In the test 15 years ago: The GeForce 8800 GTS 512 with the secret G92 full configuration

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With the GeForce 8800 GTS 512 (test) 15 years ago, Nvidia presented a graphics card with the full configuration of the G92 GPU, which no longer had much in common with the original GeForce 8800 GTS. Compared to GeForce 8800 GTX and Ultra, the new GTS was a balancing act between price and performance.

Table of Contents

  1. The secret full expansion of the G92
  2. High performance in low settings
  3. Conclusion

The secret full expansion of the G92

When the GeForce 8800 GT came out (tested 15 years ago), the question arose as to how the G92 GPU got 754 million transistors with only 112 shader units. Especially in comparison with the G80 GPU, which accommodated 128 shader units on 681 million transistors when fully expanded, this number seemed unusually high. The answer came with the presentation of the GeForce 8800 GTS 512, which also used the G92 GPU: The G92 GPU on the GeForce 8800 GT was not the full version, but had a deactivated shader cluster.

  1. POV GeForce 8800 GTS 512

Image 1 of 8

GeForce 8800 GTS 512 rear side
GeForce 8800 GTS 512 side view
GeForce 8800 GTS 512 Bracket
GeForce 8800 GTS 512 Cooler Rear
GeForce 8800 GTS 512 voltage converter
GeForce 8800 GTS 512 without cooler
GeForce 8800 GTS 512 GPU and Memory

The GeForce 8800 GTS 512 first came onto the market with the full configuration of the G92 GPU with all 128 shader units and thus had little in common with the original GeForce 8800 GTS with the trimmed G80 GPU with 96 shader units. With the same number of execution units and higher clock rates, but with a smaller memory interface and only 512 MB of memory, the GeForce 8800 GTX got an opponent instead.

Radeon HD 3870 GeForce 8800 GTX GeForce 8800 GTS 512 GeForce 8800 GT GeForce 8800 GTS (320 MByte) Chip RV670 G80 G92 G80 Transistors approx. 666 million approx. 681 million approx. 754 million approx nm Chip Clock 775 MHz 575 MHz 650 MHz
(700 MHz) 600 MHz 500 MHz Shader Clock 775 MHz 1350 MHz 1625 MHz
(1750 MHz) 1512 MHz 1200 MHz Pixel Pipelines – Shader Units
(MADD) 64 (5D) 128 (1D) 112 (1D) 96 (1D) FLOPs (MADD/ADD) 496 GFLOPS 518 GFLOPS 624 GFLOPS
(672 GFLOPS) 508 GFLOPS 346 GFLOPS ROPs 16 24 16 20 Pixel fill rate 12,400 MPix /s 13,800 MPix/s 10,400 MPix/s
(11,200 MPix/s) 9,600 MPix/s 10,000 MPix/s TMUs 16 64 56 48 TAUs 32 64 56 24 Texel fill rate 12,400 MTex/s 36,800 MTex/s 41,600 MTex/s,
(44,800 MTex/s) 33,600 MTex/s 24,000 MTex/s Vertex shader – Unified shader
in hardware ✓ Shader model SM 4.1 SM 4 geometry shader ✓ Amount of memory 512 MB GDDR4 768 MB GDDR3 512 MB GDDR3 640 MByte GDDR3
(320 MB GDDR3) Memory clock 1,125 MHz 900 MHz 970 MHz
(1,000 MHz) 900 MHz 800 MHz Memory interface 256 bit 384 bit 256 bit 320 bit Memory bandwidth 72,000 MB/s 86,400 MB/s 62,080 MB/s
(64,000 MB/s) 57,600 MB/s 64,000 MB/s

With a price of 299 euros, the GeForce 8800 GTS 512 was about 75 euros more expensive than a GeForce 8800 GTS (320 MB; G80 GPU), as expensive as a GeForce 8800 GTS (640 MB; G80 GPU) and 75 euros cheaper than a GeForce 8800 GTX.

High performance in low settings

In low settings – without anti-aliasing and anisotropic filtering – the GeForce 8800 GTS 512 cut an excellent figure and was even able to beat the GeForce 8800 GTX. However, the higher the settings, the worse the performance of the GeForce 8800 GTS 512 compared to the GTX and Ultra. This wasn't ideal, as the appeal of a fast graphics card was smooth rendering at high settings.

