eVGA GeForce 7900 GTO 512MB - $255 shipped from ChiefValue

[MrC4]

Ordered from Mwave on Sunday, cancelled and ordered from TD today, now cancelled again and bought it from Newegg tonight. =)

By the way, TD $30 rebate expires today if it has not already been posted.

 

[videopho]

"In other words, with 1.1ns chips and similar, you aren't really "overclocking" the memory you are still within the range they officially support. With slower chips like 1.4ns you ARE taking a chance since the memory doesn't support those kinda speeds. "

I just read over eVGA web site, Jacob tech support who confirms 1.1 ns memory.
I wanted to know which overclocking method is more effective from one another, core or memory or a combination of both in order to achieve the card's "sweet" optimal spot?

 

[cyburzaki]

Originally posted by: videopho
"In other words, with 1.1ns chips and similar, you aren't really "overclocking" the memory you are still within the range they officially support. With slower chips like 1.4ns you ARE taking a chance since the memory doesn't support those kinda speeds. "

I just read over eVGA web site, Jacob tech support who confirms 1.1 ns memory.
I wanted to know which overclocking method is more effective from one another, core or memory or a combination of both in order to achieve the card's "sweet" optimal spot?

EDIT: NM, I see you've got it straightened out and linked now.

 

[Devistater]

Originally posted by: videopho
"In other words, with 1.1ns chips and similar, you aren't really "overclocking" the memory you are still within the range they officially support. With slower chips like 1.4ns you ARE taking a chance since the memory doesn't support those kinda speeds. "

I just read over eVGA web site, Jacob tech support who confirms 1.1 ns memory.
I wanted to know which overclocking method is more effective from one another, core or memory or a combination of both in order to achieve the card's "sweet" optimal spot?

I updated my original post with some calculations of memory speeds. You may be interested in re-reading it By my calculations, even if its 1.2ns it should be easily capable of GTX "overclocks." Also, EVGA is actually USING 1.2ns chips on the GTX cards, at least according to the spec sheet.

Anyway, if you want to get the maximum overclock, logically you would overclock one part at a time until you reached its highest potential (make sure to run benchmarks so you can look for artifacts and keep a load on the card). Then take the highest number you achieved from each and combine them, run some more tests to make sure its stable and artifact free.

 

[Karaktu]

Originally posted by: Devistater

Originally posted by: Karaktu
Not stock, surely, but the idea here is that the memory is severely underclocked and can be overclocked with ease. The problem is, knowing the industry, they are probably using memory that didn't pass at higher frequencies on these boards.

There are differances between the way you would bin a memory card and the way you sell certain spec chips.

In this case the only verified report of memory chips on the GTO that I've seen is that they are at 1.1ns which is plenty fast enough to "overclock" to GTX speeds. If anyone wants to volunteer to remove thier heatsink and take a look at the memory chips, feel free
A manufacture of memory chips wouldn't sell chips that can't reach the speeds that they are specced for. If you are a card manufacture, and buying and paying for 1.1ns chips, you'd better get chips that are actually 1.1ns capable.
Now, EVGA's specs PDF say they are 1.2ns chips, which are a bit slower, but they should still have fairly decent room to overclock. Problems would happen though if the chips were 1.4ns specs, those are too slow to overclock to GTX specs unless you get really lucky.

In other words, with 1.1ns chips and similar, you aren't really "overclocking" the memory you are still within the range they officially support. With slower chips like 1.4ns you ARE taking a chance since the memory doesn't support those kinda speeds.

Speed breakdowns:
1.1ns should hit around 900 megahertz
1.2ns should hit around 800 megahertz
1.4ns should hit around 700 megahertz
These numbers are approximate, and I didn't take into account any extra cycles for using the memory (like system memory you'd see 2-2-5-8 or similar, those are all cycles that are used for a read or a write). But I did leave a bit of wiggle room. Also remember DDR is twice the speed effectivly.
And if you look at EVGA's specs sheets for instance, they use a 1.2ns chips in a GTX card with memory clocked at 800 mhz. They use 1.4ns chips on a 7950GT that has 725mhz memory.

