What is Better- $800 'HD 2900 XT' CF or $650-$700 '8800 Ultra'

[LiquidAMD]

What is Better- US$800 'HD 2900 XT' CF or US$650-$700 '8800 Ultra'?????

This is a simple question with no easy answers available to me.

My system is Vista Ultimate 64-bit. Performance under it is all that matters. My MB is CF compatible hence the CF option is being considered along with the 8800.

Price is not much of a concern- performance definitely is. I am looking to upgrade within the next month at the most. Therefore drivers to consider will be Catalyst 7.8 and Forceware 166.22+.

Thank you for your participation!!!!!

 

[badge]

What is Better- US$800 'HD 2900 XT' CF or US$650-$700 '8800 Ultra'?????

This is a simple question with no easy answers available to me.

My system is Vista Ultimate 64-bit. Performance under it is all that matters. My MB is CF compatible hence the CF option is being considered along with the 8800.

Price is not much of a concern- performance definitely is. I am looking to upgrade within the next month at the most. Therefore drivers to consider will be Catalyst 7.8 and Forceware 166.22+.

Thank you for your participation!!!!!

These charts should be of some help to you. I'm sure will get plenty of responses to your question.

http://www23.tomshardware.com/graphics_2007.html?modelx=33&model1=857&model2=778&chart=279

 

[JAYDEEJOHN]

First off, anything written about xfire or sli about Vista is obsolete atm. M$ just issued a correction for them recently, and I havnt yet read improvements/capabilities yet. But for sure, anything you read now will only look better in Vista for both sli and xfire. This is from what I understand a broad spectrum patch/fix by M$, so you may not see improvements in some games, but no doubt you will in others. My votes for the 2900s, since money isnt an issue

 

[randomizer]

Dont forget the dual card charts

http://www23.tomshardware.com/graphics_sli2007.html?modelx=33&mode l1=867&model2=819&chart=339

Going strictly off the charts "overall FPS", which gives a not-too-accurate idea as to the overall power of the cards, the 8800 ultra will surpass the 2900XT CF. Considering the cheaper price and the fact that you will avoid CF problems (less hardware = less likelyhood of problems) and incompatibilities, I would go for the 8800 Ultra.

EDIT: Ah thats right money isnt an issue. Well, I still would rather avoid problems with CF incompatibilities, but thats just me

 

[LiquidAMD]

Thanks Dude,

But the Charts are for XP and primarily use Catalyst 7.1 They won't be of too much help to me. Check this link you will get the hint. http://www23.tomshardware.com/graphics_2007.html?modelx=33&model1=857&mo del2=723&chart=318

Thanks anyway!!!

 

[LiquidAMD]

As of this Moment

CF=1 Vote
Ultra=1 Vote

1 Vote dead heat- this is great!!!!!

 

[LiquidAMD]

Error in my link

http://www23.tomshardware.com/graphics_2007.html?modelx=33&model1=85 7&model2=723&chart=318

 

[tj_the_first]

What res are you running? I'd hope that if you're spending that much money you're gaming at least 1680*1050 if not 1920*1200. When you go further down the list you see on Oblivion, Prey, Doom3 that the 2900CF starts walloping it. 8800GTS 320MB SLI looks like the best solution (except M&M5) and would be cheaper. Don't get me wrong, I'm an AMD guy but NVidia rules high end graphics right now.

 

[badge]

@ Randomizer. I didn't know those charts existed. Thanks. My SLI'd 7800 Gt's look like antiques in those charts next to the 8800GTx's when compared in Oblivion. No wonder my performance is down? Could be I don't own Oblivion. LOL! Thanks.

One more vote for the 8800GTX (s) provided you get a good price. I'd settle for the 2900's if I burgularized the store and they were the more accesible in conjunction with my exit strategy.

http://www23.tomshardware.com/graphics_sli2007.html?modelx=33&model1=804 &model2=814&chart=358

 

[LiquidAMD]

Dosen't make any sense. I cannot post the correct link.

Hope the one below is correct. I am uncertain however.

http://www23.tomshardware.com/graphics_2007.html?modelx=33&model1=857&am p;model2=723&chart=318

 

[Rabidpeanut]

Look at this situation like this....

The crossfire is the young fit Cassius Clay. The ultra is the current Mohammed Ali. Guess who will win in a fight.

www.tweaktown.com they have an article there.

I think it is a crossfire vs a GTX maybe but the 8800 gets it's ASS kicked.

 

[LiquidAMD]

What res are you running? If you check out 1600x1200 you'll see the Ultra take off and run away with the show. I'd hope that if you're spending that much money you're gaming at least 1680*1050 if not 1920*1200. Don't get me wrong, I'm an AMD fanboy but NVidia rules high end graphics right now.

