Nvidia's GTX 480: First Fermi Benchmarks!
Nvidia's GTX 480: First Fermi Benchmarks!
Posted 03/26/2010 at 5:12pm
| by Loyd Case
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Can a three billion transistor GPU that eats power supplies for lunch find love and glory in the hearts of gamers?
Enrico Fermi gained fame as a key player in the Manhattan Project, which gave the world nuclear fission and the first atomic bomb. Nvidia’s Fermi GPU architecture – now seeing the light of day as the GeForce GTX 480 – hopes to create its own chain reaction among PC gamers looking for the latest and greatest graphics cards.
Originally code-named GF100, the GTX 480’s long and controversial gestation saw numerous delays and lots of sneak peeks, but Nvidia’s new graphics card has finally arrived. Sporting 1.5GB of fast DDR5 memory and an exotic heat-pipe based cooling system, Nvidia’s managed to squeeze this three billion transistor monster onto a card just 10.5 inches long.
Can Nvidia’s long-awaited 480 GTX capture the graphics performance crown? And if it can, is the price of glory worth the cost?
Fermi Graphics Architecture in a Nutshell
Nvidia designed the GTX 480 architecture from the ground up as a new architecture, with the goal of combining best-of-class graphics performance with a robust compute component for GPU compute applications. The architecture is modular, consisting of groups of ALUs (“CUDA cores”) assembled into blocks of 32, along with texture cache, memory, a large register file, scheduler and what Nvidia calls the PolyMorph Engine. Each of these blocks is known as an SM, or streaming multiprocessor.
The warp scheduler ensures that threads are assigned to the compute cores. The PolyMorph engine takes care of vertex fetch, contains the tessellation engine and handles viewport transformation and stream output.
Each CUDA core inside the SMs are scalar, and are built with a pipelined, integer ALU and a floating point unit (FPU) which is fully IEEE 754-2008 compliant. The FPU can handle both single- and double-precision floating point operations. Each SM has a 64KB memory pool. When used for graphics, the 64KB is split into 16KB of L1 cache and 48KB of shared memory. The SMs belong to blocks of four graphics processing clusters (GPCs) connected to the raster output engines. The GPCs share 768MB of L2 cache. Six memory controllers manage access the GDDR5 memory pool.
It's About Geometry Performance
Prior generations of GPUs built on DirectX 10 and earlier radically improved texturing and filtering performance over time. Better image quality came through effects like normal mapping (bump mapping) to create the illusion of greater detail with flat textures.
DirectX 11 supports hardware tessellation. Hardware tessellation works with a base set of geometry with predefined patches. The DX11 tessellation engine takes that patch data and procedurally generates triangles, increasing the geometric complexity of the final object. This means that heads become rounder, gun barrels aren’t octagons and other geometric details appear more realistic.
Character heads look properly curved, as do objects like pipes, with hardware tessellation.
The hardware tessellator that’s built into the PolyMorph Engine is fully compliant with DirectX 11 hardware tessellation. Given that both major GPU suppliers are now shipping DirectX 11 capable parts, we may finally see the end of blocky, angular heads on characters with hardware tessellation.
Image Quality Enhancements
The 480 GTX increases the numbers of texture and ROP units, as well as scaling up raw computational horsepower in the SMs. This allows the card to take effects like full scene anti-aliasing to the next step. Nvidia suggests that 8x anti-aliasing is possible in most games with only a slight performance penalty over 4x AA. The new GPU will also enable further AA capabilities, such as 32x CSAA (coverage sample anti-aliasing) and improved AA with transparent objects.
Really realistic hair is now possible with hardware tessellation.
As with prior Nvidia GPUs, the company is talking up performance in GPU compute. This translates directly into more robust image quality effects, including physics and post-processing effects such as better water effects, improved depth-of-field and specialized effects like photographic background bokeh.
Read here for a deeper dive into Fermi graphics architecture.
The GeForce 480 GTX
When Nvidia rolled out the GF100 graphics architecture in January, they talked about a chip with 512 CUDA cores. As it turns out, the 480 GTX is shipping with only 480 cores enabled – one full SM is disabled. It’s uncertain whether this is because of yield problems. Even using a 40nm process, the GTX 480 chip is massive. Alternatively, Nvidia may have disabled an SM because of power issues – the GTX 480 already consumes 250W at full load, making it one of the most power hungry graphics cards ever made.
