GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 285 2GB OC Graphics Card

GIGABYTE ramps up the amount of memory and the core clock on this GTX 285. Let's see if these boosts do it any real favours.

Published
Updated
Manufacturer: GIGABYTE
12 minutes & 1 second read time

Introduction


GIGABYTE GTX 285 2GB OC Graphics Card



Like most NVIDIA models, the GTX 285 is beginning to feel a bit long in the tooth. While there's really nothing wrong with the card, it feels like we've been testing the model for ages now. We went from this rapid release of graphics cards that saw models coming out once a month to nothing new for an extensive period.

That doesn't mean we can't see companies mix models up and this is what GIGABYTE has done. By doubling the memory on the GTX 285 from 1GB to 2GB, GIGABYTE hopes to make the model a bit more exciting.

There's more than meets the eye here, though. With the 2GB model also comes higher clock speeds. Since this isn't the first time we've tested a 2GB GTX 285, it doesn't come as much of a surprise. Before we find out exactly what's going on, though, we'll have a quick look at the package and then a closer look at the card itself.

The Package




Since our GTX 285 from GIGABYTE came to us quite early, it didn't have a full retail box. With that said, though, we're sure it will follow a pretty standard design.

We were still provided with a full retail bundle, so let's have a quick look at what's inside.

GIGABYTE GTX 285 2GB OC Graphics Card


As far as paperwork goes there isn't much going on. We've simply got a manual and also included here is a CD which has the driver for the card. As always, we recommend that you go to the NVIDIA website and grab the latest driver for the card.

GIGABYTE GTX 285 2GB OC Graphics Card


As for cables, we've got two dual molex to 6-pin PCI-E connectors, HDMI to DVI and DVI to VGA connectors. We've also got a S/PDIF loop back cable which lets us get sound through the HDMI connector.

The Card




Looking at the card itself, there isn't really much we haven't seen before when it comes to overall design. GIGABYTE, like most companies has opted for the reference cooler which we've seen many a times.

GIGABYTE GTX 285 2GB OC Graphics Card


GIGABYTE has of course mixed it up by adding their own sticker to the cooler which lets us know the model and brand, while also telling us that it's part of the Ultra Durable VGA series. We can also see GIGABYTE has placed a sticker on the fan.

GIGABYTE GTX 285 2GB OC Graphics Card


Moving around the card, there isn't anything we haven't seen before. Having a closer look at the back of the card, we have two 6-pin PCI Express power connectors and next to these we also have another little white connector which is used in conjunction with the S/PDIF connector so that you can get sound through the HDMI connectivity.

GIGABYTE GTX 285 2GB OC Graphics Card


Closer to the front of the card we have our two SLI connectors which gives us the ability to run up to three of these cards together, giving us a whopping 6GB of total graphics card memory.

GIGABYTE GTX 285 2GB OC Graphics Card


Looking at the I/O side of things, we can see that GIGABYTE has decided to mix it up a bit when it comes to connectivity. We've got our standard Dual-Link DVI connector and GIGABYTE has also opted to add a VGA connector to the card along with a HDMI one, which is always a nice bonus.


Specifications

As we mentioned before, there was something going on with the clocks of the 2GB model we've got from GIGABYTE. While the model is an OC one, the clocks on the memory are actually down when compared to a default 1GB model. This is due to the fact that higher density memory modules are needed.

GIGABYTE GTX 285 2GB OC Graphics Card


Like the Galaxy model we looked at a while back, the memory clock is slightly down. Stock is 2484MHz DDR, while the GIGABYTE model is 2400MHz DDR. Unlike Galaxy, though, GIGABYTE has tried to combat the lower memory speed by increasing the core clock. We've moved from the stock 648MHz to 660MHz. This has in turn increased the shader clock from 1476MHz to 1505MHz. It's not a huge jump and is hardly enough to really make the model an "OC" one as GIGABYTE name it, but it's an overclock none the less.

Test System Setup and 3DMark Vantage


Test System Setup

Processor(s): Intel i7 920 @ 3.8GHz (190MHz x 20)
Cooling: Noctua NH-U12P (Supplied by Noctua)
Motherboard(s): GIGABYTE EX58-UD5 (Supplied by GIGABYTE)
Memory: 3 X 2GB OCZ Technology PC-12800 DDR-3 8-8-8-24 (OCZ3G1600LV6GK)
Hard Disk(s): Western Digital 300GB Velicorapter (Supplied by Western Digital)
Operating System: Windows XP Professional SP2, Windows Vista SP1 64-Bit
Drivers: ForceWare 186.16


Today we'll be seeing how the GTX 285 2GB OC from GIGABYTE goes against the stock clocked 1GB GTX 285 from ASUS. We'll also see what kind of performance increase we get from the GTX 275.

