{"id":33800,"date":"2013-02-19T17:05:43","date_gmt":"2013-02-19T17:05:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/?p=33800"},"modified":"2013-08-02T16:08:48","modified_gmt":"2013-08-02T15:08:48","slug":"nvidias-titan-arrives-to-take-the-performance-crown-the-preview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/nvidias-titan-arrives-to-take-the-performance-crown-the-preview\/","title":{"rendered":"Nvidia&#8217;s Titan arrives to take the performance crown &#8211; the Preview"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: center;\" align=\"left\"><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\/\/ < ![CDATA[\n\/\/ < ![CDATA[\ngoogle_ad_client = \"pub-7021221536180758\"; \/* 468x60, created 11\/11\/09 *\/ google_ad_slot = \"1949837292\"; google_ad_width = 468; google_ad_height = 60;\n\/\/ ]]><\/script><script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"http:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/show_ads.js\">\/\/ < ![CDATA[\n\/\/ < ![CDATA[\n\n\/\/ ]]><\/script><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Nvidia\u00a0is\u00a0announcing\u00a0its\u00a0second &#8220;designer card&#8221; today, the $999 GeForce GTX\u00a0Titan,\u00a0based on its GK110 GPU on\u00a028nm Kepler DX11.1 architecture. This new 7.1 billion transistor single-GPU flagship card is a continuation of Nvidia&#8217;s strategy for an exotic card that is aimed at the highest end of PC gamers to capture their hearts and their wallets.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter  wp-image-33804\" title=\"GeForce_GTX_Titan-1619-proc\" alt=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/GeForce_GTX_Titan-1619-proc.jpg?resize=471%2C183\" srcset=\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/GeForce_GTX_Titan-1619-proc.jpg?resize=471%2C183 1000w, http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/GeForce_GTX_Titan-1619-proc-300x116.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 471px) 100vw, 471px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/>\u00a0The industrial designs of the GTX 690 and the Titan are aimed particularly at gamers who\u00a0might spend over $3000 on three\u00a0video cards for Tri-SLI who want the absolute fastest and yet a reasonably quiet PC &#8211; at any cost.\u00a0 It is also aimed at the small form factor PC to give them a powerful but small video card, and finally at the smaller cost-conscious programmers to grow CUDA by allowing full double precision for the first time in a &#8220;gaming&#8221; GPU even though it does nothing for gaming.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter  wp-image-33803\" title=\"Cosmos__and_Tiki-6936_SepFl\" alt=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/Cosmos__and_Tiki-6936_SepFl.jpg?resize=480%2C276\" srcset=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/Cosmos__and_Tiki-6936_SepFl.jpg?resize=480%2C276 800w, http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/Cosmos__and_Tiki-6936_SepFl-300x172.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The GTX\u00a0Titan is the culmination of years of Nvidia&#8217;s efforts with their new DX11.1 Kepler architecture, their single-GPU flagship video card.\u00a0 Yet this card does not replace the GTX 690 which also retails for $999.\u00a0 Nvidia believes that they both have their place in their product line-up. \u00a0This time, Nvidia is aiming for just-below\u00a0dual-GPU GTX\u00a0690 performance on a single card.\u00a0 The specifications of the Titan are quite impressive:<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-33815\" title=\"Specs-2\" alt=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/Specs-2.jpg?resize=366%2C376\" srcset=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/Specs-2.jpg?resize=366%2C376 366w, http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/Specs-2-292x300.jpg 292w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 366px) 100vw, 366px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Because\u00a0we received a Titan from Nvidia just yesterday,\u00a0we will\u00a0bring you\u00a0a two-part review.\u00a0 First up today\u00a0is the introduction to Titan and in the second part on Thursday, we are comparing the performance of the GTX 690 with the\u00a0new Titan, as well as\u00a0with AMD&#8217;s very fastest offering, the HD 7970 at GHz edition speeds.\u00a0 There are also two very limited editions of the\u00a0dual-GPU HD 7970-X2 cards made\u00a0by AMD&#8217;s partners\u00a0which each retail for $1500 but they are halo cards as only 1000 cards of each were made.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" alt=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/GeForce_GTX_690_3qtr.jpg?resize=300%2C237\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/p>\n<p>We will also compare the GTX 680 as well as the dual-GPU GTX 590 from the last generation and AMD&#8217;s last generation, HD 6990 which consisted of two downclocked HD 6970s on a single PCB.\u00a0 Both of these last generation 40nm dual-GPU cards were faster than the GTX 680 and HD 7970 when the new 28nm\u00a0cards launched,\u00a0and we shall see if there are any changes due to driver improvements.\u00a0 In particular, AMD&#8217;s Catalyst drivers have shown good performance improvents over the past few months, and the HD 7970 GHz edition has taken the single-GPU performance crown from the GTX 680\u00a0&#8211; and Nvidia wants it back!<a href=\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/03\/7970-gtx680.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-28955\" title=\"7970-gtx680\" alt=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/03\/7970-gtx680.jpg?resize=300%2C179\" srcset=\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/03\/7970-gtx680.jpg?resize=300%2C179 300w, http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/03\/7970-gtx680.