7800 gtx or extreme

[gazgits]

Hi all. Im on the lookout for a new graphics card and can not decide to go for the gtx or the extreme version. As far as i understand it the extreme edition is an overclocked version of the gtx. If i purchase the gtx will i be able to overclock it myself or is it not as simple as that.

Thanks in advance

 

[CalvinHobbes]

7800GT and OC it. Save your money until the next great card comes out.

 

[ayabe]

Originally posted by: CalvinHobbes
7800GT and OC it. Save your money until the next great card comes out.

R580 and G71 are right around the corner, just hang in for a couple more weeks.

 

[Sentry2]

Originally posted by: ayabe

Originally posted by: CalvinHobbes
7800GT and OC it. Save your money until the next great card comes out.

R580 and G71 are right around the corner, just hang in for a couple more weeks.

:thumbsup: I sold my GTX 512's in light of the G71/R580 coming out, and didn't lose any $$ I thought a 6200TC might hold me over until the new cards arrived :roll: .....just ordered an evga 7800GT w/copper heatsink (P2-N516) off of newegg for $299. I'll just use the step-up program when the G71 comes out.

These would be my choices:

evga 7800GT (This is the card I just ordered)


evga 7800GTX

It doesn't really matter which one of these cards you get since you'll be able to step up to the G71 if you want(assuming it shows up within 90 days). Both cards are powerful and are probably the best values if you're in the market for a 7800 right now. Both cards are factory overclocked. You can overclock them even higher if you'd like since the coolers are a little better than reference and not to mention it won't void your lifetime warranty through evga. I have had 1 GTX, 2 GTX KO's, 4 GTX 512's, and a few 6800's from evga. I have had nothing but great experiences with this company so I'll highly recommend them. Just my thoughts though. GL guy.

 

[gazgits]

Ok what are the G71/R580 you mention, when will they be out and most importantly how much will they cost?

Thanks again

 

[Wentelteefje]

Originally posted by: gazgits
Ok what are the G71/R580 you mention, when will they be out and most importantly how much will they cost?

Thanks again

They are ATI (R580) and nVidia's (G71) next product line of graphics cards... The last couple of weeks people have thrown with different specs at each other, so there isn't that much certainty for now...

Current situation...

G71 (nVidia GeForce 7900 "Ultra")

32 pixel pipelines
700 - 750MHz core clock
1600 - 1800MHz memory clock

R580 (ATI Radeon X1900XTX)

16 pixel pipelines
695MHz core clock
1550MHz memory clock

They should be out in March/April, and will probably cost about $ 600- $ 700 for the top models... Sentry2's advice about buying an eVGA 7800GT and use their step-up program is right... However, you could also buy a 7800GT now, skip the G71/R580 generation, and upgrade when G80 and R600 are around...

 

[gazgits]

I don't think i could take part in the step up program as i believe this is only open to US customers. Im in England.
Ihave just read that the radeon is to be released on the 24th of Jan.
Is this true?

 

[beggerking]

Originally posted by: Wentelteefje

Originally posted by: gazgits
Ok what are the G71/R580 you mention, when will they be out and most importantly how much will they cost?

Thanks again

They are ATI (R580) and nVidia's (G71) next product line of graphics cards... The last couple of weeks people have thrown with different specs at each other, so there isn't that much certainty for now...

Current situation...

G71 (nVidia GeForce 7900 "Ultra")

32 pixel pipelines
700 - 750MHz core clock
1600 - 1800MHz memory clock

R580 (ATI Radeon X1900XTX)

16 pixel pipelines
695MHz core clock
1550MHz memory clock

They should be out in March/April, and will probably cost about $ 600- $ 700 for the top models... Sentry2's advice about buying an eVGA 7800GT and use their step-up program is right... However, you could also buy a 7800GT now, skip the G71/R580 generation, and upgrade when G80 and R600 are around...

Odd how ATI is sticking with 16 pixel pipelines.. is there some kind of technical difficulty stepping up to at least 24 pixel pipelines?

 

[Wentelteefje]

Originally posted by: gazgits
I don't think i could take part in the step up program as i believe this is only open to US customers. Im in England.
Ihave just read that the radeon is to be released on the 24th of Jan.
Is this true?

Not anymore... OK, then I'd simply buy a 7800GT and skip the following generation(s)... It's a very powerful video card...

 

[Wentelteefje]

Originally posted by: beggerking

Originally posted by: Wentelteefje

Originally posted by: gazgits
Ok what are the G71/R580 you mention, when will they be out and most importantly how much will they cost?

