Leadtek 6800 GT for $290 or Visiontek x850XT-PE for $312 AR?

[WhipperSnapper]

If you were looking for a high-end AGP card for a system you were planning to build next month and you had to choose between one of these two cards, which one would you choose:

Leadtek 6800 GT (has Shader 3.0 and kickass HSF) -- $290 shipped

or

Visiontek x850XT-PE -- $312 after rebate and shipping

The x850XT-PE is arguably the most powerful AGP card available today, but for some reason ATI failed to include Shader 3.0 with it. In contrast, the Leadtek 6800 GT has Shader 3.0 and doesn't carry a risk of not receiving a $50 rebate.

Which is the better value? Long-term, when games begin to use Shader 3.0, will the 6800 GT blow the x800XT-PE out of the water? Are there any benchmarks that illustrate the benefits of having a card with Shader 3.0?

 

[dug777]

at that price i'd grab the x850xt-pe myself....

 

[WhipperSnapper]

Bumpa bumpa bumpa

 

[n7]

At those prices, the X850XT PE is an easy choice.
It's a much better card.

 

[Soccerman06]

SM 3.0 does little in current games (Farcry is the only one I can think of) and when more games come out that support it, the 6800GT wont be able to push the frames out like the X850XT PE can. It is afterall the best AGP card.

The X850XT-PE is arguably the most powerful AGP card available.

 

[classy]

Originally posted by: n7
At those prices, the X850XT PE is an easy choice.
It's a much better card.

 

[Corporate Thug]

Originally posted by: dug777
at that price i'd grab the x850xt-pe myself....

 

[KeepItRed]

Originally posted by: dug777
at that price i'd grab the x850xt-pe myself....

 

[theMan]

x850xtpe ftw.

 

[alimoalem]

x850 definitely

 

[Powermoloch]

damn....the x850xtpe is cheaper than the X850xt that I got (349.99 )

 

[blckgrffn]

Yep, that ATI card rocks, go for it...

 

[SelfishGene]

Age of Empires 3 heavily uses shades 3.0. Heavily. Everything, the trees, the grass, the buildings, the water, are affected by these shaders (using something called "Bloom" to make the colors brighter).

 

[Cooler]

Originally posted by: Soccerman06
SM 3.0 does little in current games (Farcry is the only one I can think of) and when more games come out that support it, the 6800GT wont be able to push the frames out like the X850XT PE can. It is afterall the best AGP card.

The X850XT-PE is arguably the most powerful AGP card available.

And always will be at this rate.

 

[PzyMazter]

I was honostly debating the same thing because I didn't really want to go ATI, but it looks like there will never be another AGP card...

 

[Nextman916]

Originally posted by: PzyMazter
I was honostly debating the same thing because I didn't really want to go ATI, but it looks like there will never be another AGP card...

Wouldnt be so sure about that one. I think ATi will make some of their new line agp but who knows. Also as for all you people who dont think sm3.0 is important many games are starting to use it. DOD2 uses it for smoke feathering somewhat, so does AOE3. I think the upcoming hellgate london will use it also. Also lots of games coming out in the beginning months of 2006 will be using 3.0 shaders(stalker,UT2007). $320 for a card that wont run next years games full potential....i dunno. 6800gt would be my best bet. Also if you look at the F.E.A.R benchmarks the 6800gt outperforms the x850xt pe greatly. Although not in bf2 it think its been established that bf2 is nothing next gen while F.E.A.R is wats up and coming. Even the crossfire x850xt didnt perform 1 fps more than a single card in F.E.A.R, i kno strange but true. Unless all you want is good picture quality for a few months then go x850xt pe but i think the 6800gt will be better in the long run.

 

[hans030390]

First off, do you want shader model 3? If you dont know what it is, I'd recommend reading about it.

Second, when do you plan to upgrade after this card?

Third...um...yeah thats it.

If you want SM3, obviously your only choice is the 6800gt...if you're not concerned about it, the x850 would be better for you.

 

[KristopherKubicki]

Pricing on both cards here:

http://labs.anandtech.com/search.php?q=VTKX850XTPEA+%7C+leadtek+6800+gt+agp

Kristopher

 

[WhipperSnapper]

Nextman has hit on the big issue. The x850xt-pe is the clear choice for today...but which one will be the better card three years from now? I'm not going to want to upgrade for four or five years and even then this computer would end up becoming the family's second computer.