Keep an 8800GTS 640MB, or get a 9600GT

[SunnyD]

I'm trying to determine what I'd be better off with. I can't seem to find any head to head match ups with between the 8800GTS 640MB and 9600GT. I know the 9600GT is close enough to the 8800GT in most cases to ask whether it's worth dropping the extra $30 or so. But in my case, I'm trying to determine if a 9600GT is a worthy "replacement" for the 8800GTS and pocket the difference in cash.

Comments, suggestions, reviews?

 

[manimal]

On one of my systems I tested the difference between my overclocked evga GTS640 and a 9600gt and while the GT at stock tested within 1k of the overclock on my GTS once overclocked the GT increased its overall lead by a wide margin in 3dmark06. Ingame tested was a little closer but in shader heavy games the 9600 pulled away. Given the fact that I just sold my GTS640 for 170 should give you an idea on whether to dump the 640 as well. Sell that thing while you still can....

 

[AzN]

Why? You should just keep your GTS.

 

[error8]

Keep your GTS.

 

[SniperDaws]

Keep you GTS you wont notice any diffrence in games if you go with the 9600GT or the 8800GT, youll just get a slightly higher 3dmark score thats all so its not worth it mate.

 

[error8]

Originally posted by: SniperDaws
Keep you GTS you wont notice any diffrence in games if you go with the 9600GT or the 8800GT, youll just get a slightly higher 3dmark score thats all so its not worth it mate.

You're right.

 

[SunnyD]

Originally posted by: error8

Originally posted by: SniperDaws
Keep you GTS you wont notice any diffrence in games if you go with the 9600GT or the 8800GT, youll just get a slightly higher 3dmark score thats all so its not worth it mate.

You're right.

While that may be true - I could potentially "sideways-grade" to a 9600GT, get a cooler and possibly smaller card (they come in single-slot variety no?), and pocket the difference, while getting just about the same performance. Not only that, my opinion would be that should be "easier" to SLI 9600's (less power requirements, less heat than a G80 GTS). I'm not looking at SLI right now, and I'm pretty much happy with the performance of the GTS640, though I haven't installed Crysis yet...

I figure if I can find someone willing to buy my GTS for what I'd like to get for it, then it will be worth the change. If not, no change.

 

[sutahz]

sounds like you already have a plan. Its not a upgrade so much as something new. If you can sell the GTS640 for a good price do it and buy a new 9600GT. In doing that you also give yourself 3mo's to step up to something else which is great.
For me, when I 'traded' my GTS640 for a 8800GT, my GTS had no warranty so in 'side stepping' to the 8800GT I got a warranty and the opportunity to step-up to something else, however no new cards were released from Nov15-feb15, besides the GTS512.

 

[SunnyD]

Originally posted by: sutahz
sounds like you already have a plan. Its not a upgrade so much as something new. If you can sell the GTS640 for a good price do it and buy a new 9600GT. In doing that you also give yourself 3mo's to step up to something else which is great.
For me, when I 'traded' my GTS640 for a 8800GT, my GTS had no warranty so in 'side stepping' to the 8800GT I got a warranty and the opportunity to step-up to something else, however no new cards were released from Nov15-feb15, besides the GTS512.

The nice thing with my GTS is that it's an XFX - double-lifetime warranty. So even if it finds a new home, it's still under warranty. Plus I'm thinking of downsizing my main computer to something more HTPC sized. That's one of the concerns I have with the GTS - heat!

 

[chizow]

I can't comment specifically on the G94, but the G92 isn't much of an improvement in terms of heat and noise. It does use less power than the G80 GTS and it is single slot, but the trade-off for those higher core and shader clocks and the single slot was similar heat and *more* noise.

If you're already overclocking your G80 GTS to 600+ I'd stick with it over a G92/G94. There's really not enough difference to make it worthwhile unless power consumption or use as an HTPC is a major concern. I saw very little difference between a G92 GT and G80 GTS and GTX at 1920x1200 with games.

 

[SunnyD]

Originally posted by: chizow
I can't comment specifically on the G94, but the G92 isn't much of an improvement in terms of heat and noise. It does use less power than the G80 GTS and it is single slot, but the trade-off for those higher core and shader clocks and the single slot was similar heat and *more* noise.

If you're already overclocking your G80 GTS to 600+ I'd stick with it over a G92/G94. There's really not enough difference to make it worthwhile unless power consumption or use as an HTPC is a major concern. I saw very little difference between a G92 GT and G80 GTS and GTX at 1920x1200 with games.

Informed and useful. Thanks! I'm not overclocking, but the card is apparently somewhat OC'd out of the box (LinkBoosted maybe?). Keep in mind, performance isn't the main concern either - if I could actually make a profit on the change (depending on how much), that's what might make it worthwhile.