Almost all gamers know that a video card is the most important component of a gaming computer. And the most expensive. At the moment, a good card that “pulls everything” costs a lot. Therefore, it makes sense to pay attention to the top models of the past. This is exactly what NVidia's GeForce GTX 285 adapter applies to. Although this card was introduced in 2009, it remains relevant in some respects. And this is not surprising, since even then the employees of the "green" brand were looking to the future. Therefore, their video card almost ten years ago has almost the same "chips" as modern solutions of the middle price segment. However, let's plunge into the past and analyze this interesting video card in more detail.
A little about the manufacturer
NVidia is widely known in the modern computer technology market. It was founded in 1991. Its first adapters were good, but did not reach the AMD level. However, after a few years, the Greens left the Reds far behind. And now there is a competition between them. But the red brand loses all the time. They are far from video cards from NVidia. Both in productivity and energy efficiency. In "NVidia" they began by luring several leading experts from AMD to their side. And then things went like clockwork. During its existence, the "green" brand has released many excellent graphics cards. Like, for example, the GeForce GTX 285. But about it a little later.
During the boom of bitcoin and mining on graphic accelerators, NVidia first stood aside and gave the lead in this matter to its rivals from AMD. However, over time, the company realized that it was just a gold mine. The result was the release of a video card, which immediately plugged all the well-known mining solutions from AMD. This is a sign of excellence. The Greens have proven that their products are both subjectively and objectively better. Back in 2009, "Nvidia" released a top-end graphics card made using the new (at that time) process technology. This has increased productivity and energy efficiency compared to the previous series. And this video card was called - GeForce GTX 285. Now more about this masterpiece.
Key Specifications
This is the first graphics accelerator in the series, made according to the 55 nm process technology. This means that they managed to accommodate a much larger number of crystals on the standard size chipset, which had a positive effect on performance. However, the increase is not so big compared to the previous generation - only 6%. But this is enough for many. Compared to the old model, the NVidia GeForce GTX 285 slightly increased the operating clock frequency of the core and bus. The amount of internal memory is 1024 megabytes. This indicates a performance gain. And the point is not at all in the amount of memory (in the previous generation it is the same), but in the frequency of work. The color depth that this video card provides is 512 bits. This is more than enough even for many modern games.
A feature of this video adapter is that it fully supports SLI mode and CrossFire technology. This means that you can install several NVidia GeForce GTX 285 cards in your computer, connect them using the SLI connector, and they will work as one unit. This provides a good increase in the number of frames per second and overall performance. Also, this video card has the ability to overclock. But it is worth noting that in this case it will be necessary to take care of a decent cooling system. For during overclocking the card will get very hot. Card bus bandwidth is 160 gigabits per second. This is a great result. That's just DirectX support is not implemented in the best way. The adapter only works with the tenth version. Those who want 12 will have to fork out for a newer model. However, in 2009 no one thought about version 12. So everything is all right.
Reference models and modifications
Of course, the NVidia GeForce GTX 285 graphics card is far from the only one based on this chip. Many manufacturers of computer components, taking as a basis this chip from the "green" and their technology, have created their own products that are noticeably different from the original. And not only in terms of appearance. Many manufacturers even try to improve the technical specifications of the card. And they do it. However, some users are wary of various modifications and sincerely believe that there is nothing better than the original. You can understand them, because the originals work much more stable.
Nevertheless, modifications to the GeForce GTX 285 are popularly popular. And not only because they are cheaper. Often the opposite is true. But for the sake of extra megahertz, many gamers are willing to sacrifice stability, reliability and security. And this is not very good. The consequences of using modified video cards can be the saddest, because of the low stability and reliability, accidents are very likely. However, it is time to move on to the heart of the matter. Consider the most popular modifications.
Palit GeForce GTX
Video cards from this manufacturer are traditionally considered the weakest of the modifications. It is understandable, because of the changes in this version - only the new body and color. The guys from the Palit did not even bother to improve the cooling system. In principle, talking about the Palit GeForce GTX 285 for a long time does not make sense, because it does not differ in technical characteristics from the original. Nevertheless, many gamers choose "Palit" because of its low cost. The original card from NVidia is even more expensive. The only plus of video cards from Palit is reliability. Not a single gamer has ever complained about the premature failure of this model. At least something good.
Even though the Palit card does not have technical features, many users prefer it only because it is as close as possible to the original. Even the shape of the case is partly reminiscent of the brand, from "Nvidia". Only the colors are different. But these are trifles. Although someone may call the release of such a card frank plagiarism. But this is far from the case. Be that as it may, the video card from Palit is quite popular. And one has to put up with it somehow. And not only to the users themselves, but also to the comrades from NVidia. Although the latter has nothing to complain about. Palit bought the right to use the original chip for a lot of money.
ASUS GeForce GTX 285
This model is much more serious. ASUS engineers managed to increase the card performance by increasing the core voltage, which led to a higher operating frequency. But it also increased heat generation. Therefore, the cooling system has also undergone major improvements. ASUS GeForce GTX 285 is in many ways superior to the original. This is the uniqueness of this modification. Of course, there are no striking differences. This is not possible simply because the card is based on a chip of the same architecture. But the performance gain in games is noticeable. Many even claim that picture quality is much better.