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Soon you will see us pit the stock and overclocked GTX Titan against the\u00a0reference GTX 690, GTX 680 and GTX 590 against our PowerColor reference design HD 7970\u00a0at\u00a0GHz edition at boost speeds (1050MHz)\u00a0and\u00a0the HD 6990,\u00a0using\u00a030 modern games and\u00a07 synthetic benchmarks mostly using 1920&#215;1080 and 2560&#215;1600 resolutions, as well as 15 game benchmarks at 5760&#215;1080 using the GTX 690, Titan, GTX 680 and HD 7970 GHz. We are also comparing the performance of our last generation reference dual-GPU video cards, HD 6990 and the GTX 590 (below) as they were &#8211; up until today &#8211; the fastest video cards of AMD&#8217;s and Nvidia&#8217;s last 40nm generation.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/03\/6990-gtx590.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-28956\" title=\"6990-gtx590\" alt=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/03\/6990-gtx590.jpg?resize=300%2C206\" srcset=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/03\/6990-gtx590.jpg?resize=300%2C206 300w, http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/03\/6990-gtx590.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>We shall also compare Nvidia&#8217;s 3-panel Surround working now off of a single GTX 690 at 5760&#215;1080 resolution. Lastly, we also bench 3D Vision 2 and PhysX, &#8216;on&#8217; versus &#8216;off&#8217; at the very popular 1920&#215;1080 resolution.\u00a0 However, today is not the day.\u00a0 Today is the introduction to the GTX Titan,\u00a0and on Thursday, we shall reveal our benchmarks.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\">What&#8217;s New with Titan?<\/h3>\n<p>Nvidia&#8217;s marketing buzzwords for the GTX 600 series launch were, <em><strong>&#8220;Faster. Smoother. Richer.&#8221; <\/strong><\/em>The GTX\u00a0Titan is also designed for extreme efficiency and high performance.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\">Faster<\/h3>\n<p>The GTX Titan&#8217;s Kepler architecture is SMX-based, now with\u00a02688 CUDA cores. It promises better geometry and texture processing than Fermi thanks to its improved instruction throughput and redesign. In addition, Nvidia brings &#8220;GPU Boost II&#8221; &#8211;\u00a0a more dynamic way to boost clocks speeds and maximize performance for each game, now based on temperature instead of assumed power draw.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\">Smoother<\/h3>\n<p>New kinds of anti-aliasing &#8211; FXAA and TXAA &#8211; are now said to compete with MSAA in terms of IQ while not sacrificing performance. And there is a new &#8220;Adaptive VSync&#8221; that\u00a0helps to reduce tearing and stuttering associated with regular VSync. Great hardware needs great software to support it and Nvidia is also a software company.\u00a0 They claim to give a lot of attention to how the frames are delivered with a special eye on reducing lag and input delay thus minimizing jitter.\u00a0\u00a0 Nvdia\u00a0now gives more voltage unlocking options with Titan than with the\u00a0rest\u00a0of the Kepler\u00a0GPUs,\u00a0and even a way to overclock your display.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\">Richer<\/h3>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto;\">With Titan as with the rest of the GTX 600 series, it is possible to play games spanning 3 displays in Surround or in 3D Surround\u00a0from a single GeForce GPU, something Fermi could not manage. And this time, the GTX\u00a0Titan brings two dual-link DVI connectors plus HDMI and a DisplayPort for a 4th accessor display. PhysX\u00a0continues to be\u00a0improved.\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/03\/SURROUND-4disp.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter  wp-image-28912\" title=\"SURROUND-4disp\" alt=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/03\/SURROUND-4disp.jpg?resize=458%2C235\" srcset=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/03\/SURROUND-4disp.jpg?resize=458%2C235 763w, http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/03\/SURROUND-4disp-300x153.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 458px) 100vw, 458px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\">How does the GTX\u00a0Titan compare with its rival, AMD&#8217;s cards<\/h3>\n<p>Part two of this\u00a0evaluation which is due in two days,\u00a0attempts to analyze and compare GTX 690, GTX 590 and GTX 680 performance with the new Titan. We also include HD 7970 at GHz edition performance as well as AMD&#8217;s fastest card, their dual-GPU HD 6990 and we will announce a performance winner. We will also look at the details to see what this new Nvidia Kepler\u00a0GK110 GPU brings to the table for a thousand dollars.<\/p>\n<p>First, let&#8217;s take a closer look at the new GTX Titan.<\/p>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><!--pagetitle: GTX Titan arrives!--><!--nextpage--><!--pagetitle: Architecture recap &amp; specifications--><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Last Autumn, the U.S. Department of Energy\u2019s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) launched a <a href=\"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/?p=32384\">new era of scientific supercomputing with Titan<\/a>. In fact, Titan\u00a0took the title as the fastest supercomputer in the world. Titan was made possible by using Nvidia&#8217;s new K20X Tesla accelerators to do ninety percent of the computing load.\u00a0\u00a0 This same GPU is now in the GTX Titan and Nvidia wants you to be able to have your own Personal Super Computer.