General Gaming Article |
- USB Head-to-Head: LaCie XtremKey vs. Corsair Flash Survivor
- Fujifilm X20 Review
- Through Sony's Eyes, "Vast Majority" of Gamers Prefer GameStop Over Buying Online
- Nvidia Releases GeForce 320.49 Beta Driver
- Sony SmartWatch 2 is Water-Resistant, Supports NFC
- iBuypower Refreshes Valkyrie Laptop Line with Haswell CPUs, GeForce 700 Series GPUs
- HP Builds Its First Android All-In-One PC
- Newegg Daily Deals: Kingston HyperX 16GB DDR3-1600 RAM, AOC 24-inch Monitor, and More!
- Razer Surround Audio Software Injects 7.1 Virtual Sound Into Ordinary Stereo Headsets
- Geforce GTX 760 Benchmarks
| USB Head-to-Head: LaCie XtremKey vs. Corsair Flash Survivor Posted: 25 Jun 2013 01:35 PM PDT Two rugged flash drives go head-to-headRugged USB keys are nothing new, but lately they've reached a level of badassery previously only reserved for Maximum PC editors and lumberjacks. We're talking supreme toughness, with hints of leather, peppered beef jerky, and English Gentleman aftershave thrown in. To see which key is the most badass we've assembled the top two candidates— the LaCie XtremKey and the Corsair Flash Survivor—and set out to discover which is the top dog. They are both USB 3.0- and 2.0-compatible, come wrapped in some form of metal, and can tolerate environments ranging from super-heated to ice-cold. We put them through their paces to let you know which key you need in your pocket the next time you're immersed in glacial waters and then set on fire. No editors were harmed in testing, of course, but these two keys certainly were.
The Corsair Flash Survivor features an aluminum chassis made from recycled airplanes, and is waterproof up to 200 meters. Round 1: SizeThe XtremKey's 2mm-thick steel chassis makes it almost impenetrable to abuse, but it also makes it semi-difficult to lug around—it's like having a small boat anchor in your pocket. At 57 grams it's porky too, so dropping it on your phone or your foot could cause some damage. The Corsair Survivor, on the other hand, is made from anodized aluminum, so it's incredibly light by comparison at 43 grams, while still being exceedingly tough. Despite its lighter weight, you could still smash the Survivor with a hammer and it would, well, survive, unscathed. Both drives can withstand a lot of punishment, but the Flash Survivor does it without weighing us down too much. Winner: Corsair Flash Survivor Round 2: RuggednessThis was a tough category to thoroughly test, simply because the upper limits of the drives' endurance was beyond what was available to us. For example, the XtremKey can withstand 10 tons of pressure, but we only had a full-size truck available, and both keys passed the roll-over test with flying colors. Both drives were also baked in an oven at 350 degrees for an hour, sent through a wash and dry cycle, frozen and thawed, and thrown on the ground with all our nerd strength, and neither drive stopped working. The nod goes to the XtremKey though, since it can take more damage than the Flash Survivor due to its metal alloy exoskeleton. Winner: LaCie XtremKey Round 3: Software BundleThis category is an easy win for the XtremKey since it includes a fairly sizable software bundle for a USB key, including backup software, encryption tools (TrueCrypt), and a cloud storage utility that gives you 5GB of free storage. The Corsair key, on the other hand, ships with just the key and nothing else; although, keep in mind that the Corsair key is half the price of the LaCie key, but we'll get to that in a bit. To its credit, the Corsair key works with Mac, Windows, and Linux right out of the box with no additional drivers needed, so that's appreciated. The LaCie key not only ships with software, but it's actually good software, which is surprising and helps justify the XtremKey's high price tag. LaCie's XtremKey is extreme alright—in its size, price, speed, and the amount of punishment it can take. Winner: LaCie XtremKey Round 4: PerformanceThis is another easy win for the LaCie XtremKey, as it has more than three times the speed as the Corsair key even though both keys are USB 3.0 rated. The LaCie key is rated to perform sequential reads at 230MB/s while the Corsair key is rated for just 80MB/s, and our benchmarks verified a massive speed differential between the drives. Using CrystalDiskMark, we saw the LaCie key read at 213MB/s and the Corsair key perform at 88.3MB/s. In a real-world 11GB file-copy test, the LaCie key took just three minutes and 34 seconds to write the files, while the Corsair key required a sluggish 13 minutes and 30 seconds, so the difference between the two keys in everyday file use is large and noticeable. Winner: LaCie XtremKey Round 5: ValueWe're giving this round to the Corsair Flash Survivor simply because it's half the price of the LaCie key, even though it holds the same 32GB and is rugged enough for the average card-holding geek. We bought our key for just $40 from Amazon, so it's actually less than half the LaCie key's $85 asking price. Sure, you get some great software with the LaCie key, and a little extra ruggedness, but the biggest advantage the LaCie key has over the Corsair is its