of either the Global Defense Force or the Strogg faction. As underlying game engine, the successful id Software Doom 3 engine has been licensed, but several features like MegaTextures have been added, giving the outdoor world a much more detailed appearance. We tested the DX9 version of the game at maximum details.

Far Cry

Far Cry was released in early 2004 by the new development studio Crytek. It quickly became a massive success because it was one of the first titles to take you in a beautiful 3D outdoor world. Far Cry was one of the most demanding games at its time. Even with today's video cards you can still see big differences in frame rates, especially at the higher resolutions.

FEAR

The first person shooter F.E.A.R, developed by Monolith Game Studios, was released in Fall 2005 and has a great 3D engine that uses a large number of shading and shadow effects to accurately model the game world. In addition to that it features a realistic physics engine that lets you interact with many objects in the game world. The game was voted game of the year by several publications.

Prey

Prey is based on a highly modified 3D engine made by id Software. This first person shooter brought a completely new way of gaming to the genre. In many levels you find yourself walking upside down or on the walls. This adds a completely new aspect to the gaming experience in this genre.

Quake 4

The Quake titles are among the most successful first person games. Developed by id Software, the famous game studio that brought you DOOM, you find yourself in a scifi world that is full of aliens and shocking effects. The main focus of the game is the single player story line. Quake 4 puts you on the home planet of the Strogg. In a number of missions you and your fellow marines will encounter all sorts of enemies, including some really huge aliens.

Splinter Cell 3: Chaos Theory

The Splinter Cell Series is endorsed by popular book author Tom Clancy. In the 2005 title Splinter Cell 3: Chaos Theory you play the NSA agent Sam Fisher who has to use stealth and finesse to make his way through a number of levels mainly set in eastern Asia. The game is based on a modified Unreal 2 engine with support for HDR, normal mapping, parallax mapping and soft shadows. A patch added Shader Model 2.0 support for ATI in addition to the Shader Model 3.0 support which was already part of the original shipping game.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R.

Before its release in 2007, S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl was one of the most hyped games of the last years. This RPG/FPS hybrid game is set a few years in the future, after a nuclear disaster occurs at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. The release of radiation causes strange things like mutations in the nearby area. You take the role of a Stalker who seeks fame and riches in the contaminated area around Chernobyl. The game engine features all the latest buzzwords like HDR, bullet physics, skeletal animation, soft shadows and weather effects. Stalker's vast outside world is richly modeled, you can interact with a large number of objects in the game thanks to the physics engine.

Supreme Commander

If you hear people talk about a real-time strategy game with "massive numbers of units fighting" you can be sure they are talking about Supreme Commander. The unofficial successor to the Total Annihilation Series completely redefined some aspects of the RTS genre. In Supreme Commander you can zoom out so far that you can see the whole map on your screen and units are just little blips. This is much needed in fights when several hundred units go at each other. Supreme Commander is also one of the most demanding RTS games with support for up to four CPU cores - a dual-core system with high-end graphics is recommended for optimum game play.

Team Fortress 2

Team Fortress 2 by the famous people from Valve software builds on an improved Half-Life 2 engine to deliver an action packed, team oriented, comic graphics first person shooter game. Even though the game features nice graphics, it tends to be very CPU limited, especially on lower resolutions. Players get to team up being either RED or BLU with a selection of nine classes. Each class offers a different play style, just like in the original Team Fortress games.

Unreal Tournament 3

The fourth game in Epic's highly successful Unreal Tournament Series is simply called Unreal Tournament 3. It is based on the all-new Unreal 3 engine which is a major step forward from the previous engine. The game principle is centered about an arena style gameplay where several contestants try to reach a certain kill count or capture a flag for example. As you would expect from a new 2007 title, the graphics are top notch, with large and detailed textures. One major drawback of the way the engine is designed is that there is no support for Anti-Aliasing. While video card vendors like ATI have found ways to force this in their drivers we did all our testing with AA disabled in DX9 at maximum settings.

World In Conflict

The realtime strategy game World In Conflict by Massive Entertainment is set in 1989 taking the player through a fictional conflict during the collapse of the Soviet Union. Unlike other RTS games, World in Conflict is not centered around building a base, you command units on the battlefield with a number of reinforcement points available to replace lost troops.
Massive's Masstech Game Engine makes heavy use of level-of-detail techniques which allow you to zoom in closely on the action displaying fights in high-fidelity with a large number of effects.

3DMark03

Futuremark Corporation is the number one player in the world of synthetic benchmarking. The 3DMark series is the most popular test suite for video card testing and is used by gamers, overclockers and manufacturers alike to determine how fast their hardware is. Even though it is a few years old, 3DMark03 can easily stress today's video cards.

3DMark05

Another benchmark from Futuremark is 3DMark05 which comes with four completely new game tests that make massive use of shaders and lighting effects. 3DMark05 is a great test for modern video card architectures - in some tests you are often close to the 30 fps mark, below which your games will feel sluggish.

3DMark06

Even though it's based on Futuremark's 3DMark05, the new 3DMark06 adds new tests for Shader Model 3.0 and HDR rendering. It is also the first 3DMark to incorporate a CPU score into the final 3DMark score. All tests have received an overhaul, for example in the Canyon Flight test you can now see beautiful sun glare effects with the help of High Dynamic Range rendering.