Now we’ll analyze ASUS GeForce GTX 285 in more detail. Its specifications are slightly different from the original. So, the core operating frequency is 728 megahertz (versus 670 for the original). The operating frequency of the memory bus is increased to 2000 megahertz (in the original it was only 1500). Such an increase in frequencies was not in vain. The video card works really faster. In all other respects - this is the same card from NVidia. Only with a cooler cooling system. Those gamers who choose performance usually purchase cards from ASUS. And do not lose.
Zotac GeForce GTX 285 AMP
The peculiarity of this modification is that the card is sold already overclocked. Nevertheless, it has additional overclocking capabilities. A sort of dream of gamers and geeks. Zotac GeForce GTX 285 outperforms even the card from ASUS. This is especially noticeable in games. In synthetic tests, the difference is not so striking. Another feature is that the card is adapted to work in 2K resolution. And this is in 2009! But then monitors with such a resolution were extremely rare and unrealistically expensive. The guys from Zotak were clearly looking to the future. That is why this video card is relevant in our time. Of course, “Tanks” at the maximum graphics settings, she will not pull, but the average level is quite up to her.
Such performance and relevance of the Zotac GeForce GTX 285 is provided not only by the increased core frequencies and memory buses. The guys from Zotak completely redesigned the cooling and power systems. Now the video card is almost not heated at all and consumes energy more economically. This is a great achievement. As for the price, here Zotak clearly has no competitors. Prices for products are traditionally "high." And this video card was no exception. The guys from "NVidia" with their original seem just ridiculous with their prices. But for quality and performance, it’s customary to pay. And serious gamers are well aware of this. That's why they allow themselves to spend money on "Zotak".
What modification to choose?
It all depends entirely on your preferences and needs. We are not talking about financial opportunities, since the GeForce GTX 285 graphics card is quite old, and you can buy it for a penny. If you want a product as close as possible to the original, then your choice is a card from "Palit". As a bonus, you can get the exceptional reliability of the adapter. Compared to the original. If your needs are slightly higher, then you will definitely like modifications from ASUS. This is the golden mean. Cards from this manufacturer are moderately powerful and not very expensive. In addition, they are suitable for solving almost all tasks: from ordinary work to almost modern games. If you need the coolest performance, then you are clearly to the “Zotak”. The video cards from these guys are unrealistically powerful. But even now, their price is surprising.
All of the above manufacturers are the best of the best. However, many companies are engaged in the production of video cards on a chip from the "green". Their products are not so popular, do not have such support in the media and are not so modified. But cards from these companies are steadily chosen by people who do not want to overpay for a slight increase and value reliability and stability. These samples of video cards are as close as possible to the original. And this is their uniqueness.
Tips for using this video card
There are some tips to help your GeForce GTX 285 512bit last as long as possible. If you are the owner of the original, then in no case do not try to overclock this video card. Although it is provided by the manufacturer. Increasing the operating frequency contributes to faster wear of the processor crystals. And this reduces the life of the card. You should also carefully consider the choice of power supply. If the computer does not have a powerful enough PSU, then the consequences can be very different. In the best case, the video card simply will not start. At worst, due to a lack of voltage, capacitors and other necessary "accessories" will sprinkle. Then the adapter can simply be thrown out.
Also, during operation, do not forget about dust and dirt. These things tightly clog the cooling fan blades, and the card overheats. And if you consider that the blades there are quite small, then you need to clean them from dust quite often. There is another option: install water cooling. But it is expensive, and it may not be suitable for the GeForce GTX 285 1GB. Modifications from Zotak or ASUS can still be connected to water cooling, but the originals certainly do not know how. It is also worth considering that this video card works quite loudly (due to a powerful cooler). Therefore, to sleep next to the computer when someone spends the night driving “Tanks” or “VoB”, it will not work.
User's Manual
It is usually provided in paper form. Together with the video card itself. But there are exceptions. Some manufacturers of modified cards upload instructions to disk. Probably, in the expectation that the user has another PC or laptop, and he will be able to read information on how to properly install the card in the computer. The situation is exactly the same with the GeForce GTX 285. However, in practice, everything turns out the other way around: most often the user does not have a second computer, and he has to use the “scientific poke method”. If the user is lucky, then the instruction will be in the usual paper form.
A feature of the instructions for the graphics card GeForce GTX 285 is that everything is laid out there on the shelves. The installation and connection process is thoroughly planned. Even a novice will easily deal with this work. And an advanced PC user does not need any instructions at all. Since there are not many wires included with the card. Moreover, the connectors on the wires are completely different, it is quite difficult to get confused. By the way, some manufacturers of modifications put game discs in the box with the adapter. But you should not deceive yourself. Though the games are cool, they are pretty old. For example, the first part of Autosport GRID. Glaring antiquity. However, the "oldfag" will come down.
Conclusion
So, we examined in detail the video card NVidia GeForce GTX 285 1GB. The chip of this adapter was created using the 55-nm process technology, which allowed to achieve greater performance compared to previous models. However, the growth is negligible. The video card was introduced back in 2009. Therefore, the original is no longer quoted among serious gamers. Yes, and get it problematic. But numerous modifications made on the basis of the chip from "NVidia" can still please the user with a high-quality picture. Although not at the highest graphics settings. If you need a reasonably powerful, reliable and stable graphics card, then this sample is perfect. Moreover, this adapter is not very expensive. The purchase of this video card will not break through the perceptible gap in the family budget. And in terms of the quality of the graphics, the adapters are in no way inferior to modern budget solutions. Moreover, the picture quality is closely approaching the current models of the middle price segment. So why overpay?