blazing speed. That is something worth paying for, but not at twice the price. The Corsair key also has a five-year warranty, and the XtremKey just covers you for three years. Winner: Corsair Flash Survivor And the Winner Is…Before we started this test, we had the Corsair Flash Survivor pegged as the key we'd spend our money on since we figured it was probably rugged enough, and it costs half as much as the XtremKey. Now that testing is complete, however, we've reversed ourselves, and declare the LaCie XtremKey the winner. Not only can it theoretically withstand more punishment than the Flash Survivor, it includes a full-fledged software package, and was more than twice as fast in our tests as the Corsair key. It's big and heavy, and yes, it's expensive, but it's the full package whereas the Flash Survivor is simply a little too bare-bones in comparison. |
| Posted: 25 Jun 2013 12:05 PM PDT The Fujifilm X20 proves that compact digicams aren't dead yetWhy buy a compact digital camera these days when every smartphone and tablet has a built-in camera? Amateurs and even some professionals are making impressive pictures with phonecams. Phones are almost always handy, and downloadable apps make them infinitely customizable. Just as digital cameras have all but killed film, now phonecams threaten to kill digital cameras—or at least the compact digicams, leaving DSLRs alive for those occasions when nothing but the best will do.
The Fujifilm X20 Nevertheless, there's still a place for a good compact camera. Although most snapshooters may be satisfied with a phonecam's sheer simplicity, enthusiasts still prefer the manual controls, bigger image sensors, lower noise, better lenses, faster response, and higher-quality results that are possible with a camera designed to be a camera, not a phone. Some photographers also prefer the option of composing with an eye-level viewfinder in addition to an LCD screen. Likewise, some folks prefer to build their own computers instead of buying a prefab PC, and others prefer the Linux command line to Windows 8. It's an enthusiast thing. You either get it or you don't. Lately we've seen a surge of compact cameras designed for enthusiasts. As phonecams devour the low-end digicam market, the survivors are the high-hanging fruit. The newest such camera is the Fujifilm X20, which replaces the lookalike X10 introduced two years ago. Externally, the two models are almost identical, but the X20 has numerous improvements and one very useful feature never before seen in a compact digicam: a big, bright optical viewfinder that displays critical shooting information. Other standout features: • A 12-megapixel image sensor that's 50% larger than the sensors in other small-chip digicams, producing better image quality with less noise. • A non-Bayer color-filter array that reduces moiré effects without using an antialiasing filter in the optical path, thus producing sharper photos. • Fast phase-detect autofocus built into the image sensor, plus the usual contrast-detect autofocus. • A 28-112mm (35mm-film equivalent) zoom lens with fast maximum apertures of f/2.0 to f/2.8, allowing higher shutter speeds, better low-light photography, and lower ISOs that minimize noise. • Manual zoom control for faster, more precise composition. • External controls for shooting modes, focus modes, custom-setting modes, a quiet mode, exposure lock, exposure compensation, and quick access to vital functions without diving deep into the menus. • An extended dynamic-range mode that deliberately underexposes a scene to preserve highlight detail, then boosts the sensor sensitivity to recover the shadow detail. • Optional RAW image capture, plus in-camera RAW-to-JPEG conversion with customizable processing. • Magnesium-alloy body with metal lens barrel and metal control knobs. Of course, the X20 also has a zillion other features that define it as a high-end compact: ISOs from 100 to 12,800, mechanical and electronic shutter speeds from 30 seconds to 1/4000 second, JPEG frame rates up to 12fps with an 11-frame buffer, face-detect autofocus, macro focusing (down to 0.3 inches), lens-shift image stabilization, automatic scene-selection modes, two custom-setting modes, multiple metering modes, multiple bracketing modes, multiple autofocus modes, manual focusing with focus peaking, film-simulation curves, H.264 High-Definition video with stereo sound (up to 1080p, 60fps), 360-degree sweep panoramas with in-camera stitching, and a host of other features that fill the 141-page instruction manual. (And yes, the box includes a paper manual, plus a CD-ROM.) All that fancy stuff is nice to have, but let's get real. If you really want to shoot HD video, get a video camera. If you love panoramas, get a DSLR, a panoramic tripod head, and third-party stitching software. Camera manufacturers pack their digicams with fancy features because it's expected. The true test of an enthusiast digicam is how well it functions on the road as a lightweight travel camera or on the street as a candid camera. And for that, only a few things really matter—usability, speed, control, and image quality. By these measures, the X20 shines.
