9800Pro $199 or 6800NP for $290

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J

JBT

Lifer
Nov 28, 2001
12,094
1
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IMO I Like the retail MSI 9800 Pro for $195 and a bunch of games.LINK It also has an XT core.

Either way if you check out review of the 6800 from evga on the home page I would go with the 6800 as it did perform pretty well and should be able to OC a decent amount too.
 
J

JBT

Lifer
Nov 28, 2001
12,094
1
81
Its the ones MSI calls 9800 Pro's with XT cores, or so I have read in reviews. Wither way they seem to be nice little cards that OC pretty well.
 
C

Cawchy87

Diamond Member
Mar 8, 2004
5,104
2
81
damn, i would go for the 9800pro for sure then
after a flash to xt bios and a little overclocking i don't think the extra proformance of a 6800 is worth the extra money.
 
B

bcoupland

Senior member
Jun 26, 2004
346
0
76
I agree that the 9800 pro is the best value and the diff. between it and the 6800 will only be noticed at resolutions of 1600x1200
w/6AA 16AF everything set to extremo-high quality eye candy wickedness.
Get the 9800 pro. It will run everything at 1280x1024 maxed out. Most people don't even notice the diff. from it to a higher res.
 
I

Illissius

Senior member
May 8, 2004
246
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The 6800 is right in between the 9800 Pro/XT and X800 Pro/6800GT in resolutions where the 128MB RAM doesn't hurt it (ie in any setting below 1600x1200 4xAA 8xAF). So it really depends on how much money you want to spend, I'd say value wise they're pretty much equal.
And people saying it sucks because you can overclock a 9800P seem to have forgotten that you can overclock the 6800 as well :/. I'm just guessing as I haven't actually seen results, but it should go up to around 400MHz pretty easily.
 
N

nRollo

Banned
Jan 11, 2002
10,460
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Originally posted by: bcoupland
I agree that the 9800 pro is the best value and the diff. between it and the 6800 will only be noticed at resolutions of 1600x1200
w/6AA 16AF everything set to extremo-high quality eye candy wickedness.
Get the 9800 pro. It will run everything at 1280x1024 maxed out. Most people don't even notice the diff. from it to a higher res.
Click to expand...


I disagree with this. Presumably you buy a card now in hopes it will play the games that come out in the next year.

<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://graphics.tomshardware.com/graphic/20040705/farcry-05.html#level_research">
http://graphics.tomshardware.com/graphic/20040705/farcry-05.html#level_research</a>[/L]

If Far Cry is any indication of games in the next year, the 9800 Pro is not the card you'll want. Even the 6800 is pretty much limited to 10X7 4X 4X on those benches. If we can assume the 9800Pro is 10% slower than the XT, you're talking 39fps average vs 57fps average at 10X7 4X4X.

I know which I'd rather have.

This thread seem kind of a moot point anyway as it says in his Hot Deals thread he already bought a 9800Pro 256? It seems like he's just looking for people to tell him he did the right thing, I don't think we can.

When You consider the $289 shipped 6800 comes with Far Cry that could probably be sold for $20-$30 if he has it, buying a 256 MB 9800Pro doesn't make any sense to me.

ATI really needs to get their X800 SE out the door if they're going to compete at the mid range. 9800Pros became low mid range when the 6800s started shipping.
 
V

VIAN

Diamond Member
Aug 22, 2003
6,575
1
0
I would get the 6800 because of the huge performance increase over 9800 Pro for such little price. Your CPU should be fine and in any case, if it is a bit CPU bound today, it won't be by the time you give it up.
 
Z

ZobarStyl

Senior member
Mar 3, 2004
657
0
0
This is the first 6800 we've seen under retail from a respectable seller to be had RIGHT NOW (not 2-3 weeks, it says add to cart), I would say it's not that great of a deal, yet. Wait another 2-3 weeks and the more 6800's that are in stock out there the less they can gouge, and the prices will drop below MSRP all over. However it coming with FarCry definitely ups the deal, unlike 90% of the games that come with hardware that one could actually be sold off. Overall, so-so. I'll wait till 6800's reach the standard 50-under-retail average that hardware usually drops to.
 
apoppin

apoppin

Lifer
Mar 9, 2000
34,890
1
0
alienbabeltech.com
Originally posted by: trexpesto
Would I be CPU bound with the 6800? :)
hot deal thread
Click to expand...


CPU bound? not really.