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" alt=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/TitanCabs_10-3.jpg?resize=480%2C171\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Using <span style=\"font-size: small;\">18,688 Nvidia Tesla K20X GPU accelerators, the Titan supercomputer took the world&#8217;s top spot with a performance record of 17.59 petaflops as measured by the LINPACK benchmark. Best of all, Tesla K20X accelerator is energy efficient and<\/span> Titan achieved 2,142.77 megaflops of performance per watt, which surpasses the energy efficiency of the number one system on the most recent Green500 list of the world\u2019s most energy-efficient supercomputers.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/NVIDIA_Tesla_K20X_K20_GPU_A.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter  wp-image-32489\" title=\"NVIDIA_Tesla_K20X_K20_GPU_A\" alt=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/NVIDIA_Tesla_K20X_K20_GPU_A.jpg?resize=480%2C394\" srcset=\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/NVIDIA_Tesla_K20X_K20_GPU_A.jpg?resize=480%2C394 800w, http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/NVIDIA_Tesla_K20X_K20_GPU_A-300x246.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The Titan is the same\u00a0GeForce GK110 GPU that is\u00a0also used for\u00a0Nvidia&#8217;s new Kepler architecture K20 family of accelerators &#8211; the K20 and the K20X. The K20X provides the highest computing performance ever available in a single processor, surpassing all other processors on two common measures of computational performance \u2013 3.95 teraflops single-precision (SP)\u00a0and 1.31 teraflops double-precision (DP) peak floating point performance.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Titan is Double Precision Capable<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The GeForce Titan\u00a0can also run double-precision compute at\u00a0one-third of single-precision speeds,\u00a0giving over 1 teraflop\u00a0double-precision peak floating point performance. However,\u00a0the DP\u00a0rate is set to 1\/24th of single-precison since\u00a0no games use double-precision calculations. The full 1\/3rd ratio can be set via the control panel, yet doing so forces the GPU&#8217;s clocks down.\u00a0 Nvidia is actually looking to grow their CUDA ecosystem by providing Titan GeForce cards to programmers on a budget since K20X costs over $3,000; of course, Titan will not be able to provide the full features of the Tesla professional card.<\/p>\n<p>The new K20 family also includes the Tesla K20 accelerator, which provides 3.52 teraflops of single-precision and 1.17 teraflops of double-precision peak performance. The K20X is clocked at 732MHz for the core clock and 5.2GHz for the memory clock while the K20 is clocked slightly lower at 706MHz with the same memory clock.\u00a0 The Titan GTX GPU is clocked at 837MHz on the core clock with a Boost to 876MHz\u00a0and the memory is clocked at 6GHz.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" alt=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/TeslaKeplerGK110_FNL_800_PR.jpg?resize=287%2C300\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Above is pictured Nvidia&#8217;s GK110 Kepler GPU which at 7.1 billion transistors is the most complex piece of silicon anywhere. Although we are primarily gamers, we realize that these very same GPUs that power supercomputers as Tesla are used in our GeForce video cards. ABT has been following GK110 closely since we covered <a href=\"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/?p=29692&amp;all=1\">Nvidia&#8217;s GTC 2012<\/a> where the new architecture was unveiled.<\/p>\n<p>The GPU Technology Conference 2012 was not about gaming GPUs and it wasn\u2019t mentioned in the Whitepaper, but look very carefully at the die shot above. It is obvious that there are 5 Graphics Processing Clusters (GPCs) and 3 SMX modules per GPC. A GPC is constructed like a \u201cmini GPU\u201d which contain SMXs; two in the case of GK104 and three in the case of GK110.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/gpugk110.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter  wp-image-33817\" title=\"gpugk110\" alt=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/gpugk110.jpg?resize=480%2C256\" srcset=\"http:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/gpugk110.jpg?resize=480%2C256 600w, http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/gpugk110-300x160.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>A completely functional GK110 GPU would be made up of 15 SMXes for a total of 2880 CUDA cores (192 x 15). However, for yield purposes and to differentiate faster, more complex, and more expensive processors from less expensive, slower and less complex products, parts are often disabled and clockspeeds lowered.\u00a0 In the both\u00a0cases\u00a0for Titan and the K20X, 14 SMXes are enabled for a total of 2688 CUDA cores.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The Specifications<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Here are the specifications as released in Nvidia&#8217;s chart.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-33816\" title=\"Specs-1\" alt=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/Specs-11.jpg?resize=452%2C562\" srcset=\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/Specs-11.jpg?resize=452%2C562 452w, http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/Specs-11-241x300.jpg 241w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 452px) 100vw, 452px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Features<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Compared to GeForce GTX 680, GeForce GTX Titan boasts 75% more cores and texture units for handling core graphics functions like pixel\/vertex\/geometry shading and texture filtering.