The 6800XT, why exactly is it bad?

[Fallacy]

Ok, I recently built a budget computer (around $650) a few months ago, and I got the 6800XT for a graphics card because it sounded good and the price was nice and cheap. I did do research before I bought it and almost all the newegg reviews were positive, and the gpu charts on TH showed that it preformed well enough for my standards. I havent had any problems with it, and I can play oblivion relatively well on high settings. the only time my comp bogs down too much is when more then 3 enemies attack me outside, which isnt a gpu problem. Other then that you can say im satisfied with it overall, its not that great but so far its hasnt been a problem. I dont do any overclocking, so thats not an issue for me as well.

My computer is

AMD X2 3800+
6800XT
Asus A8N5X
1gb corsair ram
WD 120gb 7200 rpm

Anyway my question is why is it so bad? Its the general consensus of the people here that its a terrible card, but i was wodering specifically why?

 

[kaotao]

For it's price, you could do much better. While some aren't terrible (there are some with 256bit interfaces), they're ususally 8 pipe, 128bit interface slow core/memory speed peices of sh*t.

 

[prozac26]

One word:
Cripple.

 

[Invader]

It isn't bad. Only two years ago the 6800 was the best GPU you could buy and cost $600.

I believe the XT has 12/5 pipelines and can usually be upgraded to 16/6 pipelines with software. They come with 1000mhz DDR3 ram and have a 256 ram interface. These features are very similiar to the current Top Dog GPU's that everyone brags about.

The 6800XT is a terrific video card and should give you several more years of sterling service!

 

[kaotao]

It isn't bad. Only two years ago the 6800 was the best GPU you could buy and cost $600.

I believe the XT has 12/5 pipelines and can usually be upgraded to 16/6 pipelines with software. They come with 1000mhz DDR3 ram and have a 256 ram interface. These features are very similiar to the current Top Dog GPU's that everyone brags about.

The 6800XT is a terrific video card and should give you several more years of sterling service!

No, I don't think so...

For it's price, you could do much better. While some aren't terrible (there are some with 256bit interfaces), they're ususally 8 pipe, 128bit interface slow core/memory speed peices of sh*t.

 

[Heyyou27]

It isn't bad. Only two years ago the 6800 was the best GPU you could buy and cost $600.

No, two years ago the Geforce 6800Ultra and X800XT were the best cards out, each lightyears ahead of the 6800XT.

 

[prozac26]

It isn't bad. Only two years ago the 6800 was the best GPU you could buy and cost $600.

I doesn't mean anything. It was the 6800Ultra, which kills the XT, since nVidia crippled the 6800 into crap like 6800XT. As good as 6600GT.

I believe the XT has 12/5 pipelines and can usually be upgraded to 16/6 pipelines with software. They come with 1000mhz DDR3 ram and have a 256 ram interface.

Only 8 pipelines, and in some cases 256-bit interface, mostly 128-bit.

These features are very similiar to the current Top Dog GPU's that everyone brags about.

Doesn't even come close.

The 6800XT is a terrific video card and should give you several more years of sterling service!

Well, it can't run current games maxed out, so I can't agree it's terrific card.

 

[dasickninja]

Had one, It sucked alot compared to what I'm currently using. For the price that it is now you can get far better.

 

[wun911]

i had a 6800 ultra, it was hot

 

[Fallacy]

For it's price, you could do much better. While some aren't terrible (there are some with 256bit interfaces), they're ususally 8 pipe, 128bit interface slow core/memory speed peices of sh*t.

what others then? i wouldnt be opposed to upgrading as long as its reasonable



also i still dont really see whats terrible about it (except 8 pipelines) that makes it worse then say the 6600GT

but thanks for the responses so far

 

[DaBigHurt]

For it's price, you could do much better. While some aren't terrible (there are some with 256bit interfaces), they're ususally 8 pipe, 128bit interface slow core/memory speed peices of sh*t.

what others then? i wouldnt be opposed to upgrading as long as its reasonable



also i still dont really see whats terrible about it (except 8 pipelines) that makes it worse then say the 6600GT

but thanks for the responses so far

Well I actually own the 6800XT although Im not using it anymore (Im using a 76GT) But anyway, Its not a "terrible" card, but there are better choices out there, for example, I bought the 6800XT for like $130 from newegg a couple months back,(Had a 10 dollar rebate) I couldve easily spend 10-20 more bucks and get a X850XT for a superb performance for the price. But I remember FEAR really kicked the 6800XT's @$$. The main reason why I upgraded to a 7600GT only a couple of months after which I felt stupid buying the 6800XT. Now I'd be lucky to sell it for $50 bucks ( I would too).

The real problem of the 6800XT is that its a card that has been reduced to...well..to not much.....it's pretty much a shell of a great series of cards.

P.S: I did manage to unlock the XT, but It actually performed worse when unlocked; Obvious why Nvidia locks it & sells it as an XT instead of a GT.

BTW If your shopping Nvidia stay away from the XT's unless your on a budget. Usually the GT's arent far ahead in price but much further ahead in perfomance.

