Wednesday, February 17th 2016
NVIDIA Readies GeForce GTX 950 SE Graphics Card
NVIDIA is planning to shake up its sub-$150 graphics card lineup with a new SKU carved out of the current $140 GeForce GTX 950. The company is planning to retire the GTX 750 Ti, and is looking for a true replacement to the GTX 750 (non-Ti). The GTX 750 duo are based on the slightly older first-gen "Maxwell" architecture. The new GeForce GTX 950 SE, or GTX 950 LE, as it's being called; will be a further crippled GTX 950, rather than its better-endowed sibling (currently being served by the GTX 960).
The GeForce GTX 950 SE will feature one less streaming multiprocessor Maxwell (SMM) than even the current GTX 950, 5 out of 8 physically present on the GM206 silicon. This works out to a CUDA core count of 640. The TMU count is proportionately lower at 40, ROP count at 32, and memory bus width at 128-bit; holding 2 GB of GDDR5 memory. With a typical board power expected to be around 70W, cards by various AIC partners will either make do with single 6-pin PCIe power inputs, or completely lack them. The GPU and memory clock speeds are expected to be slightly lower than those of the GTX 950, too. NVIDIA could launch this SKU some time in March.
Source:
Expreview
The GeForce GTX 950 SE will feature one less streaming multiprocessor Maxwell (SMM) than even the current GTX 950, 5 out of 8 physically present on the GM206 silicon. This works out to a CUDA core count of 640. The TMU count is proportionately lower at 40, ROP count at 32, and memory bus width at 128-bit; holding 2 GB of GDDR5 memory. With a typical board power expected to be around 70W, cards by various AIC partners will either make do with single 6-pin PCIe power inputs, or completely lack them. The GPU and memory clock speeds are expected to be slightly lower than those of the GTX 950, too. NVIDIA could launch this SKU some time in March.
53 Comments on NVIDIA Readies GeForce GTX 950 SE Graphics Card
While I never said the 370 best a 950 all the time. It just in in the "real world" the spread isn't all that... Sure if you want to play Witcher, GTAV, Metro LL, it's the 950, play more FC4, Shadow of Mordor, Watch Dogs, a 370 is more than qualified.
And as most of the folk who making due with some boring OEM or other starter box, such are hardly working a decent PSU let alone one that would offer the watts to consider any huge OC'n.
The difference here is that I'm looking at the consumer as a group, while you seem intent on finding some outlier corner case scenario that backs up your assertion. If you look hard enough you will find those outliers - but do you really think they'll be representative of the market?
Someone buys a single-channel RAM system after ignoring the specification and can rest assured that their informed purchase of a R7 360 is justified because the system can't extend itself to show a difference? Give me a break :laugh:. These people should take it to the next level and buy a single/dual core (no HT) processor and rest assured that their sub-$100 graphics is future proofed for the next decade.
Maybe with a 980 Ti, but not these. I haven't come close to maxing out my i3-4150 when my GTX 950 is at the limit. I probably could, but not with settings that make sense. You don't have to take my word for it, you can find benchmarks on more modest systems. The reason why high end systems are typically used in tests is so they don't restrict the high-end cards. A GTX 950 is only around 1/3rd of a GTX 980 Ti, so any normal newish desktop will be powerful enough to take full advantage of it.
I also measured the power draw at the wall and only get 175W for the whole system (including SSD, 2 HDs, and 16GB) with max OC.
Its basically even with the 370 actually pulling ahead by 2%. I mean if were talking overclocking we would have to see what the results are at both max overclocks but as for stock its basically even with a little more in favor of the 370. Yea, I sometimes wonder from both sides who comes up with the naming structures. Its always dependent on chips and salvage parts and how they intend to put them into the lineup but sometimes its just a big WTF moment. This name is going to be very confusing in my book to some IMHO. I think if they were going to do this the other 950 should have been a TI variant and this should have been the regular 950 (But then again maybe they still plan to launch and actual 950ti).
I don't know what the story is on those W10 benchmarks and the Nvidia 2GB cards, but there is something strange happening.
As said in my scenario above the difference in the GTX 950 and R7 370 wouldn't be all that far apart. As the 950 was released to again shore-up the 960 in respect to the 380 looking better. I see neither (950/370) permitting any meaningful variance in actual performance between vendors at this market segment when clocks/cost being similar. In "real world" I see this "SE" above the R7 360, though will be able to appear in reviews as though it punches like a R7 370, however it will sit smack in the middle while priced like the R7 370.
It's been "a race to the bottom" for a while, which is why AMD just propagated the geldings of Bonaire and Pitcairn's, rather than spend money (they didn't have) for something that might be out of the market after 10 months from such rebranding. I'm actually surprised Nvidia has waited this long to bring this "SE". If out in March that perhaps means 4 months of sales before this will become to will become dated silicone, but that could be enough to at least keep the bulk from seeing the dumpster.
I think the newer information that GhostRyder provided showing the latest drivers, and wide range of titles is more apropos. Wow spin much... I worked from a Desktop advertised a 6th Gen i5 Skylake, straddled with single channel DDR3. You come back that lowy APU (mostly Laptops) are single channel. The box I used was advertise as "Gaming"... though with an anemic GT 730. And the same can be said about you for Nvidia, though this no longer as any debate, but now resorting to personal jabs. Way to hold the professional high ground. I'm not faulting either if the price is appropriate, though I'm here in support of consumers. When pricing is commensurate for what you get that’s fine. Here today the discrepancy is again back to basically 20% (I found a rare instance where there was similar price, although depended on a higher rebate). I just want people just entering into gaming hearing the "present-day" information that a 370 does spar with 950's, so this “SE” part should not be looked upon as any “deal” if it holds at a $120 MSRP. Perhaps with a rebate down bringing it down to $100 just packs in an already tight field. That’s not an the issue as long as folks have information to deuce and comprehend such nuances in the market segment.