\u00a0\u00a0 Titan&#8217; 187.5 Gigatexels\/sec fill-rate is over 45% higher than GeForce GTX 680, and with a 384-bit memory interface and 6GB of memory running at 6GHz effective memory clock, GeForce GTX Titan boasts 50% more memory bandwidth than GTX 680.<\/p>\n<p>There are also some new or reworked Kepler features\u00a0for Titan over the\u00a0GTX 600 series.\u00a0 The first is GPU Boost 2.0<\/p>\n<p><strong>GPU Boost 2.0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The original\u00a0GPU Boost was designed to reach the highest possible clock speed while remaining within a predefined power target so that\u00a0the GPU would boost to the maximum clock speed it could achieve while remaining under a certain power level. In the case of the GTX 680, that power level was 170 watts.\u00a0\u00a0 Nvidia noted that\u00a0GPU power was unnecessarily limiting performance when GPU temperatures was low. Therefore for Boost 2.0, they switched from boosting based on a GPU power target, to a GPU temperature target. This new temperature target is 80 degrees Celsius.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter  wp-image-33810\" title=\"boost-2.0\" alt=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/boost-2.0.jpg?resize=480%2C268\" srcset=\"http:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/boost-2.0.jpg?resize=480%2C268 800w, http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/boost-2.0-300x167.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/>\u00a0As a result of\u00a0Nvidia&#8217;s change, the GeForce GTX Titan GPU will automatically boost to the highest clock frequency it can achieve as long as the GPU temperature remains at or below 80C. The GPU constantly monitors GPU temperature, adjusting the GPU\u2019s clock and its voltage on-the-fly to maintain this temperature. GPU Boost 2.0 can also deliver\u00a0quieter noise\u00a0levels since temperature is controlled to a tighter range around the user target. This in turn helps keep the fan speed stable and reduces the overall system level noise.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to switching from a power-based boost target to a temperature-based target,\u00a0Nvidia also gave\u00a0end users more controls for tweaking GPU Boost behavior. Using software tools provided by add-in card partners, Titan users can adjust the GPU temperature target.\u00a0By adjusting\u00a0the temperature target higher, the GPU will then boost to higher clock speeds until it reaches the new temperature target.<\/p>\n<p>Due to the change in the way GPU Boost 2.0 functions, the power target setting no longer sets the typical board power, but rather it sets the board\u2019s max power. At the default power target setting of 100%, the max power setting is 250W.\u00a0 At the max slider setting of 106%, max board power is 265W. Note that typical board power will vary based on the ambient temperature. GPU Boost 2.0\u00a0is designed\u00a0ensure maximum performance from water cooled solutions since the temperature now basically determines the clocks.<\/p>\n<p><strong>GPU Boost 2.0 &#8211; Overvolting<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter  wp-image-33811\" title=\"overvolt-1\" alt=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/overvolt-1.jpg?resize=480%2C212\" srcset=\"http:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/overvolt-1.jpg?resize=480%2C212 800w, http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/overvolt-1-300x132.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/>Because Titan\u2019s boost clock and voltage level is now tied to the GPU temperatures,\u00a0Nvidia allows the GPU voltage to go higher than they allowed with Kepler 600 series\u00a0cards. Just as with the 600 series, voltages on\u00a0the Titan\u00a0are limited to a range fully qualified by Nvidia. This voltage range is\u00a0designed to protect the silicon from long term damage.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter  wp-image-33813\" title=\"overvolt-3\" alt=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/overvolt-3.jpg?resize=480%2C247\" srcset=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/overvolt-3.jpg?resize=480%2C247 800w, http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/overvolt-3-300x154.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/>\u00a0However,\u00a0those who\u00a0want to push their GPUs to the limit by raising the maximum voltage further, GPU Boost 2.0 enables\u00a0extra \u201covervoltaging\u201d capability.\u00a0\u00a0This &#8220;unlocking&#8221;\u00a0requires users to acknowledge the risk to their GPU&#8217;s warranty\u00a0by clicking through a warning\u00a0 as overvoltaging is disabled by default.\u00a0 Each individual\u00a0Titan manufacturer may limit the degree of overvoltaging supported by their cards. Support of overvoltaging is optional, and can be completely\u00a0disabled in the VBIOS if they choose to do so.<\/p>\n<p><strong>GPU BOOST 2.0: DISPLAY OVERCLOCKING<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Many gamers\u00a0prefer playing their games with Vertical sync (VSync) enabled. While this prevents tearing, enabling VSync caps\u00a0the frame rate to the refresh rate of your monitor which is usually\u00a060 Hz for most LCDs. As a result,\u00a0the game is limited to a maximum frame rate of 60 frames per second, even though your GPU could be rendering the scene at a much higher frame rate.<\/p>\n<p>With GPU Boost 2.0,\u00a0Nvidia\u00a0added a new feature that makes display overclocking possible to deliver a higher effective frame rate. Using tools provided by\u00a0Titan manufacturers, you may be able to overclock the pixel clock of your display,\u00a0 However, not too many displays support overclocking.