Asus X800XL vs. XFX 6800GT

[userofcomputer]

Hi all. I'm choosing between these two graphic cards, consider price/performance and please help me do the right choice.

Asus X800XL
Pros: I've heard a lot of good stuff about Asus.
Cons:

XFX 6800GT
Pros: SM 3.0
Cons: Is XFX to be trusted?, +64 USD (Swedish prices)

What do you say?

 

[Sentry2]

Either would be a good card but I'd probably get the X800XL. That's a decent price difference.

 

[mOeeOm]

No! You don't want the Asus, its underclocked by 10mhz, but everything about it is nice, blue LED, stays cool, it idles at 50C and the max it went up to is 54C. At this point I would get the 6800GT, simply because its a better overclocker and has SM 3.0 and runs OpenGL well too. I got into Quake 4 and now I wish I had a 6800GT.

But ya, didn't hear good things about the XFX, if you can try to get an EVGA.

Overall X800XL is great, it beats the 6800GT in most games especially when AA/AF is turned on, but it is not a great overclocker, sm 2.0 and doesn't handle OpenGL games very well.

Oh, the underclocked by 10mhz is what I've read by review sites, but look at ATI Tool, it comes up as normal speeds, meh.

 

[userofcomputer]

But how about this article?

They claim the X800XL is better, but by looking at the diagrams i would say the 6800GT is better except when AA and AF is turned on. At 1024x768 without AA/AF X800XL is almost outclassed by the 6800GT.

How should I interpret it?

 

[mOeeOm]

Originally posted by: userofcomputer
But how about this article?

They claim the X800XL is better, but by looking at the diagrams i would say the 6800GT is better except when AA and AF is turned on. At 1024x768 without AA/AF X800XL is almost outclassed by the 6800GT.

How should I interpret it?

Its true in most games, but once AA/AF is turned on and at higher resolutions the X800XL comes up on top.

 

[secretanchitman]

6800GT IMO. better driver interface (my opinion), and higher overclocks.

but still, they both are really good cards.

 

[userofcomputer]

But the big question is, does the 6800GT warrant the +64 USD price difference. For comparison, the rig I'm building is going to cost about 850
USD, that is not including graphics.

 

[mOeeOm]

Originally posted by: userofcomputer
But the big question is, does the 6800GT warrant the +64 USD price difference. For comparison, the rig I'm building is going to cost about 850
USD, that is not including graphics.

Yes, it does, you should get the 6800GT, simply for the overclocking and the sm 3.0

 

[userofcomputer]

Another aspect, I don't upgrade too often, my current card is a GeForce 2 MX 400, so I need a card that'll last for awhile.
6800GT is more future-proof, right?

BTW, I've found an Asus 6800GT for only +37 USD.

 

[fierydemise]

future proof is a meaningless term nothing is future proof, buy for the present, I'd say get the X800XL because SM3 and overclocking ability (which isn't guaranteed) isn't worth $64

 

[userofcomputer]

Future PROOF may be meaningless, but fact is, some cards last longer than others.
For example my current GeForce 2 MX 400 still let me play Rome: Total War and stuff and I got that card 5 and 1/2 years ago!

 

[mOeeOm]

Originally posted by: userofcomputer
Future PROOF may be meaningless, but fact is, some cards last longer than others.
For example my current GeForce 2 MX 400 still let me play Rome: Total War and stuff and I got that card 5 and 1/2 years ago!

The 6800GT WILL last longer before dying out imo, and for +$37 you would be crazy not to go for it.

 

[orangat]

Originally posted by: mOeeOm

Originally posted by: userofcomputer
But the big question is, does the 6800GT warrant the +64 USD price difference. For comparison, the rig I'm building is going to cost about 850
USD, that is not including graphics.

Yes, it does, you should get the 6800GT, simply for the overclocking and the sm 3.0

sm3 is something ahead of its time with the 6800gt. By the time, sm2 is obsolete the x800xl would've outlived it usefulness long before.

Look at games like FEAR, it just pwns anything below the x1800/7800 sm3 capable or not.

 

[Keysplayr]

Woah woah woah!!!! Since when is a X800XL faster than a 6800GT in most games?

 

[dfloyd]

I got the X800XL and like it alot. After seeing the shadow issue going on with all Nvidia cards, including the 7800s it would not even be a choice for me. Considering the current state of Nvidias drivers i would definatly go with the X800XL.

Heres the post discussing the shadow issue.

http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...atid=31&threadid=1699680&enterthread=y

Edit: As far as which is faster its always been six of one or half a dozen of another. The difference for the most part is so close you can hardly notice it (So even when one or the other wins for the most part its a non issue). As far as OpenGL games go my card is running Quake IV at 1280 x 1024 at all HQ settings and runs perfectly, no slowdowns at all. (Way smoother than Doom III ran, seems they tweaked the engine a bit since it was released). Honestly my card runs everything on the market very well, including Fear and Quake IV and I am very happy with it.