[Metalmurphy]

Well i FINALLY got the refund for my damaged 9800xt and im planning on buying a new card. But im not sure wich one to get. Im planning on either the x800 XT or the GF6800 GT. x800 xt is a bit more expensive but in toms hardwares benchmarks it isnt MUCH better. so i dunno. wich one do you guys recommend? Btw i can't buy pci-e cards

 

[Player-X]

unless you plan to get 2 6800s and run them in SLI I would say get the X800XT

 

[kof2k]

if you plan to use windows go with an ATI card.
if you plan to use linux then go with an Nvidia card.

 

[Metalmurphy]

2 6800s is way to much for me I guess ill be saving little more for the x800xt

 

[Kane]

I'd go nVidia for SM 3.0 support. If other games do start to use it, it'll be nice.

 

[MaZa]

Despite having ATI card currently, i'd say go for 6800GT aswell.

 

[fivefeet8]

I'd recommend a 6800gt as well. The performance difference doesn't warrant the price difference of a x800xt from a 6800gt.

You might also want to condsider a x800xl agp. It's priced a little lower than the 6800gt. About $20, but performs about on par with the 6800gt. Of course it has a bit less features than the 6800gt though.

Personally, I'd go for newer technology. But then if it was me this late in the game of the current generation of video cards, I'd wait until summer when Both IHV's are said to be presenting the next generation.

 

[Metalmurphy]

The 6800GT has SM3.0? i had no idea. What about the x800xt? it doesnt have it does it?

 

[GeneralClaymore]

Well i FINALLY got the refund for my damaged 9800xt and im planning on buying a new card. But im not sure wich one to get. Im planning on either the x800 XT or the GF6800 GT. x800 xt is a bit more expensive but in toms hardwares benchmarks it isnt MUCH better. so i dunno. wich one do you guys recommend? Btw i can't buy pci-e cards

you can get a X800XL AGP8x from newegg.com for 347 bucks i'll give u the link. its faster then the X800pro and it has 16 pipes. i would recommand the X800XL agp8x over the 6800GT since u will save some money and still getting something that = a 6800gt IF not a tad faster (i said Tad not more )

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-131-299&depa=1

I wouldnt worry about sm3.0 not that many games use it. plus all it does is a speed boost. it been known ps2.0b can do what ever ps3.0 can do.

Dont go well nvidia can do HDR and ati cant, Ati can but ati does it a diffent way that nvidia does it.

i not gonna argue it here but until u see lot more games that uses ps3.0 then it not needed atm, when i mean lot like 60% of the games that out, not 10%.
Remember ps3.0 is just ps2.0 with extra lines. i seen ps3.0 and it didnt look no better then ps2.0 . only a speed boost. it just marketing.

But if u its up to you, if u perfer ATI then i suggest the X800XL AGp8x if u perfer nvidia then the 6800GT.

 

[Roman]

Definitly Nv Gefoce 6800 GT. I think it is way better:
1. It has better PS (3.0 - compared to ati 2.1)
2. It is as good in performance as x800xt
3. It is way cheaper (in Poland, so in your country should be the same)
Both this card are high end cards, and also both has great performance, but I think, that 6800gt is better, because it has PS 3.0. Today i have my old geforce 3 ti200, which has PS 1.2. I coul buy geforce 4 mx, which hasn`t it as well instead of GF3Ti. And now friend has GF4 Mx and he can`t play most of games that I can just because of this PS. So think about this.
Ps.
Why don`t you buy GF 6800 Ultra 512mb/256 bit or Radeon X850XT 256/256 ??
Unbelivable machines, but for me 513 mb of 266 mhz ram would be okay . Why I have so slow computer ... .

