Absolute Best Graphics Card

LexarkT11 · 10-19-2005, 09:33 AM

Simple...

What is the BEST PCI Express Video Card...

Im currently Running a 3.4ghz, 2GB Ram, Geforce 6800 256mb, Machine and although suttle while playing EQ2 it bogs down some in cities, im thinking it is my Graphics card so I want to update, any ideas??

simeon · 10-19-2005, 09:36 AM

I am running 3.2, 1gig, and a geforce6800gt agp... and it runs mega fine

LexarkT11 · 10-19-2005, 09:47 AM

Mine is just a plain old 6800 does the gt make that much of a difference

Darkwave · 10-19-2005, 09:50 AM

Nvidia 7800 GTX OC 256MB is prolly one of the best atm. But I think a new one is fit to come out soon.

Eomer · 10-19-2005, 09:51 AM

GT makes a pretty big difference. A vanilla 6800 barely outperforms a 6600GT, if both are at stock speeds and pipelines.

The absolute best is most likely the 7800GTX right now. Actually, sorry, Asus is making 2000 limited edition SLI on a single board 7800GT's. That fucker would slap around any card out there. They probably want a grand for it though. ATI's ultra high-end card was "launched" and it's pretty competitive with a 7800GTX, but you won't be able to buy it for at least a month. Gogo paper launch.

Dis · 10-19-2005, 09:53 AM

I would like to see the next gen ATI cards tested.

ATI X1800 Series vs the Nvidea 7800GTX

Vorph · 10-19-2005, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LexarkT11

Simple...

What is the BEST PCI Express Video Card...

7800GTX. Preferably a BFG or eVga brand.

And yes, there is a big difference between a 6800 and a 6800GT. 4 pipes, 1 vertex shader, much slower core and ram (which is probably ddr and not gddr3), lower grade heatsink/fan, etc.

Kaxmax · 10-19-2005, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dis

I would like to see the next gen ATI cards tested.

ATI X1800 Series vs the Nvidea 7800GTX

They have been, and are comparable. 7800 wins on OpenGl games, ATI on D3D. One thing that may come into play later is the clock speeds. ATI runs much faster (200+ MHz more), and according to that article they tried to go even higher but weren't able to get their card stable.

The other factor is availability, which is normal with ATI cards at launch. For instance, Newegg doesn't have 1800XT's listed yet, that I could find.

LexarkT11 · 10-19-2005, 10:40 AM

What do you think about this? Obviously better than just my plain old 6800 but is it a good price? http://cgi.ebay.com/NVIDIA-GEFORCE-6...cmd ZViewItem

Eomer · 10-19-2005, 11:20 AM

Not sure exactly what the GTO's are, but I'd imagine they don't perform much better than a 6800.

Dintorr · 10-19-2005, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vorph

7800GTX. Preferably a BFG or eVga brand.

What's the difference between the GT and the GTX? I checked Nvidia's website but I couldn't find anything at all.

Eomer · 10-19-2005, 12:54 PM

Pipelines I believe? Or is it just clockspeed? Regardless, there's a fair difference between the two (10-20%), but not enough (IMO) to justify the price jump.

The Dauntless One · 10-19-2005, 01:19 PM

7800GTs have 4 less pipelines and slower core/mem
if you have the money to blow on a high vid card, go ahead, but i rather not
if you really want a good card go with the 7800GT and OC it or wait for the mid-range but vid cards are becoming an overkill imo
i run a bfg6800GT OC clocked at ultra OC (second hand btw) and i usually play games at almost maxed settings and i get very good FPS (including BF2)
and about EQ2, even with 2 7800GTX in SLI, it can barely run game at maxed settings =P

Vorph · 10-19-2005, 02:39 PM

The GTX also has an extra vertex unit.

I would only buy a GTX if I needed to power a Dell 2405FPW with it, with the expectation that a second card would be necessary sometime in 2006 to keep up with ever more demanding game engines and still be able to run the display at native max resolution. A 7800GT is sufficient for pretty much everything else, with the same SLI plans when things start to bog down at 1680x1050 or 1600x1200.

As far as I can tell from looking at 6800GTO specs, it's pretty close to a plain 256MB 6800. 256MB GDDR3 RAM, 12 pipes, 5 vertex units, 350MHz core, 900MHz memory. Differences being that it has GDDR3, 25MHz more on the core, and 200MHz more on the memory (thanks to the GDDR3).

The Dell OEM models also allow you to unlock a vertex unit and 4 pipes using RivaTuner, something that is impossible with a plain 6800 in PCIe, which in theory could get you a 6800Ultra for cheap. (Standard disclaimer: I don't own one, that particular one on ebay might not work, etc. Don't come yelling if you buy it and the unlock fails or Dell changed the core revision since I first heard about the GTO several months ago. ^^ )

Zuuljin · 10-19-2005, 03:42 PM

Actually I was reading somewhere tha thte best card out right now is actually the 6800 ultra with 512mb ram. It costs nearly $700, and is SLI compatable. And while it may not have as many features as the 7800GTX, the ram makes up for it. But do you really want to spend about $1400 on JUST the video cards, for negligable performance gain? My money tree burned down last month, so I sure as hell wouldnt.

