Buying a new video card

[sv704]

Hey People
I have About 200+ dollars and maybe a little more to fork out for a new video card ive been looking into theese but im not sure which one i should choose, i hears good stuff about the gto but now i heard that they are hardware locked and cant be overclocked as much as they used to be the HIS iceQ looks badass! it has a 60$ mail in rebate so thats the only way i could pay for that one, if you have any suggestions of any other video cards please do tell me about them im excited and wanna get it quick im not really an expert on graphics cards so i would seriously appreciate any of your guys's ( or girl's ) help in this =), oh and im new to the fourms for hey everybody my name is Daniel
please reply people =)

-eVGA Geforce 6800GS
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814130258

-HIS Hightech Radeon X800XL IceQ II Turbo
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814161143

-connect3D Radeon X800GTO
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814142052

 

[ShortyNumber45]

get the Radeon X800XL.

 

[sv704]

what about between the 6800GS and the GTO which is better?

 

[ShortyNumber45]

the 6800GS is a bit ahead but GTO is a good overclocker, if you don't want to OC GS would be nice.

 

[CPUZ]

Here is a different X800XL, its made by Powercolor which is my favorite make of card and it retails for only $194. Its clocks are only just slower than the HIS one but there is a huge price difference.
X800XL'slso have 16 pixelpipeline compared to the 12 of the GTO.

Powercolor X800XL

Try and find the 512MB version-I know someone who has one and they perform really well.

 

[ShortyNumber45]

check this All-in-wonder X800XL it's a little cheaper than the one in newegg
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1547478&Sku=A177-3046

 

[blackdog2]

here is another good card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814135171

 

[cleeve]

The X800 XL is a nice card, but you'd be friggin crazy if you got one, because at that price you could get a 7800 GT which will absolutely destroy any of the cards anyone has listed on this thread.

You can get 'em for $299 new on newegg, and here's a refurb for $275:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814139175R

If you're staying under $200, the 6800 GS is your best bet, notably better than the X800 GTO.

The X800 XL listed by CPUz for less than $200 is a good deal too, on par with the 6800 GS, maybe even a bit better.

 

[sv704]

hmm well the only reason i could afford the ones im gonna give links 2 is because of the mail in rebate for 60$ dollars on one. which one of theese 2 do you guys think you would pick

HIS Hightech Radeon X800XL
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814161143

AOpen Geforce 6800GT
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16814135171

wats the diff between the
Radeon X800XL and Geforce 6800GT GPU's

err im not verry smart at theese

 

[pauldh]

It will depend on the game. OGL will go to the GT and most DX9 will go to the XL. They are too close to call, unless you specify a game that is very important to you. Personally, without question, of those two I would take the HIS X800XL, because its HIS and that nice quiet / high performance VGA silencer. HIS is my favorite ATI brand with BFG or Gainward for NV. If it were a Sapphire or Powercolor instead of HIS, I would probably go with the 6800GT in hopes of overclocking it. Plus a little tie breaker of having a SM3 card. In general, X800Xl's don't overclock very well, but it varies. Still read on:

But, honestly, I'd do what Cleeve said and get a 7800GT; I'm cheap, but it offers much better performance for less than $70 more. So right now above a $200 6800GS in PCI-e makes me want to splurge for a 7800GT. If you can't do $300, then this X850XT for $10-15 more and no rebate to wait on, is a better choice than either of yours there.

 

[cleeve]

If you have to choose between a 6800 GT and X800 XL, I think I'd go with the 6800 GT.

It's a close race, but the 6800 GT will have the edge IMHO.

Having said that, if you can afford the extra bucks for the 7800 GT, it'd be approximately 40% better than the 6800 GT... not that the 6800 GT is bad, but the 7800 GT is just that GOOD.

 

[pauldh]

It's just one of those things where spending a little more gives alot more. An X850XT for $10 over that 6800GT, without needing to mail a rebate, is a much better deal as the X850xt would spank it. Then go $50 over that and the 7800GT gives a big performance boost. Oh well, more choices than AGP anyhow.

 

[sv704]

ok guys what about between theese 2 cards which would be a better choice
i dont know if ill be able to afford the HIS but if i cant i want to know which of theese i should fall back on the 6800GS or the X800GTO
please help a cracka out =)


Out Of Theese 3 which would y'all pick?

(this is a different HIS then the one i showed earlier, Its the same price as the other GTO t look freggin sweet)

--HIS Hightech Radeon X800GTO IceQ II Turbo
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814161146&ATT=14-161-146&CMP=OTC-pr1c3grabb3r


-eVGA Geforce 6800GS
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814130258

-connect3D Radeon X800GTO
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814142052


(ive heared that now theese cards are locked up and you cant unlock the extra pipes and make it an 850, is this true?)

 

[cleeve]

Yeah, you can't unlock any of these cards.

Honestly these three are pretty much on par. If forced to choose I'd probably go with the 6800 GS because of the overclocking potential.

But you can't go wrong with any of them. And the ICEQ might be the quietest, if that's a factor.