iXBT Labs - Leadtek GeForce 9500GT, 9800 GTX+, GTX 260/280 - Page 1: Introduction, graphics cards

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Today we have an opportunity to examine some of the latest Leadtek products. In fact, the company customized only the 9500GT series. Other cards are reference products with Leadtek stickers.

Graphics cards

Leadtek WinFast PX9500GT 512MB GDDR2
GPU: GeForce 9500GT (G96) Interface: PCI-Express x16 GPU frequencies (ROPs/Shaders): 550/1400 MHz (nominal -- 550/1400 MHz) Memory frequencies (physical (effective)): 500 (1000) MHz (nominal -- 800 (1600) MHz) Memory bus width: 128bit Vertex processors: - Pixel processors: - Unified processors: 32 Texture processors: 16 ROPs: 8 Dimensions: 180x100x15 mm (the last figure is max. thickness) PCB color: green RAMDACs/TDMS: integrated into GPU Output connectors: 1xDVI (Dual-Link), 1xVGA, TV-Out VIVO: not available TV-out: integrated into GPU Multi-GPU operation: SLI (Hardware)
Leadtek WinFast GTX280 1024MB
GPU: GeForce GTX 280 (GT200) Interface: PCI-Express x16 GPU frequencies (ROPs/Shaders): 600/1300 MHz (nominal -- 600/1300 MHz) Memory frequencies (physical (effective)): 1100 (2200) MHz (nominal -- 1100 (2200) MHz) Memory bus width: 512bit Vertex processors: - Pixel processors: - Unified processors: 240 Texture processors: 80 (BLF/TLF) ROPs: 32 Dimensions: 270x100x33 mm (the last figure is max. thickness) 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 WinFast PX9500GT 512MB GDDR3
GPU: GeForce 9500GT (G96) Interface: PCI-Express x16 GPU frequencies (ROPs/Shaders): 550/1400 MHz (nominal -- 550/1400 MHz) Memory frequencies (physical (effective)): 800 (1600) MHz (nominal -- 800 (1600) MHz) Memory bus width: 128bit Vertex processors: - Pixel processors: - Unified processors: 32 Texture processors: 16 ROPs: 8 Dimensions: 200x100x15 mm (the last figure is max. thickness) PCB color: green RAMDACs/TDMS: integrated into GPU Output connectors: 2xDVI (Dual-Link), TV-Out VIVO: not available TV-out: integrated into GPU Multi-GPU operation: SLI (Hardware)
Leadtek WinFast GTX260 (192sp) 896MB
GPU: GeForce GTX 260 (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: 448bit Vertex processors: - Pixel processors: - Unified processors: 192 Texture processors: 64 (BLF/TLF) ROPs: 24 Dimensions: 270x100x33 mm (the last figure is max. thickness) 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 WinFast PX9800GTX+ 512MB
GPU: GeForce 9800 GTX (G92) Interface: PCI-Express x16 GPU frequencies (ROPs/Shaders): 738/1836 MHz (nominal -- 738/1836 MHz) Memory frequencies (physical (effective)): 1100 (2200) MHz (nominal -- 1100 (2200) MHz) Memory bus width: 256bit Vertex processors: - Pixel processors: - Unified processors: 128 Texture processors: 64 (BLF/TLF) ROPs: 16 Dimensions: 270x100x32 mm (the last figure is max. thickness) PCB color: black RAMDACs/TDMS: integrated into GPU Output connectors: 2xDVI (Dual-Link/HDMI), TV-Out VIVO: not available TV-out: integrated into GPU Multi-GPU operation: SLI (Hardware)

Leadtek WinFast PX9500GT 512MB GDDR2
The graphics card has 512 MB of GDDR2 SDRAM allocated in four chips on the front side of the PCB. Infineon memory chips (GDDR2). These memory chips are designed for the maximum frequency of 500 (1000) MHz.
Leadtek WinFast GTX280 1024MB
The graphics card has 1024 MB of GDDR3 SDRAM allocated in 16 chips (eight chips on each side of the PCB.) Hynix memory chips (GDDR3). These memory chips are designed for the maximum frequency of 1200 (2400) MHz.
Leadtek WinFast GTX260 (192sp) 896MB
The graphics card has 896 MB of GDDR3 SDRAM allocated in 14 chips (seven chips on each side of the PCB.) Hynix memory chips (GDDR3). These memory chips are designed for the maximum frequency of 1200 (2400) MHz.
Leadtek WinFast PX9500GT 512MB GDDR3
The graphics card has 512 MB of GDDR3 SDRAM allocated in eight chips on the front and back sides of the PCB. Qimonda memory chips (GDDR3). These memory chips are designed for the maximum frequency of 1000 (2000) MHz.
Leadtek WinFast PX9800GTX+ 512MB
The graphics card has 512 MB of GDDR3 SDRAM allocated in eight chips on the front side of the PCB. Samsung memory chips (GDDR3). These memory chips are designed for the maximum frequency of 1200 (2400) MHz.

Comparison with the reference design, front view
Leadtek WinFast GTX280 1024MB	Reference NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280

Leadtek WinFast GTX260 (192sp) 896MB	Reference NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260

Leadtek WinFast PX9500GT 512MB GDDR2	Reference NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GT

Leadtek WinFast PX9500GT 512MB GDDR3

Leadtek WinFast PX9800GTX+ 512MB	Reference NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GTX

Comparison with the reference design, back view
Leadtek WinFast GTX280 1024MB	Reference NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280

Leadtek WinFast GTX260 (192sp) 896MB	Reference NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260

Leadtek WinFast PX9500GT 512MB GDDR2	Reference NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GT

Leadtek WinFast PX9500GT 512MB GDDR3

Leadtek WinFast PX9800GTX+ 512MB	Reference NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GTX

As I have already mentioned, three products out of five (GTX 280/260, 9800 GTX+) are just reference cards. So we shall not examine them in full detail.

But both modifications of the 9500GT have original design. For one, we'd like to complain that the manufacturer has again rolled out two cards with the same name. Moreover, they don't use suffixes to show their different memory, so the manufacturer has to mention memory type in the card name. For two, I don't understand why 9500GT GDDR3 has such a sophisticated design, the card is too expensive compared to its competitors. Besides, why use 8 memory chips of lower capacity instead of just 4 chips with a 128-bit bus? Can it be that eight 512Mbit chips are cheaper than four 1024Mbit chips? I'm not sure. So I don't get the whole idea behind it. The design of the GDDR2 modification is obvious, as it's also similar to the reference design to some degree.

Don't forget that 9500GT products cost less than 80 USD, so their manufacturing costs must be very low.

All cards have original TV-Out interfaces that require a special adapter to output video to a TV set via S-Video or RCA.

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

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 of HDTV, a review is available here.

All of these cards but GeForce 9500GT require additional power sources, so each is bundled with a molex to 6-pin (or 8-pin) adapter, even though all modern PSUs are equipped with such cables.

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