Best 8800GT?

[GundamSonicZeroX]

I'd prefer to stay with eVGA since I've bought my last three video cards from them and they have a nice warranty with some bonuses (step up). Although, I'd be willing to switch to XFX or BFG is they have a better card. I don't care as much about clock speeds since I'm OCing, but what I really want is a card with the best fan and heatsink since I don't like replacing fans.

Does anyone have a suggestion on which brand/model of 8800GT is the best?

 

[manimal]

EVGA SSC is hard to beat, warranty and service top notch.

 

[Skott]

I cant remember seeing a review about which card hsf works best or quietest. I'm thinking they are all generally same in performance in that respect. I hold eVGA as the better overall due to their qaulity, warranty, and their Step Up program, but nothing wrong in buying a XFX or BFG neither if you can find one cheaper than eVGA's. Considering the high costs right now try and get a regular unclocked card of any of the three companies and then OC yourself. You'll save some money that way and still get pretty much the same performance at a cheaper price.

Edit: The only 8800GT manufacturer I would shy away from is PNY. Their cards can be found a little cheaper than the others (usually $10 cheaper) but I personally feel their quality isnt as good as XFX, BFG, or eVGA.

 

[GundamSonicZeroX]

Originally posted by: Skott
Considering the high costs right now try and get a regular unclocked card of any of the three companies and then OC yourself. You'll save some money that way and still get pretty much the same performance at a cheaper price.

I thought about that, but I remember when I was shopping around for my 7900GT I read that the eVGA 7900GT KO had the best cooler so that's the one I got (the first one I got was a kick @$$ OCer )

 

[StinkyPinky]

Originally posted by: GundamSonicZeroX
I'd prefer to stay with eVGA since I've bought my last three video cards from them and they have a nice warranty with some bonuses (step up). Although, I'd be willing to switch to XFX or BFG is they have a better card. I don't care as much about clock speeds since I'm OCing, but what I really want is a card with the best fan and heatsink since I don't like replacing fans.

Does anyone have a suggestion on which brand/model of 8800GT is the best?

I've got an XFX 8800GT, I'm happy with it. I think "best" really depends on what you're after. I don't think you can go wrong with any of the major brands.

As for the fan, my card is currently idle at 62c with the fan at 29%. Not too noisy at all...in fact I'm not sure what all the complaints about the "noisy 8800Gt" come from

 

[yacoub]

Considering all of the reference designs are open to heat-related failure unless you fix the fan speed settings in RivaTuner, you might want to opt for the recently redesigned XFX Alpha Dog models since they've changed the reference cooler a bit and it uses a larger fan now and I suspect it will actually run at a better speed setting and is likely quieter too.

 

[Capt Caveman]

EVGA 8800GT SSC. New bios fixes fan speed and has the highest overclock available. Plus, you can step-up to a newer/faster card in your first 90 days.

 

[John]

Originally posted by: StinkyPinky
As for the fan, my card is currently idle at 62c with the fan at 29%. Not too noisy at all...in fact I'm not sure what all the complaints about the "noisy 8800Gt" come from

62C idle is hot, especially when it's possible to be in the 40's. IMO 29-45% isn't noisy, but when you go past 50% that little (standard) 60mm fan whines. I have no idea how people tolerate 70-100% since it sounds like a mini hair dryer.

 

[james1701]

Step up is not all that. The best thing about EVGA is they warranty against overclock failure. Others dont. I have a BFG, because thats what I could get, and its a good card. Warranty should be one of the main deciding factors. BFG and XFX also have life time warrantys, but will not warranty overclock failure.

 

[Pacfanweb]

I think that BFG pretty much has the best overall warranty, right? Didn't someone figure out that EVGA's "lifetime" warranty was really for the the expected useful life of the product, not "as long as you own it"?

I have the BFG OC version. Very pleased with it. I really doubt that performance-wise, there's a dime's worth of difference in anybody's card at the same clock speeds.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Originally posted by: james1701
Step up is not all that. The best thing about EVGA is they warranty against overclock failure. Others dont. I have a BFG, because thats what I could get, and its a good card. Warranty should be one of the main deciding factors. BFG and XFX also have life time warrantys, but will not warranty overclock failure.

EVGA's warranty also covers you if you use an aftermarket hsf.

And their Step-up Program will allow me to upgrade to the 8800GTS 512 that's coming out next month.

 

[Red Storm]

I've owned quite a few EVGA cards, and I've been happy with all of them, but honestly the Step-up program is not as good as it sounds. You have to step up to MSRP prices on cards, not the price you can find them for on the Egg or the latest Dell deal. I'd say XFX is the best because of the double lifetime warranty. That really gives a card a much better resale value.

 

[Buck Armstrong]

Originally posted by: Red Storm
I've owned quite a few EVGA cards, and I've been happy with all of them, but honestly the Step-up program is not as good as it sounds. You have to step up to MSRP prices on cards, not the price you can find them for on the Egg or the latest Dell deal...