The back of the Fujifilm X20 A Real Viewfinder, At Last The X20's most innovative feature is an eye-level optical viewfinder (OVF) that zooms with the lens and displays critical shooting information. It shows the focus point, focus confirmation, shutter speed, lens aperture (f/stop), ISO, over- or underexposure warnings, and slow-shutter alert. This kind of data is standard in DSLRs and cameras with electronic viewfinders (EVFs), but it's never been offered in a digicam's OVF. Indeed, the vast majority of compact digicams have shed their OVFs altogether, leaving only the rear LCD for composition and data displays. Although composing photos at arm's length has become ubiquitous, many photographers still like the option of eye-level viewing. It's faster, more stable, and more usable in bright light. But only a few digicams retain OVFs, and those that do have perfunctory tunnel finders reminiscent of a 1925 Leica.
The Fujifilm X20's optical viewfinder is handy for candid grab shots under any lighting conditions. (ISO 800, 1/40 second at f/2.) In addition to displaying data, the X20's OVF is noticeably bigger and brighter. A diopter adjustment corrects the finder for your vision, and a new sensor can automatically turn off the LCD screen when you raise the camera to your eye. Like the previous model's OVF, however, the X20's finder still shows only 85% of the image field. (Hint: You can make the OVF nearly accurate in the vertical dimension by changing the camera's standard 4:3 aspect ratio to 3:2, the same as DSLRs and 35mm cameras. The X20 also has a 1:1 mode for taking square pictures, if you want to emulate a Rolleiflex.) The improved OVF is a revelation. It sets the X20 apart from all other enthusiast digicams, such as Canon's PowerShot G-series. Fujifilm worked this miracle by interposing a thin, transparent LCD in the finder. The data readouts even change color automatically in different lighting conditions to improve visibility or convey information. It's still not as good as a DSLR finder, but it's a leap beyond anything seen before in a compact digicam. Click the next page to read about its controls and how fast the X20 can take images. Fast Enough for Street Photography Most digicams suffer from frustrating shutter lag that makes action photography almost impossible. The X20 is nearly as fast as a DSLR. An external control selects among AF-S (single), AF-C (continuous), and MF (manual) focus modes. You can let the camera select the focus point or use the default center point. If you want, you can move the focus point anywhere in the frame and adjust its size. In AF-S mode, the X20 usually locks focus very quickly, even indoors. The instruction manual recommends AF-S for stationary subjects and AF-C for moving subjects, but AF-S is so fast that it's suitable for almost any subject. As one of our test photos shows, the X20 locked focus on the legs of a tattooed man who was walking briskly on a city sidewalk. Even though both the photographer and subject were in motion, the X20 captured a sharp image of the Blues Brothers tattoos on the man's calves. The subject was not a model and was unaware he was being photographed. And this photo wasn't cherry-picked from a multiframe burst—it was the only frame.
