EVGA GTX 260 Core 216 55nm Superclocked Edition Video Card Review

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Power Consumption

Power Consumption

For this test we hooked up our power supply to a UPM power meter that will log the power consumption of the whole system twice every second. In order to stress the GPU as much as possible we once again use the Batch Render test in 3DMark06 and let it run for 30 minutes to determine the peak power consumption while letting the card sit at a stable Windows desktop for 30 minutes to determine the peak idle power consumption. We have also included several other tests as well. Please note that after extensive testing, we have found that simply plugging in a power meter to a wall outlet or UPS will NOT give you accurate power consumption numbers due to slight changes in the input voltage. Thus we use a Tripp-Lite 1800W line conditioner between the 120V outlet and the power meter.

Game Power Consumption

*Please note that the HD4870 1GB used is a custom Sapphire card which is not based upon the reference design.

Now these are some interesting results since power consumption is all over God’s creation without much rhyme or reason. Our usual power consumption test stresses the GPU while leaving the CPU relatively untouched and this resulted in some perceptible savings when running full-tilt but to be honest with you, it wasn’t much to write home about. On the other hand, idle power consumption really showed one area where the 55nm core is able to shine. This is great for those of you who keep you computer on during the day or use it for non-GPU intensive tasks every now and then.

As we move on to in-game testing, things become foggy since one game shows the 55nm card consuming less while at other times it tops out higher than the 65nm version. You wouldn’t believe how many times I redid these benchmarks since I didn’t believe what I was seeing but the accuracy of the numbers was well borne out in an email sent to us by EVGA:

The 65nm GTX260 takes 182 watts on average and the 55nm, 171 watts.
55nm will draw less power on average across apps but in some cases, can draw more.

Interesting, isn’t it? Even with the move to 55nm, the engineers at Nvidia were only able to shave about eleven watts off power consumption in what is probably a “best case scenario” while in others, consumption will actually increase over the older core. This may have more to do with other items on the PCB such as the power distribution components / layout rather than the GPU but we have yet to receive a response fully answering all of our questions regarding the this issue.

 

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Overclocking

Overclocking

Final Overclocks:

Core: 707Mhz
Shader: 1548Mhz
Memory: 2460Mhz (DDR)

Overall, overclocking was quite good…for an older GTX 260. Many people were hoping that the transition to a 55nm manufacturing process would increase the overclockability of these cards but that does not seem to be the case. Even when bumping the fan speed to 100%, overclocking didn’t increase one bit so it isn’t cooling which is keeping this card back, rather it seems to be the voltage. As a matter of fact, the core on this card overclocked nearly identically to the BFG GTX 260 we reviewed a while back. Memory overclocking went quite well but it actually stopped short of the mark set by that same GTX 260. All in all, the overclocking experience with this card proved to be a disappointment.

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Conclusion

Conclusion

Without a doubt, the EVGA GTX 260 Core 216 Superclocked Edition is an attractive card even without the inclusion of a 55nm core. It offers excellent performance when pitted against ATI’s HD 4870 512MB and 1GB cards and at times even comes close to the performance of the GTX 280. Some reports have been putting the 55nm Core 216 Superclock’s performance slightly above that of the GTX 280 but let me tell you now: that ain’t gonna happen. That doesn’t stop it from being able to play many of the newer games without a hitch even when you jack up the resolution and IQ settings. Indeed, from a price / performance standpoint, this is a tough act to beat.

However, the big question here is whether the change to a smaller manufacturing process will benefit you, the consumer. The answer to that is a resounding NO. Here is the bottom line: the 55nm core may mean lower production costs for Nvidia but in the end it doesn’t mean much to people like you and I since these lower costs have not yet filtered down to lower retail prices. The new core not only overclocks similarly to the outgoing 65nm version but its power consumption savings are minimal at best and it performs like a mirror image of the 65nm card. Heck, even temperatures remain pretty much the same courtesy of the bastardized GTX 260 heatsink. This is probably why there have been zero changes in the GTX 260 namesake and the price remains relatively unchanged as well.

We all know that Nvidia needed to launch the GTX 260 with 216 shaders in order to offer some proper competition to the HD 4870 1GB. However, when you really sit down and look at the mess that is now the GTX 260 lineup, it is more than evident that Nvidia has been trying to play catch-up to competition they never thought would be so strong. For the sake of brand clarity, it would have been much easier to have seen the GTX 260 with 216 SPs originally released with a 55nm core and named the GTX 265 or somesuch. As it stands, I can see this card being a very tough sell with the current price-cutting of the 65nm product carrying the same name.

With all of this being said, we have to commend EVGA for a job well done since they have taken a somewhat uninspiring GPU and have made it into a real contender. The Lifetime Warranty and Trade Up programs continue to work extremely well and the addition of the full Far Cry 2 game is sure to add some value. As prices for this GTX 260 Core 216 Superclocked fall once stock of the 65nm cards dries out, it will be at the forefront of the price war with ATI’s cards and in a prime position to gain some valuable market share.

All in all, if you have bought a GTX 260 with 216 SPs, you have nothing to fear considering the 55nm version doesn’t give you any tangible benefits. With prices of the 65nm GTX 260 cards falling through the floor, the card reviewed here today probably isn’t too appealing at this juncture but it shouldn’t be written off too quickly. It occupies the tough position of a transitionary product that some (myself included) were hoping would bring better overclocking and lower power consumption to the table. These hopes weren’t fully borne out and that comes as a disappointment. It is as plain and simple as that.


Pros:

- Good performance
- Lifetime Warranty
- Quiet operation
- Good accessory package


Cons:

- Priced slightly above 65nm version
- Offers no overclocking or power savings benefits over old card
- Color scheme may not be to your liking

http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/foru...-260-core-216-55nm-review-comment-thread.html​