I got the 9800 "XT" for $223. My "reasoning" is that my 19" Samsung 955DF monitor basically limits me to 1152x864 @ 85hz. At these "limited" gaming resolutions, there is ZERO difference between the 9800Xt and the vanilla 6800 . . . even puching the AA/AF to MAX on current games (with a possible exception of Far Cry and DeuSex II - 1024x768 gets everything "Max" and "HI" and AA/AF).

Future games?

I call BS. There will be NO more demanding games (than Far Cry) for AT LEAST another year - it's THREE years till the next version of the Unreal Warfare Engine (III) - and the current DX9 cards will (still . .. barely) them.

Depends on 1) your budget and 2) your gaming resolution

;)

Don't be fooled by the castrated PNY 6800-128MB version . . . it is (even) slower than the regular (12 pipe limited) 6800.

IMO, the "hot" card is the 6800-GT (with ALL 16 of it's pipes enables).
 
T

trexpesto

Golden Member
Jun 3, 2004
1,237
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0
This thread seem kind of a moot point anyway as it says in his Hot Deals thread he already bought a 9800Pro 256? It seems like he's just looking for people to tell him he did the right thing, I don't think we can.
Click to expand...

Hey I can always sell it!

And hey the MSI looks great - quality name, but I hate that HSF - almost as much as the one in my board.
 
apoppin

apoppin

Lifer
Mar 9, 2000
34,890
1
0
alienbabeltech.com
N

nRollo

Banned
Jan 11, 2002
10,460
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Originally posted by: apoppin
Originally posted by: trexpesto
Would I be CPU bound with the 6800? :)
hot deal thread
Click to expand...


CPU bound? not really.


I got the 9800 "XT" for $223. My "reasoning" is that my 19" Samsung 955DF monitor basically limits me to 1152x864 @ 85hz. At these "limited" gaming resolutions, there is ZERO difference between the 9800Xt and the vanilla 6800 . . . even puching the AA/AF to MAX on current games (with a possible exception of Far Cry and DeuSex II - 1024x768 gets everything "Max" and "HI" and AA/AF).

Future games?

I call BS. There will be NO more demanding games (than Far Cry) for AT LEAST another year - it's THREE years till the next version of the Unreal Warfare Engine (III) - and the current DX9 cards will (still . .. barely) them.

Depends on 1) your budget and 2) your gaming resolution

;)

Don't be fooled by the castrated PNY 6800-128MB version . . . it is (even) slower than the regular (12 pipe limited) 6800.

IMO, the "hot" card is the 6800-GT (with ALL 16 of it's pipes enables).
Click to expand...

Hmmm Apoppin, your logic escapes me. You paid $223 for a 9800XT and you think that's a better deal than a card that is almost always faster, and comes with FarCry, for $289.?
 
apoppin

apoppin

Lifer
Mar 9, 2000
34,890
1
0
alienbabeltech.com
Originally posted by: Rollo
Originally posted by: apoppin
Originally posted by: trexpesto
Would I be CPU bound with the 6800? :)
hot deal thread
Click to expand...


CPU bound? not really.


I got the 9800 "XT" for $223. My "reasoning" is that my 19" Samsung 955DF monitor basically limits me to 1152x864 @ 85hz. At these "limited" gaming resolutions, there is ZERO difference between the 9800Xt and the vanilla 6800 . . . even puching the AA/AF to MAX on current games (with a possible exception of Far Cry and DeuSex II - 1024x768 gets everything "Max" and "HI" and AA/AF).

Future games?

I call BS. There will be NO more demanding games (than Far Cry) for AT LEAST another year - it's THREE years till the next version of the Unreal Warfare Engine (III) - and the current DX9 cards will (still . .. barely) them.

Depends on 1) your budget and 2) your gaming resolution

;)

Don't be fooled by the castrated PNY 6800-128MB version . . . it is (even) slower than the regular (12 pipe limited) 6800.

IMO, the "hot" card is the 6800-GT (with ALL 16 of it's pipes enables).
Click to expand...

Hmmm Apoppin, your logic escapes me. You paid $223 for a 9800XT and you think that's a better deal than a card that is almost always faster, and comes with FarCry, for $289.?
Click to expand...
letsee . . . 12% (max)performance gain is pretty useless for me . . . IF i was going to get a new core, the LOGICAL choice is the 6800-GT; the 6800 is just "weak". :p

What's the big deal with Far Cry?; those of us that want it, already have it. Big deal Fleabaying it for $10-15 ... :p
 
N

nRollo

Banned
Jan 11, 2002
10,460
0
0
Originally posted by: apoppin
I might be wrong . . . the 6800 comes in only one version? - 128MB? i thought there was also a 6800-256?!