Even in AF-S mode, the Fujifilm X20 was fast enough to lock focus on this man's rapidly moving legs. A high shutter speed helped freeze a sharp image of the tattoos on his calves. (ISO 100, 1/550 second at f/5.6.) So yes, the X20 is a good choice for urban street photography. Any camera fast enough for street photography is fast enough for almost anything else. For rapid sports action, DSLRs are still faster, and they accept longer telephoto lenses. But a honking-big DSLR with zoom lens can be intimidating on the street or attract too much attention when traveling abroad in nontourist areas. The small X20 is much stealthier and less obtrusive. Almost Too Many Controls Diving into menus to access vital functions is a pain in the butt, so cameras designed for advanced amateurs and pros have numerous "hard controls"—external buttons, knobs, rings, and switches. The X20 has plenty of those. Like almost all digital cameras, however, it omits the straightforward shutter-speed dials and f/stop rings of classic cameras. (Fujifilm's higher-end X100, X100S, XPro-1, and XE-1 are rare exceptions.) The X20's top mode dial includes the M(anual), S(hutter-priority), A(perture-priority), and P(rogram) exposure modes that enthusiasts demand. Of course, the camera also has full-auto and automatic scene-selection modes, so you can hand it to anyone for a casual snapshot. Unlike most digicams, the X20 also has a top-mounted exposure-compensation dial that adds or subtracts up to two stops of exposure in 1/3-stop increments in the auto and semiauto modes. During testing, the X20 fiercely resisted the blown highlights of overexposure, consistently delivering correct exposures or slight underexposures. If your experience varies, you can use the compensation dial to bias the exposures either way. On the camera's back, a control wheel, control ring, four-way cursor switch, electronic-flash switch, and eight buttons provide additional inputs. The most vital of these controls is a little wheel recessed horizontally above the thumb rest. In shutter-priority mode, it controls the shutter speed; in aperture-priority mode, it controls the f/stop. In manual mode, it controls both, because it's also a click wheel—press it once to switch between the two settings. You can also use the control ring surrounding the four-way switch to change these values, but the wheel is handier when using the OVF. When shooting, the four-way switch lets you move the focus point, change the flash mode, enter the macro-focus mode, or activate the self-timer. A center button displays the menus on the LCD. A nearby button lets you lock the exposure, the focus point, or both. Another button alters the information displayed on the LCD; pressing it for a few seconds longer forces the camera into "quiet mode," suppressing the flash, focus-assist light, and all sounds. Next to it, another button opens a single-screen Quick Menu containing 15 important functions. To the left of the LCD, four more buttons let you review pictures or change the white balance, drive mode (single shot, burst, etc), or metering pattern (matrix, averaging, or spot). The electronic-flash switch manually raises or lowers the built-in flash—with the X20, you need never worry about the flash popping off when you don't want it to. In addition, the X20 has a standard hot shoe, so you can attach any accessory flash unit. (In another homage to classic cameras, the X20's shutter button is threaded for a standard mechanical cable release.) What's missing? A dedicated ISO button is the most notable omission. However, the Quick Menu includes this setting, and a programmable function button on the top deck provides even quicker access, if you want. The previous X10 model had a RAW-format button, but the X20 replaces it with the Quick Menu button. (You can select RAW or RAW+JPEG format in the menus, or program the function button for this purpose.) Overall, the X20's controls are far better than those on typical digicams and rival those on DSLRs. The absent ISO button was missed most, but the alternatives are tolerable. Indeed, the X20 has almost TOO MANY controls for such a small camera. It's easy to accidentally bump a control when handling the X20. Fortunately, pressing the menu button for a few seconds disables the four-way switch and Quick Menu button. (Hint: because the control ring is rarely needed, it can be discreetly disabled with a piece of electrical tape.) Small cameras are understandably popular, but the X20 is one digicam that could stand to be a little larger. It's slightly too large to be a true pocket camera, anyway (except for coat pockets), so a bit more girth would make it easier to handle. Click the next page to read about the X20's image quality. Image Quality Excels Image quality is the most critical aspect of an enthusiast camera, and the X20 belongs in the top rank of digicams. That