One thing we'll also be looking at when comparing the two GTX 285s is whether or not the extra MHz and extra memory help compensate for the drop in memory MHz.


3DMark Vantage

Version and / or Patch Used: 1.0.1
Developer Homepage: http://www.futuremark.com
Product Homepage: http://www.futuremark.com/products/3dmarkvantage/
Buy It Here




3DMark Vantage is the new industry standard PC gaming performance benchmark from Futuremark, newly designed for Windows Vista and DirectX10. It includes two new graphics tests, two new CPU tests, several new feature tests, and support for the latest hardware.

3DMark Vantage is based on a completely new rendering engine, developed specifically to take full advantage of DirectX10, the new graphics API from Microsoft.


GIGABYTE GTX 285 2GB OC Graphics Card


Straight off the bat we can see the two GTX 285s perform quite similar to each other, with the GIGABYTE having a slight edge.

Benchmarks - PT Boats: Knights of the Sea


PT Boats: Knights of the Sea

Version and / or Patch Used: Benchmark Demo
Developer Homepage: http://en.akella.com/
Product Homepage: http://www.pt-boats.net/





PT Boats: Knights of the Sea is a naval action simulator that places gamers in charge of a mosquito fleet of the Allied Forces, Russia or Germany during the height of World War II.

Using the latest Direct X 10 technology PT Boards - Knights of the Sea manages to apply a lot of stress to the components of today which in turn gives us quite an intensive benchmark.


GIGABYTE GTX 285 2GB OC Graphics Card


GIGABYTE GTX 285 2GB OC Graphics Card


Under PT Boats we see both cards perform very similar. At some points the GIGABYTE pulls the win, while at others it trails slightly.

Benchmarks - CINEBENCH R10


CINEBENCH R10

Version and / or Patch Used: Release 10
Developer Homepage: http://www.maxon.net/
Product Homepage: http://www.maxon.net




CINEBENCH is a real-world test suite that assesses your computer's performace capabilities. MAXON CINEBENCH is based on MAXON's award-winning animation software, CINEMA 4D, which is used extensively by studios and production houses worldwide for 3D content creation. MAXON software has been used in blockbuster movies such as Spider-Man, Star Wars, The Chronicles of Narnia and many more.

MAXON CINEBENCH runs several tests on your computer to measure the performance of the main processor and the graphics card under real world circumstances. The benchmark application makes use of up to 16 CPUs or CPU cores and is available for Windows (32-bit and 64-Bit) and Macintosh (PPC and Intel-based).


GIGABYTE GTX 285 2GB OC Graphics Card


Performance is slightly up on the GIGABYTE GTX 285 OC 2GB under CINEBENCH.

Benchmarks - World in Conflict


World in Conflict

Version and / or Patch Used: 1.0.0.5
Timedemo or Level Used: Built-in Test
Developer Homepage: http://www.massive.se
Product Homepage: http://www.worldinconflict.com





World in Conflict is a real-time strategy video game by Massive Entertainment and to be published by Sierra Entertainment for Windows (DX9 and DX10).

The game is set in 1989 where economic troubles cripple the Soviet Union and threaten to dissolve it. However, the title pursues a "what if" scenario where, in this case, the Soviet Union does not collapse and instead pursues a course of war to remain in power. It is an intensive new game is sure to put plenty of stress on even the latest graphics cards and we use the built-in benchmarking for our testing.


GIGABYTE GTX 285 2GB OC Graphics Card


GIGABYTE GTX 285 2GB OC Graphics Card


For the most part the GIGABYTE card is able to pull out a win at all resolutions.

Benchmarks - Crysis Warhead


Crysis Warhead

Version and / or Patch Used: unpatched
Timedemo or Level Used: Airfield
Developer Homepage: http://www.crytek.com
Product Homepage: http://crysiswarhead.ea.com/
Buy It Here




Crysis Warhead updates and refines the gameplay of the original game through a sidestory plot involving Psycho, one of previous protagonist Nomad's allies. The game is a parallel story that follows Sergeant Michael "Psycho" Sykes, a character from the original Crysis, as he faces his own trials and challenges on the other side of the island during the time period of the first game.

It also showcases a new, enhanced and optimized version of CryEngine 2 using full DX10 extensions and is the first game developed by Crytek's Budapest studio.

GIGABYTE GTX 285 2GB OC Graphics Card


GIGABYTE GTX 285 2GB OC Graphics Card


We again see that for the most part the GIGABYTE card is able to sneak out ahead.

