GeForce GTX 590 review

In GPU land, competition is everything and somewhere down the line somebody decided to place more than one GPU in a graphics card, to beat the competition. Yes yes, hey everybody, welcome to yet another dual-GPU product review. Merely two weeks ago ATI unleashed their Radeon HD 6990, and NVIDIA sat back relaxed and decided to release their product a little later, close to the release of Crysis 2.

It's now late March 2011 and both graphics gawds have released their most high-end product available. Again let me say it, March 2011, the timing is so weird as typically the most high-end product are release slightly prior to the Christmas season, to take full advantage of the extra cash you guys are willing to spend on the best of the best, as hey it's the holiday season. But yeah, the graphics industry has changed, is changing and will keep changing alongside the product releases.

Today the GeForce GTX 590 is released. Pretty much NVIDIA in a nutshell, took two of their best GPUs, placed it onto one card, topped it off with a very nice cooler and calls that a single solution graphics card. Internally on that card however a small NF200 chip functions as PCI Express bridge in-between the two GPUs and sure, that means SLI in full effect.

The release today however is very interesting, it's one the most silent multi-GPU solution we have ever had our hands on, the performance really is breathtaking and the power consumption, though high, remains acceptable.

The products reviewed today originate from Point of View, they are one of the five board-partners in Europe to be allowed to sell these products. And whatever you decide to purchase or not, keep in mind that today's launch might be a hard launch with cards in store, yet the reality will be that very few boards will be available in the first wave. In fact we expect less than 2000 board being available for the entire Europe.

Anyway, have a peek at the awesomeness that is the GeForce GTX 590, and then head on over to the next page where as always, we'll go a little deeper, but not too deep. We'll look at noise levels, power consumption, heat, we'll do a nice photo-shoot and heck why not... an extensive benchmark session to see where this product positions itself, especially compared to the Radeon HD 6990.

The Product Architecture

It isn't exactly a secret anymore what the GTX 590 exactly is, in very short words it is one graphics card made out of two graphics processors. Internally they are connected through a PCIe connection (on board) and then they operate in SLI mode. To accomplish something really sturdy and powerful, NVIDIA took their fastest GPUs available and without any compromises on the number of shader processors etc inside that GPU they started designing the card.

The end result is a dual-GPU product that runs two ICs called and tagged as the GF110, the very same stuff you find in the GeForce GTX 580, and in it's bare essence the GTX590 is in fact two 580'ies albeit clocked slower.

So that's two GF110 GPUs on a single graphics card connected through a NF200 bridge chip with a total of 1024 Shader processors for both GPUs and 3 GB of GDDR5 memory, all that on a 12-layer 11" PCB. The GPUs each get 10 power phases. Cooling wise NVIDIA extends the vapor-chamber cooling, yet now they make use of a dual-radiator design.

So yeah, it is hard to realize that the 9th of November last year these GPUs where released, this is how fast the product cycle is updated these days.

The new Dual-GPU solution is of course DirectX 11 ready. With Windows 7 and Vista also being DX11 ready all we need are some games to take advantage of DirectCompute, multi-threading, hardware tessellation and new shader 5.0 extensions. DX11 is going to be good and once tessellation kicks into games, better looking.

• GeForce GTX 590 : 1024 SP, 384-bit (2x), 365W TDP
• GeForce GTX 580 : 512 SP, 384-bit, 243W TDP
• GeForce GTX 480 : 480 SP, 384-bit, 250W TDP
• GeForce GTX 470 : 448 SP, 320-bit, 225W TDP

The GPU that empowers it all has small architectural changes compared to the initial GTX 480 FERMI design (which GF110 is based of), some stuff was stripped away and some additional functional units for tessellation, shading and texturing have been added. Make note that the GPU still is big, as the fabrication node is still 40nm. TSMC canceled the 32nm fab node preventing this chip from being smaller.

The two GF110 graphics processors have sixteen shader clusters embedded in them (called SMs) bringing a full 512 shader processors per GPU.

To keep TDP, power consumption and noise levels at really acceptable values, NVIDIA did keep the clock frequency and thus voltage lower than that GTX 580. That's 607 MHz on the graphics processors and 3414 MHz (effective data-rate) on the GDDR5 memory. But that will still chunk out ridiculous performance numbers of course.

	GeForce 9800 GTX	GeForce GTX 285	GeForce GTX 295	GeForce GTX 480	GeForce GTX 580	GeForce GTX 590
Stream (Shader) Processors	128	240	240 x2	480	512	1024
Core Clock (MHz)	675	648	576	700	772	607
Shader Clock (MHz)	1675	1476	1242	1400	1544	1215
Memory Clock (effective MHz)	2200	2400	2000	3700	4000	3414
Memory amount	512 MB	1024 MB	1792 MB	1536	1536	3072
Memory Interface	256-bit	512-bit	448-bit x2	384-bit	384-bit	384-bit
Memory Type	GDDR2	GDDR3	GDDR3	GDDR5	GDDR5	GDDR5
HDCP	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Two Dual link DVI	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
HDMI	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	No

Memory wise NVIDIA has sizable and expensive memory volumes due to their architecture, we pass 1 GB per GPU as standard these days for most of NVIDIA's series 500 graphics cards. Each memory partition utilizes one memory controller on the respective GPU, which will get 256MB of memory tied to it.