Oh, and just for the record...the video I posted actually comes from the same review you just linked to Yet your whole argument up until now focuses on the card being paired with a processor more in line with the price segment.... ...now when those lower cost processors are paired with the lower cost cards as per your original argument falls short (maybe you should actually read the Eurogamer link you supplied) you change the paradigm to NOW compare results obtained with an i7-6700K overclocked to 4.5GHz and 16GB of DDR4-3000. So you abandon your whole "OEM starter box" argument for high end test system when and where it suits your argument. Colour me unsurprised.
And the latest performance graph from a TPU indicates a 3% advantage to the GTX 950...
2. Depending on performance the pricing will dovetail with existing SKUs from both vendors. You hold TPU's review in high regard judging by your willingness to back the graph that Ghostryder provided, then maybe you should holdthis one in just as high esteem.
The comparison chart that Ghost Rider posted has seriously effed up results like this factored in:
AFAIK, no one has gotten to the bottom of what is going on here, but when Wizzard upgraded the benchmark system with W10, the 2GB Nvidia cards had a serious problem in some games. I searched hard a few months back, but didn't see mention of it anywhere else. But IMO, it isn't fair to just average those in without knowing what is wrong. The chart I posted above showing a 15% advantage for the GTX 950 over the R7 370 was on the old system. This is the comparison for GTA5:
The GTX 950 also has a lot more OC headroom than the 370. Typically 20% over reference compared to <10% for the 370. Not surprising since the 370 is already an OC'd 265. TPU has tested a bunch of 950s and they all OC'd very well. www.techpowerup.com/reviews/EVGA/GTX_950_SSC/33.html
My point was that they are very close and not a 15% difference. Depending on the games it bounces back and fourth, if you want to do a comparison about max overclocks then you have to do it with the same tests on max overclocks. Numbers in general mean nothing on the clocks as each card reacts differently to higher core clocks. Well the only problem using those is prices change on a quick basis. Right now the GTX 950's cheapest variant (Not refurb or open box) is $149.99 at this moment (No rebates) while the R7 370 is at its lowest is $134.99 at least at the moment I am looking unless I missed one. Any who the only reason I posted the graph was to show the gap is not as big as was previously mentioned by rruff.
I think the point is with them both being so close they are likely to change spots on a whim because a new game gets added.
Using his stack of i3 results the 370 was ~10% behind a much nicer card in the MSI Gaming and that's back then. While several games are running in the 40FpS for 950, so that could've be optimized better IMO. If that was a 1040Mhz as you surmised, I'd say that 10% lead would've withered.
Exactly why I outline it the way I did. Your working to hard to substantiate my premise, "How far apart do you think they are over a mix of like 10 titles?" Exactly what W1zzard showed in his summary, it's so close it hardly matters. If you have an issue with the data, take it up with him it not mine!
Stop with the OC'n most entry gamers who work from boring OEM or other starter box are on some crap PSU less than a 400W making that point null. While sure $160 EVGA SSC has the head room though would a pedestrian card that's more inline with a budget offer that? If we're at $160 I'll move up two-rungs to this XFX 380and all this maneuvering is over.
The 950 beats the 370 in all but one game, where it losses by 1FPS www.techpowerup.com/reviews/EVGA/GTX_950_SSC/6.html. It's 15% on average at reference clocks. That's with the W8 test, not the W10 where something is messed up. Unless you can show me that 10FPS in GTA5 at 1080p is a real thing in W10 and not a strange artifact of TPU's test system.
And if you look at the link I posted above, all the GTX 950s that TPU tested OC a lot. ~20% performance boost over reference. So in the real world it's about 25% difference if you OC both.
As for current pricing (or available pricing for any prospective buyer), relative worth is dependent upon the factors the customer values. Overclockability and any actual gains it can provide, AIB preference, warranty and support, aesthetics in AIB design, hardware and software feature set, and actual availability are all factors that weight differently for each person. Undoubtedly - as would level of game i.q., game patches, and driver maturity. My particular point wasn't aimed at one card being the superior product - I said as much in my original post (#33) in the discussion - just that casecutters assertions that an overclocked GTX 950's power consumption rules it out in relation to a R7 370 for some people, and later, that the R7 370 is a much better option than the GTX 950 when paired with a lower-tier processor - neither assertion borne out of fact.
I think most people would see the cards as being a toss-up depending on what features they value. I certainly wouldn't advocate one being clearly superior to the other - although being an enthusiast my personal order of importance generally starts at max performance (hardware and driver). Only in your mind. While a large percentage of people don't overclock, having a low end system does not preclude people from doing so. Here is an example that isn't an opinion dressed up as fact. HWBot's submissions represent a fraction of actual sales and a fraction of actual overclockers - since not everyone overclocking logs benchmarks, and of those that do, only a small percentage submit their results:
GTX 950 submissions: 1062 in six months
R9 380 submissions : 986 in eight months So you have moved the goalposts yet again. The comparison being made concerned the 950 and 370.
As for the R9 380 comparison it certainly wouldn't work well for people in my country and maybe not others either, so caveats apply. Your argument regarding the 380 pricing is disingenuous at best since most of the 380's sit closer to $175-200 and sit in another pricing bracket to the 950/370. For the same basic price you can also buy a custom MSI GTX 960.
And at that price it's the same story... as GTX 950 SSC isn't besting a nice 380 (the XFX I linked at the time was $163; include $3 shipping working a $20 rebate).