Power Consumption

Cooling modern video cards is becoming more and more difficult, especially when users are asking for quiet cooling solutions. That's why the engineers are now paying much more attention to power consumption of new video card designs.

Test System
CPU:	Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 @ 3.6 GHz (Wolfdale, 6144 KB Cache)
Motherboard:	Gigabyte P35C-DS3R Intel P35
Memory:	2x 1024MB A.DATA DDR2 1066+ CL4
Harddisk:	WD Raptor 740ADFD 74 GB
Power Supply:	OCZ GameXStream 700W
Software:	Windows XP SP2

In order to characterize a video card's power consumption, the whole system's mains power draw was measured. This means that these numbers include CPU, Memory, HDD, Video card and PSU inefficiency.

The three result values are as following:

• Idle: Windows sitting at the desktop (1024x768 32-bit) all windows closed, drivers installed.
• Average: 3DMark03 Nature at 1280x1024, 6xAA, 16xAF. This results in the highest power consumption. Average of all readings (two per second) while the test was rendering (no title screen).
• Peak: 3DMark03 Nature at 1280x1024, 6xAA, 16xAF. This results in the highest power consumption. Highest single reading

Thanks to the 55 nm die shrink, the 9800 GTX+ consumes less power than the 9800 GTX, even though it's running at higher clock speeds. Even Zotac's extra overclocking did not make much of a power draw difference.

Fan Noise

In the past years users would accept everything just to get more performance. Nowadays this has changed with people being more aware of the fan noise and power consumption of their graphic cards.
In order to properly test the fan noise a card emits we are using a Bruel & Kjaer 2236 sound level meter (~$4,000) which has the measurement range and accuracy we are looking for.


The tested graphics card is installed in a system that is completely passively cooled. That is passive PSU, passive CPU cooler, passive cooling on the motherboard and Solid-State HDD.
This setup allows us to eliminate secondary noise sources and test only the video card. To be more compliant with standards like DIN 45635 (we are not claiming to be fully DIN 45635 certified) the measurement is conducted at 100 cm distance and 160 cm over the floor. The ambient background noise level in the room is well below 20 dbA for all measurements. Please note that the dbA scale is not linear, it is logarithmic. 40 dbA is not twice as loud as 20 dbA. A 3 dbA increase results in double the sound pressure. The human hearing is a bit different and it is generally accepted that a 10 dbA increase doubles the perceived sound level.

When idle, the 9800 GTX+ is a quiet card, but slightly more noisy than the original 9800 GTX. Once you start loading the card the fan noise increases, but not as much as on the 9800 GTX - even though the sound pressure difference is quite small.

Performance Summary

To create this graph we took all performance results of all benchmarks and all resolutions, threw them together and calculated the relative performance of each card, compared to our review sample.

Performance per Watt

This graph was created by taking the relative performance numbers and putting them in contrast to the average power consumption results. To offset power consumption of the rest of the system we subtracted 50W from the average consumption.

Performance per Dollar

If you are looking for the best bang for the buck, then you will love this graph. We looked up the current USD price of each card on the online shop Newegg and used it and the relative performance numbers to calculate the Performance per Dollar Index.

Overclocking

To find the maximum overclock of our card we used a combination of ATITool's successor (work in progress) and our benchmarking suite.



The final overclocks of our card are 832 MHz core (10% overclock) and 1199 MHz Memory (4% overclock). While the memory overclock was to be expected, because the memory chips are specified to run at 1200 MHz, the core overclock is very nice. Even on a pre-overclocked product, we could increase the clock by another 10% (at least on our sample).
When our overclocks are put in perspective to the clocks of the NVIDIA 9800 GTX+ reference design (738/1100), the margin becomes even bigger: 13% and 9%.

Temperatures

Operating temperatures are low in both idle and under load. Overclocking the card resulted in no measureable temperature increase (<1°C).

Value and Conclusion

	Zotac's GeForce 9800 GTX+ Amp! Edition retails for around $220, which is about $20 more than the 9800 GTX+ reference design cards.
	Factory overclocked Slightly faster than HD 4850 Can do CUDA and PhysX Full Game included HDMI+HDCP+Audio via adapter PCI-Express 2.0 support Hybrid Power supported
	High price premium for Amp! Edition HD 4850 has better price/performance Very small upgrade to 9800 GTX No native HDMI output No DirectX 10.1 support
8.6	NVIDIA's 9800 GTX+ announcement came right in time for the AMD HD 4850 launch, to slow down its momentum. The move from a 65 nm to a 55 nm GPU design does offer some benefits. First of all the production price of the GPU goes down. This means that the card could be offered cheaper than the original 9800 GTX. Second, the heat output under load is reduced as well, allowing higher clocks while staying in the same thermal and power budget. While the GeForce 9800 GTX+ is faster on paper than the HD 4850, I seriously doubt you will feel the difference while gaming. Considering other metrics like price/performance and performance/watt, both the normal GTX+ and the GTX+ Amp! lose against AMD's HD 4850 offering. One advantage the GTX+ cards have, is that they have more overclocking headroom left than ATI's offerings. Zotac's AMP! Edition is a bit too expensive for the performance added. If you are looking for an easy solution that is faster and does not require tweaking, then the Zotac 9800 GTX+ Amp! Edition is for you.