ATI 850XT or 6800GT

[BoboKatt]

Just noted an incredible sale on the ATI 850XT (AGP as my mobo is still AGP). If given the option which would you folks choose? I just dont want to have to spend yet again say $180 on a new PCI express mobo to handle a 7800GT (which I would really like). What say you all? Is the stock ATI 850XT loud and does it have any headroom to OC compared to say a BFG 6800GT?

thanks

 

[Malladine]

Dunno about ocing but the 850xt is the superior card.

 

[Wentelteefje]

BFG is stock overclocked, and are mostly very good overclockers... A X850XT is somewhat "limited" on the memory side of things (max is about the speeds of a PE), but the core is usually pretty strong on overclocking...

A lot of reviews around the web tell that the stock X850XT is a loud thing unfortunately...

When overclocking them both, the X850XT will come out on top...

 

[1Dark1Sharigan1]

The stock cooling is loud while on load . . . but cooling wise, the cooler is actually quite effective . . .

And yes X850XT is better than 6800GT especially when overclocked to PE speeds and beyond . . .

 

[Ronin]

If you're able to get the X850 for a reasonable price, do it. It's definitely the better card, but it's definitely noisy (especially on boot-up).

 

[JBT]

why deos a mobo cost you $180? You can get them much cheaper than that. Right now you can buy 7800 GT's + EVga SLI motherboard + Quake 4 in a bundle for like $360ish or less.

Monarch 7800GT + Evga SLI bundle + Quake 4

I've also heard these are actually quite nice motherboards..

 

[Eureka]

Originally posted by: JBT
why deos a mobo cost you $180? You can get them much cheaper than that. Right now you can buy 7800 GT's + EVga SLI motherboard + Quake 4 in a bundle for like $360ish or less.

Monarch 7800GT + Evga SLI bundle + Quake 4

I've also heard these are actually quite nice motherboards..

Wow... the 7800GT itself is like 300. The motherboard is like 55.

Norm

 

[Elfear]

The 7800GT/mobo combo is a good deal. If you don't have the cash for that the X850XT is the second fastest AGP card out (first being the PE). When I switched from a 6800GT to an X850XT PE, I noticed a nice performance boost. It was perfectly stable at 600/600.

Also, the fan isn't that noisy except on startup as others have pointed out.

 

[TomKazansky]

x850xt > 6800 ultra.

 

[Rob80]

I just got an X850XTPE and it's noisy for 5 seconds when the PC boots up. Otherwise, I don't fine it any noiser than a X800 or 6800.

 

[Wolfshanze]

As a quick note nobody has mentioned, it's not always about raw speed... you can't get SM3.0 with an X850XT but you can with a 6800GT.

 

[Leper Messiah]

Originally posted by: Wolfshanze
As a quick note nobody has mentioned, it's not always about raw speed... you can't get SM3.0 with an X850XT but you can with a 6800GT.

jesus fvcking christ. I don't understand how anyone could say the 6800gt for the same price is better than an x850xt. Thats just asinine.

 

[Malladine]

Originally posted by: Wolfshanze
As a quick note nobody has mentioned, it's not always about raw speed... you can't get SM3.0 with an X850XT but you can with a 6800GT.

True true. If you can find a 6800GT for $220-240 or so it would be a good deal.

 

[Malladine]

Originally posted by: Leper Messiah

Originally posted by: Wolfshanze
As a quick note nobody has mentioned, it's not always about raw speed... you can't get SM3.0 with an X850XT but you can with a 6800GT.

jesus fvcking christ. I don't understand how anyone could say the 6800gt for the same price is better than an x850xt. Thats just asinine.

He is merely stating a fact as something that should enter into considerations.

 

[n7]

X850XT is a better card, so if you can get it for less than/same as the 6800GT, go for it.

It's not really that loud either.

As Ronin mentioned, it's loud right when you start up the PC, but only for a few seconds.
Then it quiets down.

My BFG 6800GT was a lot louder than my X850XT PE is.

 

[Wentelteefje]

And what IS Shader Model 3.0...? Just a gimmick that drives sales up, and is supposed to offer better Image Quality... Apart from HDR (which is more of a performance drop than something else, look at HL2: Lost Coast...), there are no differences or improvements whatsoever over PS2.0b...

 

[apoppin]

i am in the same situation as the OP . . . my 9800xt apparantly died Wednesday and i need a replacement [using a SIS 8MB PCI card right now].

Here's what i posted ion another thread:

Originally posted by: apoppin

Originally posted by: Mojoed
Better yet, get the X850 XT for $250 AR. In my limited experience, these have all OC'd to PE levels and beyond.

Fastest AGP card money can buy, cheap price too!

Yeah but no sm3.0



If you want to play the "Gamer's Edition" of 'King Kong' you NEED 3.0

System Requirements for The Gamers version:

* Supported OS: Windows® XP
* Processor: Pentium IV 3.0 GHZ /AMD 3000+ or better
* RAM: 2 GB
* Video Card: 3D 256 MB, supporting Pixel shader 3.0 and Vertex shader 3.0
* Sound Card: DirectX9.0C compatible, EAX 3.0
* DirectX® Version: DirectX 9.0C
* DVD-ROM: 4X DVD-ROM
* Hard Drive Space: 5.4 GB

Supported Video Cards at Time of Release:
ATI X1800/NVIDIA 6800 or better.