Benchmarks - Far Cry 2


Far Cry 2

Version and / or Patch Used: 1.01
Timedemo or Level Used: Ranch Long
Developer Homepage: http://www.ubi.com/
Product Homepage: http://www.farcry2.com/
Buy It Here




The Dunia Engine was built specifically for Far Cry 2 by the award-winning Ubisoft Montreal development team. It delivers the most realistic destructible environments, amazing special effects such as dynamic fire propagation and storm effects, real-time night-and-day cycle, dynamic music system, non-scripted enemy A.I. and so much more.


GIGABYTE GTX 285 2GB OC Graphics Card


GIGABYTE GTX 285 2GB OC Graphics Card


What we're seeing here is that the 2560 min seems to be slightly lower on the 2GB GIGABYTE model, but all other results show the card ahead.

Benchmarks - S.T.A.L.K.E.R. - Clear Sky


S.T.A.L.K.E.R. - Clear Sky

Version and / or Patch Used: 1.5.07
Timedemo or Level Used: Custom Timedemo
Developer Homepage: http://www.gsc-game.com/
Product Homepage: http://cs.stalker-game.com/en/
Buy It Here




S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky, is the stand-alone prequel for S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl, a first-person shooter computer game by Ukrainian developer GSC Game World.[3] The game consists of a roughly 50/50 mix of new areas and old, remodeled areas from the previous game. The X-ray graphics engine has been updated to version 1.5 and includes DirectX 10 support (later patch 1.5.06 included DirectX 10.1). Additionally, the AI received an overhaul to accommodate the new faction wars feature.

GIGABYTE GTX 285 2GB OC Graphics Card


GIGABYTE GTX 285 2GB OC Graphics Card


We can see that both cards really perform quite close here.

Benchmarks - Left 4 Dead


Left 4 Dead

Version and / or Patch Used: Latest Steam Update
Timedemo or Level Used: Custom Timedemo
Developer Homepage: http://www.valvesoftware.com/
Product Homepage: http://www.l4d.com/
Buy It Here




Left 4 Dead uses the latest version of Valve's Source engine, with improvements such as multi-core processor support and physics-based animation to more realistically portray hair and clothing, and to improve physics interaction with enemies when shot or shoved in different body parts. Animation was also improved to allow characters to lean realistically when moving in curved paths.

Rendering and artificial intelligence were scaled up to allow for greater number of enemies who can navigate the world in better ways, such as climbing, jumping or breaking obstacles. Lighting has been enhanced with new self-shadowing normal mapping and advanced shadow rendering that is important to convey information about the environment and player actions.

GIGABYTE GTX 285 2GB OC Graphics Card


Across the board we can see that the GIGABYTE offering is putting out higher numbers.

Benchmarks - High Quality AA and AF


High Quality AA and AF

Our high quality tests let us separate the men from the boys and the ladies from the girls. If the cards weren't struggling before they will start to now.


Far Cry 2

GIGABYTE GTX 285 2GB OC Graphics Card


GIGABYTE GTX 285 2GB OC Graphics Card


Under these extreme settings we can see that the GIGABYTE is able to pull out a higher minimum.


World In Conflict

GIGABYTE GTX 285 2GB OC Graphics Card


GIGABYTE GTX 285 2GB OC Graphics Card


Performance here between the two GTX 285s is identical.


Left 4 Dead

GIGABYTE GTX 285 2GB OC Graphics Card


We again see performance is up for the GIGABYTE card.

Benchmarks - World in Conflict - XP


World in Conflict

Version and / or Patch Used: 1.0.0.5
Timedemo or Level Used: Built-in Test
Developer Homepage: http://www.massive.se
Product Homepage: http://www.worldinconflict.com




World in Conflict is a real-time strategy video game by Massive Entertainment and to be published by Sierra Entertainment for Windows (DX9 and DX10) and the Xbox 360.

The game is set in 1989 where economic troubles cripple the Soviet Union and threaten to dissolve it. However, the title pursues a "what if" scenario where, in this case, the Soviet Union does not collapse and instead pursues a course of war to remain in power. It is an intensive new game is sure to put plenty of stress on even the latest graphics cards and we use the built-in benchmarking for our testing.

GIGABYTE GTX 285 2GB OC Graphics Card


GIGABYTE GTX 285 2GB OC Graphics Card


We can see that performance is a bit all over the place here.

Benchmarks - Far Cry 2 - XP


Far Cry 2

Version and / or Patch Used: 1.01
Timedemo or Level Used: Ranch Long
Developer Homepage: http://www.ubi.com/
Product Homepage: http://www.farcry2.com/
Buy It Here




The Dunia Engine was built specifically for Far Cry 2 by the award-winning Ubisoft Montreal development team. It delivers the most realistic destructible environments, amazing special effects such as dynamic fire propagation and storm effects, real-time night-and-day cycle, dynamic music system, non-scripted enemy A.I. and so much more.


