I have I think 5 or 6 days left on my stepup program... and Ive just come out of the Queue for a stepup from an 8800gt to a gtx260. The 8800 was 190 when I bought it, and the gtx260 was $300 on EVGAs site when I applied 5 days ago - and though I think the 4870 would be better the 260 seemed like a decent deal for $110.

This weekend though, newegg has dropped the price on the standard gtx260 to $270, and on the gtx260 superclocked to $255-10MIR.

Will EVGA drop their prices as well? I can no longer check to see what their current offer is.

If I cancel, I can just reapply for a different stepup?

Go for the 260!

I read like 5 reviews and I think it is fair to say 260 = 4870. Both cards are great.

go for it

A 4870 for 250$ or a 260 for 110$ ? Go for the G260

how do i get in the step up program?

just curious to what it is, i have never done the step up.

You buy a EVGA card, and register it!

Hey Jerb, you have to buy an EVGA Nvidia card... and then you get 90 days in which to return it for the full purchase price, and place that money as a credit towards the MSRP on another one of their cards. The warranty for the new card is NOT started over, it is warrantied from the purchase date of the first card (because I think some of the stepup cards are legitimate RMA cards that were returned by someone else).

Example: I bought an EVGA card for $190 2.5 months ago. They have a better card out now for $300. I can 'buy it' for the difference, $110. But to do that I have to apply within the time frame, ship it to them, and wait for them to ship the new one out.

It is really only a good program if you buy a tail-end product like the 8800gt was at its big price-drop, and a next generation card comes out within a few months - and gets a price drop too. That hasnt happened in 2 years, really.

Some of the other card manufacturers offer double warranty, and thats a much better deal if you arent going to use the stepup in 90 days.




Whats bothering me about this is the MSRP is 300 but the card is going for 250 now. I dont know if I can cancel my existing stepup and wait a few days to see if the MSRP (and therefore EVGAs price) comes down that 30-50.

Does the step up apply to people who have evga cards in prebuilt systems? Not for me but my friend bought a computer with a 9800gtx and wants to get a gtx 260.

Divpers, thank you for the info and id say go for the 260, best/cheapest deal. especially if the 260= 4870 in performance, but i was under the impression that the 4850 and 260 traded hits. if it is = too the 4850 then the money you would save would be less (less value/bang for the buck)


I kinda wished i was in the program like 2 months ago.


You see i bought the BFG 8800 gts 512 (g92) for $240.00 but what felt like weeks after the new 260 and 280 came out, but what i really would have liked to step up too would be the 4850 or 4870, 4 weeks after i bought my 8800gts they had the 4850 on newegg for 199.99. But heack if ATI keeps sticking it to nvidia i might use there step up program I think they have one correct me if i am wrong.

I kind feel like i bought the gts at a bad time, but i had no clue ATI would come out with such an awsome deal.

Yeah thats what competition does for prices.

Gotta remember, cards almost never surpassed $300 until ATI lagged behind, then Nvidia began jacking prices WAY up on the 8800, even up above $600 at one point.

Some people even defended it as a necessary cost for their R&D!!!
It's called no competition.


Now that there is, GREAT cards for $250.


It's VERY important to buy ATI at this time, if you don't have a stepup, to help ensure competition remains in the market for the coming years.