Anand X800XL Benchamarks

[Spike]

Originally posted by: static1117
Hey all- I dont really post on here much, but I read from the forums everyday...anyway.
I think that while the push toward PCI-X is a good push, denying a proven market accessability to video cards or whatever is a big mistake. Sure ATI has the x800 pro, but why wouldnt they want to jump at the chance to dethrone the 6800gt? I am really looking hard at upgrading to a 6800gt, but given the chance, I would strongly consider the x800xl because of its price/performance ratio and I have been really happy with my 9800 pro this past year.
However you see this the fact remains that there are people like myself who are not going to upgrade their mobo/cpu/ram in the near future, but wish to enjoy some of the benefits of high end gaming. I think that continued support, albeit a limited supply, of agp based graphics cards will both benefit the consumer and the company in the long run. As it stands now, my money is going to go to nVidia BECUASE they still are supporting AGP and have promised to do so through 2005.

sorry for the rant just my opinion

Josh

I completly agree with this. As I don't plan to get a new CPU/Mobo for at least another year (my A XP 3200+ will keep me going till then) AGP was the way to go, which is why I got a 6800GT. This current and next gen should offer both solutions till the market share becomes closer to 50/50 AGP/PCIe.

 

[Marsumane]

Originally posted by: Todd33
Is it hard to ignore the Doom III performance? Not really, most people hate the game and do not play it. Doom III banchmarks remind me of Tomb Raider: Angel of Darkness benchmarks. WTF cares? Are there any games coming out on the Doom III engine? Seems to me opengl is near dead in the gaming world and id might not be around much longer if they keep pumping out rehashed garbage. If this card really is going to be $300, it will own that market segment unless Nvidia drops there price of the 6800GT. Too bad all these cards are not AGP too.

GL dead?! Hardly! Most games are written for directx, i definately wont argue against that. But the fact that so many games were based off the quake 3 engine (I believe it was 31?), quake 2 engine and even the origonal quake engine leads me to believe that many will follow with the doom 3 engine. I mean were already going to see quake 4 out of it plus there are multiple undisclosed games in development right now under the engine. You really cant look down on the fact that the game wasnt what you expected and deem it a less marketable engine. Furthermore, many people did actually buy and enjoy doom 3. It sold quite well actually. The engine has features that are quite attractive to developers that run at quite a respectable speed and that is what will matter most to them.

Even though i disagree about your opinion on opengl, i totally agree with you about the agp availability of the x800xl. I think ATI has made a few wrong assumptions on their archetecture decision with respect to the competition's offerings and this is just another wrong assumption to add to the list.

 

[ponyo]

Originally posted by: static1117
Hey all- I dont really post on here much, but I read from the forums everyday...anyway.
I think that while the push toward PCI-X is a good push, denying a proven market accessability to video cards or whatever is a big mistake. Sure ATI has the x800 pro, but why wouldnt they want to jump at the chance to dethrone the 6800gt? I am really looking hard at upgrading to a 6800gt, but given the chance, I would strongly consider the x800xl because of its price/performance ratio and I have been really happy with my 9800 pro this past year.
However you see this the fact remains that there are people like myself who are not going to upgrade their mobo/cpu/ram in the near future, but wish to enjoy some of the benefits of high end gaming. I think that continued support, albeit a limited supply, of agp based graphics cards will both benefit the consumer and the company in the long run. As it stands now, my money is going to go to nVidia BECUASE they still are supporting AGP and have promised to do so through 2005.

sorry for the rant just my opinion

Josh

I agree with you. This is why I bought 6800 Ultra AGP. This card should last me until I'm ready to upgrade to PCIe after the NF4 beta testing period is over and V2.0 is released.

 

[klah]

Originally posted by: Todd33

I still don't see why one card maker cannot just release the new X800 cards in AGP to fill a niche. There is demand, but no supply...

Ati does not have a PCIe->AGP bridge to supply to the AIBs yet.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Originally posted by: scooter1

Why can't someone like Asus make an AGP card based on the 800XL's R430 chip? I thought the AGP/PCIe interface was built into the video card's other circuitry instead of the chip.

No, the bus controller is part of the gpu. An external bridge is needed.

 

[Slaimus]

The Nvidia bridge chip is just a PCIe to AGP bridge right? So is there any reason why the card manufacturers do not just use that for ATI cards too?

 

[Pete]

Originally posted by: scooter1
Why can't someone like Asus make an AGP card based on the 800XL's R430 chip? I thought the AGP/PCIe interface was built into the video card's other circuitry instead of the chip.

