8800gtx vs 9800 gtx... for HDTV? So Confused.

I've read NUMEROUS reviews, perused forums, and hunted down specs sheets on the 8800gtx and the new 9800gtx. I currently am running a 8800gtx and love it. It's relatively quiet, cool, etc. Hasn't let me down yet.

But I'm about a month out from building a gaming rig/media center pc and now that I've dove into researching the cards, I'm sort of confused.

The details on temperatures and noise are all over the place and conflicting. I've read that the 8800 is better for higher resolutions and could work best for an HDTV set up, but that the 9800 is cooler and in some places, quieter. Could anyone please post some links to credible reviews (other than Tom's) that would shed some light on my primary concerns?: heat and noise.

Thanks in advance

-Woody

thanks for the thorough response... any thoughts on heat and noise issues specifically? The comp is going to be in a fairly confined space so these are my primary concerns. The review here claims that noise is sort of ridiculous on the 9800gtx. thanks again!

Since i don't have a 9800GTX i can only go by what the reviews say

Heat should be taken care of by the case, what case are you looking at.

The idle noise is louder then a 8800GTX. I am not sure how sensitive you are to noise, but up to about 70-75% of my 8800GTX's top fan speed is still quiet to me(6 hard drive tend to drown everything else out).

That being said this thing looks loud at load, How loud is your stereo? are you against after market cooling? those tend to be quiet, but your case needs good air flow since those do not tend to expel the hot air from the case like the stock cooler does(well it expels some and keeps some on the 8800GTX)

It looks like some manufacturers have the fan set slower/quieter.

According to hardwarecanucks.com (a very good site IMO)
http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/for [...] ew-17.html

I am not sure a 8800gtx or 9800gtx(i think they are close is size) will fit in that case. it seems to just old a 7900gtx. Even the side power connectors may interfere with closing the case.

They use a 7900 here and it just fits
http://www.sudhian.com/index.php?/ [...] w/assembly

Here is a 7900 next to a 8800GTX

i am almost sure the 8800GTX will run hotter then the 9800GTX due to the newer tech in the 9800. Also the loud 9800's run a good 10c cooler then the 8800GTX.

On a serious note, you may need to rethink your case choice. I have not found any reference to it fitting, but i did read the X1900 AIW just fits. I know that is shorter then the gtx cards(i had to remove my front sonata fan to fit it for testing.)

Direct comparison between 8800gts and 9800gtx, should put things in perspective.
http://en.expreview.com/2008/04/03 [...] ew.html/12