Zotac GeForce GTX 285 & GTX 295

Rob Williams · 01-27-2009, 03:47 AM

When NVIDIA released their GTX 285 and 295 earlier this month, they successfully reclaimed the performance crown for both single and dual-GPU graphics cards. We're finally putting both of these models through our gruelling testing, in both single card and SLI configurations, to see just how much value can be had when compared to previous offerings.

You can read our full article on NVIDIA's latest offerings here and discuss it here!

Doomsday · 01-27-2009, 05:55 AM

Very nice review! heey, i'll buy the GTX295 *drools* for my 19" LCD! hehe! that would be fun lol!? anyways, i have to do some serious thinking in how to spend my $500 PC savings, after this review, the GTX295 seems like a 1 time loong time investment.

Greg King · 01-27-2009, 07:58 AM

This goes to show the skill that the NVIDIA driver team brings to the table. Dual GPU cards have always been a iffy area as far as performance is concerned but its good to see that you didn't experience and show stopping issues with driver support for the 295.

Rob Williams · 01-27-2009, 04:49 PM

Doomsday, if you pick up the GTX 295, you'd really just be tossing money out the window. As I mentioned on the final page, that card is designed for those who own 30" monitors, and even 24" monitor users aren't going to get their full money's worth... so certainly, the power of that card won't be remotely tapped on a 19".

If you have $500 kicking around and don't know how to spend it, the best upgrade you could make is a 24" monitor. You'll be able to experience your PC in a gorgeous 1920x1200 resolution (not to mention the games), and given the performance of the 9600 GT, you shouldn't have too much issue running pretty-well any game out there at the max resolution.

Can't fit a 24" on your desk? Use the remainder of the money after buying the 24" to buy a new desk

Krazy K · 01-27-2009, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob Williams

Can't fit a 24" on your desk? Use the remainder of the money after buying the 24" to buy a new desk

Well said!

Doomsday · 01-28-2009, 04:37 AM

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rob Williams

Can't fit a 24" on your desk? Use the remainder of the money after buying the 24" to buy a new desk

lol! now why didnot i think of that!!! damn i'm stoopid. hehe! well, the hunt begins.
thnx Rob.

Edit: well wot do u know, there r no 24" LCDs available here. max is 28" which is waay too much out of my range$$$. Best bet is 22"(1680*1050) now! will 22" be worth it going from 19 to 22?!?

Greg King · 01-28-2009, 08:57 AM

If your just looking to spend some money, the additional pixel space will be nice but I don't think that it will be that big of a difference, especially since your 19 is already a widescreen.

Rob Williams · 01-28-2009, 12:00 PM

I agree. I wouldn't be too concerned with going from 1440x900 to 1680x1050. I'd just hold out and wait for a 24" to arrive and then consider it. I'm surprised it jumps from 22" to 28" though, with nothing in between... that makes things awful difficult.

Doomsday · 01-28-2009, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob Williams

I agree. I wouldn't be too concerned with going from 1440x900 to 1680x1050. I'd just hold out and wait for a 24" to arrive and then consider it. I'm surprised it jumps from 22" to 28" though, with nothing in between... that makes things awful difficult.

the jump from 22" to 28" had me laughing when i found out.

well thats PAK, weird n funny!

well i'll save the money for a 24" LCD if it arrives. Or save the $$ till my 9600GT is not able to handle new games at max.

Greg King · 01-28-2009, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doomsday

well i'll save the money for a 24" LCD if it arrives. Or save the $$ till my 9600GT is not able to handle new games at max.

That sounds like the best plan.

08-26-2009, 10:52 PM

which card or cards do you think would best be sutied for that setup?

Rob Williams · 08-27-2009, 02:16 AM

For 22", you're likely going to be running 1680x1050, correct? If so, the GTX 275 should suit you just fine. No need to go higher if 1680x is all that's going to be run, even in the 3D mode.

08-27-2009, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob Williams

For 22", you're likely going to be running 1680x1050, correct? If so, the GTX 275 should suit you just fine. No need to go higher if 1680x is all that's going to be run, even in the 3D mode.

So is there going to be any advantage for me to do SLI either 2x 260GTX or should I stick with just one card for now?

Kougar · 08-27-2009, 04:57 PM

You'd see a nice gain in performance, but at that resolution its going to be like going from 100 frames to 200 frames... I'd suggest just sticking to one card unless there is a particular game you can't play maxed out on just one.

08-28-2009, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kougar

You'd see a nice gain in performance, but at that resolution its going to be like going from 100 frames to 200 frames... I'd suggest just sticking to one card unless there is a particular game you can't play maxed out on just one.

Is it worth the extra money to buy the 275GTX compared to the 260GTX Black edition?