said, it's not a DSLR; it's a small-chip digicam. In the analog age, bigger film negatives always recorded more detail with less grain than smaller negatives. In the digital age, bigger image sensors always record more detail with less noise than smaller sensors. Size matters. Nevertheless, sensor technology keeps advancing, and today's small-chip digicams are much better than those of a few years ago. In its class, the X20 excels. To start with, it has a 2/3-inch sensor, the largest of any digicam in the small-chip category. This sensor is 50% bigger than the 1/1.7-inch chips in similar digicams, such as Canon's highly rated PowerShot G15 and Panasonic's Lumix LX7. And it helps that the X20 doesn't surrender to megapixel mania. The sensor has "only" 12 megapixels, which is plenty. Image quality erodes dramatically when small-chip cameras squeeze too many pixels onto their sensors. Fujifilm's X-Trans CMOS sensor replaces the Bayer color-filter array used in almost all other digital cameras with a unique array that has a less-regular color pattern. This array is designed to reduce moiré effects—the pixel aliasing that distorts colors or produces false-color artifacts in subjects with finely patterned surfaces. The X-Trans sensor enabled Fujifilm to omit the antialiasing filter that covers the image sensors in almost all digital cameras. Removing this filter from the optical path noticeably sharpens the photos, and no moiré effects were evident during testing. Judging the image quality of any digital camera can be a harsh exercise, because image-editing software can magnify digital images on the screen to dimensions much larger than common print sizes. Film images were rarely viewed so large. This "pixel peeping" at 100% magnification reveals flaws even in the best prime lenses mounted on pro-quality DSLRs. Compact digicams fare worse, because their small-chip sensors capture less detail and suffer from more pixel noise, even at relatively low ISOs. And indeed, magnifying the X20's images reveals some visible noise in shadow areas, even at its base sensitivity of ISO 100. However, the noise is invisible in 8.5x11-inch prints. Noise always rises as the ISO climbs. In X20 images viewed on screen, noise is acceptable until the ISO reaches stratospheric heights. (The camera's maximum sensitivity of ISO 12,800 is strictly for the desperate.) By ISO 800, the noise and noise-filtering artifacts are plainly visible at 100% pixel magnification on screen but are barely noticeable in 8.5x11-inch prints. ISO 1600 is acceptable in smaller prints. These results are surprisingly good for a small-chip camera. In a low-light shootout against a Nikon D80 DSLR, the X20 was astonishing. At ISO 3200—the D80's highest sensitivity—the X20 showed barely more noise, and only when closely comparing both images at 100% screen magnification. What's more surprising is that the X20 recorded equivalent detail with fewer color artifacts and more-neutral white balance. Of course, the Nikon D80 is 2006 technology. Still, it's remarkable that a small-chip digicam can run such a close race with a DSLR—and the D80 was fitted with a Nikkor AF-D prime lens. (Both cameras were mounted on a tripod, matched for equivalent focal lengths, and stopped down to f/5.6.)
The closeup views of these two ISO 3200 images were cropped at 100% magnification. Left column: Fujifilm X20; right column: Nikon D80 DSLR with Nikkor 24mm f/2.8 AF-D lens. (In both cases, the equivalent 35mm-film focal length was about 36mm.) The X20's auto white balance is clearly superior, and image detail is virtually identical. The D80 shows only slightly less noise. (ISO 3200, 1/30 or 1/45 second at f/5.6.) Even wide open at f/2, the X20's images are sharp. One exception, common to small-chip cameras, is when photographing subjects dominated by random detail. Examples are foliage and wood grain. Small sensors have trouble rendering that detail as smoothly as larger sensors do. Again, though, these differences are noticeable mainly when viewing images at high screen magnifications, not in prints. Some people object to the overly aggressive noise filtering that's often visible in highly magnified images from small-chip cameras. Their firmware suppresses noise even at low ISOs, tending to smear fine details. The X20 lets you increase or decrease the noise filtering, but some manipulation looks evident even at the minimum setting. If you abhor this effect, shoot in RAW format and use third-party noise-reduction software. Or, better yet, use a camera with a larger sensor. Click the next page for the final verdict. Designed for Photographers Overall, the Fujifilm X20 is a well-built, high-quality compact camera with unique features that set it apart from all other small-chip cameras. Among the dwindling number of digicams with OVFs, it has the best finder by far. The X20 is