XFX 9800GTX+

Full Review

The 9800GTX+ is the precursor to the GTS 250, in the sense that the GTS 250 is a re-branded 9800GTX+ with slight changes. As a result, the performance scores of the two cards were virtually identical and the only difference in their ranking is thanks to the price, design and what came along with the card.

Like other XFX cards, the card comes in a snazzy package. A plastic casing covers the entire front of the card and a fan is embedded into it. For connecting to a display, the card has two DVI ports and a Video-Out port. It also came with a DVI to VGA adapter and requisite power converters. Unfortunately, the card only comes with a CD with drivers and software. For a card that costs close to Rs. 10,000, a free full version game would have been great.

Like we mentioned earlier, there was nothing to separate the performance scores of the XFX card from our winner, the Zotac GTS 250. For e.g. in 3D Mark ’06 the XFX scored 16,241 marks as compared to the Zotac’s 16,211. Similarly, across our gaming benchmarks, the Zotac and the XFX produced identical performances.

Looking at how the 9800GTX+, gives the same performance as the GTS 250, at a more expensive price (Rs. 9,800), it becomes difficult to recommend the XFX over the Zotac. However, what cannot be ignored is that it is a great performer and if for some reason the GTS 250 isn’t available, then you should have no hesitation to pick the XFX 9800GTX+ on terms of performance alone.

Bottom Line

The XFX card is essentially the original version of the GTS 250 and as a result, it got virtually identical scores as the Zotac GTS 250. However, the XFX did get hotter than the Zotac and is more than a thousand rupees dearer.