Now look at the spec sheet again for the GTO. 1.2ns chips for the GTO but the memory clock is only 660mhz.

By EVGA's official specs, the memory is the EXACT SAME STUFF as the GTX!! So if they ship any other spec memory, they are violating thier specs. So I really dont think there's a need to worry about the memory you will receive.

Originally posted by: Karaktu
BTW, sign up at ********* and get 1% cash back from Newegg, a $2.50 sign-up bonus and put some money in my pocket too. My email is ****@****.com

I'm surprised a lifer is violating the rules in this way and trying to get referrals.

No SPAM! This includes:
* ... pay-for-referral sites, whether paid in cash or premiums.

The wife has been out of work for most of the year and the kids need shoes and my pants are 6 sizes too big. A guy has to try and eat.

Message has been edited.

 

[Zap]

Originally posted by: StumbleBum1
Just showed up @ the Egg for $245.99 + $6.13 three day shipping

Price creep already in effect at the 'Egg, now up to $250 plus shipping.

 

[emilyek]

Ordered from ZZF late Saturday, still 'packed'.

 

[InSuboRdiNaTioN]

Newegg needs to move all operations to Texas so us poor bastards aren't subject to sales tax. All in favor say aye.

 

[spinejam]

just bit da bullet & ordered one from zzf -- my wife's gonna kill me for ordering one of these!

 

[tbogstad]

just ordered from Newegg, could not resist getting what is essentially a 7900gtx for $256.12, especially since these are overclocking even higher than 7900gtx's.

 

[gamefreakgcb]

mine shipped from the egg, i picket express saver, ETA on the 5th. Mwave just today verified my order so i cancelled from there.

 

[Zap]

Originally posted by: spinejam
just bit da bullet & ordered one from zzf -- my wife's gonna kill me for ordering one of these!

My wife congratulated me.

 

[gamefreakgcb]

Originally posted by: Zap

Originally posted by: spinejam
just bit da bullet & ordered one from zzf -- my wife's gonna kill me for ordering one of these!

My wife congratulated me.

She games? Or she's happy to get rid of you while you game?

 

[Vanditz]

Mine will be here in the morning. Paid for the overnight delivery. I can't wait more than a day. It is like Xmas for adults!!

 

[buzzsaw13]

Mine shipped today, will arrive tommorow.

I like living about 45 miles away from ZZF

 

[Devistater]

Interesting quote from a guy at SD:

I want to say I got my card today from MWAVE. Here's the kicker guys! The box says 7900GTX on it! the spine says GTX, the feature list on the back says GTX and the front and back both have places where they have put a STICKER that says GTO over the letters GTX. If that doesn't tell you what this puppy really is, I don't know.

Looks like not only is the card nearly identical to the GTX on the inside, now its identical on the OUTSIDE as well hahah. Sounds kinda like how seagate is shipping 7200.10 perpendicular drives inside the 7200.9 model boxes (I got one myself).

Originally posted by: InSuboRdiNaTioN
Newegg needs to move all operations to Texas so us poor bastards aren't subject to sales tax. All in favor say aye.

I second the motion!

 

[Zap]

Originally posted by: gamefreakgcb

Originally posted by: Zap

Originally posted by: spinejam
just bit da bullet & ordered one from zzf -- my wife's gonna kill me for ordering one of these!

My wife congratulated me.

She games? Or she's happy to get rid of you while you game?

Eh? She's a gamer, though these days she doesn't play much besides WoW.

 

[videopho]

Originally posted by: buzzsaw13
Mine shipped today, will arrive tommorow.

I like living about 45 miles away from ZZF

It takes 24hrs to travel 45 miles. Man, it must be by foot...
Couldn't you drive to pick it up at their warehouse instead?

 

[TheVrolok]

Tempting.. tempting.. But I'll have to back away this time. Trying to resist updating my graphics card as the rest of my system will currently bottleneck it. Maybe in a couple months I'll hit the whole thing over the head with the ol' upgrade stick, but until then I'm saving the cash. Great deal tho.

