PCI-E Champions League: Leadtek PX6800Ultra VS GeCube RX850 XT

Introduction

Although the number of real owners of these cards to date is as few as fingers on your hands, the issue of performance is of concern to all - both consumers and industry theorists. And reviewers, of course. The situation turns especially acute when it comes to comparing two flagship models by both companies - industry leaders in the sphere of graphic processors manufacture.

Some time ago, we published a similar material - Gigabyte GeForce 6800Ultra VS ASUS AX800 XT: total Deathmatch, and it's now turn for PCI-E solutions of the "Ultrahigh-end" class - GeForce 6800Ultra and Radeon X850XT. Both the cards are equipped with 256 MB of video memory with a 256-bit data transmission bus, with the chips made following the 0.13-mk process technology (in Х850ХТ - 0.13 low-k), and offer the equal number of pixel pipelines/vertex units - 16/6, respectively.

The difference are primarily about support for the PCI-E, because in 6800Ultra (NV45) support is implemented via the High-Speed Interconnect (HSI) bridge, and Х850ХТ offers native support for the PCI-E interface. The second significant distinction is in the standard operating frequencies - 425/1100MHz in GeForce 6800Ultra, and 520/1080MHz - in Radeon X850XT.

Note that among the line of products based on the Canadian company's Radeon Х850ХТ chips is not the most powerful solution of the PCI-E line. There is also the Platinum Edition (PE) version which differs from the card being reviewed by frequencies - the core frequency has been raised by 20MHz and amounts to 540MHz, and the memory frequency compared to Х850ХТ has been raised by 100MHz (and amounts to 1180MHz DDR, respectively). Plus a more powerful dual-slot cooling system. We believe almost any X850XT can be turned to a PE - for that, the card should be overclocked, which we'll verify today.

GeForce 6800Ultra PCI-E was announced earlier, but for a long time it seemed an absolutely phantom product because very very few had the chance of holding even the reference card in the hands, let alone the partners' produce based on this chip. All an all, we were "hunting" the Ultra version of the PCI-E for very long and without success.

But from time to time price-lists of some western shops displayed 6800Ultra PCI-E cards, all reference to the very marrow of the bones judging by the photo enclosed.

Finally, we are holding a board based on GeForce 6800Ultra (NV45) by one of NVIDIA's main partners - Leadtek which pleases us with its high-quality and powerful products, especially those on the base of GeForce 6 Series.

As regards Х850ХТ (R480), today we are reviewing a board based on this chip from GeCube's product line. Recently, we did an in-depth review of mainstream PCI-E representatives by this company, and now it's turn of the most top-end solutions.

These solutions are also interesting in that in both cases the manufacturers preferred to install own cooling systems on the boards. For the case of Leadtek, it is their "proprietary" luxurious cooling system which we already reviewed on Leadtek's AGP solutions, and GeCube pleased us with a single-slot copper-made cooling system using heat pipes differing in the very low noise level and superb efficiency due to its design, which we are reviewing in detail a bit later.

By the way, upon a close inspection of the box for GeCube RX850 XT we found a very interesting thing - the "Editor's choice" medal granted by 3DNews, in the list of rewards. I won't hide it - that was really encouraging.

Leadtek PX6800 Ultra Layout

It goes without saying, the package bundle is very rich:

• Leadtek PX6800 Ultra video card;
• Two DVI/15-pin D-Sub adapters;
• S-Video/RCA adapter;
• Splitters for S-Video, RCA, and a splitter for additional power;
• CD with drivers and utilities;
• User's manual;
• Two popular games - Prince of Persia: Warrior Within, and Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow

First, upon external look the card is remarkable for the design of the cooling system by which we can judge that it is a high-end solution. Not only such a design is in fine harmony with the green textolyte, it is also effective - the card's temperature during the tests did not exceed 65 C (that is when overclocked and without additional blowing!).

The cooling system appears to be two separate radiators - one made of copper on the front side, and one made of copper-styled aluminum on the reverse side of the PCB. To prevent smaller onboard components from damage, the radiator in the reverse side is equipped with protective spacers. The GPU and eight video memory chips are cooled with a copper radiator covered with a lid of the engraved name, company logo, and the board model name. There is a grid on top of the fan. Also, note the very convenient fastening of the cooling system - as we remember, it was not so easy to remove and fasten the cooling system on the GeForce 6800Ultra reference card like in this case.

Owners AGP-solutions by Leadtek tried all thinkable and thinkable ways of modernizing this cooling system. Tried removing the grid at the top of the fan, the plastic housing, and even tried fitting a standard fan instead of the housing fan - all for the sake of winning a few degrees. But it seems to me that in the original version of Leadtek's cooling system copes well even with such cards like GeForce 6800Ultra, with the temperature readings being the best proof of that.

The card is equipped with 256 MB of GDDR3 memory, a 256-bit data transmission bus, in the form of eight Samsung memory circuits made in the BGA form factor, of 1.6 ns access time. This is equivalent to 625 MHz (1250 MHz DDR) of operating frequency. Originally, the memory runs at 550 MHz (1100 MHz DDR) operating frequency. All the eight video memory chips are positioned on the boards's front side.

Let's look at GeForce 6800Ultra PCI-E (NV45) made on the 44th week of year 2004, and the HSI bridge. The GPU frequency is 425MHz (in the standard version of GeForce 6800Ultra with the AGP interface, the default core frequency is 400MHz).