01-27-2009, 03:47 AM	#1
Rob Williams Editor-in-Chief Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Atlantic Canada Posts: 13,231	Zotac GeForce GTX 285 & GTX 295 When NVIDIA released their GTX 285 and 295 earlier this month, they successfully reclaimed the performance crown for both single and dual-GPU graphics cards. We're finally putting both of these models through our gruelling testing, in both single card and SLI configurations, to see just how much value can be had when compared to previous offerings. You can read our full article on NVIDIA's latest offerings here and discuss it here! __________________ Intel Core i7-990X EE @ 3.43GHz, GIGABYTE X58A-UD5, Kingston 12GB DDR3-1333, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 2GB Kingston HyperX 3K 240GB SSD, WD VR 1TB, WD 2TB, Seagate 2TB, LG BD-ROM, ASUS DVD-RW, Corsair 1000HX, Corsair H60 Cooler Corsair 800D, Dell 2408WFP 24", ASUS Xonar Essence STX, Gentoo (KDE 4.10, 3.7 Kernel) "Take care to get what you like, or you will be forced to like what you get!" - H.P. Baxxter <Toad772> I don't always drink alcohol, but when I do, I take it too far.

01-27-2009, 05:55 AM	#2
Doomsday Tech Junkie Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: KHI, PAK Posts: 1,539	Very nice review! heey, i'll buy the GTX295 drools for my 19" LCD! hehe! that would be fun lol!? anyways, i have to do some serious thinking in how to spend my $500 PC savings, after this review, the GTX295 seems like a 1 time loong time investment. __________________ PSU: Corsair AX850 - Case: Cooler Master HAF X - CPU:Core i7-2600k - Cooler: Cooler Master V6 GT - Motherboard: Asus Z68 Maximus IV Extreme Z - Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8 GB-1600Mhz - GPU: AMD MSI R6970 Lightning - HDD: WD Caviar Black 1TB, Seagate 2TB Barracuda Green - SSD: Intel 520 Series 120GB - K/B: Razer Lycosa Mirror - Mouse: Logitech G700 - MouseMat: Steel Series 4HD - LCD: Samsung 2333SW 23" - Speakers: Creative Inspire M4500 4.1 - Headset: Logitech G35 7.1 "Do not look at a man's prayers nor his fasts, rather, measure him by how well he deals with others, the compassion he shows his fellow man, his wisdom and his integrity" - Umar Ibn Al-Khattab Last edited by Doomsday; 01-27-2009 at 10:54 AM.

01-27-2009, 07:58 AM	#3
Greg King I just kinda show up... Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Indiana Posts: 2,081	This goes to show the skill that the NVIDIA driver team brings to the table. Dual GPU cards have always been a iffy area as far as performance is concerned but its good to see that you didn't experience and show stopping issues with driver support for the 295. __________________ "It is far better to grasp the universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring." - Carl Sagan System: Intel i5 2500K \| Gigabyte GA-Z68XP-UD4 \| 16GB G.Skill DDR3 \| Crucial M4 128GB SSD WD 1TB Black x1 \| WD 2TB Green x 1 \| XFX Radeonn HD 6850 \| Corsair H80 Water Cooler Fractal Design R3 \| Windows 7 Ultimate x64 \| Dell 2410 x 3 @ 1920x1200 ESXi Host: Intel i7 920 @ 3.0 GHz \| Gigabyte GA-EX58-UD4P \| 24GB Patriot DDR3 \| WD 1TB Black x 2

01-27-2009, 04:49 PM	#4
Rob Williams Editor-in-Chief Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Atlantic Canada Posts: 13,231	Doomsday, if you pick up the GTX 295, you'd really just be tossing money out the window. As I mentioned on the final page, that card is designed for those who own 30" monitors, and even 24" monitor users aren't going to get their full money's worth... so certainly, the power of that card won't be remotely tapped on a 19". If you have $500 kicking around and don't know how to spend it, the best upgrade you could make is a 24" monitor. You'll be able to experience your PC in a gorgeous 1920x1200 resolution (not to mention the games), and given the performance of the 9600 GT, you shouldn't have too much issue running pretty-well any game out there at the max resolution. Can't fit a 24" on your desk? Use the remainder of the money after buying the 24" to buy a new desk __________________ Intel Core i7-990X EE @ 3.43GHz, GIGABYTE X58A-UD5, Kingston 12GB DDR3-1333, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 2GB Kingston HyperX 3K 240GB SSD, WD VR 1TB, WD 2TB, Seagate 2TB, LG BD-ROM, ASUS DVD-RW, Corsair 1000HX, Corsair H60 Cooler Corsair 800D, Dell 2408WFP 24", ASUS Xonar Essence STX, Gentoo (KDE 4.10, 3.7 Kernel) "Take care to get what you like, or you will be forced to like what you get!" - H.P. Baxxter <Toad772> I don't always drink alcohol, but when I do, I take it too far.