=====
For the "Regular Edition" in stores it is MUCH [smaller] and less demanding.
System Requirements:

* Supported OS: Windows® 98SE/ME/2000/XP (only)
* Processor: 1.0 GHz AMD Athlon? or Intel® Pentium® III (2.5 GHz Pentium IV or AMD Athlon? recommended)
* RAM: 256 MB (512 MB recommended)
* Video Card: 64 MB DirectX® 8.1 compliant (128 MB recommended) (see supported list*)
* Sound Card: DirectX 8.1 compliant
* DirectX Version: DirectX 8.1 (DirectX 9.0c included on disc)
* CD-ROM: 8x or faster (32x or faster recommended)
* Hard Drive Space: 1.5 GB minimum
********************************************

Q: How does the 6800GS compare with the 6800GT?

My 9800xt is [apparantly] dead and i also need a replacement.

Either i gotta go nVidia or wait for r580'a x1650xt in AGP.

the x800 series DOES lack features in CURRENT games . . . IF you want to play KK and like it to look like the xbox360 you NEED SM3.0 [period] . . . and it will only get "worse" as newer games are released.

 

[Wolfshanze]

jesus fvcking christ. I don't understand how anyone could say the 6800gt for the same price is better than an x850xt. Thats just asinine.

Wow... take your ritalin. Do you get a commission everytime a X850XT is sold or something? I didn't mean to take money away from your family.

Did I say the 6800GT is better then an X850XT for the same price, or did you just put words into my mouth I didn't say? Such hostility (please see a therapist).

I said the 6800GT supports SM3.0 and the X850XT does not... that is a fact. If that's important to you or not, that's a decision every person should make on their own... then again, you like cursing and inserting words into peoples mouths they did not say. You also seem to have a lot of stock-options with ATI as much personal offense you took for someone pointing out a simple fact and stating nothing else.

 

[Malladine]

Originally posted by: Wentelteefje
And what IS Shader Model 3.0...? Just a gimmick that drives sales up, and is supposed to offer better Image Quality... Apart from HDR (which is more of a performance drop than something else, look at HL2: Lost Coast...), there are no differences or improvements whatsoever over PS2.0b...

Check out Age of Empires 3 to change this opinion.

 

[Munky]

LOL - when I game requires a A64 3000 and 256mb video card, I doubt you'll be running it on a 6800gt with all than SM3 eye candy at any playable settings.

 

[Malladine]

A 6800gt can run aoe3 with pixel shader 3.0 (very high) on @ 1024

text

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: Wentelteefje
And what IS Shader Model 3.0...? Just a gimmick that drives sales up, and is supposed to offer better Image Quality... Apart from HDR (which is more of a performance drop than something else, look at HL2: Lost Coast...), there are no differences or improvements whatsoever over PS2.0b...

nonsense . . . ALL of ATI's new cards support it.

AND if you want to play [and see] 'King Kong' [or AoE3] in all it's "glory" you're gonna need a 6800/7800 or an x1X00 [period] . . . and it's only gonna get "worse" for the old SM2.0 cards . . . as Unreal3 games are released this Spring.

 

[Munky]

Originally posted by: Malladine
A 6800gt can run aoe3 with pixel shader 3.0 (very high) on @ 1024

text

Yes it can, at 1024 with no AA or AF. That's not what I'd call running the game with eye candy - if you really want to play games with all features enabled then you'd need a x1800 or a 7800 series card. But between the 6800gt and the x850, you'd be running slower in almost every other game on a 6800gt, which doesnt exactly make it a better choice unless you're a die hard AOE3 gamer.

Edit: and even in AOE3 it falls behind a x800xl as soon as you turn on AA. Hell, it even falls behind a x1600.

 

[Malladine]

Originally posted by: munky

Originally posted by: Malladine
A 6800gt can run aoe3 with pixel shader 3.0 (very high) on @ 1024

text

Yes it can, at 1024 with no AA or AF. That's not what I'd call running the game with eye candy - if you really want to play games with all features enabled then you'd need a x1800 or a 7800 series card. But between the 6800gt and the x850, you'd be running slower in almost every other game on a 6800gt, which doesnt exactly make it a better choice unless you're a die hard AOE3 gamer.

oh totally, i didn't mean to imply otherwise

 

[Wentelteefje]

Originally posted by: apoppin
nonsense . . . ALL of ATI's new cards support it.

AND if you want to play [and see] 'King Kong' [or AoE3] in all it's "glory" you're gonna need a 6800/7800 or an x1X00 [period] . . . and it's only gonna get "worse" for the old SM2.0 cards . . . as Unreal3 games are released this Spring.

Do you really think I didn't know that? We do are talking about a X850XT and a 6800GT here...

BTW the "Unreal3 games" argument isn't one... Tim Sweeney said a long time ago that UE3 will be very scalable... What's not to believe? The previous engines were very adaptive too...

I'd rather have a little less eye-candy and a good playability, than a game that's chopping just because you activated SM3.0...