8800GT ($265) vs. HD 3870 ($225)

[njdevilsfan87]

I went with 8800GT for a few reasons.

1 - Already had FC-ZV9 on 7900GT, and I found out it would fit on the 8800GT, that made me very happy.
2 - EVGA Warranty!
3 - Free ETQW (Ok I didn't really care but it was a nice bonus, which I'm actually trying to sell to bring down my cost to about $250).

 

[ManWithNoName]

Originally posted by: bryanW1995
how much do heat/noise bother you? If you have a very quiet system or want to exhaust the heat out of the case then you'll probably be happier with 3870. If you are only interested in perf then the 8800gt is the obvious choice as long as you don't mind the (potentially interminable) wait.

My CPU temps didn't climb at all and didn't effect my overclocking in the slightest. So as long as you have adequate air flow within your case it's not an issue. Also noise levels are reasonable as well even with the fan jascked up to 65%. Although, noise is a very subjective thing.

Personally, I'd spend a little bit extra and go for the GT and did. However the 3870 is shaping up to be a fine card and if you're interested in saving a few bucks there is nothing wrong with that choice either. It's not as fast as a GT, but it's close.

 

[AzN]

Originally posted by: taltamir
newegg started sucking about 6 monthes ago... when they started charging restocking fees (on any returns, not returns missing items... missing items result in your return being REJECTED rather then a fee), and now they are selling all the new video cards as NON REFUNDABLE... You bought the card and it doesn't fit in your case? well, sell it on ebay cause we aint taking it back.. not even with the 15% restocking fee.

Also newegg used to be 50-70% of the cost at frys... now most of their items are the EXACT same cost (down to the cents)... usually with free shipping, and you don't pay tax... a few items are a LITTLE cheaper....

Anyways, don't buy in newegg no more.

Newegg doesn't suck. They are still competitive although their prices aren't the best anymore. They still have quite bit of items that are still competitive. All internet companies charge restocking fee. Newegg still doesn't charge restocking fee if the item is broken. It's been like this the day they opened. It's just that people try to abuse that system.

If you have missing items than that is your fault for not sending or losing the items that came with the original purchase.

 

[cmdrdredd]

i'd take a close look at the resolutions you will be playing at. 1280x1024 for example the cards are generally pretty even in most respects. A few fps here or there is no big deal when both are giving super playable results. At 1920x1080 or similar you have a gap that starts to occur as the 8800gt generally moves ahead of the 3870 even more than before (percentage wise).

 

[bryanW1995]

Originally posted by: tuteja1986
where you getting 8800GT for $265... lowest i have seen currently for $299. Till Nvidia don't slove the supply issue , i don't see the price going $200.

if 8800gt goes down to 200 from a good brand like evga/xfx/etc then all of us will be crying soon enough...🙁

 

[bryanW1995]

Originally posted by: cmdrdredd
i'd take a close look at the resolutions you will be playing at. 1280x1024 for example the cards are generally pretty even in most respects. A few fps here or there is no big deal when both are giving super playable results. At 1920x1080 or similar you have a gap that starts to occur as the 8800gt generally moves ahead of the 3870 even more than before (percentage wise).

that's not what we're seeing here: http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3151&p=6

in fact, just the opposite. at 1280x1024 the 3870 is at 83% of the 8800gt, that gets progressively better until 2560x1600 when it goes to 87.6%. also, every game except oblivion and crysis is over 30fps at 2560x1600, so both cards are definitely playable at that resolution.

 

[Avalon]

I chose the 3780, because at the prices you listed, it's 85% the price of an 8800GT and 85% the performance, but it runs cooler. Since you already pre-ordered, though, I'd just say stick with your 8800GT order.

 

[taltamir]

Originally posted by: Azn

Originally posted by: taltamir
newegg started sucking about 6 monthes ago... when they started charging restocking fees (on any returns, not returns missing items... missing items result in your return being REJECTED rather then a fee), and now they are selling all the new video cards as NON REFUNDABLE... You bought the card and it doesn't fit in your case? well, sell it on ebay cause we aint taking it back.. not even with the 15% restocking fee.

Also newegg used to be 50-70% of the cost at frys... now most of their items are the EXACT same cost (down to the cents)... usually with free shipping, and you don't pay tax... a few items are a LITTLE cheaper....

Anyways, don't buy in newegg no more.

Newegg doesn't suck. They are still competitive although their prices aren't the best anymore. They still have quite bit of items that are still competitive. All internet companies charge restocking fee. Newegg still doesn't charge restocking fee if the item is broken. It's been like this the day they opened. It's just that people try to abuse that system.

If you have missing items than that is your fault for not sending or losing the items that came with the original purchase.

If your part breaks 2 weeks after you bought it you are likely not gonna have the manual and the box, are you now?