 

[fyter]

It isn't so bad, IF you manage to unlock it. There are many different models, all with different bus widths, clock speeds, and memory configurations, but if you happen to get the right one, and it doesn't have any defective pipes, you can get a decently mean card out of one of them.

I happened to get ahold of a 6800XT AGP with a 256-bit bus and 512MB of DDR3. I unlocked the remaining pipes with Rivatuner from 8pp, 4vp to 16pp, 6vp without any problems and a significant boost in my 3DMARK score. I managed a 15% overclock on the GPU and a 19% overclock on the memory. This thing really does the job now. I could probably get more out of it (if I can get past the internal test issue) since I replaced the fan/heatsink with an NV cooler and it rarely reaches beyond 47C. It's just unfortunate that the MPEG 4 decoding abilities are disabled in the NV40 series AGP cards.

All-in-all, for $119 for the card and $15 for the fan/heatsink, I'm pretty happy with it.

 

[Fallacy]

It isn't so bad, IF you manage to unlock it. There are many different models, all with different bus widths, clock speeds, and memory configurations, but if you happen to get the right one, and it doesn't have any defective pipes, you can get a decently mean card out of one of them.

I happened to get ahold of a 6800XT AGP with a 256-bit bus and 512MB of DDR3. I unlocked the remaining pipes with Rivatuner from 8pp, 4vp to 16pp, 6vp without any problems and a significant boost in my 3DMARK score. I managed a 15% overclock on the GPU and a 19% overclock on the memory. This thing really does the job now. I could probably get more out of it (if I can get past the internal test issue) since I replaced the fan/heatsink with an NV cooler and it rarely reaches beyond 47C. It's just unfortunate that the MPEG 4 decoding abilities are disabled in the NV40 series AGP cards.

All-in-all, for $119 for the card and $15 for the fan/heatsink, I'm pretty happy with it.

I have the XFX version... which i think is the crapped out one

 

[fainis]

One word:
Cripple.

riiiiiiiiight!

i love your picture man..nice work

 

[prozac26]

also i still dont really see whats terrible about it (except 8 pipelines) that makes it worse then say the 6600GT

Same amount of pipelines, lower clock speeds. More often that not, it'll perform worse.

 

[Morton]

It's probably so confusing for many customers that new ATI high-end cards are XT and midrange GT, whereas it's the opposite for nVIDIA cards.

 

[prozac26]

Marketing.

 

[Fallacy]

i as looking for nvidia all along, so it was less that then the fact that there was a lack of info on the XT. toms really had nothing, and all the newegg reviews were positive. Without knowing that the card is a crapped out version of the 6800, I thought it was good becasue the 6800 is good, and therefore i thought it couldnt really be that much worse...

 

[DaBigHurt]

i as looking for nvidia all along, so it was less that then the fact that there was a lack of info on the XT. toms really had nothing, and all the newegg reviews were positive. Without knowing that the card is a crapped out version of the 6800, I thought it was good becasue the 6800 is good, and therefore i thought it couldnt really be that much worse...

Dont sweat it man, there are worse cards out there, but I guess were just making the mistake of compairing it with the top of the line cards. The 6800XT is what it is, a budget card on a budget PC which is pretty damn good by the way, its a good card man, that thing rocked when i had it in my computer, as long as you dont max out your settings or play at 1600x1200 (like I did) you should be fine.

P.S: If you want another one to SLi with, PM me. Right now its just in a box doing nothing in my house, my daughter could care less what she has on her comp as long as she can chat with her friends, only reason why I havent installed it on her PC.

 

[angry_ducky]

One word: C-R-I-P-P-L-E-D

It's probably so confusing for many customers that new ATI high-end cards are XT and midrange GT, whereas it's the opposite for nVIDIA cards.

ATI/nV do this on purpose, so that they can unload the chips that won't run at the rated speed or have damaged pipelines. They do it to trick the consumer; it's purely marketing.

 

[Fallacy]

One word: C-R-I-P-P-L-E-D

It's probably so confusing for many customers that new ATI high-end cards are XT and midrange GT, whereas it's the opposite for nVIDIA cards.

ATI/nV do this on purpose, so that they can unload the chips that won't run at the rated speed or have damaged pipelines. They do it to trick the consumer; it's purely marketing.

truthfully, i dont think thats the trickiest part, its easy enough to understand. i think they trick you with making a higher number worse then a lower number, i.e my 6800XT being worse? then a 6600GT...

 

[knightcycle6am]

If you haven't bought iit yet you should =) My wife and I each have one and they are great.

 

[fainis]

If you haven't bought iit yet you should =) My wife and I each have one and they are great.

8O whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaatttt..... 8O ....there are two of them......nooooooooooooooooooo

 

[Fallacy]

LOL

 

[prozac26]

truthfully, i dont think thats the trickiest part, its easy enough to understand. i think they trick you with making a higher number worse then a lower number, i.e my 6800XT being worse? then a 6600GT...

Yes, because people would think a 6800 would be automatically better than a 6600.