eVGA 6800 for $219 @ CC, Hot?

irenealan

Senior member
Mar 11, 2004
382
0
0
Just saw this card is on sale @ CC for the 5 hour special! $219 after $50 rebate, is it hot? Can it be unlocked to a 6800 GT? Thanks!
 

Reiniku

Senior member
Dec 6, 2004
787
0
0
at this point unlocking pipelines are VERY much a gamble, the cards have been in production for quite some time now.
 

masshass81

Senior member
Sep 4, 2004
627
0
0
Originally posted by: MJGunn
Whats better, a plain 6800, or a 6600gt?

About on par with each other at 1024 and 1280 w/ no AA & AF

But at higher resolutions with AA and AF are on, the 6800nu will trounce the 6600gt
 

MJGunn

Golden Member
Aug 28, 2001
1,983
0
0
Interesting, and then, if you can unlock the extra 4 pipes, you'll really be set. When does this sale end (the page just says its a 5 hour sale).
 

JETFIRE714

Member
Jan 28, 2005
27
0
0
here's my experience with an eVGA from Circuit City...

I bought it on Jan 22. from CC and had it Pricematched to Micro Center for $233.99 and there was still the $50 rebate... its funny how one of the cashiers tried to make me return it and adjust the pricematch but I had already signed for it and said... Good day sir.. got my Rebate already in 5 weeks... CC rebates are pretty quick.. paid $183.99 before taxes...

Anyways...

I was able to Unlock the 4 pipes and 1 vertex shader, I am also running a modest OC of 355/730 with no artifacts...

I used Rivatuner NY 15.3, one thing is, make sure you OC first, then open the pipes.. for some reason, when I open the pipes first, I cannot overclock...

Im currently running an AMD 2400+ 266FSB... would it be worth it for me to upgrade to an AMD 3200+ 400FSB... I have an MSI K7n2 delta capable of running those speeds also I have a gig of PC3200 ram... Would I even notice the performance boost.. perhaps in hl2 or cs:source?


 

masshass81

Senior member
Sep 4, 2004
627
0
0
Originally posted by: JETFIRE714
here's my experience with an eVGA from Circuit City...

I bought it on Jan 22. from CC and had it Pricematched to Micro Center for $233.99 and there was still the $50 rebate... its funny how one of the cashiers tried to make me return it and adjust the pricematch but I had already signed for it and said... Good day sir.. got my Rebate already in 5 weeks... CC rebates are pretty quick.. paid $183.99 before taxes...

Anyways...

I was able to Unlock the 4 pipes and 1 vertex shader, I am also running a modest OC of 355/730 with no artifacts...

I used Rivatuner NY 15.3, one thing is, make sure you OC first, then open the pipes.. for some reason, when I open the pipes first, I cannot overclock...

Im currently running an AMD 2400+ 266FSB... would it be worth it for me to upgrade to an AMD 3200+ 400FSB... I have an MSI K7n2 delta capable of running those speeds also I have a gig of PC3200 ram... Would I even notice the performance boost.. perhaps in hl2 or cs:source?

Deal looks even better if CC rebates are about 5 weeks.

Why don't you OC your cpu? T-Breds are great OCing chips and I'm sure you could easily hit 3200+ speeds. That said, IMO, it wouldn't be worth it to upgrade a socketA chip for gaming.

Better save a bit more and get an A64 combo for <$250 and you can use the same RAM. A 1.8Ghz A64 is faster than a 2.2Ghz AXP in gaming.
 

MJGunn

Golden Member
Aug 28, 2001
1,983
0
0
Originally posted by: JETFIRE714
here's my experience with an eVGA from Circuit City...

How loud is the fan on this thing? Trying to figure out if I'll have to figure in a quiet fan like a nv5 or soemthing into the price
 

Reiniku

Senior member
Dec 6, 2004
787
0
0
in terms ouf noise, i hear that the evga are one of the quietest stock nvidia 6xxx's around
 

JETFIRE714

Member
Jan 28, 2005
27
0
0
Overclocking CPUs is not my thing, Ive tried to but I guess Im just bad at it... I prefer leaving the CPU alone... OC the 6800 is way easier...

as for the noise, I don't think its too noisy, then again, I don't really care for fan noise, try it out first and then see... usually the noise is drowned out by my CPU fan (Aero 7+ lite) going at full blast when I play games...
 

