3/9 Well, my 850w OCZ arrived ... which is mindboggling fast from NewEgg via UPS cheapie
and evidently the spec has been *improved* i see a sticker covering the *18 amp* ... with now 4 x 20a on the 12 v rail ... that should give me 70a total, right?
anyway, it is a HELL of a lot *lighter* then i imagined possible ...
and really 'cheap' metal for the housing - which is 'fine', IF that's 'where' they saved money
Huge-ass fan
and the wire bundle is *massive* ... almost the same 'volume' as the PS itself
i'll work on it after dinner.
============================================
3-7 UPDATE
It doesn't look like anyone wants it [after *full disclosure* about Sapphire, i am NOT surprised] ... so i dropped the price to $210 with a game - shipped ... Sale ends after work ... today
ANYWAY - NewEgg offered full credit on my 7800GS OC - provided i spend $200 on a Power Supply ... so i will buy it tonight and withdraw my x1950p from FS/T ... love NewEgg
:thumbsup:
. . . . . FORGET zzf ... they are "fair" but ...
What bang-for-buck *NewEgg only* PS for ~$200 will run SLI'd 8800GTX and Core2 Duo
===============================
[3/5 update] i might get *stuck* with my x1950p ...
the RMA period for my 7800GS OC is coming to an end - this week ... i MUST make a decision as my x1950p is NOT selling in FS/T [even with a free game bundled with it ]
Sapphire AGP x1950p/512MB *Brand New* returned-from-RMA factory-sealed - $220 shipped
so ... if i don't sell it, i *will* buy a $200 PS [with the 'credit' i should have at NewEgg] and stick it back in my rig [after testing the x1950p - tomorrow - to make *sure* it is not DoA]
Are there any *comparisons* or *tests* you would like me to run on my 7800GS?
-Power Supply recommendations - for SLI 8800gtx ?
or - *suggestions* ?
========================================
VERY latest ... 02/13 PM ... well it came and i have been playing with it ... look at my latest post
as if anyone else cares
*surprising*
Here is that [condensed] post so you dont' have to look for it:
i got my 7800GS and have been playing the last few hours.
the card looks and feels *solid* --unlike that cheap and flashy Sapphire card...
the heat sink is heavy and fan is QUIET [unlike Sapphire's fan ... cheap cheap cheap]
installation was routine and the drivers installed without a hitch - latest Certified Drivers 93.71 ... love NOT having CCC ... and played around with the basic settings ... nice ... no Net 2.0 and more streamlined
3DMark05 was a hair under 6K ... totally stock and my CPU still running at only 3.01Ghz [instead of the usual 3.2 or 3.31Ghz] .... seems a little low ... but performance was *excellent* in games ...
i played Fable at identical setting to the x1950p and gameplay is as smooth as butter
FEAR's x-pack actually was more stable with nvidia drivers than ATi's with either the x850xt or x1950p ... it was *buggy* and would hang or hitch and sometimes crash ... so far ..... no prob with the GS
--but slightly lower settings for smoothness
Oblivion was on a par with my x850xt's performance -- with the exception that it would allow for *grass* [and HDR] and still be smooth ... the x1950p is definitely faster [but i am 'done' with Oblivion, anyway]
i haven't installed RivaTuner yet ... so don't know about the core or o/c'ing
and i can't see ANY *shimmering*
so far ... really nice video card ... kinda like a slightly beefier x850xt with SM3.0 and a better IQ ... probably very close to the x1950p's IQ [excellent] ... but i don't have it to compare anymore ... colors are vibrant too
both card's IQ are 'top notch' in my book ... and a big improvement over what i remember of nvidia cards.
so far for $160 after MIR ...
[i saw it yesterday *on sale* at Best Buy for $250 .... no rebate ... "marked down" from $379 ]
a *solid* :thumbsup:
and 'recommended' by apoppin
================
Latest ... bought a BFG Tech 7800GS AGP for $160 after MIR from NewEgg ... should arrive Wed ...
. . . will keep you [annoyingly] informed
==============
UPDATED:
Gonna buy a 7x00 series AGP ? whaddaya think?
No . . . really
:Q
as you may know my x1950p [edit] died and its gonna take some time for a replacement ? and my 8MB pci SIS card will not do.