And newegg DOES charge restocking fee on defective items... I bought a pair of geil DDR2 800 modules from 6 monthes ago and one of the sticks was defective... Since I needed the computer right away I went to frys and bought a PQI DDR800 pair for 10$ more... and returned the geil defective modules to newegg clearly stating it is defective... I also wrote who one is defective (no permanent marking, a sticky note on the outside of the clear plastic box.)... they charged me a 15% restocking fee for returning a defective item...
I also returned an abit board for a refund because it was the third in a row I got defective (I RMAed it twice for replacement).

In contrast a year before that I sent back a part because "oops sorry. I accidently bought the wrong item" and not only did they not charge any restocking fee. They also sent me a free t-shirt as a thank you spending over 5,000$ in their store in one year (I build a new computer for me, one for each of my two brothers, my mom and my dad once a year, AND buy disposeables like ink, paper, and blank disks...)....
Obviously I am not spending that kind of money in their store anymore.

Frys on the other hand now charges the same price for most stuff found on newegg... gives you 100% of your money back no matter what, UNLESS you are missing parts of the item (wrappers and the like don't count, only useful parts), in which case you pay 15% missing parts fee...

 

[Capt Caveman]

Originally posted by: taltamir

Originally posted by: Azn

Originally posted by: taltamir
newegg started sucking about 6 monthes ago... when they started charging restocking fees (on any returns, not returns missing items... missing items result in your return being REJECTED rather then a fee), and now they are selling all the new video cards as NON REFUNDABLE... You bought the card and it doesn't fit in your case? well, sell it on ebay cause we aint taking it back.. not even with the 15% restocking fee.

Also newegg used to be 50-70% of the cost at frys... now most of their items are the EXACT same cost (down to the cents)... usually with free shipping, and you don't pay tax... a few items are a LITTLE cheaper....

Anyways, don't buy in newegg no more.

Newegg doesn't suck. They are still competitive although their prices aren't the best anymore. They still have quite bit of items that are still competitive. All internet companies charge restocking fee. Newegg still doesn't charge restocking fee if the item is broken. It's been like this the day they opened. It's just that people try to abuse that system.

If you have missing items than that is your fault for not sending or losing the items that came with the original purchase.

If your part breaks 2 weeks after you bought it you are likely not gonna have the manual and the box, are you now?

And newegg DOES charge restocking fee on defective items... I bought a pair of geil DDR2 800 modules from 6 monthes ago and one of the sticks was defective... Since I needed the computer right away I went to frys and bought a PQI DDR800 pair for 10$ more... and returned the geil defective modules to newegg clearly stating it is defective... I also wrote who one is defective (no permanent marking, a sticky note on the outside of the clear plastic box.)... they charged me a 15% restocking fee for returning a defective item...
I also returned an abit board for a refund because it was the third in a row I got defective (I RMAed it twice for replacement).

In contrast a year before that I sent back a part because "oops sorry. I accidently bought the wrong item" and not only did they not charge any restocking fee. They also sent me a free t-shirt as a thank you spending over 5,000$ in their store in one year (I build a new computer for me, one for each of my two brothers, my mom and my dad once a year, AND buy disposeables like ink, paper, and blank disks...)....
Obviously I am not spending that kind of money in their store anymore.

Frys on the other hand now charges the same price for most stuff found on newegg... gives you 100% of your money back no matter what, UNLESS you are missing parts of the item (wrappers and the like don't count, only useful parts), in which case you pay 15% missing parts fee...

What? You throw the box and manual after two weeks? You don't deserve to be able to return stuff for doing that. Any intelligent person would hold onto all of the original packaging materials in case of a return or for selling the part later down the road.

And of course, they're going to charge you a restocking fee for a returning a defective item for a refund. If you asked for a replacement, you wouldn't have been charged a restocking fee.

Sounds like b/c of people like you that like to abuse the privilege they changed their policies, hurting the rest of us.

 

[taltamir]

Abuse the privilage? They sent me a defective part... I don't want it anymore, I want a more reliable part from another company that is less likely to be defective. Any other store is ok with it.

How exactly is it abusing the system when returning for a REFUND instead of an EXCHANGE when they part clearly arrived defective? Now if I intentionally broke it thats a different matter, but that is impossible to do on a stick of ram without physical damage... (unless you are suggesting I ran static electricity through it?)

In fact B&M microcenter has a "no refunds unless part is broken" policy... I bought some ram two monthes ago in microcenter and it was defective, so they gave me a refund... while denying refund for someone else in line who was trying to return a non defective stick of ram.

PS. that defective ram I returned? it was part of a 900$ purchase, I bought a whole new computer and the ram was defective, so I got ram at frys and returned the defective ram for refund... and they charged a restocking fee for it.. 30$ on a 200$ ram.

 

[ManWithNoName]

Originally posted by: taltamir

If your part breaks 2 weeks after you bought it you are likely not gonna have the manual and the box, are you now?

If it's toaster, probably not. A Video Card, Memory, Motherboard, Processor, etc. anything I might want to RMA, the box gets saved and everything that went with it. It also helps if you ever plan on selling the item.