[Osiris]

If you want a sneak peek at the GeForce 9800 GX2, you’ve come to the right place! We have exclusive pictures, specs and early info right here for your viewing pleasure. If two GeForce 8800 GPUs on a dual PCB, single video card doesn’t make your heart flutter, the fact that these will most likely support quad-SLI surely will. Hit the link above for all the information.
NVIDIA’s yet-to-be released GeForce 9800 GX2 in the “flesh.” We reveal some of the specs and what should be expected.
The best way to think of the GeForce 9800 GX2 card is as an 8800 GPU that has been die shrunk to 65nm and placed in an SLI configuration in a “single” card. The 9800 GX2 is very reminiscent of 7950 GX2 of days past. (And we loved the 7950 GX2 at launch, but terrible support and diminishing returns soon painted it as one of NVIDIA’s biggest failures since the 5800 series.)
The GeForce 9800 GX2 will launch in late February or early March as it now stands and will replace the 8800 Ultra (single GPU) card in NVIDIA’s high-end product line up. The 9800 GX2 is said to be 30% faster than a 8800 Ultra. While it is not clear from the pictures below, we are told it will support “Quad SLI.”
GeForce 9800 GX2

1. 1GB Frame Buffer
2. Two PCBs
3. Two 65nm GPUs Total
4. 256 Stream Processors Total

All of the information here comes from sources overseas that we consider trustworthy. Obviously there are some specifications that could be a bit more clear, especially on the memory bus. We would expect to see two 768MB frame buffers per GPU here, but that is not what is spelled out. We are guessing 512MB per GPU currently.

Pics at Tech-Dump

GeForce 9800 GX2 Exclusive Pics & Specs - www.Tech-Dump.com

[Peter.Cort]

so is that quad sli as in sli with 2 cards, each with 2 gpu's so its quad sli?

also what kind of effect do stream processors do, because the 3850/70's have 320... also they are 55nm. but in terms of overall i believe they can't really stand up to this, unless ATI can release the 3850/70 x2 sometime soon and do a bit of beefing up on it..

[NosBoost300]

meh.. i'm not too impressed here... they're pretty much shoving 2 8800gts 512mb's together... why call it a 9 series if its not even anything new

i was looking forward to this card, but i think i'll pass

we'll just see crappy Quad SLi drivers again...

[Drizzt]

i think ill stick with my 8800 gt's....

[Apokalipse]

30% better?
not worth it, IMO.

[Wildside]

Originally Posted by Apokalipse

30% better?
not worth it, IMO.

30% isnt that big to u? Sounds pretty big, but only benchmarks will show if Nvidia proves that it is 30% better. I just have regards is to if the HD 3870 x2 can truely beat this 9800 GX2, but i do see it struggle in AA n AF only if AMD still cant solve the problem by now. I mean, ya sure u can think of it as 2 RV670s stuck on one PCB but then y do they call it R680? It must have 2 R680 or both GPUs really r 2 RV670s = R680.

[aaronkupen]

Looks like we are going to have to wait for the 10 series to play crysis on max now. *sigh for technology

[Apokalipse]

Originally Posted by Wildside

30% isnt that big to u?

No, it isn't that big to me. Considering it is running two GPU's, each one which should be about as fast as an 8800 GTX
I think I'll prefer dual RV670 GPU's.

I don't know whether 3870 X2's will be faster than a 9800 GX2, but I would expect they will be cheaper, and use less power. And they would at the very least be close to its performance.

[Drizzt]

Ya, 30% is big though... but i know what your saying apok... you would think the two gpu's would make a way bigger diffrence...

[NosBoost300]

agreed.. being in one slot, i would think it would have better communication going on, and yield better results... but womp womp womp.. we have yet another failure from nvidia...