6800 Prices too high?

[kenny2004]

Are prices for the new 6800 chipset VGAs a bit pricey or is this normal for a new card?
Well, in Canada, 6800 based cards are hard to come by if not impossible to get, and the vendors are currently selling as follows if they do have in stock:

Not including a 7% tax surcharge.

BFG 6800 OC 128MB: $379
BFG 6800GT: $600
BFG 6800Ultra: Haven't seen one yet.

BestBuy doesn't carry the stock like the US does, which is so unfortunate....and

I know in the US, many have said that the 6800OC is about $100 cheaper than the GT version, but here, it's over $220 difference

 

[Zero Plasma]

That is so sad

 

[Rage187]

BB was running a special on the NU OC, $249 no rebates + Far Cry.

 

[nickia]

try to smuggle some cards from the States!

 

[Mermaidman]

Ouch.

Maybe one of us down here can mail you a card.

1 Loonie is approximately 0.81US, so the Best Buy 250US price is ~320CAD. Include US sales tax and shipping and it'll still be less than 379CAD. If we ship north to you, will you have to pay some additional tax?

 

[nRollo]

Originally posted by: Mermaidman
Ouch.

Maybe one of us down here can mail you a card.

1 Loonie is approximately 0.81US, so the Best Buy 250US price is ~320CAD. Include US sales tax and shipping and it'll still be less than 379CAD. If we ship north to you, will you have to pay some additional tax?

I wouldn't even go there if I were you. Every single Canadian who's ever bought or tried to buy from me asks that I fill out a fraudulent customs declaration understating the value of the merchandise shipped, and/or asking me to state it's a gift. (so they can try to avoid their incredibly high import taxes)

Great prices on consumer goods is just one of the many reasons it's great to live in America, but you can't help the world. If you commit a minor shipping crime to help one guy in Canada, where do you draw the line? How about the nice guy in Australia that has to pay triple for a card?

BTW- I have nothing against Canada, or shipping there if I'm allowed to do so in a legal manner. Not worth it to me for even a 1/1,000,000 chance to have to deal with some random import check to break their laws. I gain nothing by the transaction, and lose integrity, possibly get fined.

 

[Mermaidman]

MINOR THREAD HIJACK
According to Anandtech's review, the 6600GT has similar or better performance than the 6800 regular. So why does the 6800 cost more?

Rather than buy a 6800, wait till the 6600GT AGP version becomes available??

 

[2Xtreme21]

Can you just get one from an online retailer (US) and have them ship it to you?

 

[nRollo]

Originally posted by: Mermaidman
MINOR THREAD HIJACK
According to Anandtech's review, the 6600GT has similar or better performance than the 6800 regular. So why does the 6800 cost more?

Rather than buy a 6800, wait till the 6600GT AGP version becomes available??

AT's review used hand picked settings users of these cards would never use. (16X12)

Go to FS and you'll see why the 6800 costs more: it gives better performance at 10X7 4X8X and 12X10 4X8X, the settings a user of these cards would have to play.

 

[Gamingphreek]

Well the 6600GT is only faster at lower or medium settings. As soon as you turn on AA and AF or go up to higher resolutions the 6600GT gets crippled by its small 128bit bus ie low memory bandwidth.

-Kevin

 

[Keysplayr]

Originally posted by: Mermaidman
MINOR THREAD HIJACK
According to Anandtech's review, the 6600GT has similar or better performance than the 6800 regular. So why does the 6800 cost more?

Rather than buy a 6800, wait till the 6600GT AGP version becomes available??

Did you even look at the benches you just linked to?
8 out of 11 the 6600GT falls well behind the 6800nu.
on 2 occasions the 6600GT equals it
1 occasion, FarCry at 1600x1200 the 6600GT pulls way ahead of the 6800. Driver bug.

 

[effee]

Prices are always high when a relatively new, powerful card is out. Wait another year and it'll become pretty affordable.

 

[akira34]

Originally posted by: effee
Prices are always high when a relatively new, powerful card is out. Wait another year and it'll become pretty affordable.

The reason it will be affordable in another year is because a new card/line will be out to replace it. I picked up a 6800GT less than two weeks ago ($405US) because my 9800 Pro just wasn't doing it for me anymore. I could have attempted to get the ultra, but I need to eat and get fuel this month.

I just hope that I'll be able to go a year (or more) on this card before replacing it... Yeah, it's an addiction.

 

[kenny2004]

I think I'll just wait it out -- thanks Well, I do shop from the US from time to time, but the duty/customs charges are a bit heft even though the exchange rate is so much better than it was. UPS is also very bad for us...$65 charge on top of the product price to clear customs itself.

Yeah, prices will drop soon like all things - hopefully, our Best Buy will carry 6800's soon. We're a bit slow in getting the latest products.

 

[nRollo]

Originally posted by: kenny2004
I think I'll just wait it out -- thanks Well, I do shop from the US from time to time, but the duty/customs charges are a bit heft even though the exchange rate is so much better than it was. UPS is also very bad for us...$65 charge on top of the product price to clear customs itself.