fast, controllable, stealthy, stylish, and couples an excellent lens with an excellent sensor. It's one of the few compact cameras that feels like it was designed for photographers with significant input by photographers. On the downside, the X20 is a battery burner (at least one spare is mandatory), relatively expensive ($599), has a nonstandard filter size (39.5mm, although a 52mm adapter is available), is too big to be comfortably pocketable, and has a crowded control layout (though no worse than comparable digicams). Wish list: increase the OVF's accuracy to 95% and make the camera slightly larger. It's not a pocket camera, so an extra inch would make handling easier and create room for an articulated LCD, which is valuable for sneaky waist-level shooting. For family photography, lightweight travel, and street photography, the X20 is one of the best alternatives to a bulky DSLR. Even the new wave of small mirrorless cameras with interchangeable lenses can't match the X20's zoom range and lens speed in the same compact package. If phonecams ever succeed in killing off digicams, at least the cameras aren't going down without a fight. In the analog days, 35mm film shooters would have killed for a camera like this. |
| Through Sony's Eyes, "Vast Majority" of Gamers Prefer GameStop Over Buying Online Posted: 25 Jun 2013 11:53 AM PDT
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| Nvidia Releases GeForce 320.49 Beta Driver Posted: 25 Jun 2013 11:19 AM PDT
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| Sony SmartWatch 2 is Water-Resistant, Supports NFC Posted: 25 Jun 2013 10:16 AM PDT
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| iBuypower Refreshes Valkyrie Laptop Line with Haswell CPUs, GeForce 700 Series GPUs Posted: 25 Jun 2013 09:42 AM PDT Second-gen Valkyries powered by fourth-gen Intel Core processorsiBuypower on Monday stepped into the Haswell era, announcing the launch of the latest generation of its Valkyrie gaming laptops. The new Valkyrie series comprises the 15-inch CZ-15 and 17-inch CZ-27, both of which are powered by 4th generation Intel Core i7 processors and the latest Nvidia graphics cards. The cheapest CZ-27 SKU costs $1,349 and has a Core i7-4700MQ processor, 8GB of DDR3 RAM, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770M with 3GB VRAM, 500GB HDD and 8X dual format DVD±RW combo. The CZ-27 and the CZ-15 are both available in three basic flavors, but there is no dearth of toppings. This is what a fully tricked-out CZ-27 looks like on paper: Intel Core i7-4930MX Extreme Edition processor, 32GB of RAM and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780M with 4GB VRAM, 6x Blu-Ray-R burner, and 1TB solid-state storage. Unlike the CZ-27, the 15-inch CZ-15, which starts at $1,599, is a completely new model. It features a 15.6-inch full HD display, Core i7-4700MQ (up to Core i7 4930MX), up to 32GB DDR3 RAM, GeForce GTX 780M with 4GB VRAM, and your choice of optical drive. With up to two storage slots that can each accommodate up to a 1TB HDD or up to a 512GB SSD, there are a wide variety of storage options to choose from. "The new Valkyries are beautiful, powerful, and deliver the promise of lasting battery power for high-performance gaming notebooks," said Darren Su, Co-Founder and Vice President of iBUYPOWER in a press release. "Battery life and performance are two critical focus areas for our customers, and the new generation of Valkries [sic] deliver on all fronts." Follow Pulkit on Google+ |
| HP Builds Its First Android All-In-One PC Posted: 25 Jun 2013 09:31 AM PDT
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| Newegg Daily Deals: Kingston HyperX 16GB DDR3-1600 RAM, AOC 24-inch Monitor, and More! Posted: 25 Jun 2013 08:15 AM PDT
Top Deal: Photoshop feeling sluggish? Short of a system overhaul, throwing more RAM at content creation chores can often ease the burden of processing photos and videos. Check out today's top deal for Kingston HyperX Blu Red Series 16GB (2x8GB) DDR3-1600 Desktop Memory for $99 with free shipping (normally $124 - use coupon code HASMEM10). It's fast, capacious, and relatively inexpensive way to give your system a performance boost. Other Deals: Asus HD7770-2GD5 Radeon HD 7770 GHz Edition 2GB GDDR5 Video Card for $131 with free shipping (normally $150 - use coupon code:[DIRECTCU]; additional $15 mail-in rebate and free games with purchase) Sapphire 100355OCL Radeon HD 7850 2GB GDDR5 Video Card OC Version for $180 with free shipping (normally $210; additional $15 mail-in rebate) Rosewill Blackhawk-Ultra Gaming Super Tower Computer Case for $190 with free shipping (normally $220) AOC E2460SD 24" 5ms Widescreen LED Backlight LCD Monitor for $130 with free shipping (normally $170) |
| Razer Surround Audio Software Injects 7.1 Virtual Sound Into Ordinary Stereo Headsets Posted: 25 Jun 2013 08:00 AM PDT