10-19-2005, 09:33 AM	#1 (permalink)
LexarkT11 Forever the Sickest Kid Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Toledo/Mentor, Ohio Posts: 668 -15 Internets	Absolute Best Graphics Card Simple... What is the BEST PCI Express Video Card... Im currently Running a 3.4ghz, 2GB Ram, Geforce 6800 256mb, Machine and although suttle while playing EQ2 it bogs down some in cities, im thinking it is my Graphics card so I want to update, any ideas??

10-19-2005, 03:42 PM	#15 (permalink)
Zuuljin So there's this plane on a treadmill... Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Southern California Posts: 2,952 +2 Internets	Actually I was reading somewhere tha thte best card out right now is actually the 6800 ultra with 512mb ram. It costs nearly $700, and is SLI compatable. And while it may not have as many features as the 7800GTX, the ram makes up for it. But do you really want to spend about $1400 on JUST the video cards, for negligable performance gain? My money tree burned down last month, so I sure as hell wouldnt. __________________ " We are all atheists about most of the gods that societies have ever believed in. Some of us just go one god further." Richard Dawkins (1941 - ), "The Root of All Evil", UK Channel 4, 2006

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10-19-2005, 09:36 AM	#2 (permalink)
simeon Banned Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: O_o Posts: 704 +2 Internets	I am running 3.2, 1gig, and a geforce6800gt agp... and it runs mega fine

10-19-2005, 09:47 AM	#3 (permalink)
LexarkT11 Forever the Sickest Kid Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Toledo/Mentor, Ohio Posts: 668 -15 Internets	Mine is just a plain old 6800 does the gt make that much of a difference

10-19-2005, 09:50 AM	#4 (permalink)
Darkwave Korea Sucks Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: San Antonio Posts: 63 -2 Internets	Nvidia 7800 GTX OC 256MB is prolly one of the best atm. But I think a new one is fit to come out soon.

10-19-2005, 09:51 AM	#5 (permalink)
Eomer You mean I can change this? Neat! Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 10,202 +39 Internets	GT makes a pretty big difference. A vanilla 6800 barely outperforms a 6600GT, if both are at stock speeds and pipelines. The absolute best is most likely the 7800GTX right now. Actually, sorry, Asus is making 2000 limited edition SLI on a single board 7800GT's. That fucker would slap around any card out there. They probably want a grand for it though. ATI's ultra high-end card was "launched" and it's pretty competitive with a 7800GTX, but you won't be able to buy it for at least a month. Gogo paper launch.

10-19-2005, 10:40 AM	#9 (permalink)
LexarkT11 Forever the Sickest Kid Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Toledo/Mentor, Ohio Posts: 668 -15 Internets	What do you think about this? Obviously better than just my plain old 6800 but is it a good price? http://cgi.ebay.com/NVIDIA-GEFORCE-6...cmd ZViewItem

10-19-2005, 11:20 AM	#10 (permalink)
Eomer You mean I can change this? Neat! Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 10,202 +39 Internets	Not sure exactly what the GTO's are, but I'd imagine they don't perform much better than a 6800.

10-19-2005, 12:54 PM	#12 (permalink)
Eomer You mean I can change this? Neat! Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 10,202 +39 Internets	Pipelines I believe? Or is it just clockspeed? Regardless, there's a fair difference between the two (10-20%), but not enough (IMO) to justify the price jump.

10-19-2005, 01:19 PM	#13 (permalink)
The Dauntless One Flaccid Steel Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Vancouver Posts: 1,471 -11 Internets	7800GTs have 4 less pipelines and slower core/mem if you have the money to blow on a high vid card, go ahead, but i rather not if you really want a good card go with the 7800GT and OC it or wait for the mid-range but vid cards are becoming an overkill imo i run a bfg6800GT OC clocked at ultra OC (second hand btw) and i usually play games at almost maxed settings and i get very good FPS (including BF2) and about EQ2, even with 2 7800GTX in SLI, it can barely run game at maxed settings =P

10-19-2005, 02:39 PM	#14 (permalink)
Vorph Never Go Full Retard Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hell Posts: 5,880	The GTX also has an extra vertex unit. I would only buy a GTX if I needed to power a Dell 2405FPW with it, with the expectation that a second card would be necessary sometime in 2006 to keep up with ever more demanding game engines and still be able to run the display at native max resolution. A 7800GT is sufficient for pretty much everything else, with the same SLI plans when things start to bog down at 1680x1050 or 1600x1200. As far as I can tell from looking at 6800GTO specs, it's pretty close to a plain 256MB 6800. 256MB GDDR3 RAM, 12 pipes, 5 vertex units, 350MHz core, 900MHz memory. Differences being that it has GDDR3, 25MHz more on the core, and 200MHz more on the memory (thanks to the GDDR3). The Dell OEM models also allow you to unlock a vertex unit and 4 pipes using RivaTuner, something that is impossible with a plain 6800 in PCIe, which in theory could get you a 6800Ultra for cheap. (Standard disclaimer: I don't own one, that particular one on ebay might not work, etc. Don't come yelling if you buy it and the unlock fails or Dell changed the core revision since I first heard about the GTO several months ago. ^^ )