Gainward 6800GT Dual-DVI for $385 (dropped from $400)

[Glow]

I expect to be able to overclock at least half way to the GS's clock rate, otherwise thats a bunch o crap0la

 

[HeroOfPellinor]

Originally posted by: MonarchJoe

Originally posted by: Jaxidian
Updated the title/summary to indicate that the GS deal is now probably dead. Maybe once their prices on the GS cards come down, it may be a warm deal again.

Well, I talked to purchasing the express my concerns over the GS pricing. So...

Where do you guys think it should be priced at?

Non-GS
GS

Jeez. Why are you asking us? Price it at $35...sounds good to me. :roll:

Rather than pass your savings on to your customers, as you originally were doing, you got greedy and decided to milk the sudden traffic and cease your customer-first policy. As I've already pointed out this was a planned course of action precipitated by the public acknowledgement that nobody should expect a GS...that told me RIGHT away, coupled with the sudden appearance of the GS as a separate product, that you were gonna destroy everybody's expectations and, surprise, I was dead on.

There's nothing you can do at this point. You can't sell the GSs for $380 and try to salvage your reputation because you're only benefitting voracious skeptics like me who just want a guaranteed outstanding bargain and not those who had some faith in your company and who were already let down when their hopes were dashed and they got plain GTs. You can't let them return the GTs for GSs because you'll be losing money and $380 for a dual-DVI GT is not an unreasonable price in the first place. Taking a loss to help your rep would be a terrible move since a customer's feelings toward a company take the back seat to price and service. So the damage is done, bro...you're part of the mass of typical nickel-and-diming price-gouging stores and will only hurt yourselves if you veer from this path now. Get the most you can from the cards. Drop the price on each $5 a week until they start selling...get the maximum you can for them.

By the way, sending out GSs because they cost you no more was a straight up class move that I applaud you for. As I said, personal feelings are third to price and service for most people and you're still pretty good on those.

 

[oakleaf00]

Hmmm, not looking promising. I also ordered soon after the price drop (8/31 @ 11:12 EST). Should be here tomorrow, so we'll see.

I really hope that some people get a GS or else there's going to be a lot of ill will out there. I went ahead and placed the order since there was supposed to be a 'good chance' that I'd get a GS . As long as there was a REAL chance, then it's not a huge deal that I didn't get one, but if there was really NO chance, then I'll bea little disappointed.

And to anyone who's gotten their non-GS GT: is it the DVI/VGA version or the dual DVI version that someone mentioned exists?

 

[Glow]

Originally posted by: oakleaf00
And to anyone who's gotten their non-GS GT: is it the DVI/VGA version or the dual DVI version that someone mentioned exists?

Someone previously said the guy at the company checked and they are all dual DVI.

 

[imported_Seet]

The box says tv-dvi-dvi, but I haven't opened it yet. Hoping maybe Monarch'll not take Hero's advice(although I totally agree) and offer to take back the non-GS. I don't think it's unreasonable to take them back and offer credit towards a GS, that is, if their GS were priced reasonably. They don't necessarily have to take a loss, and while some of us will still have a bad taste after this, taking them back would be an extraordinary move in garnering good will, of which they probably have none right now.

 

[oakleaf00]

Originally posted by: Glow
Someone previously said the guy at the company checked and they are all dual DVI.

Oops, I must've missed that. Thanks!

 

[Glow]

Mine is at my apartment now, I will report on it when I get home at like 6:30.

 

[HeroOfPellinor]

Originally posted by: Seet
The box says tv-dvi-dvi, but I haven't opened it yet. Hoping maybe Monarch'll not take Hero's advice(although I totally agree) and offer to take back the non-GS. I don't think it's unreasonable to take them back and offer credit towards a GS, that is, if their GS were priced reasonably. They don't necessarily have to take a loss, and while some of us will still have a bad taste after this, taking them back would be an extraordinary move in garnering good will, of which they probably have none right now.

I'd be surprised if the plain GT wouldn't hit Ultra speeds with that massive cooling solution on there. I also think the GS rating is phooey as allegedly they "handpick" the chips for those cards which they can't actually be doing. Still, some people have some surprisingly outstanding overclocks with the GS cards, so who knows. I'd pay a tiny bit more for the chance, but $50? In the absolute best case scenario, imo, the performance increase with the GS will be fractional...we're talking 5 fps or something.

$380 for a GT is actually a warm price when they're still over $400 at most places. And the Gainward has better than stock cooling built in.

 

[wpenhall]

Originally posted by: HeroOfPellinor

Rather than pass your savings on to your customers, as you originally were doing, you got greedy and decided to milk the sudden traffic and cease your customer-first policy. As I've already pointed out this was a planned course of action precipitated by the public acknowledgement that nobody should expect a GS...that told me RIGHT away, coupled with the sudden appearance of the GS as a separate product, that you were gonna destroy everybody's expectations and, surprise, I was dead on.

There's nothing you can do at this point. You can't sell the GSs for $380 and try to salvage your reputation because you're only benefitting voracious skeptics like me who just want a guaranteed outstanding bargain and not those who had some faith in your company and who were already let down when their hopes were dashed and they got plain GTs. You can't let them return the GTs for GSs because you'll be losing money and $380 for a dual-DVI GT is not an unreasonable price in the first place. Taking a loss to help your rep would be a terrible move since a customer's feelings toward a company take the back seat to price and service. So the damage is done, bro...you're part of the mass of typical nickel-and-diming price-gouging stores and will only hurt yourselves if you veer from this path now. Get the most you can from the cards. Drop the price on each $5 a week until they start selling...get the maximum you can for them.

