NVIDIA GeForce GTS 250: A Rebadged 9800 GTX+
by Derek Wilson on March 3, 2009 3:00 AM EST- Posted in
- GPUs
Final Words
If we focus on what is likely to be the target resolution of 1680x1050, the Radeon HD 4850 ties its direct competition, the GTS 250 512MB, the Radeon HD 4850 leads more often than it trails or loses. The 1GB GTS 250 does edge out the 4850 in one more benchmark, but it does cost $20 more and we haven't tested the 1GB 4850 which might make the difference.
We've recommended the 4850 over the 9800 GTX+ in the past, and we'll continue to do so now that it's called the GTS 250. But the extra memory does help out, especially if the card is to be used for 1920x1200 on a budget (or maybe with an HDTV).
Power consumption is an advantage the GTS 250 1GB holds. The new board design is only required on the 1GB model, and board vendors may opt for the new design on their 512MB parts, but they may also stick with their current 9800 GTX+ designs. We expect that at first the 512MB GTS 250 will more closely resemble the 9800 GTX+. This does mean we are left with the oddity of the 1GB part drawing less power than the 512MB part for now. Once we get a 512MB version with the new board revision we'll have to take another look at power draw.
The GTS 250 1GB is a better option than it's 512MB brother, and it's also a better option than the 4850 based on our tests. It isn't a game changing difference, but its an edge nonetheless. Is the added performance worth the extra $20? That has to come down to the individual gamer.
UPDATE: We are hearing rumblings of a price drop for the Radeon HD 4870 512MB to $150, and if this happens, there will be no contest between the two. AMD will handily lead at the $150 price if they can get their partners to adjust the price down this much. But doing this would also eat into the market for the 4850, as the jump in value for the extra money would be way more than worth it. Spending $150 over $130 (for either the 4850 or GTS 250) and getting the performance jump from the 4870 is just a no brainer. With the extra RAM, not even the 1GB GTS 250 can compete with the 4870, so IF we see the price adjustment THEN the GTS 250 1GB will be a non-starter. Without this price adjustment, our conclusion stands as is.
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SiliconDoc - Saturday, March 21, 2009 - link
Thanks for going completely nutso (already knew you were anyway), and not having any real counterpoint to EVERYTHING I've said.Face the truth, and stop spamming.
A two year old with a red diaper rash bottom can drool and scream.
Epic fail.
kx5500 - Thursday, March 5, 2009 - link
Shut the *beep* up f aggot, before you get your face bashed in and cut
to ribbons, and your throat slit.
Baov - Thursday, March 5, 2009 - link
Does this thing do hybridpower like the 9800gtx+? Will it completly power down?san1s - Wednesday, March 4, 2009 - link
"365 wwwwwelll no but how old is the g92 regardless of die size.. g80?lol?"
if you think all the changes that went from g80 to g92b were insignificant, then I guess you'll think that the difference from an intel x6800 and an eo stepping e8400 is meaningless too. I mean, they are both around 3 Ghz right? and they both say core 2, so that means that they're the same./sarcasm off. I'm not going to continue with this any further- if you don't get it, then you'll never will. The gpu in the 9800 GTX+ was released last summer, over half a year ago, but not quite a year.
"at all resoutions?"
at all the resolutions that a educated person purchasing a midrange video card plays at. Mid range card= midrange monitor. You don't mix high end with low end or midrange components as that will result in bottlenecking. Anyway, the difference between 8 and 12 FPS @ 2560 by 1600 are meaningless as they are not playable anyway.
"i wouldnt say $50 would stop me from getting a 260 it is at least a newer arch. or ahem a 1gb 4870.
what if they do have a 9800/250... well if they look at the power #'s for sli in this article they'd definately reconsider"
not everyone has the luxury to overshoot their budget on a single component by $50 and call it insignificant.
"most people don't care enough to engage in this activity"
lol. How would they ever get their custom built PCs to work without knowing a bit of background info? Give a normal person a bunch of components and lets see how far they get without knowing anything about PCs. If you don't know your hardware you shouldn't be building computers anyway. I personally wouldn't go out and buy tires by myself if I were up change them myself without researching. I don't have a clue about tire sizes, and I as sure as hell won't buy new tires without researching just because I don't care for that activity.
"and what about option #3 buy ati?"
That's not what I was talking about. Consumers should support all the sides of competition to drive prices down, not just only ati or only nvidia. What I meant was people blaming nvidia for their own mistakes. There is a gap in the current line of nvidia gpus, and to fill it, what would be the best way while maintaining performance relative to the price and naming bracket?
SiliconDoc - Wednesday, March 18, 2009 - link
Good response, you aren't a fanboy, but the idiots can't tell. You put the slap on the little fanboys COMPLAINT.This is an article about the GTS250, and the whining little fanboy red wailers come on and whine and cry about it.
To respond to their FUD and straighten out their kookball distorted lies IS NOT BEING A FANBOY.
You did a good job trying to straighten out the poor ragers noggin.
As for the other whiners agreeing "fan boys go away" - if they DON'T LIKE the comments, don't read 'em. They both added ZERO to the discussion, other than being the easy, lame, smart aleck smarmers that pretended to be above the fray, but dove into the gutter whining not about the review, but about fellow enthusiasts commenting on it - and I'm GLAD to join them.
I hope "they go away" - and YOU, keep slapping the whiners about nvidia right where they need it - upside the yapping text lies and stupidity.
Thank you for doing it, actually, I appreciate it.
SiliconDoc - Wednesday, March 18, 2009 - link
PS - as for the red fanboy that did the review, I guess he thought he was doing a "dual gpu review".I suppose "the point" of having all the massive dual gpu scores above the GTS250 - was to show "how lousy it is" - and to COVER UP the miserable failure of the 4850 against it.
Keep the GTS250 at OR NEAR 'the bottom of every benchmark"...
( Well, now there's another hint as to why Derek gets DISSED when it comes to getting NVidia cards from Nvidia - his bias is the same and WORSE than the red fan boy commenters - AND NVIDIA KNOWS IT AS WELL AS I DO.)
Thanks for the "dual gpu's review".
Totally - Thursday, March 5, 2009 - link
Dear fanboys,Go away.
Love,
Totally
Hxx - Thursday, March 5, 2009 - link
lol best post gj TotallySeriously, 3 main steps to buy the righ card:
1. look at benchmarks
2. buy the cheapest card with playable fps in the games u play
3. don't think its future proof - none of them are.
Mikey - Wednesday, March 4, 2009 - link
Is this even worth the money? In terms of value, would the 4870 be the one to get?http://findaerialequipment.com/">aerial lifts ftw
Nfarce - Wednesday, March 4, 2009 - link
Mikey, the 4870 is the way to go in just about all scenarios. Search AnandTech's report from last fall on the 4870 1GB under the Video/Graphics section. The GeForce 260/216 is still more and performs lower. Normally I'm an Nvidia fanboy, but in this segment where I'm purchasing, it's ATI/AMD hands down no questions asked.