Note that the “480” in GTX 480 doesn’t refer to the 480 CUDA cores. Nvidia is also launching the GeForce GTX 470, which ships with 448 active computational cores. See the chart for the speeds and feeds, alongside the current single GPU Radeon HD 5870.
What’s notable, beyond the sheer number of transistors, is the number of texture units and ROPs – both exceed what’s available in the Radeon HD 5870. It’s also worth noting the maximum thermal design power. It’s rated at 250W, or 62W more than the Radeon HD 5870. In practice, we found the differences to be higher (see the benchmarking analysis for power consumption numbers.)
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BFBC2, Resident Evil V and Metro 2033 (even Half Life 2) look absolutely stunning when compared with nVidia 9600 gt 1gb which is a very capable card and can handle 3D as well. Heat problem is well managed by stock fan, however i'll be swapping to liquid cooling once i find an acceptable and affordable solution.
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February 22, 2011 at 12:43pm
I own a 5870 in my personal computer and love it. I haven't had an overheating issues with it at all, and I monitor my temperatures pretty close. I do agree though- it's definitely a power hog. I look forward to the next line coming out from ATI, because I usually try to upgrade my video card every year or two.
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May 10, 2010 at 9:33am
I still cannot figure out why Crysis is such a resource hog?
Has the game engine not been optmized?
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April 03, 2010 at 6:46pm
Ok not to sound like a fanboy I bought Nvidia untill it went past the 9xxx series. I now roll ATI as for the drivers they are so much better in Win7.
OK now to my point. Take a stock 5870, $390 and a stock GTX 480, $500
5870 saves you $110 but looses an average of 7-13 frames per second.
5870 also saves energy
5870 is the win and here is why
one it does not run hot like the 480 so where you will fry you 480 OCing it the 5870 will not.
So OC the 5870 enough to make up for that 7 fps
OC 5870 = save $110, Save energy, Same FPS as 480, Less Heat
OC GTX 480 = RMA a burnt card.
HD 5870 FTW!
DBsantos77
April 04, 2010 at 11:01am
I agree with your points. However to justify the cost of Fermi you have to think about the CUDA architecture, as well as the other "new" things nvidia brought to the table, such as 32x aa.
-Santos
Nickompoop
April 06, 2010 at 3:13pm
Game playability depends on two variables: detail, and frame rate. MaxPC already cranks the detail up all the way in their benchmarks, so if you can make up those lost frame rates, the Fermi just ain't worth the money or heat.
Zazubovich
March 29, 2010 at 5:58pm
Just kidding. Still have a voodoo I and voodoo III stashed away, though, jic.
How is Nvidia going to catch up to ATI if it is out of cycle with ATI's development schedule? Will ATI rest on its laurels like Nvidia did and blow it again?
I might buy one of these cards just because it gets cold in Alaska and the free heat might warm up the office when the matanuska winds blow.
blobro
March 28, 2010 at 2:02pm
Brace Yourselves, this is gonna be long.
Because everyone was having this debate about which is better, i decided to end this once and for all with some mathematics. I calculated the difference in performance for each game form the 480 and the 5870, and then compared them to the difference in price. I only focused on games, and not 3dmark vantage, becuase that was what really matters. So, here are the (possibly mistaken) results:
So, the cheapest price on newegg i found for the 480 was $499.99 and $394.99 for the 5870. So i calculated that the fermi was about 19.2% more than the 5870, so that was what the improvement have to be for eafch game in a fermi vs. 5870 matchup.
Games:
Battle Forge: improvement from 5870 to 480:27.6%. Worth it? Yes.
Stalker: 8.3%. Worth it? No.
Dirt 2: 20.8%. Barely Worth it
Far Cry 2 (Long): 34.2%. Yes
Far Cry 2 (Action): 19.0%. Barely Not
Tom Clancy's Hawx: 19.3%. Baarely Worth it
Dawn of War 2: -4%. Not at all worth it
Crysis: -3%. Not worth it at all
So the average difference from 480 vs. 5870 is 15.3%, which is less that the 19.2% increase in price, so the 5870 is a bettweer bang for your buck, and the 5970 still beats it. Also, it has a much higher power draw than the RAdeon, 165W Idle vs. 27W and 399W full load vs. 293. Also, the 5000 series has eyefinity, so you can hook up three monitors to a single card, which the 400 series can't ,while they do have 3d and physics.
So, it depends on the games you play, but overall, the 480 isn't a better deal than the 5870, but it does fill a particular price-point that ATI doesn't fill.
RiverLucky
May 10, 2010 at 9:36am
This card is too rich for my blood.
