8800 Ultra edition cards will be few and far between

[JPB]

http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=38925

__________________________

A FEW MORE bits to add to the 8800 Ultra story. Word has it that the Ultra edition will use the same PCB as the GTX but with a modified cooler. NV is aiming at a 15-20 per cent bump in the benches.

The daftest part is that production is limited to tens of units, not tens of thousands. We hear tens, closer to zero than 100. If there are any left over after the press get theirs, they will go to boutique builders and similar low-volume places. There won't be enough to supply the big boys initially, if ever.

No word about drivers. Ironically, you will probably be hard pressed to find two of these puppies anywhere, so the chronic inability to deliver working SLI won't hamper this launch much. Come on guys, it has only been five months. µ

 

[Conky]

Yeah, at a grand each they can keep em, lol.

 

[Don66]

Originally posted by: Conky
Yeah, at a grand each they can keep em, lol.

Word

 

[Nightmare225]

Originally posted by: Conky
Yeah, at a grand each they can keep em, lol.

QFT! And they're only up to 20% faster. :laugh:

 

[BFG10K]

I think this is gonna be like the 6800U 512 MB: just there to win benchmarks and only reviewers will be able to get it.

 

[nitromullet]

didn't the inq also predict extremely low availability of the 8800GTX..?

 

[dreddfunk]

Frankly, if either nVidia or AMD releases a card not destined for the OEM market that I can't buy on Newegg, I'd feel like they were just playing games. In this case, if (and it's a big 'if') the Inq. is right, I'm not even sure why nVidia would bother to sell them for $1k. Really, if you're only producing less than a few hundred (at best) you're going to take a big bath on the production. I don't see how charging $1k versus $600 is going to change that. I mean, if it's just to re-win the benchmark battle, just sell the limited run for a reasonable price for goodness sakes, so someone is happy.

Still, until we actually see them, who really knows.

 

[dguy6789]

Typical nVidia. They have done this quite often in the past. When the Radeon X800XT PE came out, it was superior to the 6800 Ultra. So nVidia launched a 6800 Ultra Extreme/6850 Ultra card to win benchies, but it was never really available. When the Radeon X1800XT came out and was slightly faster than the 7800GTX, nVidia released the 7800GTX 512, which was again there just to win benchmarks, next to nobody actually bought one. It comes as no surprise that nVidia will be releasing another ultra performance, zero availability card upon the launch of their competitor's new one.

 

[Wreckage]

The Inq says that the R600 will have a built-in testicle warmer and only cost $50. :roll:

I swear that site gets worse every day.

 

[5150Joker]

Damn you ATi! I was forced to buy an 8800 GTX today at full price because nVidia has had no competition. I'd normally have waited for a price drop that's coming very soon but I needed the card ASAP.

 

[the Chase]

Yeah- they are only going to make 10-50 cards.......I suppose the elves that hand craft each one must get too tired tracing the PCB's for these after 30 or so. Maybe if Santa, errr Nvidia, gave 'em an extra lump of coal for their fire at night they could kick a few extra out....

 

[schneiderguy]

Originally posted by: dguy6789
Typical nVidia. They have done this quite often in the past. When the Radeon X800XT PE came out, it was superior to the 6800 Ultra. So nVidia launched a 6800 Ultra Extreme/6850 Ultra card to win benchies, but it was never really available. When the Radeon X1800XT came out and was slightly faster than the 7800GTX, nVidia released the 7800GTX 512, which was again there just to win benchmarks, next to nobody actually bought one. It comes as no surprise that nVidia will be releasing another ultra performance, zero availability card upon the launch of their competitor's new one.

the x800xt pe had horrible availability also

 

[BFG10K]

They have done this quite often in the past. When the Radeon X800XT PE came out, it was superior to the 6800 Ultra. So nVidia launched a 6800 Ultra Extreme/6850 Ultra card to win benchies, but it was never really available. When the Radeon X1800XT came out and was slightly faster than the 7800GTX, nVidia released the 7800GTX 512, which was again there just to win benchmarks, next to nobody actually bought one. It comes as no surprise that nVidia will be releasing another ultra performance, zero availability card upon the launch of their competitor's new one.

