NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 Dual-Kepler GPU Video Card Performance

Benchmark Reviews tests performance for the world's most powerful graphics solution

Manufacturer: NVIDIA
Product Name: GeForce GTX 690
Suggested Retail Price: $999.99 MSRP

Full Disclosure: The product sample used in this article has been provided by NVIDIA.

NOTE: Benchmark Reviews has published our NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 Features Overview in a separate article.

Back on 22 March 2012, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 video card made headlines and became the best-performing single-GPU graphics card on the market. Only six weeks later NVIDIA engineers have successfully combined two 28nm GK104 GPUs together to create their new GeForce GTX 690. In this article Benchmark Reviews tests game performance with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690, a double-slot graphics card equipped with a pair of Kepler GPUs. Featuring NVIDIA's cutting-edge GPU Boost technology, the GeForce GTX 690 video card can dynamically adjust power and clock speeds based on real-time application demands. Using EVGA Precision-X, the GeForce GTX 690 has both GPUs overclocked beyond 1200 GHz to produce ultimate graphical performance in PC video games.

NVIDIA targets top-end enthusiasts with their ultra-premium GeForce GTX 690 discrete graphics card, which includes only the most affluent PC gamers. In order to best illustrate the GTX 690s dual-GPU performance, we use the most demanding PC video game titles and benchmark applications available. Video frame rate performance is tested against a large collection of competing desktop graphics products, such as the AMD Radeon HD 7970 (Tahiti). Crysis Warhead compares DirectX 10 performance levels, joined by newer DirectX 11 benchmarks such as: 3DMark11, Batman: Arkham City, Battlefield 3, and Unigine Heaven 3.

VGA Testing Methodology

The Microsoft DirectX-11 graphics API is native to the Microsoft Windows 7 Operating System, and will be the primary O/S for our test platform. DX11 is also available as a Microsoft Update for the Windows Vista O/S, so our test results apply to both versions of the Operating System. The majority of benchmark tests used in this article are comparative to DX11 performance, however some high-demand DX10 tests have also been included.

In each benchmark test there is one 'cache run' that is conducted, followed by five recorded test runs. Results are collected at each setting with the highest and lowest results discarded. The remaining three results are averaged, and displayed in the performance charts on the following pages.

A combination of synthetic and video game benchmark tests have been used in this article to illustrate relative performance among graphics solutions. Our benchmark frame rate results are not intended to represent real-world graphics performance, as this experience would change based on supporting hardware and the perception of individuals playing the video game.

Intel X79 Express Test System

• Motherboard: ASUS P9X79 Deluxe Motherboard (Intel X79 Express)
• Processor: Intel Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition (six cores)
• System Memory: G.SKILL Ripjaws-Z 32GB DDR3-1600
• Primary Drive: OCZ Vertex 2 Solid State Drive
• Power Supply Unit: OCZ Z-Series Gold 850W OCZZ850
• Monitor: ASUS VG278H 27" Widescreen Monitor

DirectX-10 Benchmark Applications

• Crysis Warhead v1.1 with HOC Benchmark
  • Settings: Airfield Demo, Very High Quality, 4x AA, 16x AF

DirectX-11 Benchmark Applications

• 3DMark11 Professional Edition by Futuremark
  • Settings: Performance Level Preset, 1280x720, 1x AA, Trilinear Filtering, Tessellation level 5)
• Aliens vs Predator Benchmark 1.0
  • Settings: Very High Quality, 4x AA, 16x AF, SSAO, Tessellation, Advanced Shadows
• Batman: Arkham City
  • Settings: 8x AA, 16x AF, MVSS+HBAO, High Tessellation, Extreme Detail, PhysX Disabled
• BattleField 3
  • Settings: Ultra Graphics Quality, FOV 90, 180-second Fraps Scene
• Gugila GroundWiz RTS 2.1 Demo: Alpine
  • Settings: DirectX 11 Renderer, 1280x720p Resolution, Tessellation Normal, Shadow Mapping 1024, CPU 1t, 60-Second Duration
• Lost Planet 2 Benchmark 1.0
  • Settings: Benchmark B, 4x AA, Blur Off, High Shadow Detail, High Texture, High Render, High DirectX 11 Features
• Metro 2033 Benchmark
  • Settings: Very-High Quality, 4x AA, 16x AF, Tessellation, PhysX Disabled
• Unigine Heaven Benchmark 3.0
  • Settings: DirectX 11, High Quality, Extreme Tessellation, 16x AF, 4x AA

PCI-Express Graphics Cards

• NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 (732 MHz GPU/1464 MHz Shader/950 MHz 1280MB GDDR5 - Forceware 301.10)
• AMD Radeon HD 6970 (880 MHz GPU/1375 MHz vRAM - AMD Catalyst 12.3)
• NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 (772 MHz GPU/1544 MHz Shader/1002 MHz vRAM - Forceware 301.10)
• AMD Radeon HD 7970 (925 MHz GPU/1375 MHz vRAM - AMD Catalyst 12.3)
• NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 (1006 MHz GPU/1059 MHz Boost/1502 MHz vRAM - Forceware 301.10)
• AMD Radeon HD 6990 (830/880 MHz GPU/1250 MHz vRAM - AMD Catalyst 12.3)
• NVIDIA GeForce GTX 590 (772 MHz GPU/1544 MHz Shader/1002 MHz vRAM - Forceware 301.10)
• NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 (915 MHz GPU/1020 MHz Boost/1502 MHz vRAM - Forceware 301.33)

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