BFG 6800GS AGP - Can my power supply handle it?

[Dshazz]

Hello all,

After being denied by ATI the X800 XL agp card, I'm looking once again at Nvidia. The sweet price-point for performance appears to be the BFG 6800GS AGP 256MB card; however, I have a question:

The requirements state a 12V rail rated at 18A or better (source: http://www.bfgtech.com/6800GSOC.html). I have an Enermax Noisetaker EG475P-VE (470W) with dual 12V rails: +12V1 at 16A and +12V2 at 15A. Do the requirements of the 6800GS exceed what I have, or is the total rating of what I have more than enough to handle the card?

Thanks!! Have a happy Sunday/Monday!

 

[pauldh]

Yes, you will be fine using a 6800GS with that power supply.

BUT how much are you paying for it? 6800GS's are way overpriced from what I have seen. It's definately noth worth $150+. You can get a much faster X850 pro from newegg for $150. Or even better, a AIW X800XT for $170. Honestly, if we don't talk overclocking, the 6800GS AGP loses most of the time to a X800GTO even.

Anyway, the 7600GT AGP has shown up on UK sites as a preorder. You may find that when released they sell for the same as the rare 6800GS, with much better performance. If the price is right a 6800GS is fine, otherwise go with a X8X0 series card or wait for the 7600GT.

 

[GeneticWeapon]

BUT how much are you paying for it? 6800GS's are way overpriced from what I have seen.

He didnt aks you to talk him out of his card fanboy :roll:

Id ask you to continue your ATi crusade possibly a few post's down.....this man here wants to buy an nVidia card 8)

 

[pauldh]

Ha, LOL. You got me pegged GW.

Sorry, (I answered his question first ya know), but I just hate to see people get ripped off over brand preference. If he was about to spend more for a 6800GS than a AIW X800XT, it's criminal not to warn him ahead of time. And if he wants NV out of spite for ATI canceling his order, and can wait, a 7600GT would be way better than an equal priced 6800GS. Shoot, he should just buy your 7800GS if you still have it.

BTW, been playing Flatout 2 today. Lot's of fun, can't wait to get it up on the LAN. It must have been alot of fun doing the demolition with friends compared to bots.

 

[pauldh]

BTW, I now need to ditch another ti4200. I robbed the 9800 pro from my kids computer and stuck in a 300/600 clocked ti4200 instead. But Flatout won't run on the GF4Ti's, so now to use their system to play smashup amongst with the kids, I need to upgrade their card again. I have a 9500 pro out on loan that will go in there once I get it back.

Anyway, I went by the box specs, maybe it would run on the GF4's? Have you heard anything? I didn't have much faith and wasn't going to sit through a 5 cd install with 2 eager kids watching just to not have it most likely not work.

 

[Dshazz]

Sorry, (I answered his question first ya know), but I just hate to see people get ripped off over brand preference. If he was about to spend more for a 6800GS than a AIW X800XT, it's criminal not to warn him ahead of time. And if he wants NV out of spite for ATI canceling his order, and can wait, a 7600GT would be way better than an equal priced 6800GS. Shoot, he should just buy your 7800GS if you still have it.

Paul, you're right. I am a little disappointed with shop.ati.com, because on two occasions within the past week, I've either placed an order and had them cancel it, or was just about to participate in their trade-up program, only to have them yank the AIW X800 XT offer minutes before I submitted my order.

Having said that, Newegg has the BFG 6800GS AGP for $164.99 (US dollars). They have the connect3D X850PRO for 174.99 (regular $224.99) after a $50 mail-in rebate. And, they also have the Radeon X850PRO for $149.99, but it carries a strict exchange policy, wherby you can only exchange it for the same item within 30 days. If for whatever reason I didn't like it, too bad.

The 7800GS is a little pricey - nearly twice as much when compared to the 6800GS. That was the rationale behind my decision to 1). Stick with NV, and 2). Go with a 6800GS.

I have seen the UK pre-orders for the 7600GT, but haven't been able to catch a glimpse of them here in the U.S.

GeneticWeapon: If you have a 7800GS for sale, I just might be interested.

Thanks as always for your help Paul.

 

[pauldh]

I hear ya, I never called them but the fact the X800XT says in stock every day, yet they put mine on backorder just to stop the trade up (my theory), ticks me off. I am in email contact off hours with a ATI rep, and so far have not had my direct questions answered.

Let me ask you this. Do you hope to unlock you 6800GS? Because if no and you are leaving it stock, the X850 pro will easily outperform it in most games. 370/1050 isn't much of a factory OC, and Digit-life showed a 350/1000 6800 (AGP GS reference speeds) can not keep up with a X800GTO, never mind the faster X850 pro.

Did you try to order a AIW X800XT AGP form shop ATI? The trade up is gone, but you should have received a 5% discount code with your order confirmation, which would knock another $9 off that card. (if you dared try them again).