ANYway, from VGA's own WEbSite (marketing BS):

In fact, the performance gains that you can enjoy from even the "Little Brother" of the GeForce 6 family, the GeForce 6800, are enormous: it runs at least a full 12% faster than the NVIDIA GeForce FX 5950 Ultra or the ATI 9800XT

"only" +12%

:p

:roll:

make me REALLY glad i got the 9800"XT" for $223.

:)
Click to expand...

Apoppin:
On that page I linked to in the above thread, there is a 20-30% difference in the 9800XT and the 6800NU at every setting except 10X7, no AA/AF, with the 9800XT losing every bench.

http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=2113&amp;p=9
What are the differences in those Halo scores? The 9800XT is losing by 25-32%

http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=2113&amp;p=10
9800Xt losing by 22-24% at Homeworld

Well, you get the idea. Your "12% difference" post is akin to the fox saying "those grapes were sour anyway". If you would have waited you could have got a card that is 20-30% faster, for $66 more. When you consider you could have sold the copy of Far Cry for $20-$30, you skipped next gen features, and much higher performance for the cost of 1 game.

Good deal there.
 
N

nRollo

Banned
Jan 11, 2002
10,460
0
0
letsee . . . 12% (max)performance gain is pretty useless for me . . . IF i was going to get a new core, the LOGICAL choice is the 6800-GT; the 6800 is just "weak".
Click to expand...
Instead of yammering about a 12% max gain when this site has just posted many benchamarks that show the 6800 20-30% faster, why don't you back up what you post like I did?

If the 6800 is beating your card by 20-30% in all those benches, what does that make your 9800XT "paraplegic"?
;)

letsee . . . 12% (max)performance gain is pretty useless for me
Click to expand...
BTW-reread your own quote. :roll: "at least 12%" doesn't mean "12% max" does it? It means "12% minimum".

I agree that for you the 9800s are a better buy, if you're stuck at 11X8, more power won't matter as much.
 
T

trexpesto

Golden Member
Jun 3, 2004
1,237
0
0
OK! 6800 is the better deal if you can oc with stock cooler and want FarCry. 40$ diff.
Great point about the monitor. Yeah I have a somewhat weakling monitor, so I'll keep my 9800P 256MB, maybe later get a VGA Silencer.
And that 290 price just sticks in my craw - I am like an old guy.
What NOBODY should EVER buy again is the 9800XTs for any more than the price of the 6800. VENDORS HEAR ME!!!
If they have stock and newegg keeps this price point on 6800, XT's will be 275 max, but there is still some padding for the Pro's to stay ~ 200.
Good night!
 
T

TimisoaraKill

Senior member
Dec 17, 2000
510
0
0
6800NU is a bad purchase , is not worthit 100$ over the 9800 pro , you either buy a pro or ad 60 $ and buy a GT ,...the GT is fully wothit 60 $ over but the 6800NU is just not worthit 100$ over the 9800pro .
If the 6800 was 50$ more then it would be worthit , but is just not the case .
The GT in the other side is a friggin 16 pipes card with 256 mb DDR II ,...is this worth 60$ extra ? ,...you bet it is .
 
N

nRollo

Banned
Jan 11, 2002
10,460
0
0
Originally posted by: TimisoaraKill
6800NU is a bad purchase , is not worthit 100$ over the 9800 pro , you either buy a pro or ad 60 $ and buy a GT ,...the GT is fully wothit 60 $ over but the 6800NU is just not worthit 100$ over the 9800pro .
If the 6800 was 50$ more then it would be worthit , but is just not the case .
The GT in the other side is a friggin 16 pipes card with 256 mb DDR II ,...is this worth 60$ extra ? ,...you bet it is .
Click to expand...

Your post makes no sense whatsoever.

The fact of the matter is each card is well worth what they're selling for now.
A 6800NU should be ~30% faster than a 9800Pro, costs $100 more than a 9800Pro.
A 6800GT is 30-40% faster than a 6800NU, costs $100 more than a 6800NU.

Funny how that works. Don't believe me? Check Derek's review on the front page of this site and look what card dominates the "bang for buck". Which one is it? The one you say is a "bad purchase" Anandtech says is the best deal of them all. :roll:
 
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