Nvidia's 8800GTX series offer the highest performance a user can buy nowadays. Before testing the Gainward 8800GTX, we were curious to see how much improvement a user can expect from buying the most expensive 3D graphic card, at least for gaming use. The price of the Gainward 8800GTX is around €522, while the 8800GTS 640 at €400 and the 8800GTS 320 at €320~€350. Based on the the retail prices, some might think that pairing two 8800GTS 320 could achieve the performance of a 8800GTX, something we also looked at in this review.

From our tests, in the majority of games, the 8800GTX's performance was excellent, compared with the 8800GTS 640 and 320MB models. On the other hand, pairing two Gainward 8800GTS GS 320MB gave better performance in some games (F.E.A.R., Prey, Splinter Cell Chaos Theory, HL2 Episode 1, BattleField 2142), while in other cases, the increased on board memory of 768MB, made the difference (NFS Carbon, Company Of Heroes). So it seems that most current games will benefit from a 8800GTS SLI setup, while specific games can run even faster on a single 8800GTX card. In any case, the 8800GTX is a single card, so imagine adding a second one in the near future, when prices will have dropped.

The card supports HDCP output from the two DVI-D ports, and is rated as VISTA ready. This means users won't have to worry about compatibility, only the retail price. If money is not a problem for you, then the Gainward 8800GTX will become your best 3D gaming friend. Just remember to check the space inside your case. This card is full size and takes up two backplane slots. You also need a heavy duty PSU, since this little "monster" requires two +12V PCI-E power lines to work properly :-)

Performance
Overclocking
Bundle
Value for money