Keep 6800nu or swap with x800xl?

[AthlonPowers]

I've just upgraded my Athlon XP-M system to X2 3800+ on Neo2 plat and have the choice of two cards - 1 I will keep and 1 I need to sell. They are (both AGP):

- Geforce 6800nu 128MB, runs with all pipes/shaders unlocked at 375/800 (noisy fan in Linux)
- ATI x800xl 256MB, some room in memory speed but not in core (quieter)

I've tried both cards with both cards with the XP-M and only the ATI with the X2 and Aquamark and 3dmark05 give me comparable results, but a few frames into a new scene the ATI stutters momentarily before moving on. I just did a reinstall of Windows to get rid of all the Nforce2/XP-M installation, same effect with the x800xl, same numbers.

I'm not a heavy gamer, the machine is mostly a Linux workstation but I like to reboot for some Flight Sim
I will probably upgrade the lot again give or take a year, and right now I guess I'd get a better price for the x800xl, but if money was no object, which should I keep?

 

[Hacp]

Money is an object. Dish the XL and keep the NU.

 

[AthlonPowers]

Yeah, but I already bought them both... so which is nicest to keep?

 

[BillyBobJoel71]

you will see a little difference, but not enough to justify getting that over the 6800nu.

 

[blckgrffn]

Heck yes he will at high resolutions. Don't be a fool, and keep the XL You should be able to get at least $160 out of the 6800 on the FS/FT forums. I put an unlocked 6800 @ 400/725 in my GF's box and my XL was just nice and faster

If money is no object, keep the XL. The 256 meg of high bandwidth memory is enough for me to say go that way alone! If the 6800 had it, I might be singing a different tune, because then you would have a GT

Nat

 

[Staz]

I am in a similar situation. Just upgraded from an XP 3200+ to a A64 3500+ and currently have a BFG 6800OC(6800nu), but was thinking about an X800XL. From what I have read, the X800XL is slighty faster than the 6800nu in games, but decently faster at higher resolutions with all the eye candy turned on. However, when SM3 becomes common place, the 6800nu will catch up and might even bypass it.

I can't tell you which card to keep, that choice is yours. However, if you do decide to sell your X800XL, I would be interested since I prefer ATI in general and usually run my games at max res and eye candy, and that is where the X800XL card pulls ahead. Would even be willing to do a swap if you were interested as you might be able to sell the 6800nu for more money, especailly if you can unlock it. Have not unlocked my card, nor have I even tried.

 

[hans030390]

Yes, be a fool and keep the x800xl! it has no Shader model 3!!! sweet! just give your 6800nu to some lucky guy that will appreciate having SM3 especially for next gen!

6800gt (basically what you have now) is around the same as x800xl, but with SM3.

you'd think it'd be an easy choice on what to keep, considering you have both already.

 

[AthlonPowers]

You're right, hans, you'd think it'd be easy to choose between them..... I'm swaying towards the x800 because of the memory throughput, I'd thought the same thing as blckgrffn. The other factor for keeping the x800 is that the fan stops making noise a few seconds after power up, with the 6800 it has to wait until Windows loads the nvidia driver but that doesn't happen when I want to do some real work in Linux. Only... it seems such a shame! The 6800 cost (relatively) so much money not very long ago and makes the x800xl look like a bargain

So far, I can't tell the difference between the two of them, only a couple of hundred points between them in Aquamark and stuff. My screen doesn't like much over 1280x1024, but I'm thinking about one of those nice widescreen displays.... maybe I'll notice the difference then.

Thanks all for your thoughts, mostly confirms that my own thinking was sane (although buying both within 12 months wasn't )

 

[Keysplayr]

Originally posted by: AthlonPowers
You're right, hans, you'd think it'd be easy to choose between them..... I'm swaying towards the x800 because of the memory throughput, I'd thought the same thing as blckgrffn. The other factor for keeping the x800 is that the fan stops making noise a few seconds after power up, with the 6800 it has to wait until Windows loads the nvidia driver but that doesn't happen when I want to do some real work in Linux. Only... it seems such a shame! The 6800 cost (relatively) so much money not very long ago and makes the x800xl look like a bargain

So far, I can't tell the difference between the two of them, only a couple of hundred points between them in Aquamark and stuff. My screen doesn't like much over 1280x1024, but I'm thinking about one of those nice widescreen displays.... maybe I'll notice the difference then.

Thanks all for your thoughts, mostly confirms that my own thinking was sane (although buying both within 12 months wasn't )

First you mentioned you used Linux primarily. Nvidia
Second, you mentioned the X800XL stutters even after a reinstall of your OS. Nvidia
Third, you managed to unlock the 6800nu successfully. Only a few hundred points difference in benches you said. Toss up.

If you mainly used Windows, I would say to keep the X800XL.
If you mainly used Linux, I would say to keep the 6800nu.