• The GTX 590 has six (x2) memory controllers (12x256MB) = 3072 MB of GDDR5 memory
• The GTX 580 has six memory controllers (6x256MB) = 1536 MB of GDDR5 memory

As you can understand, the memory partitions, bus-width and combination of GDDR5 memory (quad data rate) allow the GPU to work with a high framebuffer bandwidth (effective). Let's put most of the data in a chart to get an idea and overview of some specific changes:

Graphics card	GeForce GTX 470	GeForce GTX 480	GeForce GTX 580	GeForce GTX 590
Fabrication node	40nm	40nm	40nm	40nm
Shader processors	448	480	512	1024
Streaming Multiprocessors (SM)	14	15	16	32
Texture Units	56	60	64	128
ROP units	40	48	48	96
Graphics Clock (Core)	607 MHz	700 MHz	772 MHz	607 MHz
Shader Processor Clock	1215 MHz	1401 MHz	1544 MHz	1215 MHz
Memory Clock / Data rate MHz	837 / 3348	924 / 3696	1000 / 4000	854 / 3414
Graphics memory	1280 MB	1536 MB	1536 MB	3072 MB
Memory interface	320-bit	384-bit	384-bit	384-bit
Memory bandwidth	134 GB/s	177 GB/s	192 GB/s	164 GB/s per GPU
Power connectors	2x6-pin PEG	1x6-pin PEG, 1x8-pin PEG	1x6-pin PEG, 1x8-pin PEG	2x8-pin PEG
Max board power (TDP)	215 Watts	250 Watts	244 Watts	365 Watts
Recommended Power supply	550 Watts	600 Watts	600 Watts	700 Watts
GPU Thermal Threshold	105 degrees C	105 degrees C	97 degrees C	97 degrees C

So we talked about the core clocks, specifications and memory partitions. Obviously there's a lot more to talk through. Now, at the end of the pipeline we run into the ROP (Raster Operation) engine and each GF110 GPU has 48 units for features like pixel blending and AA. There's a total of 64 texture filtering units per GPU available for the GeForce GTX 590. The math is simple here, each SM has four texture units tied to it.

• GeForce GTX 580 has (16 SMs X 4 Texture units) = 64 x 2 = 128 TUs
• GeForce GTX 580 has 16 SMs X 4 Texture units = 64 TUs

Though still a 40nm based chip, the GF110 GPU comes with almost 3 billion transistors embedded into it. So that's 6 billion transistors active in your PC -- so if the Sims still doesn't run smooth... I dunno what would do the job ;)

The TDP is roughly 365 Watt, a very respectable number really. TDP = Thermal Design Power. Roughly translated, when you stress everything on the graphics card 100%, your maximum power consumption is the TDP.

The GeForce GTX 590 comes with both two 8-pin power connectors to get enough current and still have some for overclocking.

PC Buying Guide The Luxury System

The Luxury System

• Workstation-like performance • Great for heavy multitasking • Extreme gaming

Here we have a screaming-edge machine lacking any virtual price cap -- a dream machine that is down to earth in terms of both price and configuration. Every component in the Luxury System guide is thoroughly scrutinized to ensure it packs the most horsepower for your greenback. If a component's premium price isn't justified, it simply doesn't make the cut. In nearly all of our selections, we've chosen components that are either the best available, or just a notch below.

Component	Product	Price
Motherboard	Gigabyte P67A-UD7	$330
Processor	Intel Core i7 2600K	$315
Memory	2x4GB Corsair XMS 8GB 240-Pin DDR3 1600	$100
Graphics	GeForce GTX 580	$500
Sound	Asus Xonar Essence STX	$200
Storage	OCZ Vertex 3 240GB + Western Digital Caviar Black 2TB	$540 + $170
Optical	Lite-On iHAS124-04 + LG WH10LS30K	$20 + $85
Power	Corsair Enthusiast Series 750TX	$120
Case	Cooler Master HAF X	$190
Monitor	Dell UltraSharp U3011 30"	$1,500
Speakers / Headset	Logitech Z-5500 / MDR-V7506	$350 / $90
Peripherals	Logitech G500 + G19	$60 + $170
	Core System Total	$2,570
	Core System + Monitor and Peripherals	$4,520

Motherboard, Processor, Memory

In our recent review, we found Intel's new Core i7 2600K to be faster than the $1,000 Core i7 975 Extreme Edition and that speed gain comes at 44% less power consumption. It's worth mentioning that the i7 2600K has an unlocked multiplier so it's easier to overclock, but if you don't plan to take advantage of that feature, the standard i7 2600 is a little cheaper at $300.

P67-based motherboards are finally surging back onto the market and Gigabyte currently offers the highest quality board. At $330, P67A-UD7 features four full-length PCIe x16 slots (x16 speeds for two slots or x8 for all four), making it an ideal solution for multi-GPU configurations. It also carries four SATA 6Gb/s and two eSATA ports, six USB 3.0 ports, and plenty more.

