Zotac GeForce GTX-480 ZT-40101-10P

Very recently NVIDIA launched their Fermi-based GF100 video cards to websites like Benchmark Reviews for evaluation. While the graphics performance was best-in-class, the GTX-480 engineering samples tested by reviewers generally ran hot, consumed plenty of power, and suffered from a noisy blower fan. For most PC gamers and hardware enthusiasts the final verdict was delivered then and there, long before the retail market even received its first packaged product. So much has changed, and yet so much remains the same. That's the best way to describe my experience with the first retail-available GeForce GTX 480 graphics card.

True to this statement, Zotac's GeForce GTX-480 looks exactly like the Fermi GF100 engineering sample NVIDIA provided the media two months ago, but looks are only 'skin deep'. Benchmark Reviews improves our opinion of the product as the Zotac GeForce GTX-480 video card kit (ZT-40101-10P) is compared against the NVIDIA sample, and reveals that perhaps the community passed judgment in haste. As you read through this article you'll realize that NVIDIA rushed to reveal their Fermi-based video cards to the public, but the test samples were very far from production-quality level.

The Zotac GeForce GTX-480 is based on the same reference design that debuted on 26 March 2010, but this retail kit (ZT-40101-10P) differs in all of the ways that matter most: power consumption is lower, resulting in reduced heat output and silenced fan noise. Priced at $499, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 empowers DirectX-11 video games to deliver unmatched geometric realism. In this article Benchmark Reviews tests 3D frame rate performance on the improved retail-version Zotac GeForce GTX-480 in single-card and SLI-modes, and compares results against some of the most powerful graphics products on the market.

ZOTAC GeForce GTX 480 Video Card Kit ZT-40101-10P

At the center of every new technology is purpose, and NVIDIA has designed their Fermi GF100 GPU with an end-goal of redefining the video game experience through significant graphics processor innovations. Disruptive technology often changes the way users interact with computers, and the GeForce GTX-480 graphics card is a complex tool built to arrive at one simple destination: immersive entertainment, especially when paired with NVIDIA GeForce 3D Vision. Benchmark Reviews tests graphics frame rate performance of the ZOTAC GeForce GTX 480 using several of the most demanding PC video game titles and benchmark software available. Old favorites such as Crysis Warhead, Far Cry 2, Resident Evil 5, as well as PCMark Vantage are all included. New to the scene are Battlefield: Bad Company 2, Matro 2033, BattleForge, and the recently announced Unigine Heaven 2.0 benchmark.

TSMC, the largest semiconductor foundry on the planet, has had a great deal of difficulty shrinking their business. Originally intended to feature 512 CUDA cores, NVIDIA was faced with limited yields from TSMC, and decided to end the consumers wait and offer gamers and PC hardware enthusiasts a 480-core solution. Back in March 2010, NVIDIA presented the GeForce GTX 480 graphics card. Powered by 48 ROPs and 480 unified CUDA (shader) cores, the GF100 Fermi GPU has 3.2-billion transistors to help process DirectX-11 commands and render some of the most detailed graphics ever seen on the PC platform. Tessellation is the word for 2010, and DX11 brings movie-quality graphics to life on consumer-level video games.

About the Company: ZOTAC International (MCO) Limited

ZOTAC International (MCO) Limited was established in 2006 with a mission to deliver superb quality of NVIDIA graphic solutions to the industry. It has strong backup from parent group, PC Partner Ltd. Headquartered in Hong Kong, factory in mainland China and regional sales offices in Europe, Asia Pacific and North America. The support ZOTAC provides is currently the largest of its kind around the world.

With 40 SMT lines, 6,000 workers and 100,000 square-feet meter, ZOTAC features a full array of state-of-the-art facilities and machinery. In addition, ZOTAC has over 130 R&D professionals in Hong Kong, China and warranty and service center in strategic countries to enable effective and efficient worldwide as well as localized sales and marketing supports.

ZOTAC with NVIDIA not only means superb quality, it also means high performance, absolute reliability and great value. In the past year, ZOTAC was compared and tested by several influential members in the media and have proven its products are good quality, worth-to-buy graphic cards in the market. With the product features of overclocked performance, excellent cooling properties and unique packaging ZOTAC products definitely exceed users' expectations.

ZOTAC's commitment to our user is to bring the latest products quickly to the market with the best value. Doubtless to say ZOTAC is the right choice for those who require high-quality graphic solutions. For additional information please visit the ZOTAC website

Previous Page - Next Page >>