GIGABYTE GTX 285 2GB OC Graphics Card


GIGABYTE GTX 285 2GB OC Graphics Card


Across the board we can see that the GIGABYTE offering gives us a nice little jump in performance.

Benchmarks - S.T.A.L.K.E.R. - Clear Sky - XP


S.T.A.L.K.E.R. - Clear Sky

Version and / or Patch Used: 1.5.07
Timedemo or Level Used: Custom Timedemo
Developer Homepage: http://www.gsc-game.com/
Product Homepage: http://cs.stalker-game.com/en/
Buy It Here




S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky, is the stand-alone prequel for S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl, a first-person shooter computer game by Ukrainian developer GSC Game World.[3] The game consists of a roughly 50/50 mix of new areas and old, remodeled areas from the previous game. The X-ray graphics engine has been updated to version 1.5 and includes DirectX 10 support (later patch 1.5.06 included DirectX 10.1). Additionally, the AI received an overhaul to accommodate the new faction wars feature.

GIGABYTE GTX 285 2GB OC Graphics Card


GIGABYTE GTX 285 2GB OC Graphics Card


The GIGABYTE card does seem to fall back slightly here.

Temperature and Sound Tests


Temperature Tests



With the TES 1326 Infrared Thermometer literally in hand we found ourselves getting real-world temperatures from the products we test at load (3D clock speeds).

There are two places we pull temperature from - the back of the card directly behind the core and if the card is dual slot and has an exhaust point we also pull a temperate from there, as seen in the picture.


GIGABYTE GTX 285 2GB OC Graphics Card


Temps are a little lower for the GTX 285 OC 2GB.


Sound Tests



Pulling out the TES 1350A Sound Level Meter we find ourselves quickly yelling into the top of it to see how loud we can be.

After five minutes of that we get a bit more serious and place the device two CM away from the fan on the card to find the maximum noise level of the card when idle (2D mode) and in load (3D mode).


GIGABYTE GTX 285 2GB OC Graphics Card


Noise levels are similar as you would expect, with both using the same heatsink/fan.

Power Consumption Tests






Using our new PROVA Power Analyzer WM-01 or "Power Thingy" as it has become quickly known as to our readers, we are now able to find out what kind of power is being used by our test system and the associated graphics cards installed. Keep in mind; it tests the complete system (minus LCD monitor, which is plugged directly into AC wall socket).

There are a few important notes to remember though; while our maximum power is taken in 3DMark06 at the same exact point, we have seen in particular tests the power being drawn as much as 10% more. We test at the exact same stage every time; therefore tests should be very consistent and accurate.

The other thing to remember is that our test system is bare minimum - only a 7,200RPM SATA-II single hard drive is used without CD ROM or many cooling fans.

So while the system might draw 400 watts in our test system, placing it into your own PC with a number of other items, the draw is going to be higher.


GIGABYTE GTX 285 2GB OC Graphics Card


Power draw is slightly up, but it's nothing huge.

Final Thoughts




The first thing we have to say is that it was so good of GIGABYTE to increase the core clock to compensate for the drop in memory clock. We have to admit that the OC naming is a bit of a stretch, but at the end of the day it is overclocked and it should be advertised like that, so we really can't have a go at GIGABYTE about that.

Performance is good; we're not sure how much the extra memory helps, which isn't anything new. The biggest appeal about having a 2GB graphics card isn't the performance, but the fact that you can tell people you have one. Sure, it's superficial, but that's the world we live in.

As far as the bundle goes, it's very GIGABYTE. While there isn't anything that really stands out, there is everything we need. So again, it's not something we can really complain about. All in all we've got a pretty mean card on our hands that packs some good performance and when it comes to a graphics card, there isn't a whole lot more you can ask for.

If you're looking for a GTX 285 that packs some extra memory while offering slightly better performance the GIGABYTE 2GB GTX 285 OC model we have here today is pretty impressive. At 399.99 U.S. Dollars over at Newegg, you're paying more than the 1GB model by about $80. While not worth it to some, others are going to be more than happy to spend the extra dollars to get a 2GB GTX 285 that packs some extra performance.

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Shawn takes care of all of our video card reviews. From 2009, Shawn is also taking care of our memory reviews, and from May 2011, Shawn also takes care of our CPU, chipset and motherboard reviews. As of December 2011, Shawn is based out of Taipei, Taiwan.

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