Thanks again

They are ATI (R580) and nVidia's (G71) next product line of graphics cards... The last couple of weeks people have thrown with different specs at each other, so there isn't that much certainty for now...

Current situation...

G71 (nVidia GeForce 7900 "Ultra")

32 pixel pipelines
700 - 750MHz core clock
1600 - 1800MHz memory clock

R580 (ATI Radeon X1900XTX)

16 pixel pipelines
695MHz core clock
1550MHz memory clock

They should be out in March/April, and will probably cost about $ 600- $ 700 for the top models... Sentry2's advice about buying an eVGA 7800GT and use their step-up program is right... However, you could also buy a 7800GT now, skip the G71/R580 generation, and upgrade when G80 and R600 are around...

Odd how ATI is sticking with 16 pixel pipelines.. is there some kind of technical difficulty stepping up to at least 24 pixel pipelines?

Not really that I know of, but ATI will be cranking up the pipelines with their R600... For now, they made their R580 with 3 pixel shaders per pipeline, so it can process 48 shaders per pass... ATI believes the future of games lies in pixels (and provides lots of shading power), whereas nVidia aims for more texturing power... Only time will tell who's right... My guess would be ATI...

 

[Wentelteefje]

BTW both welcome to the forums!

 

[beggerking]

Originally posted by: Wentelteefje
BTW both welcome to the forums!

ah! you noticed! Thanks!

 

[gazgits]

Now im really confused.Isn't technology great.
Was just about to order 7800 gtx and then find out that there is to be a card released very shortly with almost twice the power. So should i wait or should i take the plunge now. Its just a shame they can't be more accurate with their release dates.
Thanks all for your help and advice.

 

[Munky]

I'd wait. If you have to buy now, then get a 7800gt and OC it, then it'll be as fast as a gtx and you save $150. But I still would rather wait, the r580 may bring down the prices on other, lower cards if you dont end up buying it.

 

[beggerking]

Originally posted by: gazgits
Now im really confused.Isn't technology great.
Was just about to order 7800 gtx and then find out that there is to be a card released very shortly with almost twice the power. So should i wait or should i take the plunge now. Its just a shame they can't be more accurate with their release dates.
Thanks all for your help and advice.

IMHO, both companies rushed on the new chip(G71/x1900xt). I don't think neither would be worth the wait. But you should wait for the price drop when these new GPUs come out.

 

[Matthias99]

Originally posted by: Wentelteefje
Not really that I know of, but ATI will be cranking up the pipelines with their R600... For now, they made their R580 with 3 pixel shaders per pipeline, so it can process 48 shaders per pass... ATI believes the future of games lies in pixels (and provides lots of shading power), whereas nVidia aims for more texturing power... Only time will tell who's right... My guess would be ATI...

And depending on how you count 'pipelines', the numbers are a little different.

Current rumors place G71 as having 32 pixel shaders and 32 texture units (up from 24/24 on the 7800GTX) with 16 ROPs. R580 should have 48 pixel shaders and either 16 or 24 texture units, with 16 ROPs. Not sure on the vertex shader counts.

G71 would probably be better at games that use lots and lots of textures but not so many shaders. R580 would be better for games that use fewer textures and lots and lots of shaders. Unless, of course, the G71 rumors all turn out to be wrong, which is always possible.

R600 is using unified shaders (so no more separate pixel/vertex shaders), and presumably quite a few of them. This is the PC version of the GPU in the XBox360.

 

[Wentelteefje]

Originally posted by: Matthias99

Originally posted by: Wentelteefje
Not really that I know of, but ATI will be cranking up the pipelines with their R600... For now, they made their R580 with 3 pixel shaders per pipeline, so it can process 48 shaders per pass... ATI believes the future of games lies in pixels (and provides lots of shading power), whereas nVidia aims for more texturing power... Only time will tell who's right... My guess would be ATI...

And depending on how you count 'pipelines', the numbers are a little different.

Current rumors place G71 as having 32 pixel shaders and 32 texture units (up from 24/24 on the 7800GTX) with 16 ROPs. R580 should have 48 pixel shaders and either 16 or 24 texture units, with 16 ROPs. Not sure on the vertex shader counts.

G71 would probably be better at games that use lots and lots of textures but not so many shaders. R580 would be better for games that use fewer textures and lots and lots of shaders. Unless, of course, the G71 rumors all turn out to be wrong, which is always possible.

R600 is using unified shaders (so no more separate pixel/vertex shaders), and presumably quite a few of them. This is the PC version of the GPU in the XBox360.

Wasn't this just mostly what I said...? You went into detail a bit more yeah...