I totally agree. :thumbsup:

 

[defiantsf]

I am way more interested in nVidia's upcoming refresh of their top lines instead of this abomination called the 8800 Ultra. Hurry ATI! We need price competition and R600 reputable benchies!

 

[BlizzardOne]

Originally posted by: schneiderguy

Originally posted by: dguy6789
Typical nVidia. They have done this quite often in the past. When the Radeon X800XT PE came out, it was superior to the 6800 Ultra. So nVidia launched a 6800 Ultra Extreme/6850 Ultra card to win benchies, but it was never really available. When the Radeon X1800XT came out and was slightly faster than the 7800GTX, nVidia released the 7800GTX 512, which was again there just to win benchmarks, next to nobody actually bought one. It comes as no surprise that nVidia will be releasing another ultra performance, zero availability card upon the launch of their competitor's new one.

the x800xt pe had horrible availability also

But you could buy them.. eventually

 

[Pugnate]

Originally posted by: dguy6789
Typical nVidia. They have done this quite often in the past. When the Radeon X800XT PE came out, it was superior to the 6800 Ultra. So nVidia launched a 6800 Ultra Extreme/6850 Ultra card to win benchies, but it was never really available. When the Radeon X1800XT came out and was slightly faster than the 7800GTX, nVidia released the 7800GTX 512, which was again there just to win benchmarks, next to nobody actually bought one. It comes as no surprise that nVidia will be releasing another ultra performance, zero availability card upon the launch of their competitor's new one.

Buddy I was with you till you discounted the 7800GTX 512. What do you mean no one bought it? It was widely available, sold well, and was a big improvement. It was a legit product, though I agree with you on some of the other stuff.

 

[theprodigalrebel]

Nvidia wants to make money on Ebay.

 

[sisq0kidd]

Originally posted by: theprodigalrebel
Nvidia wants to make money on Ebay.

How are they making money on eBay?

 

[Auric]

Originally posted by: Wreckage
The Inq says that the R600 will have a built-in testicle warmer and only cost $50. :roll:

I swear that site gets worse every day.

Well that wouldn't make sense. The whole point of external testicles is to keep them cooler. Warming reduces fertility.

 

[betasub]

Originally posted by: Pugnate
Buddy I was with you till you discounted the 7800GTX 512. What do you mean no one bought it? It was widely available, sold well, and was a big improvement. It was a legit product, though I agree with you on some of the other stuff.

A big improvement, yes, but that came from more than just extra vRAM: the core was significantly faster than the market 7800GTX.

Sold well, kinda, in that the few that were on the open market were snapped up quickly.

Widely available, hardly, and as a result several well-known e-tailers started price-scalping or allowing pre-order customers to jump the queue by paying a premium.

 

[Wreckage]

Originally posted by: Auric
Warming reduces fertility.

And this affects computer geeks how?

 

[ShadowOfMyself]

Buddy I was with you till you discounted the 7800GTX 512. What do you mean no one bought it? It was widely available

Thanks for the new sig, I really hope you didnt mean it though, because thats just sooooo far from the truth

 

[Auric]

Originally posted by: Wreckage

Originally posted by: Auric
Warming reduces fertility.

And this affects computer geeks how?

You're right. Mating probably won't come up.

 

[slash196]

Originally posted by: Wreckage
The Inq says that the R600 will have a built-in testicle warmer and only cost $50. :roll:

I swear that site gets worse every day.

Well, if they ever find their way into laptops, they WILL have a built-in testicle warmer.

 

[Fallen Kell]

Wow... I am actually glad the R600 is about to come out. This might force Nvidia to cut the price on this monster. The early benches on the R600 show it 25% faster then the 8800GTX. And since it will be at more normal prices (i.e. $500 or so) which is half the price of the 8800 Ultra, and still have the same or even more performance. It might force Nvidia to release their next batch of cards that are done (i.e. the full 8900 series, 8950 as well)