[edit] Actually when you go further down the list you see on Oblivion, Prey, Doom3. 8800GTS 320MB SLI looks like the best solution (except M&M5) and would be cheaper.

Hi,

I play 1280*1024 but am an IQ (Image Quality) freak. must have full AF and atleast 4-8x AA at full detail levels. SupCom sucks as a result on my system (X1800 CF Edition, FX-60@2964MHz, 2GB HyperX) Anything below 30FPS on these settings for more than 0.5% game time for any game is poor according to me.

 

[lordszone]

i think x2900xt cf will work better than a 8800ultra but the difference will not be much. if u have a cross fire board then i think it will be better to get the best crossfire vga card available. but i really think that u should wait for better cards as this 2900xt is not that good because just think that u will pay like $800 for a couple of cards whose performance will be a little more than the card which costs like $650. Think on it. i know it is not easy to wait all the time but if u had an sli board and was thinking of getting two 8800gtx then the story would have been different.

 

[LiquidAMD]

939 SLI boards = $150

8800 GTS 640 =385*2=770

Total= 770+150=920

Stretchable perhaps but is it worth it???? Choices suddenly becoming very difficult.

 

[LiquidAMD]

Quick reminder- my system is Vista Ultimate 64-bit. This is what I am concerned with primarily.

 

[croc]

http://www.falcon-nw.com/keltstake/ati_2900xtx.asp

Kelt's seldom wrong.... Even Rahul doesn't offer these babies.

 

[LiquidAMD]

Also anything below 20FPS ever is simply unacceptable.

 

[JAYDEEJOHN]

As I posted earlier, xfire and sli both will get better. http://www.guru3d.com/newsitem.php?id=5634 This link gives a lil info. And yes, the 2900s xfire VERY well. If theres a weakness in these cards, its pretty much eliminated in xfire. And they will dominate an ultra

 

[LiquidAMD]

1GB 2900s pushing close to and beyond $1000. New PSU also required.

At my gaming habits this will be wasting money I think. Also the PC MAG benckmarks seem to have questionable results- especially comparing the 2 8800 systems from FNW and Dell side by side.

 

[LiquidAMD]

As I posted earlier, xfire and sli both will get better. http://www.guru3d.com/newsitem.php?id=5634 This link gives a lil info. And yes, the 2900s xfire VERY well. If theres a weakness in these cards, its pretty much eliminated in xfire. And they will dominate an ultra

Great dude,

You do find super recent stop gap solutions. Any link to performance updates

 

[LiquidAMD]

I did a quick web check. There is speculation that this HotFix is only for single slot CF/SLI solutions. Is this true????

EDIT: KB936710 does not specify anything in particular however- http://support.microsoft.com/kb/936710/en-us

 

[mrmez]

Easy answer.
8800 WINS

Why?

A.) Unless money grows out ur a$$, u will need to sell ur cards one day. 2x 2900's are gonna be WAY harder to sell than 1x 8800.

B.) When, and ONLY when a sufficient ammount of DX10 games come out will we know just how the current h/ware stacks up. We may find an 8800Ultra is barely enough to run dx10 at hi rez. With 1x 8800 u can always go sli if its not enough, or easily sell it and get a 89xx.

C.) 'The best single card for your $' thinking IS mostly right. Sli is scaling VERY well with the current gen cpu's and mobos tho.

D.) Im not impressed with ATI h/ware and s/ware anymore these days. They seem to be behind in their cards, performance and time-wise, they are releasing slower cards way later than NV. Problems at ATI WILL influence ATI, no matter what anyone says. Drivers can be a little suspect too.

And yes i have a gts320 right now, only cos my 1950xt was just all over the place. So im no NV fanboi

Also... u say..."My system is Vista Ultimate 64-bit. Performance under it is all that matters." Im assuming u play games right? Cos if all u use is Vista, any joe shmoe gfx card will be fine

 

[Valdis]

CROSSFIRE

 

[LiquidAMD]

Kudos to your frank opinions

I am an IQ freak who loves to play strategy, racing and simulation. IQ benchmark is DX10=Vista. So for all the software-hardware hotch potch (effectiveness, efficiency, communication and other aspects) Vista is the only solution and playing my part in the 'technology race' I thought I might as well get the 'best' So now after ATI had DX10 I decided to upgrade the graphics for my Vista 64. BTW the WEI shows my graphics subscore as 5.9 It dosen't have a higher rating still.

 

[Xazax310]

WHAT THIS 8800ULTRA PRICES BECOME SANE !_!

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130090

one can be had for 570$ almost as much as an 8800GTX =/

8800Ultra FTW!

Not to mention you would need a 1000 Watt PSU to even run 2 HD 2900XT's which consume MORE power than an 8800GTX