I am slightly out of ZZf?s 30 day replacement policy ? I emailed them anyway and hoped they can?t count [Feb is 28 days ? but I am really at their mercy and do not expect any
even if there is a miracle ? its? still gonna be 2 weeks and I am an impatient gamer in the middle of a couple of really good games.
ANYWAY, that means I must go the dread Sapphire RMA route?.
Weeks?
So
I am gonna buy a 7900gs [or 7800] and ?play? with it ? compare everything ? I was totally willing to put up with my x850x --till I upgrade next year ? it isn?t that much of a difference ? really. Unfortunately, I was hooked by x1900 series? advertising and promises of a better sex life ?
IF I think the GS is ?garbage? ? I will return it and [gladly] pay the restocking fee or get credit for a 1000w PS ? as I will finally know more about nvidia ? it?s been ?awhile? since my last nvidia card ? an Asus GeForce256 SDR ? fugly IQ but fast compared to it?s weak ass competitor, Rage Fury32
IF I like it, I will keep it and will sell my x1950p when I get it back ? if I keep the x1950p, I will then want a new PS as mine is marginal ? although I am certain it was not the cause of the video card?s failure [1 DVD ReWriter/1HD/1 slightly o/c?d CPU ? tt 480w/18a]
Either way ? you guys will hear all about it ? each painful step?
from the RMA process with Sapphire to the possible Shimmering on nvidia cards and a comparison between Ati and nvidia?s current AGP mid-range products
Fair ?
Suggestions ?
Good nvidia card for cheap?
Going green as soon as I find one ? 2nd day AIR ?
:shocked
==============================
i hate wasting posts so i thought i'd *fix* my misfired post ... lots of views
[it was supposed to be posted in another forum ... so i simultaneously MissFired and CrossFired my Thread]
ANYWAY, my sapphire 512MB AGP x1950p had a single crash to desktop after several VPU recoveries ... then ARTIFACTING ...
at startup, in Windows . . . all the time ... pretty colours to be sure ... but hard to game
anyway, its not the AGP slot and Power is going to the card
WORST of all it is 31 days {counting Feb's 28 days} since i got it from ZZF ... so i am STUCK going thru Sapphire [i tried, anyway ... maybe they will misscount]
and filled out a Support ticked from Sapphire [to start the process]
How long does that? ... Weeks
i doubt its my PS
and evidently the spec has been *improved* i see a sticker covering the *18 amp* ... with now 4 x 20a on the 12 v rail ... that should give me 70a total, right?
anyway, it is a HELL of a lot *lighter* then i imagined possible ...
and really 'cheap' metal for the housing - which is 'fine', IF that's 'where' they saved money
Huge-ass fan
and the wire bundle is *massive* ... almost the same 'volume' as the PS itself
i'll work on it after dinner.
============================================
3-7 UPDATE
It doesn't look like anyone wants it [after *full disclosure* about Sapphire, i am NOT surprised] ... so i dropped the price to $210 with a game - shipped ... Sale ends after work ... today
ANYWAY - NewEgg offered full credit on my 7800GS OC - provided i spend $200 on a Power Supply ... so i will buy it tonight and withdraw my x1950p from FS/T ... love NewEgg
:thumbsup:
. . . . . FORGET zzf ... they are "fair" but ...
What bang-for-buck *NewEgg only* PS for ~$200 will run SLI'd 8800GTX and Core2 Duo
===============================
[3/5 update] i might get *stuck* with my x1950p ...
the RMA period for my 7800GS OC is coming to an end - this week ... i MUST make a decision as my x1950p is NOT selling in FS/T [even with a free game bundled with it ]
Sapphire AGP x1950p/512MB *Brand New* returned-from-RMA factory-sealed - $220 shipped
so ... if i don't sell it, i *will* buy a $200 PS [with the 'credit' i should have at NewEgg] and stick it back in my rig [after testing the x1950p - tomorrow - to make *sure* it is not DoA]
Are there any *comparisons* or *tests* you would like me to run on my 7800GS?
-Power Supply recommendations - for SLI 8800gtx ?
or - *suggestions* ?
