Check this out - 8800Ultra prices becoming almost sane

[senor_bob]

A sign of the 1GB 2900XT being worth something when it comes out? Evidence the G80 will suck at DX10? Or just proof that the Ultra was overpriced to begin with and not selling well? (I vote for just overpriced to begin with).

PNY - $669.99
eVGA - $679.99 after $20 M-I-R

At these prices, I would actually recommend the Ultra over some of the factory OC's GTXs like the eVGA ACS3 for $649.99

(of course, I'd still recommend getting a regular GTX and OC it yourself over any of the above...)

Note: By "almost sane" I mean in relation to the Ultra's performance copmared to other high-end cards such as the 8800GTX or the HD2900XT. Please don't flame just because you think that anything more expensive than a 7600GT is insane.

 

[harmattan]

Considering this is around what GTX's were priced at at release, it's not bad. However, no matter how you paint it, $650 for a video card is still a screwed up concept.

Might be an ok deal for Step Up.

 

[Heyyou27]

While it's definitely an improvement, even the $100 over the 8800GTX doesn't translate into a good price/performance ratio.

 

[Xabbo]

@ harmattan-$650 for a video card is still a screwed up concept.

Oxymoron anyone?

 

[senor_bob]

While it's definitely an improvement, even the $100 over the 8800GTX doesn't translate into a good price/performance ratio.

I agree completely. Thus my conclusion :

(of course, I'd still recommend getting a regular GTX and OC it yourself over any of the above...)

 

[mrmez]

Considering (by all reports) they are the same card as the GTX, id be hard pressed for fork out much extra for the ultra

 

[kaoru780]

Arent computers suppose to be cheaper now.

 

[djplanet]

Essentially, Nvidia overestimated the novelty value of having the fastest card on the market. The Ultra should never cost more than $100 more than the GTX, and really shouldn't cost more than $50 more.

Those ~$800 prices remind me of the 7900 GX2, Nvidia's first SLI on a stick, with its external power supply, ack.

 

[prozac26]

Yea, prices have come down, but the normal GTX is still the way to go.

 

[No1sFanboy]

I've wondered if because the Ultra uses a new revision for the GPU if this revision would show up on normal GTX's. We could be looking at new GTX's hitting the market with added overclocking potential.
Any GTX will overclock to Ultra levels but I'm thinking more along the lines of the overclocked Ultra's and some of the speeds reviewers are getting out of them.

 

[hannibal]

Well most propably ultras are hand picked g80, so that they can garantee of working with higher speed...
I don't think that there is any reason for new revision, because g80 is so much faster than R600. The next new revision will most propably be 65nm g80...

 

[No1sFanboy]

http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=2979&p=2

Beyond cooling, NVIDIA has altered the G80 silicon. Though they could not go into the specifics, NVIDIA indicated that layout has been changed to allow for higher clocks. They have also enhanced the 90nm process they are using to fab the chips. Adjustments targeted at improving clock speed and reducing power (which can sometimes work against each other) were made. We certainly wish NVIDIA could have gone into more detail on this topic, but we are left to wonder exactly what is different with the new revision of G80.

I would guess gtx's will share the improvements, perhaps even all the g80's.

 

[harmattan]

@ harmattan-$650 for a video card is still a screwed up concept.

Oxymoron anyone?

I think you mean hypocritical considering my current set up. However, I didn't pay 650 for my GTX's. I Stepped Up from two 7900 GTO's, so they were less than $400 a piece, which is imo the threshold where GPU cost enters the realm of ridiculousness.

 

[pchoi04]

I need the GTX to hurry up and come down in price!