01-28-2009, 04:37 AM	#6
Doomsday Tech Junkie Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: KHI, PAK Posts: 1,539	Quote: Originally Posted by Rob Williams Can't fit a 24" on your desk? Use the remainder of the money after buying the 24" to buy a new desk lol! now why didnot i think of that!!! damn i'm stoopid. hehe! well, the hunt begins. thnx Rob. Edit: well wot do u know, there r no 24" LCDs available here. max is 28" which is waay too much out of my range$$$. Best bet is 22"(16801050) now! will 22" be worth it going from 19 to 22?!? __________________ PSU: Corsair AX850 - Case: Cooler Master HAF X - CPU:Core i7-2600k - Cooler: Cooler Master V6 GT - Motherboard: Asus Z68 Maximus IV Extreme Z - Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8 GB-1600Mhz - GPU: AMD MSI R6970 Lightning - HDD: WD Caviar Black 1TB, Seagate 2TB Barracuda Green - SSD:* Intel 520 Series 120GB - K/B: Razer Lycosa Mirror - Mouse: Logitech G700 - MouseMat: Steel Series 4HD - LCD: Samsung 2333SW 23" - Speakers: Creative Inspire M4500 4.1 - Headset: Logitech G35 7.1 "Do not look at a man's prayers nor his fasts, rather, measure him by how well he deals with others, the compassion he shows his fellow man, his wisdom and his integrity" - Umar Ibn Al-Khattab Last edited by Doomsday; 01-28-2009 at 05:07 AM.

01-28-2009, 08:57 AM	#7
Greg King I just kinda show up... Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Indiana Posts: 2,081	If your just looking to spend some money, the additional pixel space will be nice but I don't think that it will be that big of a difference, especially since your 19 is already a widescreen. __________________ "It is far better to grasp the universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring." - Carl Sagan System: Intel i5 2500K \| Gigabyte GA-Z68XP-UD4 \| 16GB G.Skill DDR3 \| Crucial M4 128GB SSD WD 1TB Black x1 \| WD 2TB Green x 1 \| XFX Radeonn HD 6850 \| Corsair H80 Water Cooler Fractal Design R3 \| Windows 7 Ultimate x64 \| Dell 2410 x 3 @ 1920x1200 ESXi Host: Intel i7 920 @ 3.0 GHz \| Gigabyte GA-EX58-UD4P \| 24GB Patriot DDR3 \| WD 1TB Black x 2

01-28-2009, 12:00 PM	#8
Rob Williams Editor-in-Chief Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Atlantic Canada Posts: 13,231	I agree. I wouldn't be too concerned with going from 1440x900 to 1680x1050. I'd just hold out and wait for a 24" to arrive and then consider it. I'm surprised it jumps from 22" to 28" though, with nothing in between... that makes things awful difficult. __________________ Intel Core i7-990X EE @ 3.43GHz, GIGABYTE X58A-UD5, Kingston 12GB DDR3-1333, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 2GB Kingston HyperX 3K 240GB SSD, WD VR 1TB, WD 2TB, Seagate 2TB, LG BD-ROM, ASUS DVD-RW, Corsair 1000HX, Corsair H60 Cooler Corsair 800D, Dell 2408WFP 24", ASUS Xonar Essence STX, Gentoo (KDE 4.10, 3.7 Kernel) "Take care to get what you like, or you will be forced to like what you get!" - H.P. Baxxter <Toad772> I don't always drink alcohol, but when I do, I take it too far.

08-26-2009, 10:52 PM	#11
mechh69 Guest Poster Posts: n/a	22 inch 120hz refresh rate with 3d glasses which card or cards do you think would best be sutied for that setup?

08-27-2009, 02:16 AM	#12
Rob Williams Editor-in-Chief Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Atlantic Canada Posts: 13,231	For 22", you're likely going to be running 1680x1050, correct? If so, the GTX 275 should suit you just fine. No need to go higher if 1680x is all that's going to be run, even in the 3D mode. __________________ Intel Core i7-990X EE @ 3.43GHz, GIGABYTE X58A-UD5, Kingston 12GB DDR3-1333, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 2GB Kingston HyperX 3K 240GB SSD, WD VR 1TB, WD 2TB, Seagate 2TB, LG BD-ROM, ASUS DVD-RW, Corsair 1000HX, Corsair H60 Cooler Corsair 800D, Dell 2408WFP 24", ASUS Xonar Essence STX, Gentoo (KDE 4.10, 3.7 Kernel) "Take care to get what you like, or you will be forced to like what you get!" - H.P. Baxxter <Toad772> I don't always drink alcohol, but when I do, I take it too far.

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