What to do now that the G80 cards are here?

[evil_sponge]

Hello all,

Like most I'm sure I'm not the only one tring to figure out which direction to go. I usually buy my video cards a generation behind with a rule of no more than $200.00. Have been sorely tempted by the G80 card until I just saw the introductory price of $667.00 which is way beyond my video card budget. I'm currently using a 7600GT PCIEX.

My question is do I hold out for the price to drop on a g80 card or get an upgraded older gen card either nvida or ati based. If I went with an older gen of video card what would people here suggest I mainly play fps games ie FEAR combat and the like.

Any help provided would be greatly apprecited,

-ES

 

[fullerms]

I had exactly the same thoughts when I was buying for my new rig. But it looks like its going to be some time before DX10 cards are going to be available in that price range.

So I settled for a X1900XT for $249 on newegg when it was available

 

[zerobeta]

I don't think the price for the G80 will be doopping soon, not dramatically.
Maby only after the release of the refresh some more months.
For not there are no DX10 games, and there will not be much of them in the next months, and the high end DX9 cards will probebly be able to run them fine, just without so much eyecandy, probebly.

If you want older cards, I have searched myself and found this out:
Best AGP card on the market: ATI X1950 Pro (AGP) - also should be reasonably prices when it comes out later this month

2nd AGP card - 7800GS+ (which is actually a 7900, 24 pipelines)

3rd will be Nvidia 7800GS AGP with 512MB and 20 pipelines

Then a 7800GS 256MB with 16 pipelines which is pretty cheap

I haven't dont any research on PCI E cards, but maby this will help:

www.tomshardware.com/2006/10/31/the_best_video_cards_for_your_money/

 

[prozac26]

I don't think the price for the G80 will be doopping soon, not dramatically.

No, as long as the R600 isn't out, the prices will be quite high.

 

[evil_sponge]

Hey Guys,

Thanks for the replys I think I'm going to wait untill Dec 1st to see what the market will do it is my hope that the introduction of the G80 card will drop the price of the high end DX9 cards in which case I will most likely but a high end DX9 card as I can't justify $600+ for a gfx card.

In a year or so the dx10 cards may be resonable lol so I guess need to hope either the ati top end card or nvida top end card come down in price as they say waiting is the hardest part.

-ES
My current rig:

E6400 Anadale C2D
Gigabyte S3
Super Talent PC6400 1gig stick
Enhance 500w 80+ PS
Ninja 1100P revb HS
Samsung spin point 160gig sata HD
LIAN LI PC-7B plus II Black Aluminum

 

[fullerms]

Dont forget, you need Windows Vista to run DX10, and thats going to take a while to settle down

I would give it atleast a year before looking at DX10. X'Mas 2007 maybe.

 

[jaguarskx]

Prices will remain high even after ATI's top dog DX10 GPU comes out. The 8800 series will remain in the $350+ price range well into next year. Main stream cards should be coming out some time in Spring 2007, but even then the top dogs will be pretty expensive.

I don't really expect a Geforce 8800GT to dip below $300 until the second generation DX10 cards come out. I'm guessing that won't be until Fall 2007 at the earliest.

 

[evil_sponge]

Well $300.00-$350.00 I can accept but not the current price of 647.00 way over the top also I hear the card is 12in long? Would just fit in my case it that is the right measurement LOL.

-ES

 

[evil_sponge]

Found two ati cards for a good deal what would people here choose?

1) Sapphire ATI Radeon X1950XT 256MB for $ 269.00

2) MSI RX1900 CrossFire 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 for $290.00 after rebate

The diffrence I can see is DDR 3 memory vs DDR4 memory and Larger overall memory of one.

-ES

 

[fullerms]

Sapphire ATI Radeon X1950XT 256MB is what I chose. No point in spending the extra 30$ since Crossfire is not an immediate requirement.

 

[Wishjuh]

I don't think the price for the G80 will be doopping soon, not dramatically.

No, as long as the R600 isn't out, the prices will be quite high.

I must say that the price of the new Nvidia 8800GTX isn't that high imo... it's only $150 higher then the X1950XTX... that isn't a very large price diffrence comparing to the 59% more speed you will get.... I'm buying the 8800GTX... because it will be compatible with the DX9 games en WinXP... and I'm ready for the new DX10 games and Vista in the next months... damnit I can't wait till it comes out.... hurry please

 

[niz]

I don't think the price for the G80 will be doopping soon, not dramatically.

No, as long as the R600 isn't out, the prices will be quite high.

I must say that the price of the new Nvidia 8800GTX isn't that high imo... it's only $150 higher then the X1950XTX... that isn't a very large price diffrence comparing to the 59% more speed you will get.... I'm buying the 8800GTX... because it will be compatible with the DX9 games en WinXP... and I'm ready for the new DX10 games and Vista in the next months... damnit I can't wait till it comes out.... hurry please

Yeah I feel exactly the same. I was considering doing a couple of 8800GTX's in SLI but it sounds like just 1 8800GTX is already cpu-bound. I wonder if thats still true for an OC'd x6800?