Yeah, prices will drop soon like all things - hopefully, our Best Buy will carry 6800's soon. We're a bit slow in getting the latest products.

Out of curiosity, why aren't you buying ATI? As a local product they wouldn't have the import duties tacked on top of the real price?

 

[Pete]

I'll tell you what, kenny. You send us some of that cheap medicine you Canadians are hording, and we'll look into sending you some of our cheap 6800s.

 

[carage]

There is a site offering an ASUS 6800 Ultra for $139...
I really think it is either a hoax or a mistake though.
http://www.pchardware4u.com/de...REF=1&SKU=ASV9999U

 

[Gamingphreek]

Holy sh!t is this thing real. Im about to jump on it right now and take advantage of the mispricing. Anyone else wanna try lol. What is your guys take???

-Kevin

 

[carage]

Well, I think what you will recieve on your doorstep is most likely an 6800 NU with 256MB of RAM.
You can try it though, best wishes.

 

[bigal40]

Originally posted by: keysplayr2003

Originally posted by: Mermaidman
MINOR THREAD HIJACK
According to Anandtech's review, the 6600GT has similar or better performance than the 6800 regular. So why does the 6800 cost more?

Rather than buy a 6800, wait till the 6600GT AGP version becomes available??

Did you even look at the benches you just linked to?
8 out of 11 the 6600GT falls well behind the 6800nu.
on 2 occasions the 6600GT equals it
1 occasion, FarCry at 1600x1200 the 6600GT pulls way ahead of the 6800. Driver bug.

I think your numbers are off.
Aquamark
6600gt=54.4
6800=54.5
1 equal

Doom3 1024x768 no aa/af
6600gt=79
6800=80.1
2equal

Doom3 1024x768 4xaa
6600gt=41.9
68100=52
1 6800 win

Far Cry 1600x1200 no aa/af
6600gt=39.2
6800=59.3
2 6800 wins

Far cry 1600x1200 4xaa/8xaf
6600gt=22.4
6800=17.8
1 6600gt win

Halo 1280x1024 noaa/ 4xaf
6600gt=49.2
6800=46.8
3 equal

Halo 1600x1200 no aa/8xaf
6600gt=35.7
6800=35.1
4 equal

Jedi Knight 1280x1024 no aa/af
6600gt=86
6800=93.3
3 6800 wins

Jedi Knight 1600x1200 no aa/af
6600gt=66.4
6800=77.7
4 6800 win

jedi knight 1280x1024 4xaa/8xaf
6600gt=37.6
6800=75.8
5 6800 win

JEdi knight 1600x1200 4xaa/8xaf
6600gt=20.6
6800=55.3
6 6800 wins

UT2004 1280x1024 no aa/af
6600gt=52.5
6800=56.7
7 6800 wins

UT2004 1600x1200 no aa/af
6600gt=42.8
6800=47.5
8 6800 wins

UT2004 1280x1024 4xaa/8xaf
6600gt=34.4
6800=27.9
2 6600gt wins

UT2004 1600x1200 4xaa/8xaf
6600gt=22.6
6800=19.4
3 6600gt wins

So the total is the 6600gt performed equal to the 6800 in 4/15 tests
the 6600gt outperformed the 6800 in 3/15 tests
and the 6800 outperformed the 6600gt in 8/15 tests
In nearly half the tests (7/15) the 6600gt was just as good or better than the 6800.

 

[Gamingphreek]

Originally posted by: carage
Well, I think what you will recieve on your doorstep is most likely an 6800 NU with 256MB of RAM.
You can try it though, best wishes.

Doesn't matter. However M4H just scared the sh!t out of me with the reseller ratings. I can still sell my current card for more than 150.

-Kevin

 

[JBT]

I believe ZipZoomFly.com an excellent online retailer ships to Canada now.

 

[Cawchy87]

However we have to pay a 14 % tax on whatever we buy from the states + broker fees (almost always more than actual taxes).

Regardless, i buy everything from the states.

EDIT: Oh ya, a local computer store (www.cbit.ca) has BFG 6800GT's for 539.99 + tax

 

[kenny2004]

Well, being that ATI is a Canadian company you'd think we get their cards cheaper - not! Actually, the prices are even worst that the 6800!! An ATI X800XT is going for about $700, X800 Pro for $589 and the X800XT Platinum for $800!

Thanks a billion JBT/Cauchy87 for the tips on retailers that carry 6800s, I'll check them out. A GT for $535 is a steal compared to what others are selling them for. Maybe, I'll get my BFG just in time before XMAS

 

[imported_Salvatore]

How close are you to the American border? Come here, purchase a GT for American MSRP, but pick up something that costs about ~$30, so you have something to show at the border. Or tell the customs agents no stores had what you were looking for. You'd need a good place to hide the GT, though. I'm not too familiar with the way customs checks out your car, however, so I can't say anything for sure.