Anyway, between this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814143045
and this
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814102492
The X800XT would stomp the 6800GS (well, if it comes back in stock). That's about the cheapest I have ever seen a 6800GS AGP, but then again, with the current ATI AGP prices, it's not a big bonus. If you do hope/plan to unlock, then that could change the story. GW or someone else here may be able to help with that. But his 7800GS, if he still has it, would obviously beat the X800XT and an unlocked 6800GS.

Godd luck and happy gaming.

 

[melarcky]

why are you even upgrading ... to a 6800gs i mean i down expect you will see such a great difference?

 

[Dshazz]

Paul,

Check this base model eVGA 7800GS card (recertified):

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814130046

In sticking with AGP for the moment, I'm thinking about this one, because if I step up from what I have, I might as well go for either the X800 XT or a higher end 7 Series NV card.

The BFG 6800 isn't off the table, but this is a pretty good looking deal for a 7800 GS card.

 

[GeneticWeapon]

Anyway, I went by the box specs, maybe it would run on the GF4's? Have you heard anything?

I havent.

Though it likely uses a pixel shader version higher than the Ti cards can deliver. I'm gunna Google for it a bit.

 

[pauldh]

Anyway, I went by the box specs, maybe it would run on the GF4's? Have you heard anything?

I havent.

Though it likely uses a pixel shader version higher than the Ti cards can deliver. I'm gunna Google for it a bit.

That was my reason for not trying it. Like BF2, no PS1.1 support. But this looks like PS2.0 by the supported card list. I tell ya, I played FL2 on a 2GHz AXP/R9800 pro. I didn't bench it, but like the first game, it seemed to run amazingly smooth on such a modest system.


You know what peeves me off though. I opened the game today after spending $30 on it last week. Now I see the Circuit City ad for today has it for $18 this week. Both stores are within 1/2 mile of each other. Plus I am working within 1 mile of there so it would have been easy to pull an exchange at lunch or after work. Anyway, I will be buying a couple more copies for gifts; great new game for $18.

 

[ElPolloDiablo]

You know, the BFG 6800GS has a good chance of having the locked pipes and shaders unlocked. Also it overclocks well.

I have one and I think it does quite well in performance. Especially if you have an older AGP system and your CPU is a botteneck anyway. I had a x850pro before I fried it and the two cards perform similiarly. However, once again, CPU is a bottleneck on older systems.

SM 3.0 pwns in AoE III. Looks far better than SM 2.0 on the x850pro and I DONT CARE WHAT ANYONE SAYS!

Also your PSU will be ok but I'd rather have 20A pushed over the 12V rails. If you are having artifacts or freezes then you should consider another PSU. That seems to be a common trend with BFG 6800GS cards that are overclocked with minimum to lower PSUs.

 

[4Aces]

Let it go he's dug his own grave by owning an Always Technically Inept card, I've built with both brands and I would never own or suggest someone to own ATI. They do have good hardware but that's only half the equation. Let's talk about software and drivers, that seem to be developed for some other product and at the last minute adapted to sorta work with this new fangled video card thingy. But do let it go it's not worth the bandwidth your ATI propaganda is using.

 

[ElPolloDiablo]

Hear hear! I have never been happy with ATI either. I am glad though that they are so competitive with nvidia because the end result is better cards for consumers.

However the video card market needs an overhaul. Cards are too big, too hot, and suck too much juice. Intel learned their lession on that!

 

[pauldh]

I've built with both brands and I would never own or suggest someone to own ATI. They do have good hardware but that's only half the equation. Let's talk about software and drivers, that seem to be developed for some other product and at the last minute adapted to sorta work with this new fangled video card thingy. But do let it go it's not worth the bandwidth your ATI propaganda is using.

More fanboy nonsense, blah blah blah. :roll: You're living in the past.

LoL, ATI propaganda, nice one. So that's what it's called when I recommend both brands instead of just NV. Interesting. :roll: You'd recommend a much wimpier card (6800GS VS AIW X800XT) for the same or more money just for better linux drivers and SM3.0 support it's too wimpy to use?; who is spewing the propaganda. Have you ever taken notice as to how many TWIMTBP games run faster and with less issues on ATI cards? :tongue:

But you just go and spend more, enjoy your beta release forcewares and hold onto the past memories of lousy ATI drivers. But don't spread that nonsense on the forums; we don't need people who would never buy or recommend either brand in here giving advice. :roll: (Can I get an Amen on that?)

 

[Pompeii]

Amen!

Nvidia fanboys aren't welcome here, just to let you know.....

I must admit, ATI used to have driver problems. I expierienced them first hand with my old Radeon 9200. I also must admit that was one reason why I have bought an nvidia card for my rig, but I was ill informed. Either way, I am happy that sli is still an option, even though I don't have the money for it.

Please stop saying that ATI has driver problems, it simply isn't so. It is no different than not buying an Intel processor because prescotts suck.