Rating

Rating – 1280×1024

    • POV 8800 GTS 512 Exo105.0
    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 Ultra102.4
    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTS 512100.0

      • < li class="chart__row">Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTX93,8

    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 GT90,6
    • ATI Radeon HD 387082,1< /li>
    • ATi Radeon HD 2900 XT82,1
    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTS70,1
    • ATi Radeon HD 385067,2
    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTS 32059.4
    • ATi Radeon X1950 XTX54.3
    • Nvidia GeForce 7950 GX248.4

      • li>

    • ATi Radeon 2600 XT X2 (3)41.0
    • Nvidia GeForce 7900 GTX39.9
    • ATi Radeon X1950 Pro35.3
    • Nvidia GeForce 7950 GT34,6
    • Nvidia GeForce 8600 GTS32,6
    • ATi Radeon HD 2600 XT (4)29,5
    • ATi Radeon HD 2600 XT (3)28.3
    • Nvidia GeForce 8600 GT25.9
    • Nvidia GeForce 7900 GS23,3
    • ATi Radeon X1650 XT22,7
    • Nvidia GeForce 7600 GT17,8
    • ATi Radeon HD 2400 XT13,7
    • Nvidia GeForce 8500 GT11.7

Unit: Percent Rating – 1600×1200

    • POV 8800 GTS 512 Exo104,0
    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 Ultra102, 9
    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTS 512100.0
    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTX94.1
    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 GT88.5
    • ATi Radeon HD 387079.9
    • ATi Radeon HD 2900 XT79.7
    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTS69, 1
    • ATi Radeon HD 385063.1
    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTS 32058.1
    • ATi Radeon X1950 XTX52.4
    • Nvidia GeForce 7950 GX244.6
    • ATI Radeon 2600 XT X2 (3)38.8
    • Nvidia GeForce 7900 GTX37.0
    • ATi Radeon X1950 Pro32.6
    • Nvidia GeForce 7950 GT31.5
    • Nvidia GeForce 8600 GTS29.9
    • ATi Radeon HD 2600 XT (4)27.5
    • ATi Radeon HD 2600 XT (3)26.2
    • Nvidia GeForce 8600 GT23.9
    • ATi Radeon X1650 XT21.0
    • Nvidia GeForce 7900 GS20.9
    • Nvidia GeForce 7600 GT15.9
    • ATi Radeon HD 2400 XT12,5
    • Nvidia GeForce 8500 GT10,6

Unit: Percent Rating – 1280×1024 4xAA/16xAF

    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 Ultra111,6
    • POV 8800 GTS 512 Exo105,4
    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTX101,3
    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTS 512100.0
    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 GT89.1
    • ATi Radeon HD 387074.9
    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTS74,7
    • ATi Radeon HD 2900 XT72,8
    • ATi Radeon X1950 XTX62,2

      • li>

    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTS 32061.6
    • ATi Radeon HD 385059.2
    • Nvidia GeForce 7950 GX242,6
    • ATi Radeon 2600 XT X2 (3)38.6
    • ATi Radeon X1950 Pro38.0
    • Nvidia GeForce 7900 GTX34.9
    • Nvidia GeForce 8600 GT34,3
    • Nvidia GeForce 7950 GT30,3
    • Nvidia GeForce 8600 GT26, 8
    • ATi Radeon HD 2600 XT (4)26.0
    • ATi Radeon HD 2600 XT (3)24.9
    • ATi Radeon X1650 XT23,9
    • Nvidia GeForce 7900 GS18,7
    • Nvidia GeForce 7600 GT13,5
    • Nvidia GeForce 8500 GT12,7
    • ATI Radeon HD 2400 XT11, 8

Unit: Percent Rating – 1600×1200 4xAA/16xAF

    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 Ultra123,9
    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTX112,4
    • POV 8800 GTS 512 Exo105,6
    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTS 512100,0
    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 GT88,3
    • ATI Radeon HD 387082.4
    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTS78.8
    • ATI Radeon HD 2900 XT74.3< /li>
    • ATi Radeon X1950 XTX66.4
    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTS 32060.0
    • ATi Radeon HD 385059.4
    • Nvidia GeForce 7950 GX246.2
    • ATi Radeon X1950 Pro40.0
    • ATi Radeon 2600 XT X2 (3)39.6
    • Nvidia GeForce 7900 GTX37,9
    • Nvidia GeForce 8600 GTS31,9
    • Nvidia GeForce 7950 GT31, 1
    • ATi Radeon HD 2600 XT (4)25.7
    • ATi Radeon X1650 XT25.6
    • Nvidia GeForce 8600 GT24.9
    • ATi Radeon HD 2600 XT (3)24.1
    • Nvidia GeForce 7900 GS20.5
    • Nvidia GeForce 7600 GT14.5
    • Nvidia GeForce 8500 GT12.0
    • ATi Radeon HD 2400 XT11.3

Unit: percent

The GeForce 8800 GTS 512 cut a good figure in the B grades, especially the low volume despite the low temperature at the same time made a positive impression in comparison to the GeForce 8800 GTS thanks to the dual-slot cooler. However, the power consumption was relatively high due to the high clock rates.