========================================
VERY latest ... 02/13 PM ... well it came and i have been playing with it ... look at my latest post
as if anyone else cares
*surprising*
Here is that [condensed] post so you dont' have to look for it:
i got my 7800GS and have been playing the last few hours.
the card looks and feels *solid* --unlike that cheap and flashy Sapphire card...
the heat sink is heavy and fan is QUIET [unlike Sapphire's fan ... cheap cheap cheap]
installation was routine and the drivers installed without a hitch - latest Certified Drivers 93.71 ... love NOT having CCC ... and played around with the basic settings ... nice ... no Net 2.0 and more streamlined
3DMark05 was a hair under 6K ... totally stock and my CPU still running at only 3.01Ghz [instead of the usual 3.2 or 3.31Ghz] .... seems a little low ... but performance was *excellent* in games ...
i played Fable at identical setting to the x1950p and gameplay is as smooth as butter
FEAR's x-pack actually was more stable with nvidia drivers than ATi's with either the x850xt or x1950p ... it was *buggy* and would hang or hitch and sometimes crash ... so far ..... no prob with the GS
--but slightly lower settings for smoothness
Oblivion was on a par with my x850xt's performance -- with the exception that it would allow for *grass* [and HDR] and still be smooth ... the x1950p is definitely faster [but i am 'done' with Oblivion, anyway]
i haven't installed RivaTuner yet ... so don't know about the core or o/c'ing
and i can't see ANY *shimmering*
so far ... really nice video card ... kinda like a slightly beefier x850xt with SM3.0 and a better IQ ... probably very close to the x1950p's IQ [excellent] ... but i don't have it to compare anymore ... colors are vibrant too
both card's IQ are 'top notch' in my book ... and a big improvement over what i remember of nvidia cards.
so far for $160 after MIR ...
[i saw it yesterday *on sale* at Best Buy for $250 .... no rebate ... "marked down" from $379 ]
a *solid* :thumbsup:
and 'recommended' by apoppin
================
Latest ... bought a BFG Tech 7800GS AGP for $160 after MIR from NewEgg ... should arrive Wed ...
. . . will keep you [annoyingly] informed
==============
UPDATED:
Gonna buy a 7x00 series AGP ? whaddaya think?
No . . . really
:Q
as you may know my x1950p [edit] died and its gonna take some time for a replacement ? and my 8MB pci SIS card will not do.
I am slightly out of ZZf?s 30 day replacement policy ? I emailed them anyway and hoped they can?t count [Feb is 28 days ? but I am really at their mercy and do not expect any
even if there is a miracle ? its? still gonna be 2 weeks and I am an impatient gamer in the middle of a couple of really good games.
ANYWAY, that means I must go the dread Sapphire RMA route?.
Weeks?
So
I am gonna buy a 7900gs [or 7800] and ?play? with it ? compare everything ? I was totally willing to put up with my x850x --till I upgrade next year ? it isn?t that much of a difference ? really. Unfortunately, I was hooked by x1900 series? advertising and promises of a better sex life ?
IF I think the GS is ?garbage? ? I will return it and [gladly] pay the restocking fee or get credit for a 1000w PS ? as I will finally know more about nvidia ? it?s been ?awhile? since my last nvidia card ? an Asus GeForce256 SDR ? fugly IQ but fast compared to it?s weak ass competitor, Rage Fury32
IF I like it, I will keep it and will sell my x1950p when I get it back ? if I keep the x1950p, I will then want a new PS as mine is marginal ? although I am certain it was not the cause of the video card?s failure [1 DVD ReWriter/1HD/1 slightly o/c?d CPU ? tt 480w/18a]
Either way ? you guys will hear all about it ? each painful step?
from the RMA process with Sapphire to the possible Shimmering on nvidia cards and a comparison between Ati and nvidia?s current AGP mid-range products
Fair ?
Suggestions ?
Good nvidia card for cheap?
Going green as soon as I find one ? 2nd day AIR ?
:shocked
==============================
i hate wasting posts so i thought i'd *fix* my misfired post ... lots of views
[it was supposed to be posted in another forum ... so i simultaneously MissFired and CrossFired my Thread]
ANYWAY, my sapphire 512MB AGP x1950p had a single crash to desktop after several VPU recoveries ... then ARTIFACTING ...
at startup, in Windows . . . all the time ... pretty colours to be sure ... but hard to game
anyway, its not the AGP slot and Power is going to the card
WORST of all it is 31 days {counting Feb's 28 days} since i got it from ZZF ... so i am STUCK going thru Sapphire [i tried, anyway ... maybe they will misscount]
and filled out a Support ticked from Sapphire [to start the process]
How long does that? ... Weeks
i doubt its my PS