13 - The Conclusion
The Verdict
The GeForce GTX 280 is currently the fastest single GPU on the planet, there's no doubt about that. The enigma here is that the Radeon HD 4870 on many occasions can get pretty close to this product's performance, at a far better price (25-30% cheaper). I'm really glad though that NVIDIA adapted to the situation by lowering it's prices significantly. But in certain situations it's still not enough. The OCX version from BFG does make a difference. The standard overclock will boost your overall performance with another 10% and that gives this product a good lead over the Radeon HD 4870. Yet it's still a little too expensive. So I can do nothing other than be honest here, bang for bucks wise, the red colored products just offer more value. If I take it even a step further, the new X2 4870 product, though a dual-GPU based solution, kicks this product ass for merely a hundred bucks more. But that's a dual-GPU product.
NVIDIA's products do have a few tricks up their sleeves though. You'll get more value thanks to NVIDIA CUDA implementation of the product. It allows you to use 3rd party software like Badaboom to transcode videos. And next to that you obviously can not forget about the nice PhysX implementation NVIDIA gives you for free.
BFG's hardware itself obviously ran fine as always. Despite the fact that I do feel the product is getting really hot, an advantage is A) it can take it and B) the air is exhausted outside your PC. So there's no real problem there. BFG's OCX version also offers some extra's, extra's that I respect very much. The simple stuff like a HDMI adapter, HDMI cable .. it all counts in my book, supplements that others do not include.
Even more value can to be found in after-sales. You'll receive an extensive life-time warranty in the USA, and 10 years outside the USA. Very few manufacturers offer you this kind of support. And especially with an expensive high-end part like tested today, it's good to know you back is covered should god forbid something happen to the product.
Though not very likely applicable to you if you purchase this high-end product, BFG recently introduced it and though really interesting, it's doubtful that you'd step-up to something else. I mean what else is there to be found after the GeForce GTX 280 -- well maybe a 55nm spin-off product, who knows.
No-matter how you look at it or compare yourself blind to the team red, the GeForce GTX 280 remains the fastest single GPU based product on this planet. But the next step for AMD is to release a Radeon 4850 X2, dnd that product is going to be an undeviating problem to the GTX 280 price and performance wise. It's just the reality of today's 3D gaming arena.
Anyway, rounding up. Supplementary value is to be found in the higher clock frequencies and far-fetched warranty. Though something as simple as including a HDMI cable, just brings a smile to my face as well. It's good to see that stuff, and exactly where BFG rocks, hey it's Built For Gamers.
The BFG GeForce GTX 280 OCX is just is a top-notch product, I still feel that prices need to come down even a little more. We had a breathtaking gaming experience though. The graphics market is a nice one to be in at this very moment. It drove prices down and performance levels up. Isn't it great to have such options?
BFG GeForce GTX 280 OC 1024MB - Info: BFG Technology
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