 

[bahamut_2006]

I would say the two cards are probably just about equal in performance, but I would go with nVidia. The main reason I went is well, cause of ATi's history of bad drivers. Now they may have been improved some, but I dont see any reason to switch. Also, SLi was a factor. I only have 1 6800GT, but I will add in the second one next year. ATi is developing a similar dual card technology, but it isnt out yet, and when it is, there is no telling how many problems it may have. The only gripe I could possibly have about this card is its temp. Usually 50-70 C depending on what I'm doing, and while it seems to handle it just fine, I dont like a piece of hardware running that hot. Especially considering how expensive this thing was. But no problems with it so like I said I guess it can handle it.

 

[Metalmurphy]

Well i've allways been an ATI guy but i have no problem to buy an nVidia. my only concern is why its so cheap :S

 

[Kane]

The 6xxx series adds SM3.0 support (Dx 9.0c)
The ATi 9500 and above, and the geForce 5xxx series have SM2.0x support. ATi has 2.0b and nVidia 2.0a IIRC. These are Dx 9.0 parts.
The geForce 3 and 4Ti have PS1.3 support (Dx 8.0). The ATi 8500-9400 have PS1.4 (Dx 8.1)
The geForce 1/2, 4MX and ATi 7xxx series have HW T&L and are Dx7 parts (The 7xxx series IIRC has some PS/VS in it of a low level, but they were never used.)

 

[MaZa]

Well i've allways been an ATI guy but i have no problem to buy an nVidia. my only concern is why its so cheap :S

Ummm... marketing?

Also, NVidia cards can do Digital Vibrance enhancement. In games, especially with lot of nature like morrowind, it truly blast colors to another galaxy. It makes everything look so vibrant and colorfull. Its not good in some games, but in others its something truly amazing.

 

[fivefeet8]

you can get a X800XL AGP8x from newegg.com for 347 bucks i'll give u the link. its faster then the X800pro and it has 16 pipes. i would recommand the X800XL agp8x over the 6800GT since u will save some money

The problem is, you can find 6800gt agp's for around $350 these days. If you really want a bargain, get this BFG 6800 ultra OC for a little less than an x800xt.

$400(after mail in rebate)
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1213309&CatId=935

For that price you get:
bfg 6800 ultra OC
Overclocked STock
True Lifetime warranty
Free copy of Far Cry

You will however, need to have a very good PSU for the card. Here is a 6800gt for about $350.
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-150-073&depa=0

 

[fivefeet8]

I wouldnt worry about sm3.0 not that many games use it. plus all it does is a speed boost. it been known ps2.0b can do what ever ps3.0 can do.

There are things that SM3 can do that SM2b can't(limitations). Or not the same way. To do the same thing, work-arounds have to be programmed for SM2.x which is more work and more time.

I think of it like this. Both cards perform the same in SM2.x. But only one of them can run SM3. As unknown as the future is, I'd much rather have a card that allows me the OPTION to run SM3 than one which doesn't.

You're right, very few games are using SM3 now. But one game in particular is already exampling what I said above. Splinter Cell 3 : Chaos Theory.

 

[Metalmurphy]

Well im buying this for the long term. Guess its the 6800 GT. Finally i'll be able to experience good gamming again.

 

[Aided Onslaught]

Personally I think both cards are made very well, but about the sm3.0 being in the long run, by the time all the games use that, woudln't that card be to slow to take full advantage of it? I mean it's the same with the 256mbs of ram thing on a card like a 5200...sure it can pake all that on there, but the game you are running is still going to run like **** because it can't process the images on the card fast enough...That's at least how I see it if you are only buying the other card for that reason...but I could be wrong...I've been known for that.

 

[Foxfyre]

You know, unless you really need the serious power that a 6800GT will give you, a 6600GT would probably do everything you need, and you can get them for around $200

 

[Valcrist]

You know, unless you really need the serious power that a 6800GT will give you, a 6600GT would probably do everything you need, and you can get them for around $200

My thoughts exactly, my msi 6600 GT was 197 and it game with THREE free games, all of them mediocre but still. That and its clocked higher than most, and comes with a ton of other cool software.