Nvidia 6800 or 6600GT or ATI X800

HELiX · Post by **HELiX** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 8:03 am

Hi all,

I'm looking for a new graphics card for my computer, and I'm considering these 3 graphics card (Nvidia 6800, 6600GT, X800) which falls into my budget (128MB versionss). They're roughly priced around the same.

Which one is the best of the three? I'll be using the graphics card for about 1 year over so which has a better potential for the upcoming games? Also, should I get a lower-end card instead, but with 256 MB? Please advice.

Cheers,
HELiX

PS. The new X1k series of the ATI are going to be available soon... and the X1300 Pro or the lower-end X1600s might be considered as well...

bubba · Post by **bubba** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 9:23 am

was thinking of asking the same question, but I was looking at the x700 pro 256 mb not the x800...

infinitevalence · Post by **infinitevalence** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 9:25 am

dont bother with the x700 the performance sucks. If you looking in the $200 range the Saphire X800GTO2 is the best deal as it unlocks to a X850XT. If you dont want to unlock and overclock then the 6800GT is the next best deal.

SAMSAMHA · Post by **SAMSAMHA** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 9:57 am

yeah, 6800gt is probably the better card among the list of cards.

Bal`thzar · Post by **Bal`thzar** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 10:14 am

I agree the 6800 is better stock outta the box but there is some real consideration for what infinate suggests there has been uber success with those cards and once you flash them and unlock them they blow the doors offa that 6800

LVCapo · Post by **LVCapo** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 10:29 am

Just remember a couple things. There is usually a reason these cards are "downflashed"...memory that won't run to spec, bad pipelines,etc..... then again there can be nothing wrong with it......so its a crap shoot.
Don't buy a card and get upset if it doesn't flash well, don't buy a card and flash it unless you understand that once you flash it the warranty is gone and there is a chance you can ruin it........remember, you are flashing the card at your own risk.

zenzog · Post by **zenzog** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 11:58 am

Softmodding is always a possibility... They can't see that and it doesn't really void your warranty.

IMO, if he's using AGP, he should get the 6800LE on newegg for ~$130. I've heard lots of success with unlocking all the pipes, more so than on my vanilla 6800.

LVCapo · Post by **LVCapo** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 12:20 pm

Softmodding is fine as long as you know what you are doing. But, if done wrong a soft mod can still damage the card beyond repair, and void your warranty. My point is that you do things like this at your own risk

infinitevalence · Post by **infinitevalence** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 12:37 pm

zenzog wrote:Softmodding...doesn't really void your warranty.

Yes it does, but thats not going to stop me

just dont be a scab and overclock or soft mod and then try to send it back to the company. You mess it up you pay for it.

LVCapo · Post by **LVCapo** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 1:37 pm

Yves is 100% right. if you choose to mod or O/C a component beyonf its stock speeds, you are 100% responsible for the ooutcome...good or bad.
I have modded several items, some have died, some still work incredible to this day, thats the nature of things. Like I said earlier, do this stuff at your own risk, and definitely make sure you fully understand what you are doing, research it from several sources, ask opinions, don't do anything blind.

bubba · Post by **bubba** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 1:48 pm

was going back and forth on the 6600 and the x700 agp ver. but if I make the PCI-e jump that opens up alot of options and oddly some of the prices drop on some cards. can get a x800gt pci-e for less what a x700pro agp goes for.

LVCapo · Post by **LVCapo** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 1:55 pm

AGP is being phased out, so that makes sense. If your budget can afford the switchover to PCI-E, I'd definitely consider that route.

Bal`thzar · Post by **Bal`thzar** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 3:28 pm

well not sure if I agree with the AGP is being phased out, I will agree that its not going to in production on new models of motherboards in the forseeable future but you will still see cards in production for the next few years. <shrug> I tend to over do it so when I make the jump to PCI-e its going to involve a whole new rig. I am waiting to go dual core with PCI-e

SO if you are planning on upgrading your syetem soon and are planning on going PCI-e then you may want to go cost effective more than focusing on speed. then again if you are planning on keeping your rig awhile then go for proformance.

One thing is for sure go 256 if you can

gvblake22 · Post by **gvblake22** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 3:57 pm

If it's between a 6600GT, X800, or 6800; I would go with the 6800 as it's minimum performance level is just as good but usually better than the 6600GT and the it has suport for PixelShader 3.0 over the X800. The X800GTO is also a great card for the money and would be my choice over the plain X800. But overall, it is a close call between the 6800 and X800GTO, so go with which ever gives you the best bundle, best warranty, and best price. Both cards are great so it will be hard to make a wrong decision.
Read some reviews on both products before you buy just so you can stay informed on your purchase.

LVCapo · Post by **LVCapo** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 4:14 pm

Bal`thzar wrote:well not sure if I agree with the AGP is being phased out, I will agree that its not going to in production on new models of motherboards in the forseeable future but you will still see cards in production for the next few years. <shrug> I tend to over do it so when I make the jump to PCI-e its going to involve a whole new rig. I am waiting to go dual core with PCI-e

SO if you are planning on upgrading your syetem soon and are planning on going PCI-e then you may want to go cost effective more than focusing on speed. then again if you are planning on keeping your rig awhile then go for proformance.

One thing is for sure go 256 if you can

Well, if both ATI and NVIDIA are not going to release AGP versions of their newest card....I'd call that being phased out. You will always find AGP cards available, much like you can still find PCI cards available.

sbohdan · Post by **sbohdan** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 8:04 pm

infinitevalence wrote:dont bother with the x700 the performance sucks. If you looking in the $200 range the Saphire X800GTO2 is the best deal as it unlocks to a X850XT. If you dont want to unlock and overclock then the 6800GT is the next best deal.

are you sure the gto unlocks to x850xt? any other 800 does that too or just the gto? any links on how to do it? I would appreciate any ansver.
I was considering getting a 6800le to possibly open the remaining 8 pipes but even if I did succed it would be like a 6800gt which is way behind an x850xt so if thats true, then the gto would be the best bet.

gvblake22 · Post by **gvblake22** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 8:35 pm

Yuriman has a X800GTO2 and has flashed it and unlocked the full 16 pipes, you might want to PM him and get some details.
Here is a thread he started over on OCForums.com:
http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=416173

EDIT: Also found some info in a review here:
http://www.avault.com/hardware/getrevie ... CIE&page=3

sbohdan · Post by **sbohdan** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 8:52 pm

thanks gvblake. do you know if its just the gto or also other 800's? I've read that some have the pipes lazer-cut thus disableing opening the pipes.

infinitevalence · Post by **infinitevalence** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 8:55 pm

it HAS to be the saphire GTO2 thats the only one known to flash at the moment.

sbohdan · Post by **sbohdan** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 8:59 pm

ok thanks. I will look up some prices.