Best $300 card around?

[Tim Burton]

What is the best $300 GPU around these days?

[FZ1]

Easily the 8800GT cards

[Tim Burton]

Any specific one faster than the other. I remember a few years ago EVGA's Gforce3 cards out performed others. I also noticed that most have different speeds on the processors.

[Schwarz]

I`d say XFX or eVGA.
I`d got for XFX personally.
I had a bad experience with getting screwed over with the eVGA step up program but I guess that happen every once in a while.
I`d go for one of those 2 for the life time warranty and the modder friendly warranty.
XFX does offer double life time warranty.
Makes it a good selling point when you are trying to sell your card :p
As far as speed, I know for a while now XFX have had the lead but I don`t know on the GT cards.

[Bio-Hazard]

8800GT's from XFX or EVGA would be first on my list, next up is the 8800GT from BFG, they also have a life time warranty, but it's sort of limited, no OC'ing or removing the cooler, whick XFX and EVGA allow.

[FZ1]

For the moment anyway. The new 8800GTS coming out in mid Dec should be comparable to the GTX's

[Tim Burton]

For the moment anyway. The new 8800GTS coming out in mid Dec should be comparable to the GTX's

Will it out perform the 8800GT? What will the pricing be? If the price will be comparable and speed higher, then I don't mind waiting 2.5 weeks.

[FZ1]

Check THIS THREAD

[Tim Burton]

That seems to be the same clock speed, will it be that much faster?

[FZ1]

The clock speed is a little higher than most if not all of the stock GT cards, plus

1940MHz for the memory and have 128 shader processors

makes it a better performer. How much better? That is the million dollar question. There's quite a bit of speculation on this. I'm hoping Nate gets (or has!) a card to review in the next week.

It also has a larger cooler (probably to support the higher clock speed) which will cause the card to take up 2 slots (only only 1 PCIE but it will cover the next slot over(.

[stopthekilling77]

It also has a larger cooler (probably to support the higher clock speed) which will cause the card to take up 2 slots (only only 1 PCIE but it will cover the next slot over(.

any die-hard modders ever take a dual-slot cooling solution off, put it under water, and run 2 dual slotters in SLI/Xfire?

[Zertz]

Just got my 8800GT from XFX and it's great!

[Bio-Hazard]

You can bet the GTS card will cost more than the GT and the average GT is still running at or above the $300 price point forMSRP, add to that the normal price gouging from todays e-tailers and you're already at 350 so. Time to sit back and buy carefully.............

As for performance on water cooling with a GT, I haven't done a SLI setup, but single cards do fairly well with a little extra cooling.

[DaddyRabbit]

In building a new system I ordered the MSI 8800 GT (660/1900) overclocked from the Egg for 299.00. As soon as I placed the order I popped back over to my wish list and the card showed as out of stock (these things are flying off the shelf). Then I saw a link at the OCP for Dell selling the same card with two games for 208.00 so I jumped on it figuring I'd cancel my "out of stock" card at the Egg, it came to 223.00 and some change shipped from Dell. Went back over to the Egg and my order had already been charged and was being packed, unfortunately the return policy on the MSI 8800GT at the Egg is a "swap for the same item" one so I couldn't even return it and pay re-stocking so I had to cancel my Dell order and eat about 50.00 over MSRP markup

The new 8800GTS will undoubtedly suffer the same problem (I've heard 300 - 350 MSRP) and initially the markups will be there as well so if you need a card now I would go 8800GT but shop wisely and try to get the overclocked ones where possible.

I like this MSI a lot but in order of preference (availability driven of course)

EVGA
XFX
BFG
MSI
ASUS

[FZ1]

You should have just let the order go through and ebay'd the extra card!

[smack323]

thats what i was thinking - i see those cards going for $300 easy on ebay..

[DaddyRabbit]

thats what i was thinking - i see those cards going for $300 easy on ebay..

Yeah but by the time I got around to it the supply would be back up what I would make isn't worth the hastle. The Egg is maintaining some stock now and now that the 256mb parts are hitting the shelves ($209 at the Egg) it's just not worth the time...

Still wish I could've gotten back in in time to cancel the Egg order and keep the MSI card from Dell but crap happens.

BTW I am extremely happy with the card though it can get a bit noisy, not bad but noticable)...

[Tim Burton]

Is the 8800GTS 512MB still slated for December 11th release?

[smack323]

well dont feel bad rabbit- i was able to get an order in on those MSI 8800 gt from DELL.. i ordered two on 11/27- i just got notice that they are delaying shippin again until 12/19... thank god i still have my 8800gts to hold me over til they finally do get here someday..