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><strong>FXAA &amp; TXAA<\/strong><\/h2>\n<h3><strong>TXAA<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>There is a need for new kinds of anti-aliasing as many of the modern engines use differed lighting which suffers a heavy performance penalty when traditional MSAA is applied. The alternative, to have jaggies is unacceptable. TXAA &#8211; Temporal Anti-Aliasing is a mix of hardware mult-sampling with a custom high quality AA resolve that use temporal components (samples that are gathered over micro-seconds are compared to give a better AA solution).<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/03\/TXAA-explained.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter  wp-image-28944\" title=\"TXAA-explained\" alt=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/03\/TXAA-explained.jpg?resize=434%2C358\" srcset=\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/03\/TXAA-explained.jpg?resize=434%2C358 542w, http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/03\/TXAA-explained-300x247.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 434px) 100vw, 434px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>There is TXAA 1 which extracts a performance cost similar to 2xAA which under ideal circumstances give similar results to 8xMSAA. Of course, from what little time we have spent with it, it appears to be not quite as consistent as MSAA but works well in areas of high contrast. TXAA 2 is supposed to have a similar performance penalty to 4xMSAA but with higher quality than 8xMSAA.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><strong>FXAA<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Nvidia has already implemented FXAA &#8211; Fast Approximate Anti-Aliasing. In practice, it works well in some games <em>(Duke Nukem Forever)<\/em>, while in other games text may be a bit blurry for some<em>. <\/em> FXAA is a great option to have when MSAA kills performance. We plan to devote a entire evaluation to comparing IQ between the HD 7000 series and the GTX 600 series as well as comparisons with the older series video cards.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Surround plus an Accessory display from a single card<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>One of the criticisms that Kepler addressed in Fermi was that two video cards in SLI are required to run 3-panel Surround or 3D Vision Surround. The GTX 680 and the GTX 690 now can run three displays plus an accessory display and Nvidia has changed their taskbar from the left side to the center screen. We didn&#8217;t find much difference with the taskbar in the center; it might be more convenient for some users.<\/p>\n<p>One thing that we did notice. Suround and 3D Vision Surround are now just as easy to configure as AMD&#8217;s Eyefinity. And AMD has no real answer to 3D Vision or 3D Vision Surround &#8211; HD3D lacks basic support in comparison.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/03\/SURROUND-taskbarCenter.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter  wp-image-28945\" title=\"SURROUND-taskbarCenter\" alt=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/03\/SURROUND-taskbarCenter.jpg?resize=480%2C207\" srcset=\"http:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/03\/SURROUND-taskbarCenter.jpg?resize=480%2C207 800w, http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/03\/SURROUND-taskbarCenter-300x129.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>One new option with the GTX\u00a0Titan as with other 600 series cards,\u00a0is in the Bezel corrections. In the past, the in-game menus would get occluded by the bezels and it was annoying if you use the correction. Now with Bezel Peek, you can use hotkeys to instantly see the menus hidden by the bezel. However, this editor does not ever use bezel correction in gaming.<\/p>\n<p>Nvidia claims a faster experience with the custom resolutions because of a faster center display acceleration. Of course, we tested Surround&#8217;s 5760&#215;1080 resolution and even 3D Vision Surround. Check out the results in the Performance Summary chart and the 3D Vision\/Surround section of part two.<\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><!--pagetitle: A Look at the GTX Titan--><\/p>\n<h3><strong>A look at the Titan<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Nvidia has redesigned their GEFORCE logo and the Titan and the GTX 690\u00a0are described as &#8220;Exotic Industrial Design&#8221;.\u00a0 They are\u00a0the first &#8220;designer&#8221; cards from either Nvidia or AMD and its &#8220;looks&#8221; are part of the design for efficiency and cooling.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter  wp-image-33805\" title=\"GeForceGTX_Titan_3Qtr1a\" alt=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/GeForceGTX_Titan_3Qtr1a.jpg?resize=480%2C372\" srcset=\"http:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/GeForceGTX_Titan_3Qtr1a.jpg?resize=480%2C372 1000w, http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/GeForceGTX_Titan_3Qtr1a-300x232.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Like with the GTX 690, the frame of the GTX\u00a0Titan cover is made of cast aluminum, and it is protected with trivalent chromium plating. Trivalent chromium gives the GTX\u00a0Titan its look and is is very durable. The fan housing of the GeForce GTX\u00a0Titan is made from injection molded magnesium alloywhich is used for its light weight, heat dissipation, and acoustic dampening properties.