More recently, Nvidia has replenished its arsenal with another great video adapter that claims to occupy the niche of entry-level gaming devices. Affordable price (10-15 thousand rubles) and high performance clearly allow this to be done by the new GTX 950 graphics chip. The review presented in this article will introduce the reader to the technical characteristics of the graphics accelerator and devices from different world manufacturers on this chipset. Owner reviews and test results will help determine the choice of a gaming video card in the market of computer components.
The performance characteristics
The Nvidia Geforce GTX 950 video adapter is built on the GM206 platform according to the technical process of 28 nanometers, has a crystal area of ​​228 mm 2 and accommodates 2.94 billion transistors. The graphics core clock frequency is 1024 MHz, and the number of stream processors - 768 pieces. The manufacturer installed 48 texture blocks and 32 rasterization blocks on the chip.
The memory is based on GDDR5 technology and has 2048 megabytes on board. The video card uses a 128-bit bus for data transmission and operates at a frequency of 6600 MHz. The memory bandwidth is 105.4 gigabytes per second. The entire system has a maximum power consumption of 90 watts. It is easy to notice that most of the new features, including the GM206 platform itself, clearly indicate that the manufacturer borrowed the chipset from the High-End class gaming adapter, the GeForce GTX 960. For better or worse, tests will show.
Factory version
The original video adapter Geforce GTX 950 looks no different from the usual representative of the budget class: a 15-cm printed circuit board with compactly placed chips and memory modules on it and a small aluminum heatsink on the graphic core with one fan. In this form, the user is unlikely to ever see this video card, because the company Nvidia does not deliver its products in retail at the factory.
It is worth noting that the presence of a weak cooling system for the video adapter indicates low power consumption, and, accordingly, the absence of strong heating during operation. The manufacturer only provided the printed circuit board with a full wiring for connecting all possible digital devices. Everything else directly depends on the companies that will represent this video adapter in the global market.
Mobile devices
The popularity of gaming video adapters can be judged not only by counting the devices sold in the computer market, but also by installing modified chips in mobile equipment. The GTX 950 graphics card clearly appealed to all laptop manufacturers, since they decided to build their gaming solutions on its platform. Mobile graphics adapter supports all the necessary technologies that are necessary for the full operation of the laptop:
- Optimus - independent switching between a discrete video adapter and an integrated system when idle;
- PhysX - hardware acceleration aimed at creating realistic pictures of the world;
- Adaptive V-Sync - minimizing image tearing at a high frame rate;
- Battery Boost - automatic reduction of power consumption while reducing the load on the graphics core;
- TXAA - smoothing mode for static and dynamic images;
- SLI - several video adapters can work simultaneously.
Budget Class Presentation
The well-known Taiwanese manufacturer, the company Gigabyte, allowed itself to be the first to introduce the gaming device based on the Nvidia GTX 950 to the market. Low cost, appearance and slight overclocking of the manufacturer in no way assign the device to the gaming class. Rather, it is a top-end device for a budget class. The Gigabyte GTX 950 OC graphics card is designed to meet the needs of the buyer with small requirements for productive games.
Nvidia's standard cooling system was slightly modified: the radiator cover covers the entire surface of the printed circuit board, and a proprietary fan is installed in the area of ​​the graphic core. Having slightly reduced heating, the manufacturer allowed himself to accelerate the crystal to 1241 MHz (200 MHz higher than in the factory version). The user should not expect much performance in demanding games, and, as tests show, the adapter is far from its "big brother" - GTX 960.
Alternative from competitors
Almost all video card manufacturers on the world market were in a hurry to compete with the inexpensive Gigabyte solution, because the transitional niche from the budget class to the gaming class, as it turned out, was unoccupied. Brands: EVGA, KFA2, MSI, Zotac, ASUS and many others presented their vision of an inexpensive chip based on the GTX 950. A test conducted in an independent laboratory by enthusiasts shows that the performance of the devices leaves much to be desired compared to top-end graphics cards.
However, all the video adapters still have one advantage: the low price of 10,000 rubles is the limit for all manufacturers. Do not forget about the support of all the latest technologies that are embedded in the GM206 platform - there is no game that will not start using this video card. So, with a rarefaction of the FullHD screen (at maximum Ultra settings) in the game “Crysis 3” it was possible to achieve 26 FPS, in “Battlefield 4” - 40 FPS. For comparison: the GTX 960 gaming video adapter shows slightly better characteristics - 10 FPS more than the device involved in the review.
Game Market Conquest
As expected, well-known manufacturers of video cards used their full potential in order to win the attention of the buyer in the gaming market of the High-End class. The first world to see the Gigabyte GTX 950 Xtreme video adapter. The name alone tells the owner that he has an extreme graphics card in his hands. The key to high performance is to increase the clock frequency of the graphics core (1203 MHz in normal mode and 1405 MHz in Boost mode) and memory (1750 MHz).
