Verdict: Nvidia launches the GeForce 9-series.
The GeForce 9600 GT goes directly up against the 256MB GeForce 8800 GT in terms of price, and we're hoping that it will be as fast. This comparison was never going to be easy, as the GeForce 8800 GT is essentially a slightly cut-down high-end GeForce 8800 GTS, while the GeForce 9600 GT is a purpose-built mid-range GPU. The GeForce 9600 GT has only 64 stream processors clocked at 1.625GHz, compared to the GeForce 8800 GT's 112 stream processors running at 1.5GHz. The GeForce 9600 GT shares the 256-bit memory interface of the GeForce 8800 GT, although standard GeForce 9600 GT cards have 512MB of 900MHz (1.8GHz effective) GDDR3 compared to the 256MB of 700MHz (1.4GHz effective) GDDR3 of the 256MB GeForce 8800 GT. The core of the GeForce 9600 GT is also faster than that of the GeForce 8800 GT - 650MHz compared to the latter's 600MHz. However, only thorough testing of the GeForce 9600 GT will reveal if the new design is any good.
To help the GeForce 9600 GT along, XpertVision has applied a decent overclock to the Sonic. It ticks over at a core speed of 700MHz (an increase of 50MHz), while the GDDR3 memory has been increased from 900MHz to 1GHz (2GHz effective). XpertVision has also cranked up the stream processors from 1.625GHz to 1.75GHz. These speeds aren't as aggressive as those applied by Zotac to its GeForce 9600GT Amp! Edition card, but then again, this card is cheaper.
XpertVision was also clearly unhappy with the standard single-slot cooler, and while its custom cooler might look a little odd compared with the usual Nvidia reference design, it's effectively silent. XpertVision must also think that having 'only' two display connections is rubbish. The back of the Sonic is packed full of outputs. HDMI, DisplayPort (a rival to HDMI that benefits from the same high bandwidth but has no royalty fees) and optical S/PDIF have been added to the usual two dual-link DVI outputs. The card has an optical S/PDIF audio input; connect this to your sound card and you can have both video and audio output via the Sonic's HDMI port.
In Call of Duty 4, the Sonic delivered a playable frame rate at1,680 x 1,050, where it managed a minimum of 29fps and an average of 46fps. This is 2fps faster than a 256MB GeForce 8800 GT, so in this test, the Sonic emerged slightly ahead in terms of both price and speed.
Even though we use the High detail settings, rather than the Very High, Crysis proved to be just as tough for a 9-series card as it is for an 8-series card. The Sonic only just made the grade at 1,024 x 768 with a minimum of 25fps and an average of 35fps. A 256MB GeForce 8800 GT scored a 26fps minimum and a 34fps average, so the two cards provide equal performance.
Like every other card worth considering, the Sonic can easily handle Need for Speed: Pro Street. Still, a minimum of 31fps and an average of 41fps at 1,920 x 1,200 is good going for a £120 card.
Interestingly, the 256MB GeForce 8800 GT scored a 26fps minimum and a 34fps average at the same resolution, so again, the Sonic is the clear winner.
At the moment, the drivers for this card are too new for effective overclocking, so we couldn't force the Sonic to run any faster. With the Sonic fitted, our test rig only consumed 3W more than it did with the 256MB GeForce 8800 GT, which drew 269W, while with the more heavily overclocked Zotac 9600 GT fitted, it snaffled 289W.
Conclusion
While the 64 stream processors of this GeForce 9600 GT card might seem paltry compared to the 112 of the 256MB GeForce 8800 GT, they churn out superior frame rates. The overclock that XpertVision has applied has something to do with this (well, it's that or we have to say 'here be magic'), and the cooler and comprehensive range of display connections added to our pleasant surprise. The fact that this card costs less (if only by a couple of pounds) than a standard 256MB GeForce 8800 GT sweetens the deal.
In this price range, this is the card to buy. If you find a Palit GeForce 9600GT Sonic that looks identical, then it is - the cards are made in the same factory to the same specification.
