Today NVIDIA is unveiling the GeForce 9800 GX2, which replaces the GeForce 8800 Ultra as their most powerful graphics processor. Last generations GeForce 8 qeries has been NVIDIA's most successful GPU to date as gamers who invested in the high-end GeForce 8800 GTS and GTX graphics card have enjoyed well over a year of top-notch 3D performance and image quality to match. The GeForce 9 qeries officially launched last month with the debut of the mid-range GeForce 9600 GT. Without any knowledge of the remaining GeForce 9 based GPU's that NVIDIA will launch, the GeForce 9800 GX2 appears to be destined as their high-end GeForce 9 series offering for the time being. - nV News

NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GX2 1GB Edition Board Review

What makes the GeForce 9800 GX2 unique is that it features two GPU's working in tandem on a single graphics card. However, unlike the architecture of a dual core processor, where one of the cores may be idle, the GPU's on the GeForce 9800 GX2 are fully utilized when they operate in SLI or multi-GPI mode. The GeForce 9800 GX2 is reminiscent of the GeForce 7950 GX2, which launched in June of 2006. One of our systems still uses the GeForce 7950 GX2, although it is primarily being used to play some games. As with the GeForce 7950 GX2, the GeForce 9800 GX2 relies on SLI to achieve maximum performance.

As you might know SLI was originally introduced as a technology to scale 3D performance by employing the services of a second graphics card and has evolved into the capability to use a third graphics card in forming a 3-Way SLI configuration with the GeForce 8800 GTX or Ultra. The Quad SLI, which employs four GPU's, became a reality with the GeForce 7950 GX2 and second generation technology will be supported by the GeForce 9800 GX2. Second generation Quad SLI relies of 4-way alternate frame rendering, which will provide optimal performance scaling under DirectX and OpenGL applications.

Although the GeForce 9800 GX2 relies on SLI technology, it is confined to a single graphics card and thus makes it a high-end solution for motherboards with AMD and Intel chipsets. Perhaps the most important specification to pay attention to is the amount of graphics memory. Although the GeForce 9800 GX2 features a total of 1GB, each GPU is allocated 512MB. Both the GeForce 8800 GTX and Ultra feature 768MB of graphics memory, which can provide a significant edge in performance over graphics cards that have 512MB of memory at extremely high resolutions, texture detail settings, and levels of anti-aliasing.

The GeForce 9800 GX2 is a solid offering from NVIDIA and EVGA and XFX have delivered excellent products based on NVIDIA's reference design. Unfortunatly, there are a few negatives that will keep it from receiving a higher quotation at this time. First is that most folks will likely need to purchase a new and expensive power supply. The second is the launch price, which we expect to drop, is too high as one can pick up a couple of GeForce 9600 GT graphics card for $320. Perhaps the most limiting factor with a high-end GPU such as the GeForce 9800 GX2 is that each GPU is limited to 512MB of graphics memory.