Charts

Volume

  • Idle:
    • ATi Radeon HD 2600 XT (4)47.5
    • ATi Radeon HD 385047.5
    • ATi Radeon HD 387047.5

      • li>

    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 GT47.5
    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTS 51247.5
    • POV 8800 GTS 512 Exo47,5
    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTX47,5
    • ATi Radeon X1950 XTX48.0
    • Nvidia GeForce 7950 GT48.0
    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTS48.0
    • ATi Radeon HD 2400 XT48.5
    • ATi Radeon HD 2900 XT48.5Short term: 56 dB
    • Nvidia GeForce 7900 GTX48.5
    • Nvidia GeForce 7950 GX248.5
    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTS 32048.5
    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 Ultra50.0
    • Nvidia GeForce 7900 GS50,5
    • Nvidia GeForce 8500 GT50,5
    • Nvidia GeForce 8600 GTS50,5
    • ATi Radeon X1950 Pro51.5
    • ATi Radeon 2600 XT X2 (3)53.5
    • Nvidia GeForce 8600 GT55.0
    • Nvidia GeForce 7600 GT62.0
  • Last: < ul class="chart__group-body">
  • ATi Radeon HD 387047.5
  • Nvidia GeForce 8800 GT48.0
  • Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTS 51248.0
  • POV 8800 GTS 512 Exo48.0
  • ATi Radeon HD 385049.0
  • Nvidia GeForce 7900 GTX49.0

    • li>

  • ATi Radeon HD 2400 XT49,5
  • Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTS49,5
  • ATi Radeon HD 2600 XT (4)50.5
  • Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTS 32050,5
  • Nvidia GeForce 8800 Ultra50,5
  • Nvidia GeForce 8500 GT51,5
  • Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTX51.5
  • Nvidia GeForce 8600 GTS52.0
  • ATI Radeon X1950 Pro54.5
  • ATi Radeon 2600 XT X2 (3)54.5
  • Nvidia GeForce 8600 GT55.0
  • ATI Radeon HD 2900 XT56.0
  • Nvidia GeForce 7950 GX257,5
  • Nvidia GeForce 7900 GS58,5
  • ATi Radeon X1950 XTX59,0
  • Nvidia GeForce 7950 GT59.0
  • Nvidia GeForce 7600 GT62.0

Unit: dB(A) Temperature

  • Idle:
    • ATi Radeon 2600 XT X2 (3)38
    • Nvidia GeForce 7900 GTX40
    • ATi Radeon X1950 Pro41
    • ATi Radeon HD 2400 XT42
    • ATi Radeon HD 387047
    • Nvidia GeForce 7900 GS47
    • Nvidia GeForce 8600 GTS48
    • ATI Radeon HD 385049
    • Nvidia GeForce 7600 GT49
    • Nvidia GeForce 8600 GT49
    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTS 51251
    • POV 8800 GTS 512 Exo52
    • Nvidia GeForce 7950 GT53
    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTS 32056
    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTS56
    • Nvidia GeForce 8500 GT57
    • ATi Radeon X1950 XTX59
    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 GT59
    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTX59
    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 Ultra64
    • ATi Radeon HD 2600 XT (4)67
    • ATi Radeon HD 2900 XT71
    • Nvidia GeForce 7950 GX275
  • Last – Chip:
    • ATi Radeon 2600 XT X2 (3)55
    • ATi Radeon HD 2400 XT63
    • Nvidia GeForce 7900 GTX63
    • Nvidia GeForce 7900 GS66
    • ATi Radeon HD 2600 XT (4)67
    • ATi Radeon X1950 Pro69
    • Nvidia GeForce 8500 GT69
    • Nvidia GeForce 8600 GTS69
    • Nvidia GeForce 7600 GT70
    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTS 32071
    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTS72
    • Nvidia GeForce 8600 GT73
    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTX80
    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 Ultra80
    • ATi Radeon HD 2900 XT81
    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTS 51283
    • POV 8800 GTS 512 Exo83
    • ATi Radeon X1950 XTX84
    • ATi Radeon HD 387088
    • ATi Radeon HD 385089
    • Nvidia GeForce 7950 GT90
    • Nvidia GeForce 7950 GX291
    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 GT93
  • Last – Rear:
    • Nvidia GeForce 8500 GT41
    • ATi Radeon HD 2400 XT45
    • ATi Radeon 2600 XT X2 (3)47
    • ATi Radeon X1950 Pro51
    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTS 32051
    • Nvidia GeForce 7600 GT52
    • Nvidia GeForce 8600 GTS52
    • ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT (4)54
    • Nvidia GeForce 8600 GT54
    • Nvidia GeForce 7900 GTX55
    • Nvidia GeForce 7900 GS56
    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTS58
    • ATi Radeon X1950 XTX67
    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTX67
    • ATi Radeon HD 2900 XT68
    • ATi Radeon HD 387068
    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTS 51268
    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 Ultra68
    • ATi Radeon HD 385069
    • POV 8800 GTS 512 Exo70
    • Nvidia GeForce 7950 GT72

