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ATI RD580: Dual x16 Crossfire Preview

 by Wesley Fink on November 16, 2005 3:00 AM EST
52 Comments | Add A Comment
52 Comments

Performance: X1800XT Crossfire vs. nVidia 7800GTX SLI

We were pretty excited as we ran a head-to-head of ATI X1800XT Crossfire (5.11 Drivers) on the ATI RD580 Dual x16 to nVidia 7800GTX SLI (81.87 drivers) on the Asus A8N32-SLI Deluxe Dual x16. This is, after all, the comparison everyone would like to make if all the parts were available. Unfortunately ATI asked us not to publish specific benchmarks since RD580 and Crossfire x1800XT have not been officially released and there may be more changes before the products launch. However, we will talk about relative performance after detailing the setup and some new findings.

ATI was roundly criticized for the inability of X850XT Crossfire to run at resolutions above 1600x1200, even though most end-users are not actually able to run at higher resolutions with today's most common 19" and 20" flat-panel displays. We confirmed that the new compositor chips used in X1800XT Crossfire do indeed run fine in Crossfire mode at 2048x1536. ATI tells us there is no limitation in the X1800XT compositor that would prevent even higher resolutions from working as they should.

While the exact performance results achieved comparing X1800XT Crossfire with 7800GTX SLI can not yet be published, we can tell you we benchmarked with F.E.A.R., Quake 4, Splinter Cell - Chaos Theory, Doom 3, Far Cry, and 3DMark05 at 1600x1200 resolution with 4X AA and 8X AF enabled. ATI X1800XT Crossfire won every benchmark over nVidia 7800GTX SLI in these tests.

We also ran standard scores (1024x768) for Aquamark 3, 3Dmark03, and 3Dmark05. Once again Crossfire X1800XT outperformed nVidia 7800GTX SLI in every benchmark.

We then ran all the same tests in single video mode, comparing a single X1800XT on the ATI RD580 to a single 7800GTX on the Asus A8N32-SLI. Benchmarks were run under the same conditions as Crossfire/SLI - 1600x1200/4xAA/8xAF in games and "standard" scores in 3Dmarks and Aquamark 3. Once again the ATI X1800XT on the RD580 was the winner in every benchmark. It is clear the new 5.11 drivers do make a difference in Open GL games like Quake 4 and Doom 3. Even more exciting, the RD580/X1800XT Crossfire will be a potent graphics combination.

There is no doubt that the nVidia 7800GTX 512MB, which everyone expected would launch 2 days ago as a 7800GTX Ultra, would likely win a head-to-head performance test as single or SLI when compared with the single X1800XT or Crossfire. However, ATI clearly believes the competitor for X1800XT is the $499 7800GTX and not the $700 7800GTX 512MB. ATI was quite clear they will be introducing a "PE version" of X1800XT to compete with 7800GTX 512.

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  • michal1980 - Wednesday, November 16, 2005 - link

    ati has been late for 2 years now. the 6800gt vs the 8xx series, the 6800 series out first.
    with the 7800 series they got killed.

    the promised crossfire last year... were only starting to see it work.. on boards that cost 2x that of nivdia entry level sli (they said theres would be cheaper) the said the x18xx series would be out months ago... well about 6 months later and ur finally starting to see the 1800xt..

    there crossifre boards are still running with ethier the amputated southbridge, or a uli southbridge.

    ati has lately given alot of promises, but not alot to play with.

    oh and the big news that the 1800xt in cross fire can beat the 7800gtx(256) in crossfire. NO DUH. i mean it beats the 7800gtx in a single card test, so why would 2 magically be slower.


    plus why are they so dumb. isn't there next grahpics card core the 580? now there next motherboard is a 580? WOW talk about confusion... or maybe they've lost there minds and the whole time we thought the 580 was the next gen card, but in fact its just another motherboards.

    WOW ati... i owned your stuff, but right now your on the suckage path

    a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

    i can play with 7800gtx sli, or gtx512 sli. i can play with a 32lane motherboard (a8n32)...

    i can only dream of ati xfire

  • MDme - Wednesday, November 16, 2005 - link

    I think the article was meant to show that ATI still has a fighting chance considering that the X1800XT exceeds the 7800GTX in ALL benchmarks (including nVidia strongholds like doom3 and quake4). Obviously it will also win in the SLI/CF tests. I think this is really quite some news in the ultra-highend segment where most enthusiasts play.

    It also gives us the question of will the X1800XT PE beat the 7800GTX 512, head to head.

    Now, if only ATI can actually get the products to the market before nVidia comes up with something faster.

    Competition is good. If not for competition, we will still be typing on our AMD K6-III 700MHz with 512MB SDRAM and a GF2 with 64 mb VRAM. :)

  • Megatomic - Wednesday, November 16, 2005 - link

    Wesley, do you know if ATI is planning to release an analogue to the NF4 Ultra, i.e. a high performance motherboard with only one slot for PCI-e graphics cards?

  • Wesley Fink - Wednesday, November 16, 2005 - link

    The Sapphire "Grouper" we reviewed is on sale in Europe, buit it never made it to the US. It is also very expensive - more expensive than the Asus Crossfire whose review will post early next week. We are told there will likley be a couple of more "Grouper" boards, but we haven't seen them yet. MSI will release a full range of Crossfire chipset boards from full blown to basic - but we do not know yet which boards will reach the US and European markets.

  • Megatomic - Thursday, November 17, 2005 - link

    Well, I'd dearly love to see a highend RS580 mobo. I might even go for an RS480 if it ever gets paired with SB600.

  • tuteja1986 - Wednesday, November 16, 2005 - link

    I think ATI will take lead next year... This year was totally bad for them! just like NVIDIA had a bad year with Geforce 5800U.. Anyways ATI is good position for the future and we should see some great competition.

  • Jedi2155 - Wednesday, November 16, 2005 - link

    If it can beat the 7800 GTX in all tests then it certainly peaks my interest in the duo. Although if this is what they can do with their *failed* (my opinion) R520...just imagine the R580 :O.

  • Cygni - Wednesday, November 16, 2005 - link

    ATI just seems a little late to the party with each of their releases, and then once finally officially launched, even later to actually get to market.

    I wish em the best, but i dont even think the (possible) overclocking abilities and x16 Crossfire option will truly get people up to buy the board unless it dips into the $100 range that the SLI boards are now sitting in.

  • n7 - Wednesday, November 16, 2005 - link

    Hawt!

    The more competition, the better.

    Also, i really do think that it's only a matter of time before the ATi chipset is superior to nVidia's offerings.

    Now we just have to wait, something no one likes to do...

  • Calin - Wednesday, November 16, 2005 - link

    because the nVidia will develop new things for themselves. nVidia won't stay idle when ATI chipsets (graphic or otherwise) eat at their performance advantage
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