ATi's bridge chip, Rialto, isn't ready yet.

 

[Tab]

Originally posted by: Ackmed

Originally posted by: Tabb
If they got it out before the holiday season it'd sell like hot cakes. I'd be buying one along with a Dell 2005 WFP. The only thing that really disappointed me was the horrible NFS2:UG Performence. I don't care about Doom III the game is still playable a average of 50 Frames Per Second.

What? The XL is faster than the GT in NFS2: UG. 34v21 in Anands tests.

I don't consider a average of 30 FPS to be playable by any means...

 

[AnnoyedGrunt]

I've been planning on building a new computer around X-mas since back in August, so I've been following the trends pretty closely.

It's definitely been confusing, since in that time we've gone from 754 to 939 and now to 939 PCIe on the AMD side, and the intel side has also had some changes. This has really made me adopt a wait and see approach so I can hopefully have decent life out of my next computer.

Now that the A64 is getting PCIe support, I think the demand for high end PCIe cards will increase. I've been looking @ high end PCIe cards recently, and there really isn't anything out there @ a reasonable price. The AGP side at least has the availability, although they are a bit too pricey as well IMO.

I therefore think it is a very smart move for ATI to get this card out in PCIe format. If they can make it available, they would basically have the high end PCIe market to themselves (except for the extremely high end people who are planning on going SLI).

I agree that Nvidia did a good job planning their rollout and going with an AGP native chip for the NV40 and using a bridge chip for PCIe (since PCIe is currently a small market), and then introducing a native PCIe chip on the NV43 (or whatever the 6600 series is based on). They seemed to have covered their bases quite well, but it's too bad they aren't really making too many PCIe versions of the NV40 chips (maybe the bridge chip was too difficult to deal with in that sense).

I think that the X800 XL is a fabulous card, but it would have a tougher time in the AGP market because NV would simply lower the prices of the 6800GT to maybe $325 and it would make the purchasing decision much harder. By focusing on PCIe, ATI is really in a good spot (if they actually get the chip available, otherwise it doesn't matter much). The added cost of the bridge chip on the 6800GT makes it harder for NV to lower the prices in the PCIe sector IMO.

So, up til now I was debating between a 6600GT or a 6800GT (PCIe versions) and I was leaning towards the 6600GT since it was more readily available and much easier on the wallet. Now, however, my first choice is the X800 XL. I'll be interested in seeing how NV counters this card.

-D'oh!

 

[Ackmed]

Originally posted by: Tabb

Originally posted by: Ackmed

Originally posted by: Tabb
If they got it out before the holiday season it'd sell like hot cakes. I'd be buying one along with a Dell 2005 WFP. The only thing that really disappointed me was the horrible NFS2:UG Performence. I don't care about Doom III the game is still playable a average of 50 Frames Per Second.

What? The XL is faster than the GT in NFS2: UG. 34v21 in Anands tests.

I don't consider a average of 30 FPS to be playable by any means...

Its 34, not 30. Thats with 1600x1200 too. If you want better performance, lower the settings.

Its also a LOT better than the GT.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Originally posted by: bunnyfubbles
They're trying to force on us all the clear spec of the future, either upgrade your motherboard or just deal with it. I'm glad they aren't supplying AGP parts for these new products because if they appeased all the AGP users PCIe would be delayed a good year or 2 more. If there is such a demand people will upgrade their systems to PCIe and then grab a new PCIe video card. If not they'll have to wait it out.

AGP 8x hasn't even been around long enough for games and other high-bandwidth-demand applications to utilize it fully, in fact there is almost zero benchmarkable advantage over AGP 4x. Many people have purchased relatively high-end AGP cards in the last year, and wouldn't mind using them along with a newer, faster CPU. (In that respect, I'm talking more about non-gamers, "professional" users who have nice video cards, but use apps that are more CPU/system-dependent than GPU-dependent like games. CAD, 3D modeling, video-editing, etc.)

Personally, I don't see why someone can't come up with a piece of silicon to slap onto the motherboard, that would utilize PCI-E x4 lanes, and provide a true, full-bandwidth AGP 4x/8x slot, in addition to a PCI-E x8 or x16 slot, for a future PCI-E video card as well.

In fact, that would be an ideal sort of SLI-like situation, or for those multi-mon users out there. Surely there would be a large market for such a thing? (As opposed to the current joke of bridging an AGP physical slot to a PCI bus electrically.)

OTOH, perhaps ATI or NV will do just such a thing, using their bridge chip, integrated into the mobo instead of on a card. Hmm.