The card is equipped with a connector for additional power

and offers two digital outputs.

GeCube RX850 XT Layout

The board's package bundle is also quite worthy:

• GeCube RX850 XT video card;
• Two DVI/15-pin D-Sub adapters;
• S-Video/RCA adapter;
• Splitters for S-Video, RCA, VIVO;
• CD with drivers and utilities;
• User's manual;
• PowerDVD 5;
• PowerDirector 2.5 ME

The cooling system on this board differs in quite an interesting design and offers a number of advantages - to start with, it is of single-slot make unlike the XT PE version. The base of the cooling system is an integral copper plate covering the GPU and all the four video memory chips positioned on the board's front panel. In the left-hand part, there is a fan of formidable size, with the heat-spreading fins and a heat-pipe to the right. The lid here is solely a decorative element since it doesn't cover the whole structure completely. There is a GeCube logo and the card model name glued on. For the four video memory chips positioned on the board's reverse side, cooling in the form of aluminum radiators - one per each pair of chips - is provided.

The card offers 256 Mb of GDDR3 memory, with a 256-bit data transmission bus. Eight Samsung integrated circuits are made in the BGA form factor and offer 1.6 ns access time, like in the above reviewed PX6800 Ultra. But in this case the standard frequency of the video memory is 540MHz (1080MHz DDR). The memory chips are positioned in four along each side of the PCB.

The R480 graphic processor offers standard operating frequency 520MHz, as per the specifications, and was made on the 47th week of year 2004, judging by the marking on the chip.

The card offers support for the VIVO feature implemented on the ATI Rage Theater chip

The card is also equipped with a connector for additional power supply

and is equipped with two digital outputs and VIVO.

Test configuration

For benchmarking Leadtek PX6800 Ultra, we used ForceWare 71.80 of beta version, and Catalyst 5.1 WHQL - for GeCube RX850 XT.

Synthetic benchmarks

Gaming benchmarks

Overclocking

As usual, we overclocked the cards with Riva Tuner. The thermal interface on both the cards was replaced with "Alsyl-3". The benchmarking was run on an open test bench, with the ambient temperature being 27 C.

Final Words

There is a saying "When it comes to the family honor, talks about money are out of place". So, if we paraphrase it in regard to our today's material, we get "When top-end video cards are meant, money talks are irrelevant". Indeed, if somebody is willing to fork out an amount that equals the price of an "average" computer (without the monitor), we can easily assume the 50$ difference does not play a decisive part - that is not low-end or mainstream where even 30$ is quite a substantial difference.

Starting with the price, it would be logical to continue through raising the issue of performance just because that very minor percentage of users who are potential buyers of these cards regard is as of paramount importance.

But in this case nothing certain can be said regarding that because for now it is still impossible to give a one-one judgment as to which is better. Both these top-end cards demonstrate a performance which is more than enough for the games of the latest generation including the use of the most demanding quality settings.

We simply can't call the card which lost 5-7 FPS at some test a loser (e.g. if the result is 70).

But for those enthusiasts who are as rich as Rockefellers and don't mind the money but performance, we say that GeForce 6800Ultra PCI-E anyway offers one advantage that is missing in the competitor solution - the possibility of merging two 6800Ultra in the SLI.

Having mentioned that point important for getting an essential performance boost, let's move on to the totals for each of the cards tested today.

Leadtek PX6800 Ultra

The first advantage of Leadtek's solution is the cooling system which at absolutely all the parameters is beyond all praise - being a smart designer's solution, it superbly implements its major purpose (remember that the temperature of the overclocked card without using additional blowing did not exceed 65 C!). The overclocking capabilities have also proved quite worthy - 480MHz for the core, although for high-performance solutions like that overclocking is not vital at all, because even at the default frequencies both cards demonstrate excellent results.

Needless to say, the card's package bundle is very rich as it should be for a solution whose recommended (!) price is 550$.

We award Leadtek РХ6800 Ultra with our "3DNews Recommended" medal as a superb high-end solution offering support for advanced technologies and demonstrating excellent performance. You simply can't help recommending such a product. Of course, if you can make it available.

GeCube RX850 XT

At that, we again note the innovative approach to the design of the cooling system. Standing out with compact sizes as compared to the Leadtek's solution, it is not at all inferior at the efficiency due to its very smart design.

Of note are also the worthy overclocking results - the card was able to catch up with its elder sister - Platinum Edition - at frequencies, and even overtake it at the GPU speed - at the same time, it was able to achieve the 570MHz bar! At the same time, the temperature of the card did not exceed 69 C without using additional blowing (64 - at the default operating speed, which according to the modern standards is not bad at all for a card like that). The price of the card is approximately equal to that for the previous solution and starts with $550.

Of course, having awarded PX6800 Ultra with our reward, we found ourselves in a very difficult position because, as we noted above, there is almost a parity at performance, and at other parameters it is difficult to nominate a one-one winner. That is why we did an editorial polling on the matter "which would you like to take home :-)". In the totals, the vast majority were tempted by X850 XT. We also award GeCube RX850 XT with the "Editor's Choice" medal.

Therefore, having admired by these products to our hearts' contents and acquired a charge of positive emotions like fans while watching one of the decisive matches at the Cup Final or Champions' League, or "Formula 1" admirers after watching the latest grand-prix, we are coming back to the reality - back to our cars, friendly football matches on weekends in the school-yard, and to video cards of the "<$200" sector with the AGP-interface. These will be the matter of our further material.