I am currently trying to decide which brand name and also sub card type of the 8800 gt 512MB would be best
ie: xfx Alpha Dog 8800GT

any ideas?

What everyone always told me is get the one with the best warranty, so eVGA.

With the 8800GT, try to find one with a dual slot cooler I know there are a few out there.

Yes, Go EVGA and make sure it has the newer cooler on it.

How do you know the difference between the newer and older cooler?

I say Zotac 8800GT 512 AMP!..

Here the difference between XFX Alpha Dog and Zotac AMP! is around 50€ (70$)..XFX ofcourse being the expensive one..

Great card, cheap, great performer.. no dual-slot cooler but not stock either; mine never goes over 70°C

I have never seen an 8800GT with a dual slot cooler come stock... but yes eVGA cards are very nice and have good warrantys. Its really not worth the extra money to buy factory OC'd cards because you can easily clock them from default. Im running at SC speeds with no issues, and once I get my new coolers in... I will be going even farther.

I would buy the cheapest card, and put an after market cooler on the sucker. quieter and cools better than stock

Personally if you are going to buy a card and then get a better cooler, just buy a GTS to start with. Already has a dual slot cooler, more SP, and OCs better (comes with a 0.05v higher GPU Core).

Other than that buy from XFX, eVGA, or BFG Tech. All have lifetime warranties, eVGA will warranty cards that were OC'd or had a cooler changed, XFX will transfer the warranty to the second owner... and BFG Tech has the best customer support ever.

Well, I haven't either, but I've seen pictures on the Web Leadtek and Gigabyte make some versions with dual-slot coolers, for example. BTW, the 8800GTS G92 seems to overclock much better than the 8800GT.

XFX carried a lifetime warranty as well as eVGA, it is transferable to a 2nd owner as well.

If you are going to get a 8800GT with a non OEM cooler, just get the dang 8800GTS 512. It has a dual slot cooler and not much more expensive. I think the eVGA is $260 w/ rebate on newegg and the XFX is $280 with rebate and comes with a game.

Just don't get the 8800GT with the dinky little coolers at least get the full length one.

eVGA fan here... I always purchase there products even though they are usually a little more expensive.

XFX and eVGA are top choices in my book. They are both on the same level. It just depends who has the best value at the time. One usually bundles a game and the other cables and accessories.