Introduction

Today NVIDIA launches the GeForce 9800 GX2. As the name suggests this card is a dual GPU design, just like the AMD Radeon HD 3870 X2. Compared to the latter there is a big design difference, NVIDIA uses two seperate PCBs with one GPU each. This allows much easier signal routing and helps signal stability allowing higher clocks. As cooling solution a new ingenious approach is used. The GPUs are facing each other, with one cooler in between. This helps keep the fan noise down, also the whole card is lighter and is cheaper to manufacture.

When looking at the specs it becomes clear that the NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GX2 is really not much more than two 8800 GTS cards glued together and running in SLI. What should be noted here is that the GeForce 9800 GX2 will work in any system with PCI-Express, an NVIDIA chipset is not required for operation.
Zotac's card follows the reference design to the letter, with the only exception being a Zotac sticker on the card's cooler. Zotac is working hard with NVIDIA to release a higher-performance Amp! Edition, but at the moment NVIDIA does not allow any changes to the card and its settings.

Packaging & Contents

The package is typically Zotac. A metal cyborg (I think?) poses on the front of the bright orange package. The back lists additional details about this card, even in multiple languages.



You will receive:

• Graphics card
• Instruction Manual + Driver CD + Lost Full Game
• 2x DVI Adapter
• HDMI cable
• PCI-E power cable (2x 5.25" to 6-pin PCI-E)
• PCI-E power cable (2x 6-pin PCI-E to 8-pin PCI-E)
• SPDIF cable for HDMI+Audio

The Card

When you hold this monster card in your hands for the first time it feels like more than just a graphics card. I think the cooler design gives the card a "product" feel, which is a bit different than just "component". Also the weight of the card leaves its own impression with 1.1 kg, which is more than twice that of a 9600 GT (470 grams).


The card is just the same size as the 8800 GTX. From left to right: HD 2900 XT, 8800 GTX, 9800 GX2, HD 3870 X2.


Even though the card looks really big it is "just" a two slot design, so it should fit all boards easily.


To protect the cooler from scratches or fingerprints it is covered with a transparent foil that can be peeled off.


The black high gloss paint is a fingerprint magnet. All I did was turn the card around once after peeling off the foil (no I don't have sweaty hands). Maybe the package should include a pair of cotton gloves for handling.


I think this is the first time that a video card manufacturer includes an HDMI port on the card's reference design. The HDMI port is HDCP capable and can also support audio. Unlike the AMD solution, you have to feed the audio signal via SPDIF cable to the card which will then encode it into the HDMI stream.
The two DVI outputs are both dual-link capable, but only the one next to the HDMI port can be used during bootup to show the POST screen. If you still have an analog CRT you can use one of the included DVI adapters to connect it.


Here are the front and the back of the card, high-res versions are also available (front, back). If you choose to use these images for voltmods etc, please include a link back to this site. Or just ask us to publish your voltmod article here.