MSI was kind enough to provide us with their fastest graphics card, and we made sure to put it through its paces. The card in question is the GeForce 9800 GX2 version. The card we received runs at reference speeds of 600MHz, but MSI also offers an overclocked version running at 660MHz, and it's not too pricey, either. The GeForce 9800 GX2's memory runs at 2000MHz effectively with the shaders running at 1500MHz. This can be seen as a SLI setup of two GeForce 9800 GTX cards with the only difference that the clock speeds have been adjusted to run in a dual mode configuration. On that aspect it is the fastest single card graphics solution currently available, though featuring two graphics cores. - FudZilla

MSI GeForce 9800 GX2 1GB Graphics Version Review

The sticker is the only thing that sets it apart from reference design. So, we have a dual slot, dual GPU card, and it seems that high-end cards packing two GPU's are already a common practice. So, the GeForce 9800 GX2 features 256 stream processors and a 1GB frame buffer, meaning 512MB per graphics core. Although this card is basically two cards in one, the end user won't have to worry, because they are neatly packed in a metal case that looks really nice. In order to provide appropriate airflow, the card has a couple of air inlets covered with metal grills, and a large outlet on the upper side of the graphics card.

The fans aren't loud in idle mode, but during gaming we could easily hear them. We recently ran Quad SLI on an EVGA nForce 780i motherboard, where the fan speed is automatically set to a lower value, but the card overheated so we had to resort to manual settings. This never happened to us before, but MSI GeForce 9800 GX2 graphics card takes care of that by automatically regulating the fan speed, based on the actual temperatures on the card. All in all, the card wasn't too loud as long as you keep it under temperatures of 80°C, and we managed to do that while the fan was running okay and not at maximum level.

With plenty of memory and 256-bit memory interface, the GeForce 9800 GX2 card is ready to tackle high definition video, and it also supports PureVideo HD technology. This new G92 GPU will handle video acceleration and video post-processing, leaving the CPU free to do other important tasks. According to the specs, this card shouldn't draw more than 197W, and a 580W power supply is recommended for one card and 850W for two GeForce 9800 GX2 cards. You should make sure whether your card features an 8-pin PCI Express power connector, because you'll need it and another 6-pin connector.

MSI's card is, just like all the rest of the GeForce 9800 GX2 cards, worth the investment, and no matter how much we complain this is the fastest card money can buy. Still, overclocked versions of this card might be a better deal, since reference MSI is not overly overclocking friendly. All in all, this is a great card that'll cost you slightly more than $550, and it will make you never switch to medium detail setting ever again. We recommend this card to anyone who craves top performance and can afford it.