To reduce heat dissipation, the manufacturer used a proprietary cooling system that is installed on top-end gaming devices: an aluminum radiator over the entire surface of the printed circuit board, copper tubes and two huge fans. At the bottom of the board is an aluminum pad for efficient heat dissipation. As the owners note in their reviews, the power supply system has also undergone changes - all power elements were transferred to the front edge of the adapter, as well as cheap capacitors were exchanged for solid state drives. There is definitely a potential for further overclocking, and competitors can choose not only the GTX 960, but also devices of a class higher.
Game performance extreme video adapter
A powerful cooling system and a change in the power system led to the fact that the Gigabyte GTX 950 Xtreme Gaming device perfectly accelerates, while the temperature of the graphics core does not exceed 80 degrees Celsius. The maximum overclock that users can achieve, judging by their reviews, is 1572 MHz in the graphics core and 7800 MHz in memory. In games at high resolutions (2560x1440), it looks like this:
- “Tomb Raider” - 50.6 FPS;
- “The Witcher 3” - 32.7 FPS;
- “Battlefield Hardline” - 36.2 FPS.
The list can be continued indefinitely, however, in comparison with the top-end device GTX 960, which works in normal mode, the performance of the new GTX 950, the test of which is performed, is 1-3% higher. This is a serious indicator, considering that the representative of the High-End class is 30% more expensive. The main thing is to remember the fact that the potential for overclocking is interesting for the device in the future, when modern games will be beyond the power of the GTX 950 chip.
Top Taiwan rival
The leader in sales of computer equipment in the Russian market, ASUS, also did not leave its fans without new items from Nvidia. This is one of the few products on the market whose overclocking allows to achieve the performance of the "big brother" - GTX 960, operating at standard frequencies. The graphics card ASUS GTX 950 has undergone significant changes in the power system. The manufacturer completely rebuilt the phase distribution system and installed ferrite cores and solid capacitors.
The cooling system has undergone changes. An aluminum radiator is located on the batteries, memory modules and a chip. Copper tubes penetrate the radiator around the entire perimeter and are reduced at the site of contact with the graphic core. A casing with two large fans operating at low revs is installed on top.
ASUS graphics card potential
When it comes to entry-level gaming devices Low-End, priorities are given by the user in favor of the potential for overclocking. Accordingly, the power distribution system and video adapter cooling should be at the best level. The GTX 950 Gaming ASUS STRIX is a great example of this. Initially, the manufacturer presents a device with a small overclock (the graphics core runs at 1165 MHz), but it is enough to overtake all competitors on the same core in the budget class in tests.
Using proprietary ASUS utilities, the owner can increase productivity according to his needs. Excellent stability is noted at the frequency of the graphics core 1355 MHz. This increase brings the device to the same level of performance with top-end devices. It should be noted that some High-End devices that have been on the market for more than five years (4-6 generation) may lose the new product at high resolutions (4K). It's all about the technologies that were used in the manufacture of the GTX 950 chip.
Exception to the rule
Who would have thought that the manufacturer ASUS would refuse the corporate design of video cards in black and red and present the world with a completely new design for the GTX 950 graphics accelerator! A review of the device in blue and white design initially casts doubt on the originality of the product. However, upon detailed examination, it dissipates: ASUS logos are present on the radiator, protective casing, and even on fans.
The manufacturer did not upset his fans and performance in games. The graphics core of the device operates at a frequency of 1202 MHz (in Boost mode - 1279 MHz). There is potential for overclocking, but it is undesirable, since the beautiful appearance of the cooling system has nothing to do with decent efficiency - increasing the frequency of the graphics core by several percent immediately causes the crystal to heat up (up to 90 degrees Celsius - this is a clear overheat). As buyers note in their reviews, the ASUS solution is beautiful, but impractical, because the video card will be installed inside the system unit, and what color it does not play a role, unlike the performance in games that you can actually see.
Silent Market Player
The passive-cooled gaming platform based on the Geforce GTX 950 core is introduced by Zotac. As the owners note in their reviews, the device is unlikely to be able to compete with its competitors in the Low-End niche, however, the use of new technologies in production and complete quiet operation will appeal to all designers and videographers.
The video card panel contains all the necessary digital video outputs (DisplayPort, HDMI, DVI-I, DVI-D), and the maximum resolution that the adapter is capable of output is 4096x2160 dpi. The device has a length of 17 centimeters, so it can be installed in any system unit. With 2 GB of RAM, the novelty will definitely appeal to all creative people who prefer to work without extraneous noise. Leisure and a break in work at any time can be spent usefully in high-performance games, because the GTX 950, which is reviewed in this article, still has great potential for this.
Finally
Technical characteristics of the device and testing in games clearly indicate that many video adapters have a serious competitor on the market - a video card based on the GTX 950. The review shows that this device claims to occupy several niches at the same time and, as practice shows, successfully achieves its goals. Low power consumption, overclocking potential, modern technology and affordable price in the market of computer components solve everything.