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter  wp-image-33806\" title=\"GeForceGTX_Titan_3Qtr2a\" alt=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/GeForceGTX_Titan_3Qtr2a.jpg?resize=480%2C364\" srcset=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/GeForceGTX_Titan_3Qtr2a.jpg?resize=480%2C364 1000w, http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/GeForceGTX_Titan_3Qtr2a-300x227.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/p>\n<p>A 10-phase power supply with a 10-layer 2oz copper PCB provides high-efficiency power delivery with less resistance, lower power and less heat generation. Lower power and less heat also enhances the board\u2019s longevity, while the added PCB layers provide maximum signal integrity.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter  wp-image-33807\" title=\"GeForceGTX_Titan_3Qtr3\" alt=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/GeForceGTX_Titan_3Qtr3.jpg?resize=480%2C338\" srcset=\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/GeForceGTX_Titan_3Qtr3.jpg?resize=480%2C338 1000w, http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/GeForceGTX_Titan_3Qtr3-300x211.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/p>\n<p>To create the intricate geometries required for the fan housing, Nvidia used a form of injection molding called thixomolding, in which liquid magnesium alloy is injected into a mold. Each Kepler GPU has its own distinct cooling unit. A\u00a0clear polycarbonate window allow you to see\u00a0the vapor chamber\u00a0that play such a critical role in cooling the GK110 GPUs.<\/p>\n<p>The GeForce GTX logo on the edge of the TITAN board is LED backlit. The lettering is laser-etched, ensuring precise design.\u00a0 This LED acts as a power indicator, lighting up when the board is in use. The intensity of this LED can be manually adjusted using tools provided by the AIB manufacturers.\u00a0 With some cards,\u00a0the intensity can be\u00a0based on GPU utilization, so the LED will shine brighter as GPU utilization increases.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/logo.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-33820\" title=\"logo\" alt=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/logo.jpg?resize=480%2C144\" srcset=\"http:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/logo.jpg?resize=480%2C144 480w, http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/logo-300x90.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Here are\u00a0the connectors on the Titan\u00a0backplate: <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter  wp-image-33808\" title=\"GeForceGTX_Titan_Bracket\" alt=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/GeForceGTX_Titan_Bracket.jpg?resize=480%2C202\" srcset=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/GeForceGTX_Titan_Bracket.jpg?resize=480%2C202 800w, http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/GeForceGTX_Titan_Bracket-300x126.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>There are two dual link DVI ports, a Display Port and a HDMI port. Only one adapter is needed for 3-Panel gaming using Nvidia&#8217;s Surround.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Quiet Gaming<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Titan&#8217;s\u00a0self-contained cooler consists of a copper vapor chamber and a dual-slot heatsink while an aluminum baseplate provides additional cooling for the PCB and board components.<\/p>\n<p>Nvidia uses an axial fan that has optimized the fin pitch and angle at which air from the fan hits the fin stack as the smoother the airflow, the lower the noise output. The section of the baseplate directly underneath the fan is carved with low-profile channels to encourage smooth airflow, and all components under the fan are low-profile to minimize turbulence and create an efficient airflow.<\/p>\n<p>The gamer using a GTX\u00a0Titan gets treated to a less-perceptible noise. When you listen to the fan alone &#8211; even at 80 percent, it\u2019s clean and smooth &#8211; and this is especially contrasted with the HD 6990, a very noisy card, and to a lesser extent even with the GTX 590 and it is even quieter than the GTX 680. At 95% fan speed, it is noticeable but muted compared with most other high end cards running at full blast. At regular fan profiles we never reached\u00a0an\u00a0intrusive level over our\u00a0Cooler Master Seiden Water cooler and Thermaltake\u00a0case fans &#8211;\u00a0even under maximum load in gaming; we\u00a0generally did not hear the GTX Titan&#8217;s fan over our PC&#8217;s other cooling fans.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><strong>SLI and\u00a0Tri-SLI<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>The GTX\u00a0Titan is set up for Tri-SLI by using three GTX Titans.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/3-way.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-33821\" title=\"3-way\" alt=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/3-way.jpg?resize=480%2C519\" srcset=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/3-way.jpg?resize=480%2C519 480w, http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/3-way-277x300.jpg 277w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>That&#8217;s $3,000 worth of Titan pictured above.<\/p>\n<p>The specifications look extraordinary with solid improvements over just about anything else with the exception of the GTX 690. Let&#8217;s check out performance after we look at our test configuration on the next page.<\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><!--pagetitle: Test Configuration--><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><strong>Test Configuration &amp; Driver Release Notes<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #ffff00;\"><strong>Test Configuration<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #ffff00;\"><strong>Test Configuration &#8211; Hardware <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Intel Core i7 3770K (overclocked to 4.5GHz); Turbo is on.