iXBT Labs - NVIDIA GeForce GTX 285 240sp 1024MB

Card specifications and design

And now let's examine the cards.

Zotac GeForce GTX 295 2x896MB
GPU: 2 x GeForce GTX 280 (GT200) Interface: PCI-Express x16 GPU frequencies (ROPs/Shaders): 575/1240 MHz (nominal -- 575/1240 MHz) Memory frequencies (physical (effective)): 1000 (2000) MHz (nominal -- 1000 (2000) MHz) Memory bus width: 2 x 448bit Vertex processors: - Pixel processors: - Unified processors: 2 x 240 Texture processors: 2 x 96 (BLF/TLF) ROPs: 2 x 32 Dimensions: 270x100x33mm (the last figure is maximum thickness of the graphics card). PCB color: black RAMDACs/TDMS: in a separate NVIO chip. Output connectors: 2xDVI (Dual-Link/HDMI), HDMI, TV-out. VIVO: not available TV-out: not installed. Multi-GPU operation: internal SLI (Hardware). External SLI is supported (Quad-SLI)
Zotac GeForce GTX 285 AMP! Edition 1024MB
GPU: GeForce GTX 285 (GT200) Interface: PCI-Express x16 GPU frequencies (ROPs/Shaders): 700/1512 MHz (nominal -- 650/1475 MHz) Memory frequencies (physical (effective)): 1250 (2500) MHz (nominal -- 1250 (2500) MHz) Memory bus width: 512bit Vertex processors: - Pixel processors: - Unified processors: 240 Texture processors: 80 (BLF/TLF) ROPs: 32 Dimensions: 270x100x33mm (the last figure is maximum thickness of the graphics card). PCB color: black RAMDACs/TDMS: in a separate NVIO chip. Output connectors: 2xDVI (Dual-Link/HDMI), TV-out. VIVO: not available TV-out: integrated into GPU. Multi-GPU operation: SLI (Hardware).
Leadtek GeForce GTX 285 1024MB
GPU: GeForce GTX 285 (GT200) Interface: PCI-Express x16 GPU frequencies (ROPs/Shaders): 650/1475 MHz (nominal -- 650/1475 MHz) Memory frequencies (physical (effective)): 1250 (2500) MHz (nominal -- 1250 (2500) MHz) Memory bus width: 512bit Vertex processors: - Pixel processors: - Unified processors: 240 Texture processors: 80 (BLF/TLF) ROPs: 32 Dimensions: 270x100x33mm (the last figure is maximum thickness of the graphics card). PCB color: black RAMDACs/TDMS: in a separate NVIO chip. Output connectors: 2xDVI (Dual-Link/HDMI), TV-out. VIVO: not available TV-out: integrated into GPU. Multi-GPU operation: SLI (Hardware).
Gigabyte GeForce GTX 285 1024MB
GPU: GeForce GTX 285 (GT200) Interface: PCI-Express x16 GPU frequencies (ROPs/Shaders): 650/1475 MHz (nominal -- 650/1475 MHz) Memory frequencies (physical (effective)): 1250 (2500) MHz (nominal -- 1250 (2500) MHz) Memory bus width: 512bit Vertex processors: - Pixel processors: - Unified processors: 240 Texture processors: 80 (BLF/TLF) ROPs: 32 Dimensions: 270x100x33mm (the last figure is maximum thickness of the graphics card). PCB color: black RAMDACs/TDMS: in a separate NVIO chip. Output connectors: 2xDVI (Dual-Link/HDMI), TV-out. VIVO: not available TV-out: integrated into GPU. Multi-GPU operation: SLI (Hardware).

Zotac GeForce GTX 295 2x896MB
The graphics card has 2 x 896MB of GDDR3 SDRAM allocated in 14 Hynix GDDR3 chips (7 per each PCB). These memory chips are designed for the maximum frequency of 1250 (2500) MHz.
Zotac GeForce GTX 285 AMP! Edition 1024MB Leadtek GeForce GTX 285 1024MB Gigabyte GeForce GTX 285 1024MB
Each graphics card has 1024MB of GDDR3 SDRAM in 16 Hynix GDDR3 chips on the PCB front side. These memory chips are designed for the maximum frequency of 1250 (2500) MHz.

Comparison with the reference design, front view
Zotac GeForce GTX 295 2x896MB	Reference NVIDIA GeForce GTX 295 2x896MB

Zotac GeForce GTX 285 AMP! Edition 1024MB	Reference NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280 1024MB

Leadtek GeForce GTX 285 1024MB

Gigabyte GeForce GTX 285 1024MB

Comparison with the reference design, back view
Zotac GeForce GTX 295 2x896MB	Reference NVIDIA GeForce GTX 295 2x896MB

Zotac GeForce GTX 285 AMP! Edition 1024MB	Reference NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280 1024MB

Leadtek GeForce GTX 285 1024MB

Gigabyte GeForce GTX 285 1024MB

These cards use a GPU, which is no different from GTX 280, it's just manufactured by the 55nm process technology, and so it's named GTX 285.

The manufacturer not just installed a newer cheaper graphics core, but also modified the PCB design, having moved all 16 memory chips to the front side. That's why these cards are not equipped with a rear heatsink, which made the GTX 280 clad in the cooling system. GTX 285 comes with the same cooler, but only on the front side. It complicated the PCB layout and made the board more expensive, of course. But now all memory chips are cooled in the same way (with a cooler). It's very important for memory chips operating almost at their maximum frequency, while GTX 280 had them work at lower frequencies.

I'll stress the important point once again: The card is 270mm long, just like the 8800 GTX/Ultra. So a PC case should be large enough to accommodate this device. Besides, card width is the the same along the card, so a motherboard should have at least 30mm behind the PCI-E x16 slot free of ports or high capacitors. That is, not only behind the PCI-E slot, but also behind the neighboring slot.

Graphics cards of this series feature soundcard connectors for transmitting audio stream to HDMI (via a DVI-to-HDMI adapter). That is, the graphics card does not have an audio codec, but it receives audio signal from an external sound card. So, if this feature is important to you, make sure the bundle contains a special audio cable.

Also note that this graphics card has two 6-pin power connectors, while GTX 280 has 6-pin and 8-pin connectors. This has become possible thanks to the lower power consumption of its 55nm GPU.

An analog monitor with a D-Sub (VGA) interface can be connected by means of a special DVI-to-D-Sub adapter. The bundle also includes a DVI-to-HDMI adapter (these graphics cards support video/audio output to HDMI receivers), so there should be no problems with such a monitor.

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)

As for HDTV, a review is available here.

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