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| Posted: 25 Jun 2013 06:00 AM PDT Nvidia attacks the midrange with its latest GK104-based GPUToday Nvidia is launching its newest 700-series GPU, the $250 GK104-based GTX 760. This is a "hard launch" as opposed to a paper launch, so you should be able to buy cards from your favorite e-tailers by the time you read this. Unlike its more expensive brethren, the GTX 770 and the GTX 780, the GTX 760 is a budget-oriented card that outpaces AMD's HD 7950 as well as its own $300 GTX 660 Ti. Nvidia says if you're looking to upgrade from a GTX 560 Ti or similar $200-ish dollar card, this is the GPU you want. After looking at the benchmark scores, it's hard to argue with that logic. The BasicsThe GTX 760 is powered by the same GK104 GPU originally found in the GTX 680, which was Nvidia's flagship GPU when it launched its Kepler architecture in 2012. The GTX 760 is a binned version of that chip with less CUDA cores and lower clock speeds, but with the same 256-bit memory interface and the same 2GB of 6GHz memory. Add-in board partners will also be offering the GTX 760 in overclocked versions with both 2GB and 4GB of memory in addition to custom cooling solutions as well, just like the GTX 770. Nvidia claims this card is designed for 1080p gaming, and all of our testing was performed at that resolution as well. This card will replace the GTX 660 Ti in the company's lineup, but the GTX 660 and GTX 650 Ti Boost will remain in place as the lower-cost alternatives to this GPU. The card is 9.5 inches long and uses two six-pin PCIe connectors.
The GTX 760 reference board measures 9.5 inches and sports a semi-quiet blower-type cooler. As a 700-series card this board also gets all the goodies that come along with that moniker, including GPU Boost 2.0 which includes Adaptive Fan Control for quieter operation, ShadowPlay for recording gaming sessions, and streaming to Nvidia's upcoming Shield handheld gaming device. SpecsWhen looking at the spec chart for all the cards in this price range, it can get a little confusing as to which card is actually higher spec'd than another due to the mix-and-match nature of the numbers. This card seems to slot in right below the GTX 660 Ti as its pricing would indicate, but we found it to perform slightly better in testing (see below).
Performance and OverclockingSince this is a GPU we've seen four times previously, we won't bother rehashing any old info but will instead just get straight to what really matters -- the benchmarks. When compared to the GTX 660 Ti, the Radeon HD 7950 and the Radeon HD 7870, the GTX 760 is the fastest in the bunch. It delivered very acceptable framerates at 1080p running max settings with 4XAA in even the most demanding game we use currently; Metro: Last Light. Sure, 25fps isn't anything to Skype home about but we run the test with maximum physics too, so that's a surprisingly playable framerate (barely). More impressively, it delivers a decent performance boost compared to the more expensive GTX 660 Ti and the Radeon HD 7950, and is quieter than both of those cards as well. It does make a bit of noise though compared to the previous cards we've seen in this series, but it's never obnoxious. We were also able to overclock the board all the way up to 1,241MHz and it was totally stable in all of our tests, though it did run at 86C after churning through an overnight session of Heaven 4.0. With a bigger cooler on this board it's possible even more overclocking headroom could be liberated, but we doubt it. We also maxed out the board's voltage to achieve this overclock, and can't wait to see what add-in board partners will offer. Benchmarks
Final ThoughtsNvidia is saying this is the final card in the 700-series, so there you have it - this is the lineup for what we assume will be most of 2013 from Nvidia.
The GTX 760 is a strong contender at the $250 price point, and honestly we thought this would be a $300 card at first, so the pricing seems quite competitive. It certainly seems like the fastest card in the mid-$200 price range, and is a heck of a lot quieter than the HD 7950, making that head-to-head a no brainer. Just like with the launch of the GTX 780 and then the GTX 770, we now wait for AMD to make a move. After reading last week that AMD is working on a new design for its coolers for the 8000 series, we're inclined to believe the company isn't standing still, but isn't quite ready to launch just yet. We know it's spending time taking shots at Nvidia these days as well since it's riding high on the news that it scored design wins in all of the next-gen consoles, so clearly AMD is gaining some momentum. How and when it'll respond to the latest salvos from Nvidia remains to be seen though. Hopefully it's not just with another game bundle, but with new hardware. |
Sony speaks the half-truth
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