<\/li>\n<li>EVGA Z77 FTW motherboard (Intel Z77 chipset, latest beta BIOS, PCIe 3.0 specification; CrossFire\/SLI 16x+16x using Plex chip.)<\/li>\n<li>8GB Kingston DDR3 PC1866 Kingston RAM (4&#215;2 GB, dual-channel at 1866MHz; supplied by Kingston)<\/li>\n<li>Cooler\u00a0Master Seiden\u00a0CPU Water cooler, supplied by Cooler Master<\/li>\n<li>Nvidia GTX\u00a0Titan (6GB, 836\/6008MHz, reference clocks), supplied by Nvidia<\/li>\n<li>Nvidia GTX 680 (2GB, 1006\/6008MHz, reference clocks), supplied by Nvidia<\/li>\n<li>Nvidia GTX 690 (4GB, 1006\/6008MHz, reference clocks), supplied by Nvidia<\/li>\n<li>Nvidia GTX 590 (4GB, 1607\/1707MHz, reference clocks), supplied by Nvidia<\/li>\n<li>Power Color Radeon HD 7970 (3GB, overclocked to GHz speeds 1050\/6000MHz)<\/li>\n<li>AMD HD 6990, reference clocks, supplied by AMD<\/li>\n<li>Onboard Realtek Audio<\/li>\n<li>Genius SP-HF 800A speakers, two pairs in 4.0 Quadraphonic configuration, supplied by Genius<\/li>\n<li>Two identical 500 GB Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 hard drives configured and set up identically from drive image; one partition for Nvidia GeForce drivers and one for ATI Catalyst drivers<\/li>\n<li>Kingston 240GB HyperX SSD used for <em>Hitman: Absolution. <\/em>Supplied by Kingston<\/li>\n<li>Thermaltake ToughPower 775W power supply unit supplied by Thermaltake<\/li>\n<li>Thermaltake Overseer RX-I full tower case, supplied by Thermaltake<\/li>\n<li>Philips DVD SATA writer<\/li>\n<li>HP LP3065 2560&#215;1600 thirty inch LCD<\/li>\n<li>ASUS VG278 27&#8243; 3D Vision 2 Ready 120Hz display, supplied by ASUS and used to test <em>Hitman: Absolution<\/em> frame times.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #ffff00;\">Test Configuration &#8211; Software<\/span><\/strong> <\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>ATi Catalyst 13-2 Beta 5 drivers; highest quality mip-mapping set in the driver; use application settings; surface performance optimizations are off<\/li>\n<li>NVIDIA GeForce\u00a0Beta 313.96 for the GTX 590\/680\/690. GeForce 314.09 launch drivers for the GTX Titan and 314.07 for the GTX 690 and GTX 680 for testing 5760&#215;1080 only.\u00a0 High Quality; Single-display Performance mode; Prefer Maximum Performance<\/li>\n<li>Windows 7 64-bit; very latest updates<\/li>\n<li>Latest DirectX<\/li>\n<li>All games are patched to their latest versions.<\/li>\n<li>vsync is forced off in the control panels.<\/li>\n<li>Varying AA enabled as noted in games; all in-game settings are specified with 16xAF always applied; 16xAF forced in control panel for <em>Crysis<\/em>.<\/li>\n<li>All results show average frame rates<\/li>\n<li>Highest quality sound (stereo) used in all games.<\/li>\n<li>Windows 7 64, all DX9 titles were run under DX9 render paths, DX10 titles were run under DX10 render paths and DX11 titles under DX11 render paths.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #ffff00;\">The Benchmarks<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Synthetic<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Vantage<\/li>\n<li>3DMark 11<\/li>\n<li>3D Mark 2013 Firestrike\/Firestrike Extreme<\/li>\n<li>Heaven 3.0\/4.0<\/li>\n<li>Valley 1.0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div><strong>DX9 <\/strong><\/div>\n<ul>\n<li><em>Left 4 Dead 2<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Serious Sam 3 BFE<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Alan Wake: Ameican Nightmare<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>The Witcher 2<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Borderlands 2<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div><strong>DX10<\/strong><\/div>\n<ul>\n<li><em>Crysis<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Far Cry 2<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em><\/em><em>Just Cause 2<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em><\/em><em>World-in-Conflict: Soviet Assault<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Resident Evil 5<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div><strong>DX11<\/strong><\/div>\n<ul>\n<li><em>BattleForge<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Alien vs. Predator<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>STALKER, Call of Pripyat<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Metro 2033<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>F1 2010<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>H.A.W.X. 2<\/em><em><\/em><\/li>\n<li><em><\/em><em>Lost Planet 2<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Total War: Shogun II<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Civilization V<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em><\/em><em>Crysis 2<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em><\/em><em>Dirt 3<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Deus Ex: Human Revolution<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em><\/em><em>Batman: Arkham City<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Battlefield 3<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Max Payne 3<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>the Secret World<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Sleeping Dogs<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Sniper Elite V2<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Hitman: Absolution<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Assassin&#8217;s Creed III<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The above is our test bench and we are running these benches right now in preparation for our Thursday performance evaluation.\u00a0 We may also be able to cover some frame time comparisons.