Price Vs Performance does not justify it for me.
I just built my gaming PC for $1250.
DBsantos77
March 28, 2010 at 2:39pm
Holy crap, someone else that sees through the marketing tactics and actually looks at the numbers.
Kudos.
-Santos
devin3627
March 28, 2010 at 1:28pm
(newegg review on a 120hz viewsonic monitor!!!!) (pc gaming will be admired when they start selling 120hz computer monitors.)
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Tech Level: high - Ownership: 1 month to 1 year
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Cons: Flimsy stand, no OSD
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Neufeldt2002
March 28, 2010 at 5:13pm
How does this relate to the topic at hand? This clearly falls into spamming the board. If this is to get MPC to review said monitor, there are other channels that are more appropriate.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
I wanted a signature, but all I got was this ________
burpnrun
March 28, 2010 at 9:12am
They should be listed under "furnace suppliers", "all-time product failures", or "clowns".
RAMBO
March 27, 2010 at 10:37pm
IT SMOKES YOUR WALLET AND PC WITH COLD BENCHMARKS, WE ALL WAITED FOR THIS!
NVIDIA YOU HAVE FALLEN FROM GRACE, GET RID OF OF YOUR HOT HEAD CEO AND START CRANKING OUT
SOME KICK-ASS VIDEO CARDS AGAIN, INSTEAD OF MILKING US WITH YOUR INCREMENTAL UPGADES!!!
GREAT COMPUTING ALL AND HOLD ON TO YOUR CASH FOR NOW... P.S. THE HAIR DOES LOOK COOL
BUT BETTER ON FIRE!
Caboose
March 28, 2010 at 9:08am
Contrary to popular belief, Caps lock is NOT cruise control for cool. It just makes you look like an idiot.
-= I don't want to be dead, I want to be alive! Or... a cowboy! =-
Scootiep
March 28, 2010 at 1:01pm
Amen to that one brother.
To start press any key...ohh, where's the "Any" key. - Homer Simpson
Keith E. Whisman
April 03, 2010 at 5:13pm
Well people that use the caps lock are usually trying to get people to understand that they are upset and are yelling like this... SHIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So I agree with the posters use of all capitals but only on articles like this where it's kinda expected to piss off fanboys and I'm an Nvidia fan boy and it hurts me to have to buy an ATI card but I have to do what I gotta do.
SO IF YOUR UPSET AND FEEL THE NEED TO THEN YOU SHOULD GO AHEAD AND GO ALL CAPS. Believe me your among kindred spirits that feel your anger.
Caboose
March 27, 2010 at 1:21pm
Oops wrong post...
-= I don't want to be dead, I want to be alive! Or... a cowboy! =-
Shckr57
March 27, 2010 at 1:01pm
for now i really dont mind, even tho i would like dx11. just wait till they fix the heat issue, get all cores working( not with 1 disabled) and get better drivers designed just for this chip. it will take the most likely 2 months after release, and alot of these problems will be dimmed down and soon fixed. even tho ati has the lead, i still cant stand there drivers, they have gotten better, but still not good enough for me. also, you cant compare a single gpu to a duel card one, unless you compare 2 480s vs ati top end card. well you can, but id call it cheating.
GaMEChld
April 02, 2010 at 3:21am
Comparing the 480 to the Dual GPU 5970 is a valid comparison to make for an interesting reason. Normally, we would argue that a dual GPU card should only be compared with the competition's dual GPU card. However, Fermi cannot be released as a dual GPU card as it currently stands. The reason for this is because the single GPU Fermi is already at the TDP limits of the PCI-E Standard. Releasing a dual GPU version would easily push the card over this standardized limitation, stripping the card of its PCI-E compliance, and thus be unsupported by any OEMs.
ATI should not be punished for having GPU's that have sane levels of TDP. If Nvidia had engineered a better product, they too would have a dual GPU solution offered, but they did not, so that's on them. The 5970 is a video card that fits in a single PCI-E slot and offers more power than the 480 which also fits in a single PCI-E slot. That's all. How it accomplishes that is irrelevant.
However, it should be noted that if you are indeed comparing with a 5970, one must note that the 5970 is a more expensive card.
Ultimately though, Quadfire with two 5970's, would be cheaper than QuadSLI with 4 480's. All of these price points need to be considered.
DBsantos77
March 27, 2010 at 5:23pm
Or you can go for a Dual-GPU card that fits in one slot as well. That's what I would do, multi-card setups are costly, and run hot unless your under liquid.
-Santos
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