Should I get the 6800 Ultra or the 800XT? Seems I should get the NV6800U!

[Rhin0]

My friend and I would like to order new hardware for new rigs this week or early next week. Sooner the better. He hates ATI but I am a little more open minded to see that it is smart to go with whoever has the superior technology and power. The drivers and support seem to be about the same for both, both have their ups and downs. Agreed? That being said, he is 100% sure going with a ASUS 6800 Ultra or Ultra deluxe (no real difference besides cooler). He has what he deems "off brands" out of the running and Abit quit making NV so he is getting an ASUS. I will take one more look at Gainward maybe but I'll probably be getting the ASUS also. We will be playing BF1942: Desert Combat, HL2, Vampire Bloodlines, HL2 spinoffs, and probably Doom spinoffs if there is ever anything decent off that hog.


So should I take another look at the high end 800 (is it the 800PE?) from ATI or should I just grab an Ultra and don't look back? From the tests I have seen my mind tells me to grab the Ultra and RUNNNNN!!! Since it has a pretty good lead. Only thing that is dissapointing is that the ATI showed "smoother" graphics and the edges looked better.

Please let me know what you guys think. I am open to all suggestions. I just don't want to spend my hard earned money on junk or inferior technology.

I also have to take into account the fact that we may be limited to AGP cards since we want an ABIT board or if we had to we might use ASUS. ABIT doesn't make a 939 PCI-E mobo (sucks) and even if they did that would rule out the 6800 Ultra since you can't buy it anywhere. Then i'd have to get the ATI.

What i'm really asking is for reasons why I should go with one over the other. My thought when building a new computer is get the BEST video card out so it lasts the longest. I expect my new card to last me until I build my next computer.

Thanks again,
Seth

 

[Adn4n]

Isn't the ASUS the card that switched components by accident?

 

[MDE]

I'd go for a 6800GT and overclock it personally.

 

[Rhin0]

Originally posted by: MDE
I'd go for a 6800GT and overclock it personally.

I really would rather not overclock anything. Especially if it has a warranty... Video cards are pricey.

I am taking a look at the 6800GT but I just can't see buying a video card that isn't as good and has to be be overclocked to make up, it will have to be replaced that much sooner (possibly due to a failure!) and when I'm ready to replace this video card i'll be building an entire new computer again I think.


The 800xt PE showed impressive performance on Battlefield vietnam. I guess I need to wait until I see a half life 2 bench. That will really help me decide I think. I played doom one time on my friends computer and it was uninstalled after that. All about the desert combat, HL2, vamp: bloodlines, and CS:source (when those come out)

 

[Rhin0]

Originally posted by: Adn4n
Isn't the ASUS the card that switched components by accident?

What's that?

 

[Rhin0]

Well I think you guys just about have me talked into buying a BFG card.

So here tell me... Should I even look at a Gainward then? We are talking about the Ultra here

Abit- doesn't make one
ASUS- makes a nice one but expensive
BFG- makes a good one and just as fast and a lot cheaper
Gainward- ???

 

[Rhin0]

hey,

do you guys think this is true? This was a quote off a review of the BFG NV 6800 Ultra OC video card.

"This is a very nice card and if you insist on getting Nvidia this would be your best choice. But this is NOT, I repeat NOT, the best card on the market, so if you're going to be dropping THIS much cash on a video card just get an x800xt or x800xt platinum, they perform much better on all D3D games which is pretty much normal these days (the only game this season that would ever need a card this powerful that doesnt use d3d is doom, and buying a card thats good for an engine only one game uses is a waste of money). "

are they really better on all D3D games? like I said I guess ill have to see the HL2 tests


thanks again,
-Seth

 

[RealityTime]

Originally posted by: Rhin0

Originally posted by: MDE
I'd go for a 6800GT and overclock it personally.

I really would rather not overclock anything. Especially if it has a warranty... Video cards are pricey.

I am taking a look at the 6800GT but I just can't see buying a video card that isn't as good and has to be be overclocked to make up, it will have to be replaced that much sooner (possibly due to a failure!) and when I'm ready to replace this video card i'll be building an entire new computer again I think.


The 800xt PE showed impressive performance on Battlefield vietnam. I guess I need to wait until I see a half life 2 bench. That will really help me decide I think. I played doom one time on my friends computer and it was uninstalled after that. All about the desert combat, HL2, vamp: bloodlines, and CS:source (when those come out)

vamp bloodlines is a huge letdown imo. The interface sucks. It's really awkward, the evironment graphics are so-so. nothing special. Character models are beautiful though. I think this is what we are going to see in hl2 only better. People's faces, especially the eyes look real. But the game is pretty crap, buggy too. Keeps crashing on my system. Which has usually always been stable.

 

[Thermalrock]

ati will bring the x850xt pe pci-e soon and inq says itll be enough to give it the edge in hl2.

 

[Thermalrock]

oh damn thats you. buy a dell dimenson. or a matrox parhelia.

 

[Mik3y]

the x800 xt is superior in most games besides doom 3, but the nvidia card has more features.

 

[Kuznetsov]

Ati cards perform better in D3D games, NVidia perform better in OpenGL games. So if you play D3D games then get ati cards. Personally both cards are good for all games you can buy today. You wont be able to feel the difference whether it is D3D based or OpenGL based.

 

[GopGuyCA]

I had to choose between the Geforce 6800 GT and the Radeon X800 XT myself recently when getting my XPS -- To be able to play EQ2.

I went with X800 for the simple fact that it has higher stat listings. Also, the 6800 GT that Dell offers is a lesser version then the one you can buy at the store. For exmaple, the Dell version doesn't have TV-out while the regular version does.

So the logical choice was the X800.

Also, on the EQ2 forums, alot of people seem to be having problems with their 6800s while everyone with the Radeon cards are doing A-OK -- Which is weird seeing how SOE claims to have optimized the game for Nvidia cards. Plus, this woman on the forums plays EQ2 with a X800 XT and gets a frame rate of 30 on average with graphics set to high. Impressive.

 

[Sylvanas]

doom3= Nvidia, everything else= ATI

 

[ronnn]

Can't go wrong, just spend your money. :beer:

 

[ScrewFace]

I think you'll want to go with the Radeon X800 XT. You getter faster performance and better IQ in D3D games and you get monthly driver updates instead of every 6 months with nVidia.

 

[Gamingphreek]

Originally posted by: ScrewFace
I think you'll want to go with the Radeon X800 XT. You getter faster performance and better IQ in D3D games and you get monthly driver updates instead of every 6 months with nVidia.

bull sh!t. You get the same quality with and better quality (HD, SM3.0 (Has yet to be seen)). THe thing about releasing drivers every month is a lot of them are released half hazardly. YOu still get new drivers from Nvidia.

Honsetly everyone is saying faster performance, thats crap, 1-2fps is WELL within the margin of error, and i wouldn't even call it a win. More so a tie. Nvidia wins many more games than just DIII also. WHere are you guys getting some of this from ATI's website.

I agree with Ronn you cant go wrong just spend your money. I however think the 6 series are overall better cards, JUST MY OPINION.

-Kevin

 

[koshia]

I go with the x800 plat. pro from ATI buddy... out runs 6800 OC from nvidia on a majority of the stuff, and teh advantage is... it runs much cooler than the nvidia one...