 

[Regs]

You have to remember that most people who own a computer still use integrated graphics or maybe a GF-MX card. The 2nd majority(if you want to call it that) is budget gaming. Who own GF4's, 9500's, 9600's.

That leaves maybe 5% of the market to whom that spend 400 dollars on a video card. Less than 5% who buy a PCI-E card and a lot less than 5% who will be getting SLI.

AGP is going nowhere, but if you want the best of the best, you'll be in the 5% bracket spending hundreds.

 

[Spike]

Originally posted by: Regs
You have to remember that most people who own a computer still use integrated graphics or maybe a GF-MX card. The 2nd majority(if you want to call it that) is budget gaming. Who own GF4's, 9500's, 9600's.

That leaves maybe 5% of the market to whom that spend 400 dollars on a video card. Less than 5% who buy a PCI-E card and a lot less than 5% who will be getting SLI.

AGP is going nowhere, but if you want the best of the best, you'll be in the 5% bracket spending hundreds.

I resent that comment about budget gaming using a 9600! You can't put that card in the same category as the GeForce 4's, especially not the 9600 pro I was using!!! :|

On the serious side... AGP is here to stay for a while, just like IDE (SATA has been around for a while and is still not even close to market dominance) and even serial interfaces. I had USB ports on my computer I built 10 years ago, yet even now alot of GPS makers use serial because not enough people use USB. This is a strange claim as USB is coming into it's height right now, but it is a good way to judge the feelings of electronics makers. Maybe ATI was smart doing just PCIe, maybe there is a hidden plan somewhere, but from my standpoint it seems fairly dumb just due to the current market.

On the flip side, maybe it is all just a conspiracy to get those top 5% to buy new hardware...

-spike

 

[Keysplayr]

Originally posted by: Todd33
Is it hard to ignore the Doom III performance? Not really, most people hate the game and do not play it. Doom III banchmarks remind me of Tomb Raider: Angel of Darkness benchmarks. WTF cares? Are there any games coming out on the Doom III engine? Seems to me opengl is near dead in the gaming world and id might not be around much longer if they keep pumping out rehashed garbage. If this card really is going to be $300, it will own that market segment unless Nvidia drops there price of the 6800GT. Too bad all these cards are not AGP too.

It doesn't really matter much Todd. The card won't be available until March and even then, it will only be PCI-express. Annnnnddd, the only reason they can offer it at such a low price point is because they made it on the .11u micron process (non-low-k so o/cing wont be terrific hence the 400MHz core). Nvidia will follow suit as they did with their 6600series. Other than those cons, it looks to be quite a nice performing card at a terrific price point for PCI-E mobo owners.

 

[jck8r]

Originally posted by: keysplayr2003

Originally posted by: Todd33
Is it hard to ignore the Doom III performance? Not really, most people hate the game and do not play it. Doom III banchmarks remind me of Tomb Raider: Angel of Darkness benchmarks. WTF cares? Are there any games coming out on the Doom III engine? Seems to me opengl is near dead in the gaming world and id might not be around much longer if they keep pumping out rehashed garbage. If this card really is going to be $300, it will own that market segment unless Nvidia drops there price of the 6800GT. Too bad all these cards are not AGP too.

It doesn't really matter much Todd. The card won't be available until March and even then, it will only be PCI-express. Annnnnddd, the only reason they can offer it at such a low price point is because they made it on the .11u micron process (non-low-k so o/cing wont be terrific hence the 400MHz core). Nvidia will follow suit as they did with their 6600series. Other than those cons, it looks to be quite a nice performing card at a terrific price point for PCI-E mobo owners.

Why do you think the card won't be available till March? Even Anand has more faith than you.

 

[otispunkmeyer]

meh looks like a nice card, still my 6800gt is just as good

i built my rig jus before the skt939 and PCi-e really got goin (ie skt939 price drops and mobo availablility) i needed to build before i went to uni and i needed to save money to an extent too

so skt 754 it was and a 6800gt ... best i could afford at the time and im loving it.....never play with out af again

 

[SilverTrine]

Originally posted by: otispunkmeyer
meh looks like a nice card, still my 6800gt is just as good

i built my rig jus before the skt939 and PCi-e really got goin (ie skt939 price drops and mobo availablility) i needed to build before i went to uni and i needed to save money to an extent too

so skt 754 it was and a 6800gt ... best i could afford at the time and im loving it.....never play with out af again

Your 6800gt is just as good but this is cheaper and has a smaller cooler, thats kind of the whole point.

 

[slash196]

This card is no longer my true love...the new Gigabyte dual gpu card is.

