On the example of Leadtek GeForce GTX 285 1024MB DDR3 (650/1475/2500 MHz).

Price: Newegg, Amazon.

Features:

• GPU: GeForce GTX 285 (GT200)
• Memory: 1024 MB GDDR3 SDRAM in 16 Hynix chips on the front side; 1250 (2500) MHz peak clock rate
• Interface: PCIe x16
• GPU (ROPs/Shaders) clock rate: 650/1475 MHz (nominal)
• Memory clock rate, physical (effective): 1250 (2500) MHz (nominal)
• Bus width: 512-bit
• Vertex processors: -
• Pixel processors: -
• Unified processors: 240
• Texture processors: 80 (BLF/TLF)
• ROPs: 32
• Size: 270x100x33 mm
• PCB color: black
• RAMDACs/TDMS: on the separate NVIO chip
• Outputs: 2 x DVI (Dual-Link/HDMI), TV-out (integrated into GPU)
• VIVO: -
• Multi-GPU: Hardware SLI

As you can see, the manufacturer hasn't just replaced the core by a new one that is cheaper to produce. The company has completely changed PCB layout, having moved all 16 memory chips to the front. For this reason such cards do not need a back heatsink/cover anymore. The cooler has remained the same, but it now serves the front only. This made circuitry more complex and increased PCB cost, but now all memory chips are cooled equally. This is important, because in this case memory works almost at its peak frequency, while GTX 280 had lower clock rates.

Remember that the card is 270 mm long, like 8800 GTX/Ultra, so your enclosure has to have enough space for it. Also note the card cover's width that remains the same along its length. For this reason, the motherboard should have no ports or high capacitors within 30mm behind the PCI-E x16 slot (and this implies the neighbouring slot as well).

This card can receive an audio stream from a sound card to transmit it via a DVI-to-HDMI adapter. If this feature is important for you, make sure the adapter is bundled.

This card has one 6-pin and one 8-pin power connectors.

Maximum resolutions and frequencies:

• 240 Hz maximum refresh rate
• 2048 x 1536 x 32bit @ 85Hz Max - analog interface
• 2560 x 1600 @ 60Hz Max - digital interface (all Dual-Link DVIs)

The HDTV review is available here.

Write a comment below. No registration needed!