Most people won't tap 4GB during standard use, but if you're looking to spend over $3,000 on a desktop PC, you're probably not just the "average" user. Having 8GB of RAM is reasonable for this kind of system and even if splurged on double that amount, the extra memory would only account for a slight percentage of the core system cost anyway.

Graphics, Sound

Nvidia's GeForce GTX 580 remains our pick, despite the arrival of new dual-GPU cards from both AMD and Nvidia. Although the Radeon HD 6990 and GeForce GTX 590 are the fastest cards available today, they're a poor value when compared to cheaper, more efficient dual-card configurations such as two HD 6950s or GTX 570s. While it may be tempting to go that route -- and we won't stop you -- make no mistake about it, the GTX 580 is quite a powerhouse despite being a single-GPU card. In our testing, it matched Radeon HD 5970, a dual-GPU card that earned a seat in our Luxury guide for over a year.

Storage

As expected, OCZ's Vertex 3 series has done extremely well on performance tests around the web, quickly proving itself as the drive to beat. Powered by SandForce's speedy SF-2281 controller, the 240GB Vertex 3 touts maximum read and write speeds of up to 550MB/s and 520MB/s when connected through a SATA 6Gb/s port.

We should note that we're preparing a review of the Vertex 3 as well as Intel's 510 series and the Crucial M4, so keep your eyes peeled for those. It's also worth mentioning that while you can technically purchase the Vertex 3 through many online stores as of writing, we haven't seen any etailer with a unit in stock, so expect a delay.

This wouldn't be much of a Luxury computer without a Blu-ray burner, and at under $150 the LG drive we've chosen is among the most affordable you will find. It's also a bit faster than Lite-On's $190 DH-4B1S-08 with a BD-R rate of 10x.

Power, Case

Corsair's new Enthusiast Series 750TX ought to supply your dream PC with enough juice. Noteworthy specifications include a 140mm thermally controlled fan, 60A on a single +12V rail, up to 85% efficiency, and lengthy cables with connectors for eight SATA drives, four PCI-E graphics cards, eight peripheral devices and more.

Cooler Master has redesigned its flagship full tower chassis, adding more features and a whole new look. We recentlyreviewed the HAF X and found it to be worth the cost premium, adding two extra expansion slots, USB 3.0 support, dual hot-swappable drive bays, a larger side window, and more. That's in addition to all the usual HAF features, such as a CPU hole in the motherboard tray, a plethora of fans, and superb cable management.

Other worthwhile aggressive looking chassis include the Antec's Twelve Hundred and Lanboy Air, while a sleeker and more subtle enclosure can be had with Cooler Master's Cosmos 1000 and Corsair's Obsidian 800D. Meanwhile, if money is no object, the Thermaltake Level 10 is among the most unique (and expensive) PC cases available.

Monitor, Speakers, Peripherals

At breathtaking 30-inches, the Dell UltraSharp U3011 is nothing short of excellence. Displaying 1.07 billion colors at a native resolution of 2560x1600, it has a contrast ratio of 1000:1, 370 cd/m2 brightness, 7ms gray-to-gray response time, .2505mm pixel pitch, viewing angles of 178/178-degrees and is backed by Dell's premium panel guarantee. It also has five USB ports, along with two HDMI, two DVI, one VGA, one DisplayPort, component connectors, a 7-in-1 card reader, and sits atop an adjustable base (height, swivel and tilt).

As sweet as the U3011 is, $1,400 is a lot of bacon to drop on one monitor. The 3007WFP-HC (our former pick) is now discontinued, but you can still find it online for under $1,200. We realize 30" monitors aren't for everyone, and there are countless worthy alternatives in the 24" to 27" ($200 to $600) range. If you have the cash, we'd suggest opting for a display that boasts an IPS panel such as HP's LP2475w or Dell's U2410.

There aren't many 5.1 computer speaker systems around and Logitech's Z-5500 is by and large the most popular, featuring a maximum output of 505W. However, Logitech plans to phase the Z-5500s out with its new Z906 system in the near future. The Z906 is up for preorder at $400, but they aren't shipping just yet. Meanwhile, headsets don't get much better than Sony's MDR-V7506 unless you're going to spend hundreds or thousands more. Frankly, if you require better audio quality than the MDR-V7506, you probably already know what you're looking for.

Between the number of possible keyboard and mouse combinations in the high-end price range, and the various uses you could be making of this system it's virtually impossible to recommend a single component. That said, we think Logitech's G500 mouse and G19 keyboard are suitable for just about any build, but if you prefer something more sleek, the Logitech diNovo Edge or the Logitech MX Air Silver mouse may be worth investigating. Other popular keyboards include the Microsoft Natural Ergonomic 4000 and Logitech's recently launched G510.

If you're looking for a mechanical keyboard, Filco, Das, Ducky, Leopold, Deck, XArmor, and SteelSeries offer respected options. Razer recently introduced the BlackWidow which combines gaming and macro features. Be sure to read up on the difference between each keyswitch before making a purchase. Geekhack.org offers a fantastic resource on the subject if you're interested.