By the way, sending out GSs because they cost you no more was a straight up class move that I applaud you for. As I said, personal feelings are third to price and service for most people and you're still pretty good on those.

Interesting points - nice way of looking at it from their perspective. It seems a bit incongrous for the same company to make the initial classy move of free substitutions, but then lie about the numbers left in stock and our odds of getting one. If this was a cynical gimmick to inflate sales - and we don't know that yet - I can't believe they would think it was worth the trouble and besmerching of their name. Like Bruce Banner, they wouldn't like AT'ers when we're angry.

As with everyone else, I can take being unlucky - I won't take being duped. Rick told me on the phone, on 9/1 that the "vast majority" of their cards were GS's - as high as "95%" and that I had "very good odds" of getting one.

True that this won't be the end of the world for them - as long as they stay competitive on price and service people will still shop there. Still, many of us would be extremely disappointed if this turned out to be a trick and we would make our feelings known in RR and elsewhere. They would likely survive, but they would no doubt lose some sales over it.

I'm waiting to open it until I see how this all shakes out. True - not a bad price for a dual DVI 6800GT, but I probably would have kept my options open a bit longer if I knew I had only a minimal or no chance of a GS. It would be a very good move for them to offer returns or credit, however - at least if they want their name back.

One thing I noticed - the top panel of the box has a blurb about the Golden Sample. Could this possibly be an honest mistake and the warehouse packers thought they were shipping out GS's? Probably not, but still holding out hope that this was legit...

 

[LukFilm]

Another non-GS :|

 

[Glow]

So the box has the GS logo? Maybe the part number we are looking for is wrong, someone friggin try overclocking it. Does the driver have a window with the enhance button to overclock?

 

[LukFilm]

No, the main picture on the box does NOT show Golden Sample. Only on top of the card there is a little blurb about it. Definitely NOT GS card.

 

[oakleaf00]

Originally posted by: LukFilm
Another non-GS :|

Not looking good at all.... that's like 0-5 after the price drop. Not what I would call a 'good chance'

Originally posted by: Glow
So the box has the GS logo? Maybe the part number we are looking for is wrong, someone friggin try overclocking it. Does the driver have a window with the enhance button to overclock?

I think wpenhall was just referring to the description of the GS on the side of the box - not an actual logo.

 

[imported_Seet]

It's a description of the GS. Very misleading, why would they advertise a different product on the box for this one? It's like my copy of Dungeon Keeper 2 where the CD case has an advertisement for Shogun: Total War.

 

[wpenhall]

Originally posted by: oakleaf00

Originally posted by: Glow
So the box has the GS logo? Maybe the part number we are looking for is wrong, someone friggin try overclocking it. Does the driver have a window with the enhance button to overclock?

I think wpenhall was just referring to the description of the GS on the side of the box - not an actual logo.

er- right. Sorry, I should have been more specific. The top panel (or side, depending on your perspective - but NOT the front) has a blurb about the GS, with the words GOLDEN SAMPLE in rather large type. I was just speculating that the packers saw that and assumed it was a GS inside. As I said, probably not, but it would be nice if that were the explanation and not some cynical attempt to boost sales.

No, these are definitely vanilla 6800GTs.

 

[TheGeek]

What's the difference between the GS and non-GS?

 

[Glow]

Originally posted by: PsychoYoda
What's the difference between the GS and non-GS?

RTFT (last T means thread)

 

[Glow]

Damn, I got a non-GS too. Looks like we've been had. I'm calling them.

 

[palladia]

Just got home here, and found a non-GS! I ordered mine on 8/31, 10:46AM, figuring that it's worth the gamble, but it now looks more and more like a loaded dice game.

Also interesting is that someone cut out a square from the upper left corner of the packaging. It's like there was a sticker there (a retail sticker?), and someone didn't want us to see it.

 

[imported_Seet]

Give em hell, Glow.

 

[oakleaf00]

0-7 !!!

Any explanation, MonarchJoe?

 

[dangerwillrobinson]

I second that Seet.

 

[Glow]

.

 

[Glow]

Rick says that some people have said on the forum they got one. I said not since the 380 price. He pretty much says he never said 95% were GS, etc. and is not taking any responsibility. I asked to speak with Joe now and have been on hold for 5 minutes. Ok I talked to Joe for a while. They deny that they pulled the golden samples. I almost want to return my card but I won't bother. It's just pretty upsetting that none of us got one so far. Like I said before I'm not angry that I didn't get one, just that noone did. The conversation was going nowhere and he wouldnt end it so I just got angry and hung up. 95% my ass. I feel we were lied to, they say we weren't. The chance of the first 7 people not getting one when even 50% of them were GSes is pretty slim. Oh well. They should offer people the chance to return them at least. Or maybe give us a small discount for lying about the percent that were GSs. Grrr. Must try to relax. I guess I made my own price worse by wasting a good 20 minutes on the phone with them long distance. My only problem with the way it went down was that they led us to believe that we had a very good chance and I really dont think we did.

 

[imported_Seet]

Why am I not surprised? Deep down I knew Hero was right, that the moment they said it wasn't guaranteed it was a scam. But I bit anyway. I knew I wasn't gambling on getting a GT, but rather on whether they try to screw us. Shoulda known better than to bet on an e-tailer's honesty.