NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 Review: Ultra Expensive, Ultra Rare, Ultra Fast
by Ryan Smith on May 3, 2012 9:00 AM ESTCompute Performance
For our look at compute performance this is going to be a brief look. Our OpenGL AES and DirectCompute Fluid Simulation benchmarks simply don’t scale with multiple GPUs, so we’ll skip though (though the data is still available in Bench).
Our first compute benchmark comes from Civilization V, which uses DirectCompute to decompress textures on the fly. Civ V includes a sub-benchmark that exclusively tests the speed of their texture decompression algorithm by repeatedly decompressing the textures required for one of the game’s leader scenes. Note that this is a DX11 DirectCompute benchmark.
Given the nature of the benchmark, it’s not surprising that we see a performance regression here with some setups. The nature of this benchmark is that it doesn’t split across multiple GPUs well, though that doesn’t stop AMD and NVIDIA from tying. This doesn’t impact real game performance as we’ve seen, but it’s a good reminder of the potential pitfalls of multi-GPU configurations. Though AMD does deserve some credit here for gaining on their single GPU performance, pushing their lead even higher.
Our other compute benchmark is SmallLuxGPU, the GPU ray tracing branch of the open source LuxRender renderer. We’re now using a development build from the version 2.0 branch, and we’ve moved on to a more complex scene that hopefully will provide a greater challenge to our GPUs.
Unlike the Civ V compute benchmark, SLG scales very well with multiple GPUs, nearly doubling in performance. Unfortunately for NVIDIA GK104 shows its colors here as a compute-weak GPU, and even with two of them we’re nowhere close to one 7970, let alone the monster that is two. If you’re looking at doing serious GPGPU compute work, you should be looking at Fermi, Tahiti, or the future Big Kepler.
Facebook
Twitter
RSS
200 Comments
View All Comments
InsaneScientist - Sunday, May 6, 2012 - link
Well, let's be fair... it's not nVidia's fault. It's TSMC that can't get their act together to produce 28nm chips in volume.CeriseCogburn - Sunday, May 6, 2012 - link
The GTX680 has sold more card by the verified reviewers at NewEgg than the entire lot of the 7870's and 7850's at NewEgg combined, and that's just with ONE GTX680 sold by EVGA - check it out my friend...ROFL
GTX680 in one listing outsells the entire lineup of 7870 and 7850 COMBINED at newegg- with verified owners count.
HAHAHA
Yes, the supply is always "key". ROFL
vladanandtechy - Thursday, May 3, 2012 - link
I must confess that every logic i can think of says i don't need this GPU.....but.....i want it....i don't need it.....but damn it....i want it.....it's nvidia....it's aluminium....it's 4 GB VRAM....it's probably 5 times faster than what i have.......and i want to congratulate the team for the review wich i read from start to finish...but to be honest with you.....you don't need 19 pages to describe it...for me...."futureproof" says it all....mamisano - Thursday, May 3, 2012 - link
Is there any way you can post the average FPS achieved during OCCT tests? Curious how 680 SLI, 690 and 7970 CF compare in this regard.Ryan Smith - Thursday, May 3, 2012 - link
Sorry, but we don't currently record that data (though if it's a big enough deal we can certainly start).Filiprino - Thursday, May 3, 2012 - link
Simply put, NVIDIA has superior software department in comparison with AMD.AMD is mainstream. Whenever they try to reach the high end, they fail miserably, both on GPU and CPU camps. Driver issues with crossfire, trifire and quadfire with or without eyefinity in numerous games (with eyefinity even more problems) etc.
If they don't get their problems solved by Catalyst 12.5 buying AMD cards for high end builds (anything multicard related) is a waste of money. And that is sad.
CeriseCogburn - Thursday, May 3, 2012 - link
Yes, and the reviewer is constantly trying to catch nVidia in a big lie - and it shows - he even states how he never believed a word nVidia said about this card but had to admit it was all true.I have never, in many years, seen the same bad attitude given to amd's gpu's.
The bias in the write up is so blatant every time it's amazing they still get nVidia cards for review. The reviewer is clearly so pro amd he cannot hide it.
N4g4rok - Thursday, May 3, 2012 - link
He did say that Crossfire was so broken that he couldn't recommend it. He's been pointing out flaws in both companies along the way I think you should dial back the bias accusations a little bit.CeriseCogburn - Thursday, May 3, 2012 - link
Well if you want me to point out like 10 blatant direct wordings in this article I will. I'm not the only one who sees it, by the way. you want to tell me how he avoids totally broken amd drivers when he's posting the 7970CF ? Not like he had a choice there, your point is absolutely worthless.silverblue - Thursday, May 3, 2012 - link
Okay then, for our benefit (because we're stupid and that), please point out the reviewer's transgressions.