Probably the most expensive graphic card available at this point of time – is this dual-GPU core monster something you should ever consider?
The Appearance
This card is beautiful! I mean really, this is so unlike the ASUS GTX280.
I love how there’s an opening on the other side of the PCB for the hamster-wheel fan.
Shark-style fins on top for better heat dissipation.
Dual PCI-E power connectors, 6pin and 8pin.
I found the configuration nice yet odd. Somehow I just like it that they’re on opposite sides of the enclosure instead of the usual side by side yet being on opposite sides meant that my PCI-E connector clips are facing each other, making it a little hard to access the locking clips of the connector.
Lastly the display outputs – 2 DVI port and 1 HDMI port.
Comes with dual-DVI and a video out.
The Bundle
– Driver CD
– Manual
– DVI to VGA converter
– Dual Molex to 6 pin VGA
– Coupon for 10% off 5 different games
– Speed setup guide
– Audio cable
– 6+2 pin PCI-E power connector
Card Details
Here’s a summarized detail of the card.
More details at the official product page
Test Setup
The computer setup used for this review.
| Processor | Intel Coreâ„¢2 Duo E7200 @ 3.6ghz |
| RAM | Kingston HyperX 4GB Dual-channel Kit |
| Motherboard | Jetway X-Blue P45 |
| Cooler | Sunbeamtech Core-Contact Freezer Heatsink 92mm |
| Monitor | 20″ Dell Ultra-sharp Wide-screen LCD |
| Power Supply | Gigabyte Odin GT 550w |
| Operating System | Windows Vista Home Basic 32bit |
| Driver Version | Forceware 182.50 |
The Performance
World In Conflict
Graphic Detail : Maximum @ 1680×1050
| Card | Average |
| ASUS ENGTX295 | 39 |
| ASUS EAH4870X2 | 36 |
| Gigabyte Radeon HD4890 1GB | 35 |
Company Of Heroes : Opposing Fronts
Graphic Detail : Maximum @ 1680×1050
| Card | Average |
| ASUS ENGTX295 | 58.8 |
| ASUS EAH4870X2 | 58.0 |
| Gigabyte Radeon HD4890 1GB | 55.9 |
Lost Planet : Extreme Condition
Graphic Detail : Maximum at 1680 x 946
| Card | Snow (Average) | Cave (Average) |
| ASUS ENGTX295 | 119.5 | 56.9 |
| ASUS EAH4870X2 | 102.5 | 55.4 |
| Gigabyte Radeon HD4890 1GB | 64.6 | 60.6 |
Crysis
Graphic Detail : Maximum @ 1680×1050
| Card | Average |
| ASUS ENGTX295 | 35.80 |
| ASUS EAH4870X2 | 29.07 |
| Gigabyte Radeon HD4890 1GB | 22.21 |
H.A.W.X.
Graphic Detail : Maximum @ 1680×1050, not using DX10.1 for mode.
| Card | Average |
| ASUS ENGTX295 | 51 |
| ASUS EAH4870X2 | N/A |
| Gigabyte Radeon HD4890 1GB | 52 |
Furmark
Graphic Detail : Maximum @ 1680×1050
| Card | Average |
| ASUS ENGTX295 | 51 |
| ASUS EAH4870X2 | N/A |
| Gigabyte Radeon HD4890 1GB | 42 |
Operating Temperature
Furmark was used for graphic card stressing.
| Card | Idle (°C) | Load (°C) | Stress (°C) |
| ASUS ENGTX295 | 58 | 88 | 99 |
| ASUS EAH4870X2 | 48 | 70 | 77 |
| Gigabyte Radeon HD4890 1GB | 50 | 76 | 88 |
Readings were taken when ambient temperature was around 25°C.
– Load, Furmark was run for 1 minute at 1680×1050 with 4xAA.
– Stress, Furmark was run under the Stress Test mode for 5 minutes.
Power Consumption
Please note that the numbers below indicate the wattage for the entire system, not the graphic card alone.
| System Power Consumption | Idle (w) | Load (w) |
| ASUS ENGTX295 | 120 | 401 |
| ASUS EAH4870X2 | 100 | 236 |
| Gigabyte Radeon HD4890 1GB | 90 | 266 |
Readings taken with Gigabyte’s P-Tuner software.
Conclusion
I find it so hard to RECOMMEND this card.
It’s the best your money can buy but it’s just not the most cost effective. In terms of price:performance and let’s also keep in mind that it’s consumes a whole lot of power.
The card is also really hot, especially if you run full load on both cores 24/7. How hot is the card physically? Let’s put it this way, if I was running it at full load on both cores for quite a while and I decide to swap cards, I can’t remove it with my bare hands as it’s just too hot. I’ll need a decently thick close to prevent myself from feeling the pain.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good card – if you have the $$$ and want the best out there, this is THE card. Otherwise, I’d settle for options like the HD4890 (or GTX260 / GTX275) that’s half the cost.
Heyyyy goldfries! came from smashpop’s blog…hey where have i met u before? do tell me i wana know =)
ouh, off-topic but……….. yeah you already know mah. 🙂
Is this card use ATI chipset? (I don’t know much about graphic card)
refer to the “Card Details” section. 🙂 it’s Nvidia based.
nice review from an unbiased person (I hope so) coz so many reviews out there are paid thus creating a sense of favoritism towards either the red or green camp
btw why isnt there any readings at HAWX n furmark for 4870X2 ?
and just as a suggestion,I would like to see how GTX295 fights again 4890 CF =)
Thanks again n keep up da good work
hardware limitations la. 🙁
HD4870x2 that time i don’t have HAWX.
i don’t have that many HD4890 to CF also. will see if i can get it done. 🙂
nice review mate.
i found that the 4890 in cf performs slightly better than the 295 in terms of performance, gpu core total, and price.
but of course the presence of phys x , cuda , etc are all what makes a game fun to play.
there’s a work around to have phys x on ati but nvidia provided it in one sexy package.
well i guess we are actually paying for the extras.
i’m runnin a cf 4890 rig btw. but borrowed a friends 295 after reading ur review to test it out ^^
good to hear that. if you have more than 2 PCI-E slot then could just put a 9600GT or something for physx. 🙂 from what I read, a higher level card like 9600GT / 9800GT would be better for handling physx than low-end physx capable cards.