      • < li class="chart__row">Nvidia GeForce 8800 GT73

    • Nvidia GeForce 7950 GX274

Unit: °C power consumption

  • Idle:
    • ATI Radeon HD 2400 XT158
    • ATi Radeon HD 3850161
    • ATi Radeon HD 2600 XT (3)163
    • Nvidia GeForce 7600 GT167< /li>
    • ATi Radeon HD 3870167
    • Nvidia GeForce 8500 GT169
    • Nvidia GeForce 8600 GT172
    • ATi Radeon X1650 XT172
    • ATi Radeon X1950 Pro174
    • Nvidia GeForce 8600 GTS176

      • < li class="chart__row">Nvidia GeForce 7900 GS176

    • Nvidia GeForce 7950 GT177
    • ATi Radeon X1950 XTX181
    • ATi Radeon HD 2600 XT (4)187
    • Nvidia GeForce 7900 GTX188
    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTS 512194
    • POV 8800 GTS 512 Exo194
    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 GT196
    • ATi Radeon 2600 XT X2 (3)200
    • Nvidia GeForce 7950 GX2209
    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTS 320213
    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTS218
    • ATi Radeon HD 2900 XT229
    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTX233
    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 Ultra253
  • Last:
    • ATi Radeon HD 2400 XT179
    • Nvidia GeForce 8500 GT182
    • Nvidia GeForce 7600 GT193
    • Nvidia GeForce 8600 GT203
    • ATi Radeon HD 2600 XT (3)205
    • Nvidia GeForce 7900 GS206
    • Nvidia GeForce 8600 GTS209
    • Nvidia GeForce 7950 GT216
    • ATi Radeon HD 2600 XT (4)217
    • ATi Radeon X1650 XT221
    • ATi Radeon HD 3850231
    • ATi Radeon X1950 Pro238
    • Nvidia GeForce 7900 GTX243
    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 GT248
    • ATi Radeon HD 3870252
    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTS 320264
    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTS267
    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTS 512268
    • ATi Radeon 2600 XT X2 (3)269
    • POV 8800 GTS 512 Exo273
    • Nvidia GeForce 7950 GX2281
    • ATi Radeon X1950 XTX290
    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTX300
    • Nvidia GeForce 8800 Ultra334
    • ATi Radeon HD 2900 XT351

Unit: Watt (W) Overclocking

  • Company of Heroes:
    • POV 8800 GTS 512 Exo – Overclocked (719/1798/1050)109.3
    • POV 8800 GTS 512 Exo – Stock (700/1750/1000)104.6
    • 8800 GTS 512 – Standard (650/1625/972)101.0
  • F.E.A.R.:
    • POV 8800 GTS 512 Exo – Overclocked (719/1798/1050)86.0
    • POV 8800 GTS 512 Exo – Standard ( 700/1750/1000)82.0
    • 8800 GTS 512 – Default (650/1625/972)77.0
  • Prey:
    • POV 8800 GTS 512 Exo – Overclocked (719/1798/1050)69.1

      • < li class="chart__row">POV 8800 GTS 512 Exo – Standard (700/1750/1000)66,9

    • 8800 GTS 512 – Standard (650/1625/972)63, 5

Unit: frames per second (FPS)

Conclusion

Overall, the GeForce 8800 GTS 512 was a successful graphics card with few weaknesses. The two biggest points of criticism of the GTS 512 were the comparatively high price compared to the GeForce 8800 GT, which was already available on the market for 210 euros and only offered marginally less performance, and the performance that dropped under high settings compared to the GTX. However, the second point in particular was important for Nvidia in order not to jeopardize the position of the GeForce 8800 GTX in the market.

In the category “In the test 15 years ago”, the editors have been taking a look at the test archive every Saturday since July 2017. The last 20 articles that have appeared in this series are listed below:

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Even more content This kind and many other reports and anecdotes can be found in the Re tro corner in the ComputerBase forum.