That might actually be a concern if NewEgg's prices weren't HIGHER than EVGA's MSRP. The SSC mentioned above is $299 from EVGA, but $329 from NewEgg...

But I still bought it, because the Egg had it in stock and EVGA didn't. Should be here Monday.

 

[Build it Myself]

I bought my 8800GT KO str8 from EVGA and was very pleased, i ended up paying $270 the first week they were out, so the price gouging wasn't an issue really. I have no idea what this step-up program people talk about is (anyone?) but it sounds like I made a good choice. I'm very pleased with the cards performance and quality.

 

[s44]

Originally posted by: Red Storm
I've owned quite a few EVGA cards, and I've been happy with all of them, but honestly the Step-up program is not as good as it sounds. You have to step up to MSRP prices on cards, not the price you can find them for on the Egg or the latest Dell deal.

People always say this, but it proved to be totally, totally wrong on this round.

 

[Red Storm]

Well true, the 8800GT wasn't your every day product launch, it's a midrange card that made all of nvidia's high end cards obsolete. But the point I was trying to make is that the price to step up never goes down. Once the price gouging is over with and there's enough supply, the prices on the GT will drop, but the step up price will always sit at MSRP, making it only useful in a situation like right now (but even $299 is overpriced for a GT, it should be at $250).

 

[Mustanggt]

Originally posted by: Buck Armstrong

Originally posted by: Red Storm
I've owned quite a few EVGA cards, and I've been happy with all of them, but honestly the Step-up program is not as good as it sounds. You have to step up to MSRP prices on cards, not the price you can find them for on the Egg or the latest Dell deal...

That might actually be a concern if NewEgg's prices weren't HIGHER than EVGA's MSRP. The SSC mentioned above is $299 from EVGA, but $329 from NewEgg...

But I still bought it, because the Egg had it in stock and EVGA didn't. Should be here Monday.

Msrp prices also can drop in 3 months time.

 

[videogames101]

point is, EVGA covers ocing in their warrenty, you can't beat that.

 

[Aiden]

I would suggest either the EVGA or XFX for brands. Ive seen the alpha dog's at frys here in phoenix, and they really look good as far as the changes to the referance design with a lifetime warrenty.

If you are thinking about upgrading to a more powerful card in the short term, due to all the releases, then evga is the way to go.

 

[Buck Armstrong]

Originally posted by: Build it Myself
I bought my 8800GT KO str8 from EVGA and was very pleased, i ended up paying $270 the first week they were out, so the price gouging wasn't an issue really. I have no idea what this step-up program people talk about is (anyone?)

Step-Up program allows you to trade your current card in on a higher model within 90 days of purchase. You pay EVGA the difference in price, send the old card in, and they send you back the new one.

As far as I'm concerned, that puts them way ahead of the competition. Nothing sucks like plunking down $500 for the top of the line card and two weeks later its made obsolete by a next-gen part...

 

[John]

Originally posted by: videogames101
point is, EVGA covers ocing in their warrenty, you can't beat that.

Since a majority of mfg's overclock their cards isn't that a moot point?

 

[Wag]

The MSI card comes at a stock speed of 660MHz and is one of the lowest retail priced. Considering that's faster than most of BFG's "overclocked" cards for <$50 less that seems like a pretty good deal.

Now let's just see when mine from Dell actually ships (if at all)...

 

[azazello]

Originally posted by: Red Storm
honestly the Step-up program is not as good as it sounds. You have to step up to MSRP prices on cards, not the price you can find them for on the Egg or the latest Dell deal.

Hilariously enough, I've just completed a step-up from my $110 (-$15 MIR which doesn't invalidate the step-up) 8600GT to a $270 8800GT which if you look online is $20 more expensive and out of stock. So I'm very happy with how the step-up program turned out.

 

[taltamir]

eVGA OC (not KO or SSC) is CURRENTLY the best because it is the only 8800GT out there with a fixed bios (they just released a bios update which makes it adjust fan speed based on temp).

Ofcourse, the other eVGA offerings will soon have similar patches (they even said so)...

Until other companies follow suit then evga is the best... Makes me regret getting an MSI one now... maybe I will sell it on ebay and get an evga one... if I time it right I could end up making a profit

 

[sgrinavi]

Originally posted by: taltamir
eVGA OC (not KO or SSC) is CURRENTLY the best because it is the only 8800GT out there with a fixed bios (they just released a bios update which makes it adjust fan speed based on temp).

Ofcourse, the other eVGA offerings will soon have similar patches (they even said so)...

Until other companies follow suit then evga is the best... Makes me regret getting an MSI one now... maybe I will sell it on ebay and get an evga one... if I time it right I could end up making a profit

I don't see an OC edition, I see two reference cards, an SC, a KO and an SSC.... is it the SC?