 

[Rapier]

I got my Mwave GTO in last night. I dropped it in and installed Rivatuner. I overclocked the memory to ~1600 mhz (799x2) and started gaming. CS:S, FEAR, and Quake 4 with the bells and whistles turned on. She hasn't flinched yet; solid as a rock. She's a GTX that came in a dfferent box. One interesting thing, the core runs at 275 mhz while in 2D mode and jumps to 650 mhz when in 3D mode (I have MBM monitoring the card).

 

[BIGFOOTPI]

Originally posted by: Rapier
...One interesting thing, the core runs at 275 mhz while in 2D mode and jumps to 650 mhz when in 3D mode ...

MAN- thats a HUGE jump! odd

(not that you need more than 275mhz GPU in 2d mode anyway )

 

[rvr2k3]

Originally posted by: Rapier
I got my Mwave GTO in last night. I dropped it in and installed Rivatuner. I overclocked the memory to ~1600 mhz (799x2) and started gaming. CS:S, FEAR, and Quake 4 with the bells and whistles turned on. She hasn't flinched yet; solid as a rock. She's a GTX that came in a dfferent box. One interesting thing, the core runs at 275 mhz while in 2D mode and jumps to 650 mhz when in 3D mode (I have MBM monitoring the card).

Drool!!! I want my card to arrive. It is coming in two days. Arghh!!!

 

[videopho]

Originally posted by: Rapier
I got my Mwave GTO in last night. I dropped it in and installed Rivatuner. I overclocked the memory to ~1600 mhz (799x2) and started gaming. CS:S, FEAR, and Quake 4 with the bells and whistles turned on. She hasn't flinched yet; solid as a rock. She's a GTX that came in a dfferent box. One interesting thing, the core runs at 275 mhz while in 2D mode and jumps to 650 mhz when in 3D mode (I have MBM monitoring the card).

Can you run some benchies, ie 3dmark06?

 

[Rapier]

Originally posted by: BIGFOOTPI

Originally posted by: Rapier
...One interesting thing, the core runs at 275 mhz while in 2D mode and jumps to 650 mhz when in 3D mode ...

MAN- thats a HUGE jump! odd

(not that you need more than 275mhz GPU in 2d mode anyway )

I thought it odd too, but I've never owned a high-end card like a GTX before. It might be the norm for a GTX (7800 or 7900) to run at two differrent speeds depending on the mode.
The card still idles at 113 through 115F in my box last night. (which happens to right at the temp the fan starts to speed-up.) Although, winter is coming.

 

[Rapier]

Originally posted by: videopho

Originally posted by: Rapier
I got my Mwave GTO in last night. I dropped it in and installed Rivatuner. I overclocked the memory to ~1600 mhz (799x2) and started gaming. CS:S, FEAR, and Quake 4 with the bells and whistles turned on. She hasn't flinched yet; solid as a rock. She's a GTX that came in a dfferent box. One interesting thing, the core runs at 275 mhz while in 2D mode and jumps to 650 mhz when in 3D mode (I have MBM monitoring the card).

Can you run some benchies, ie 3dmark06?

Snipped from my FW thread when I compared it to my 7800 GT CO:


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Care to mention what's your CPU? I think 31K to 35K improvement in 3DMark2001 SE is not that great.

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I was thinking the same thing. I'm running a Opteron 165 @ 2.9 ghz on a DFI Ultra D mobo and 2GB of PC4400 ram. I've got the ram timings backed-off a bit since I normally run it at 3.0 ghz. 334FSB is no small feat on the Ultra D w/o memory timings turned-down (although the ram bus speed is still at 250+ FSB).

One thing about the GTX's and these cards, is that they don't really shine until you really push the resolution to 1600 x 1200 and above. The 3dmark was run at the default 1024x768 which is pushing the CPU more then the GPU these days. I'll run it using some other benchmarks over the next couple of days. 3Dmark 2001 probably wasn't the best choice.