TekDemon

Platinum Member
Mar 12, 2001
2,296
1
81
I unlocked my 6800NU (it's not an evga but a gainward 256MB version) and the pipes work in games and all, but when I play videos it artifacts if I try to move the window...somewhat annoying but I can live with it for the huge boost in performance =)

Then...I found out that World of Warcraft is pretty much CPU limited...DOH!
At least Doom3 looks real slick lol
 

Reiniku

Senior member
Dec 6, 2004
787
0
0
yeah the 6800's are great cards, the only reason to not get it over the 6600gt is the working vp on the 6600gt. for pure gamers however this is not an issue (just a note that im going for the 6600gt for that reason)
 

k1114

Golden Member
Nov 15, 2002
1,153
0
76
Man this is tempting, especially if I can pull off a pricematch... I'm sure I could get 190+ for my 6600GT AGP
 

JETFIRE714

Member
Jan 28, 2005
27
0
0
Originally posted by: k1114
Man this is tempting, especially if I can pull off a pricematch... I'm sure I could get 190+ for my 6600GT AGP



Good luck, I almost didn't get out of there... the other cashier said is there a rebate, I said I don't know, who helped you? I said I don't know? So when the rebate and rebate receipt printed out, I was like go ahead and keep it!! then he said what's going to stop you from going online and printing it out... I need you to return it to adjust the PM... from a $66PM to a $10 PM.. what was he thinking :)

I said Dude, I already signed my receipt... good day sir... slight YMMV?!?
 

finbarqs

Diamond Member
Feb 16, 2005
3,617
2
81
it's the 256 GDDR-3 version of the 6800? I know the gigabyte 6800 doesn't have something for the fan. So you cannot put a fan on there what so ever. I think the gigabyte version only has 128MB also...
 

Reiniku

Senior member
Dec 6, 2004
787
0
0
the gigabyte 6800nu is passively cooled, but you can replace the entire cooling itself if you want to. the only 6800nu's i can think of that are 256 gddr3 are those by asus that were marketed at 6800gt's. this only has 128mb as well.
 

xyyz

Diamond Member
Sep 3, 2000
4,331
0
0
Originally posted by: masshass81
Originally posted by: MJGunn
Whats better, a plain 6800, or a 6600gt?

About on par with each other at 1024 and 1280 w/ no AA & AF

But at higher resolutions with AA and AF are on, the 6800nu will trounce the 6600gt


just a recap... the 6800nu (plain 6800) > the 6800GT?

i'm confused.
 
Dec 27, 2001
11,272
1
0
Originally posted by: xyyz
Originally posted by: masshass81
Originally posted by: MJGunn
Whats better, a plain 6800, or a 6600gt?

About on par with each other at 1024 and 1280 w/ no AA & AF

But at higher resolutions with AA and AF are on, the 6800nu will trounce the 6600gt


just a recap... the 6800nu (plain 6800) > the 6800GT?

i'm confused.

No, that's the 6600GT that it's comparable to. The 6800 is a tad better at stock but, if overclocked, begins to show sigificantly better performance.
 

xyyz

Diamond Member
Sep 3, 2000
4,331
0
0
oh... i get it. but OC'ing it is a gamble. oc'ing these cards isn't a gurantee. it seems like it's pretty hit or miss right?
 
Dec 27, 2001
11,272
1
0
Originally posted by: xyyz
oh... i get it. but OC'ing it is a gamble. oc'ing these cards isn't a gurantee. it seems like it's pretty hit or miss right?

Overclocking is always hit and miss.
 

xyyz

Diamond Member
Sep 3, 2000
4,331
0
0
i don't mean it like that... there are certain components that are known for being very effectively overclockable. you know the kind where most will overclock well. i get the impression that these cards are slightly effective OC-able components.
 

WT

Diamond Member
Sep 21, 2000
4,816
60
91
I have this card running with an NF3 and a 3000+ AMD64. Rather than bother to OC it and open the pipes, I've chosen to leave it stock and there's not a game that I can't run well with AA/AF turned up. I mainly play Wolf: E.T. and HL2 and a sprinkle of Far Cry thrown in just to show off the card. If I had settled for the 6600GT, I would probably be tempted to OC it by now, so if you are woried about OC'ing, then buy the 6800.

The BFG and EVGA cards have been reported to be the easier brands to unlock pipelines, with higher success rates than other brands, but I much prefer a stable setup instead of an overheated box thats 1 degree from failing and lockups.
 

unclebud

Diamond Member
Jun 13, 2000
5,518
0
0
"but I much prefer a stable setup instead of an overheated box thats 1 degree from failing and lockups."
me three
"We received an overclocked 6800 Ultra Extreme from NVIDIA that never booted, as well as an NV41 that was DOA. These preproduction boards are not the kind of boards that we would actually buy and use in our home systems."