 

[otispunkmeyer]

Originally posted by: SilverTrine

Originally posted by: otispunkmeyer
meh looks like a nice card, still my 6800gt is just as good

i built my rig jus before the skt939 and PCi-e really got goin (ie skt939 price drops and mobo availablility) i needed to build before i went to uni and i needed to save money to an extent too

so skt 754 it was and a 6800gt ... best i could afford at the time and im loving it.....never play with out af again

Your 6800gt is just as good but this is cheaper and has a smaller cooler, thats kind of the whole point.

not cheaper here.......6800gt is £300 and so is the x800pro, this will also probably be 300 too plu si like the whacking great hunk of copper on my leadtek card.....its also very quiet so ur quiet point doesnt apply

 

[LocutusX]

regarding overclocking on the X800XL:

Originally posted at: Beyond3D.com

On this X800 XL board we managed to overclock the core from 400MHz to 450MHz, representing a 13% core overclock, and the memory from 493MHz to 547MHz, representing an 11% memory overclock.

 

[GRIdpOOL]

ATI needs this in a dual GPU card right now. I was all ready to buy one until that dang dual GPU Gigabyte card came out. What am I going to buy in January when my tax return comes back? AAAHHHH!

 

[Keysplayr]

Originally posted by: jck8r

Originally posted by: keysplayr2003

Originally posted by: Todd33
Is it hard to ignore the Doom III performance? Not really, most people hate the game and do not play it. Doom III banchmarks remind me of Tomb Raider: Angel of Darkness benchmarks. WTF cares? Are there any games coming out on the Doom III engine? Seems to me opengl is near dead in the gaming world and id might not be around much longer if they keep pumping out rehashed garbage. If this card really is going to be $300, it will own that market segment unless Nvidia drops there price of the 6800GT. Too bad all these cards are not AGP too.

It doesn't really matter much Todd. The card won't be available until March and even then, it will only be PCI-express. Annnnnddd, the only reason they can offer it at such a low price point is because they made it on the .11u micron process (non-low-k so o/cing wont be terrific hence the 400MHz core). Nvidia will follow suit as they did with their 6600series. Other than those cons, it looks to be quite a nice performing card at a terrific price point for PCI-E mobo owners.

Why do you think the card won't be available till March? Even Anand has more faith than you.

I don't have any problem giving the benefit of the doubt. Hey, even if it's available tomorrow, still in the same boat with PCI-E. Would be very nice card to have, no doubt about it.

 

[Regs]

Originally posted by: GRIdpOOL
ATI needs this in a dual GPU card right now. I was all ready to buy one until that dang dual GPU Gigabyte card came out. What am I going to buy in January when my tax return comes back? AAAHHHH!

You get a tax return in January? Wowza lol.

 

[Regs]

Originally posted by: jck8r

Why do you think the card won't be available till March? Even Anand has more faith than you.

You have that ass backwards.

The credibility of both GPU vendors has been hurt tremendously this year. Neither side can say that they aren't guilty of the very same things that they accuse the other of doing. It's really a shame because in the end, it hurts their consumers, our readers and makes it much more difficult for anyone, including us, to put faith and trust in what we are told by ATI and NVIDIA.

If you ask us, we don't know who or what to believe anymore. -Anandtech.com .This past year has been filled of missed releases, missed launches and misinformation. From NVIDIA's Video Processor to ATI's disappearing X700 XT, we're tired of all of it.

 

[nRollo]

Originally posted by: McArra
It looks fantastic, it's a shame there will only be PCI-E version. I've bought an Asus 6800GT 256mb that arrives tomorrow.

This is the only thing worth considering about this card.

Unless you're using an old AGP motherboard that you're planning on upgrading anyway, this card is irrelevant.

Let's say you're one of the millions of S754 A64 owners, like me. You're going to replace your motherboard, your cpu at a huge loss to play with a $300 card that offers almost as good of performance as a 6800GT you can buy for $70 more and slap on your motherboard? No.

Same with a high end AGP Intel board.

Let's say you have a S939 A64 already. You're going to replace your motherboard at a loss and much work to play with a $300 card? What are the odds you don't already have a 6800GT/X800 Pro or better?

To me it looks like this will be a niche market of people that need to upgrade their motherboards, and are willing to spend more for a PCIE board and 939 A64 or high end Intel, but want to save $70 on their graphics card? Sure.

Another strange thing about these is how all the chips have X800Pro etched on them, what's up with that?
http://www.techreport.com/revi...on-x800xl/index.x?pg=1