Index
Review: It really does go like hell
The graphics card is based on Nvidia Fermi architecture, meaning the GF110 chip which is Nvidia’s most advanced graphics chip to date. GTX 570 offers plenty of performance in the high-end segment and the only faster card is the GTX 580, which is again based on the GF110. The opposing red camp offers the new HD 6970, which is comparable to reference GTX 570 cards.
Of course we can’t forget the retired GTX 480, which was the fastest Nvidia’s single-GPU in the last generation, but the GTX 570 sent it to an early retirement. Both cards feature similar gaming performance, but the GTX 570 comes with more efficient GPU and superior thermals.
Anyone familiar with Gainward knows by now that Goes Like Hell is a synonym for speed. Apart from the factory overclock, GTX 570 GS GLH boasts special twin-fan cooling and great video-output panel setup.
So, the card runs at 800MHz for the GPU, 1600MHz for shaders and 4000MHz (effectively) for the memory. Just to remind you, reference clocks stand at 732MHz for the GPU, 1462MHz for shaders and 3800MHz for memory.
We’ll briefly cover main differences between the GTX 580 and GTX 570, two of Nvidia’s fastest cards. The GPUZ snapshot you see below shows that GTX 570 comes with 480 shaders. Since one SM (Streaming Multiprocessor) comes with 32 shaders, this means that one SM has been disabled when compared to the GTX 580. The GTX 580 comes with all SMs enabled, i.e. 512 shaders.
GTX 570 has 1280MB of GDDR5 memory, whereas the GTX 580 comes with 1536MB of GDDR5. The reason behind less memory on the GTX 570 is one (64-bit) memory controller less than on the GTX 580. This resulted in the GTX 570 featuring 320-bit memory bus (5 x 256MB) unlike the GTX 580, which comes with all 6 memory controllers and thus 384-bit memory bus (6 x 256MB).
The GTX 580 runs at higher clocks – 772MHz GPU and 4000MHz memory (effectively).
It is easy to conclude that the GTX 580 is superior to the GTX 570, but since Gainward GTX 570 GS GLH is overclocked, let us wait and see how it fares.
Another important piece of info is that the GTX 570 comes with 40 ROPs (GTX 580 has 48), and 60 texture units (GTX 580 has 64). In case you didn’t know, each SM is assigned with 4 texture units.