\u00a0 Let&#8217;s head to our pre-conclusion.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>.<\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><!--pagetitle: Pre Conclusion--><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><strong>(Pre) Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Here are a couple of points not yet covered:<\/p>\n<p><strong>Titan Availability<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The Nvidia GTX Titan is shipping on the 21st of February\u00a0and will also be\u00a0available for order from leading OEMs.\u00a0 At the Nvidia press meeting, it was made clear that Titan&#8217;s launch would not be limited to 10,000 cards.\u00a0 It was also noted that Nvidia&#8217;s partners would supply Titans by region &#8211; ASUS and EVGA would supply North America.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The Future of the GTX 690<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Here is a direct quote from Nvidia:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>GeForce GTX TITAN will coexist with GeForce GTX 690 at the top of our product stack. We will not be ending GeForce GTX 690 production. We feel the two cards complement each other well; GeForce GTX 690 is the ultimate graphics card for today\u2019s games if all you plan to do is drive a single high-end 27&#8243; or 30&#8243; panel. For these users, there\u2019s nothing else like GTX 690. However, with its bigger frame buffer and 384-bit memory interface, GeForce GTX TITAN is better suited for Surround gaming with multiple monitors. In addition, GeForce GTX TITAN is compatible with a wider variety of system cases thanks to its reduced power requirements and shorter board length. GTX TITAN also runs quieter and exhausts hot air outside your system chassis.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">This has been quite an enjoyable, if far too short, 1-day preview for us in evaluating our new GTX\u00a0Titan since it arrived on Monday (this week). We have it running benchmarks right now and we will have a full 30-game evaluation for you on Thursday morning.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Titan looks impressive.\u00a0 However, the big question is what does it bring over the similarly priced GTX 690 and is it &#8220;worth&#8221; $1000.\u00a0 These and many questions we shall attempt to cover in Part Two.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Don&#8217;t forget to check\u00a0ABT\u00a0forums! Our tech discussions are becoming among the best to be found anywhere!\u00a0 You can still give us input regarding the upcoming evaluations.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Happy Gaming!<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left; padding-left: 60px;\">Mark Poppin<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left; padding-left: 60px;\">ABT Senior Editor<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 90px; text-align: left;\">Please join us in our <a href=\"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/abt\/index.php\" target=\"_blank\">Forums<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 90px; text-align: left;\">Become a Fan on <a href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/pages\/AlienBabelTech\/123268467142\" onclick=\"_gaq.push(['_trackEvent', 'outbound-article', 'http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/pages\/AlienBabelTech\/123268467142', 'Facebook']);\" target=\"_blank\">Facebook<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 90px; text-align: left;\">Follow us on <a href=\"http:\/\/twitter.com\/alienbabeltech\" onclick=\"_gaq.push(['_trackEvent', 'outbound-article', 'http:\/\/twitter.com\/alienbabeltech', 'Twitter']);\" target=\"_blank\">Twitter<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 90px; text-align: left;\">For the latest updates from ABT, please <a href=\"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/?feed=rss2\" target=\"_blank\">join our RSS News Feed<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 90px; text-align: left;\">Join our Distributed Computing teams<\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: left; padding-left: 120px;\">\n<li>Folding@Home &#8211; Team AlienBabelTech &#8211; 164304<\/li>\n<li>SETI@Home &#8211; Team AlienBabelTech &#8211; 138705<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.worldcommunitygrid.org\/reg\/viewRegister.do?teamID=3P39R3SRV1\" onclick=\"_gaq.push(['_trackEvent', 'outbound-article', 'http:\/\/www.worldcommunitygrid.org\/reg\/viewRegister.do?teamID=3P39R3SRV1', 'World Community Grid &#8211; Team AlienBabelTech']);\" target=\"_blank\">World Community Grid &#8211; Team AlienBabelTech<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/?p=33800\"><img decoding=\"async\" align=top title=\"Author: Mark Poppin\" src=\"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/titan-IL-prev.jpg\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":33804,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2533,7814,4454],"tags":[5887,6118,5202,121,494,6117],"class_list":["post-33800","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-abt-news","category-articles","category-mini-reviews","tag-gk110","tag-gpu-boost-2-0","tag-gtx-690","tag-nvidia","tag-titan","tag-titan-preview"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33800","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=33800"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33800\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/33804"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33800"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=33800"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=33800"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}