 

[Lachdan]

I would definitely wait and get a last gen GPU (7x00 or x1x00), considering 2 facts :

1. Crysis is gonna be delayed, so there's no DX10 games that's gonna be out soon / before the r600 launch. So I would at least wait to see r600 performance before buying a DX10 card. Nvidia had the advantage of being quicker than ATI, but without any game to support DX10, it isn't much of an advantage.

2. I read that there's technical problems with G80 : Recall of all 8800GTX

So I would suggest to wait or buy a current gen card.

 

[evil_sponge]

I think it is still too soon to make that call on price per performance value as I believe with the introduction of the 8800 gts price point 647.00 and gts 499.00 will put pressure for price drops of the currently high end DX9 cards.

If nothings changes then I do agree someone would be crazy to buy a current high end ati or nvidia DX9 card when the G80 cards are out. The tale will be told after the first month of 8800 cards being available to the market so I agree hurry up!

-ES

 

[evil_sponge]

Hey Lachdan,

My thoughts exactly also like someone here has already pointed out how long before vista is even truely stable LOL

-ES

 

[kaotao]

I'd say, hang on to that 7600GT, and wait until after ATI releases the R600. Vista should be out by then, and then you'll have more to choose from instead of jumping on the first ones to come out. They're going to be expensive, and your 7600GT will last you a bit longer, so save your money.

 

[danny9894]

The R600 hopefully will put a good fight against the G80

 

[niz]

I would definitely wait and get a last gen GPU (7x00 or x1x00), considering 2 facts :

1. Crysis is gonna be delayed, so there's no DX10 games that's gonna be out soon / before the r600 launch. So I would at least wait to see r600 performance before buying a DX10 card. Nvidia had the advantage of being quicker than ATI, but without any game to support DX10, it isn't much of an advantage.

2. I read that there's technical problems with G80 : Recall of all 8800GTX

So I would suggest to wait or buy a current gen card.

Crysis isn't the only DX10 game in town. There's a DX10 patch on the way for MS Flight Sim X, amongst others.

Anyway, the 8800 gives 50+% better performance for DX9 games than current cards.

Anyway it would be stupid to buy a DX9-only card now unless you're on a tight budget.

 

[chuckshissle]

I guess I'll just drool for now. I'm poor so it will take me up to next year summer to save up and upgrade. I turned off my heater to save money and I just have to wear coat inside to keep my self from freezing here in Chicago. It would be nice if someone give me an E6600, Core 2 motherboard and 2 8800GTX for this Christmas.

 

[kaotao]

The R600 hopefully will put a good fight against the G80

My money's on the R600, and I'm not buying anything until I see what BOTH sides have to offer.

 

[sailer]

Though the G80 looks nice, I'd hold off getting it for a couple reasons.

First, without Vista and DX10, you really can't use it. You might get a few more frames, but the power is just sitting there with no place to go.

Second, by the time Vista does come out, the R600 should be available and then you can compare the performeance of the two. Wouldn't you feel a bit stupid if you spent many hundreds of dollars on a G80 and then found out that R600 was better, and possibly a few dollars less?

Third, there are no games currently out that will use the G80 to its potential. Crysis has been delayed, and I haven't read of any other game coming out soon that will be DX10 rated.

Hold tight, let ATI/AMD's R600 come out for at least a comparrison, and then buy.

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

Anyway, the 8800 gives 50+% better performance for DX9 games than current cards.

50+% performance boost, but at about double the price.
For anyone mid-range, there is no other option now. So buying a GF7900GS or X1950Pro still makes alot of sense since the games that will require DX10 won't be here until the spring by which time new mid-ranges will be out, and the R600 will have appeared to make buying a wise choice among options, not a guess as to what will play well.

Anyway it would be stupid to buy a DX9-only card now unless you're on a tight budget.

Depends on what tight budget means, but buying anything high end right when a new high end launches regardless of DX version isn't wise. It has nothing to do with the DX9 vs DX10, it has to do with straight performance, because even if it were a similar DX jump like the R9800-X800 or GF6800-GF7800 the performance boost is what people need to consider, and that's why they should wait 'til Wednesday to see what develops.

 

[hellraiser06]

Hold tight, let ATI/AMD's R600 come out for at least a comparrison, and then buy.

i second that..
BUT.........these cards would be worthwhile only after ummmm......say 7 or 8 months or so....so i would suggest you to buy a decent 7600 gt or a 7900 gto whichever fits in your budget for these long months and later sell them off on e-bay or to a less enthusiastic friend :twisted:
good luck

 

[caskachan]

i got a 6800GT oc and i can play any game at 1024 no AA, full ani, except for oblivion, which i personally wont play, so yeah, im gona wait for crysis to come out and see how i fare, probably will upgfrade to 7900gt by then

 

[evil_sponge]

Will R600 have a price point like $499 or $600.00?

I guess it is all academic for me I have a vid card budget of $300.00 max
with tax and shipping so really I need a card in the $269.00 range.

Just waiting to see the price pressure the G80 series cards will put on the top DX9 players and pick the best from there.

To be honest It's really hard for me to justify spending more than this when vid cards become obsolited so fast these days. Kudos to those with the disposible income to purchase the latest tech.

-ES