9800GTX parade begins

TODAY IS ANOTHER big launch day for Nvidia. Actually, ever since November it’s been launch after launch from either of the two big GPU makers, each one trying to trump the other. Naturally blazing fast performance is on the menu today, as is three-way action by this particular GTX, that’s replacing the offensively priced 8800GTX line. We’re enjoying the frenzy of reviews and even AMD has already hinted at their answer to Nvidia’s latest launches: three GPUs on the grill.

Pay special attention to Single, SLI and Tri-SLI performance – in other words: scaling. We’ve buried these in the middle of this batch of reviews, so you’ll have to go through all the reviews to find them... muahahaha. Let’s just say performance on 9800GTX is up there with the GX2...

Finally, the 9800GTX is expected to sell for about $300/€250, which makes the prospect of high-end SLI and Tri-SLI infinitely more affordable, especially if you consider the whopping $600 you were paying 6 months ago for 8800 Ultras.

Reviewers have written about as much content as an Encyclopaedia Britannica to describe this card, so - in absolutely no order whatsoever - here are 27 reviews of the 9800GTX:

(Ok, the editor [cough!] messed up a few links. Still, you're not mad enough to read them all are ya. We're fixing 'em up - Ed.)

Hot Hardware
Hexus
TBreak
Firing Squad
PC World
PC Perspective
B enchmark Reviews
OCC and OCC again
Bjorn3D
Guru 3D and Guru 3D’s 9800GTX SLI test
Tom’s Hardware
[H] Enthusiast
Anandtech
Tech Power Up
TechSpot
Overclock3D
Hardware Mag (English, here)
Legit Reviews
Hardware Canucks
Elite Bastards
PC Games Hardware (English, here)
Rage 3D
Revioo
Nordic Hardware
Computer Shopper

Thankfully today isn’t all about the 9800GTX, gawd, no. The hard-working chappies at HKEPC.com has a first look of a (Asian-only, we believe) Magic-Pro MP-BA-100 mobo. This motherboard comes with a AMD770 chipset, but it has (quote) “AMD 770 crack support CrossFireX”, which we believe means Magic Pro has overcome the hardware limitations of the chipset, and enabled CrossFire X, although in 8X+8X mode. It also supports DDR2-1066, which makes it a pretty powerful chipset without going into next-gen stuff. Read the details here.

We’ve learned in the Bond movies you “never say never”, but here it goes: Anandtech reckons it’s found the “best midrange gaming notebook ever”. Oddly enough, it does come from the Dell/HP/Alienware/whatnot stables... it comes from the ever-so transformed electronics manufacturer Gateway. Yes, the post-Acer Gateway has put out the P-6831 gaming laptop for your gaming pleasure. Read what the fuss is all about, here.

Tweaktown did something yesterday that proves quite interesting. They’re putting to the test the Forceware “Unified Driver Architecture” – a subscription based driver that will run either ATI or Nvidia cards alike. Quite exclusive, get it here. µ