Lack of options at $300?

[Kalessian]

I've been holding on to $300 for quite some time now... and I've noticed that the most I can get is a 7800GT or x1800xl. And the x1800xl isn't really much of an improvement over the 6 month old 7800gt.

What's up with the price-points?

The $200 segment has seen the 6800nu, x800gto2 and 6800gs come and go, and I'm probably missing a few even. $400 saw the 7800gtx turn into a x1800xt. Of course, $500+ sees a lot of excitement.

Am I wrong or is the $300 price point getting really stale? 7800gt performance isn't enough of an upgrade for me (not my 6600gt, talking about my agp x800xtpe), and it's been my only choice for a long, long time.

With the crazy price of video cards, I have a hard time believing the 7900gt will be even $400.

 

[Jman13]

Relax...your 6600GT is a good card, and if you need a boost, either spend $200 and get a very good performer in the 6800GS, spring for the big time with the 7800GTX or just sit on your 6600GT and wait a few months. Do you truly need the performance? (I got by on a 9600 Pro until 2 days ago, and I was fine until I played the FEAR demo, which made me upgrade. )

 

[Demoth]

Consider the X1900XT can sometimes be found for $490 so soon after release and with no direct competition.


http://newsite.pagecomputers.com/store/...me=32g32c302s1287&product%5Fid=1004230


Esentially, this is the top end card on the market since it is virtually identicle to the X1900XTX. At this same time in the life cycle of last generation, the 7800Gtx and X850XTPE were way up in the $700+ range.

Once the 7900 is out, ATI prices will drop faster and NVIDIA will need a comperable card to the X1900XT near it's price point. A $400 7900GT is pretty much a sure thing, a $300 7900GT within a year is possible. You can also expect the X1800XT to drop within the $350 range pretty soon as well.

 

[Kalessian]

Originally posted by: Jman13
Relax...your 6600GT is a good card, and if you need a boost, either spend $200 and get a very good performer in the 6800GS, spring for the big time with the 7800GTX or just sit on your 6600GT and wait a few months. Do you truly need the performance? (I got by on a 9600 Pro until 2 days ago, and I was fine until I played the FEAR demo, which made me upgrade. )

Nah, this isn't a help me decide what to buy thread. I will definately wait for a card that can play F.E.A.R. at max settings with 60+ fps.

I'll be waiting on the next $300 card. Maybe I'll increase to $400 if it takes even another year.

I was just pointing out the staleness of the $300 price point.

 

[crazydingo]

Another 6600GT owner, similar feelings.

I resisted 7800GT for a long time now, hopefully the new midrange cards will be great.

 

[Ichigo]

Originally posted by: crazydingo
Another 6600GT owner, similar feelings.

I resisted 7800GT for a long time now, hopefully the new midrange cards will be great.

Wow, 7800GT isn't enough? Unless you run games at ABOVE 1280x1024, a 7800GT will definetly be enough for any game currently out.

 

[crazydingo]

Well to be fair, my 6600GT is doing fine at 1280x1024. I only have to drop to 1024x768 in COD2 and FEAR.

 

[Conky]

I remember the good old days when $300 was the most any videocard company dared to ask for a new card.

Now instead of watching a $300 card turn into a nothing you can watch dual cards for over $1500 turn into nothing over time, lol.

Anybody wanna buy my Elsa GF2-Ultra that I paid $300 for? :laugh:

 

[Ichigo]

Originally posted by: crazydingo
Well to be fair, my 6600GT is doing fine at 1280x1024. I only have to drop to 1024x768 in COD2 and FEAR.

Well of course if you have no problems turning down settings, why even think of buying a new card at all?

 

[crazydingo]

Originally posted by: Ichigo

Originally posted by: crazydingo
Well to be fair, my 6600GT is doing fine at 1280x1024. I only have to drop to 1024x768 in COD2 and FEAR.

Well of course if you have no problems turning down settings, why even think of buying a new card at all?

The urge to upgrade. I dont see any compelling feature in the 7800GT that makes me shell down 300 bucks.

 

[nRollo]

Originally posted by: Kalessian
I've been holding on to $300 for quite some time now... and it seems that the most I can get is a 7800GT or x1800xl. And the x1800xl isn't really much of an improvement over the 6 month old gt.

Dude- either of of those cards are a HUGE update over the 6600GT!

7800GT a bit faster, X1800XL a few nicer features.

Buy! Buy! Buy! You'll love either.

 

[v8envy]

Originally posted by: Rollo

Buy! Buy! Buy! You'll love either.

No sales pressure there.

Anyhoo, a 6600GT is enough to survive. Heck, I'm still in business with a 6600 vanilla, which is half that card. You can make it till the end of the year.

The $300 pricepoint is becoming the new $200 pricepoint, should be lots of fun action there sooner rather than later.

Of course, I say that now, with no games which I care aobut out right now. Come Oblivion I may be singing a completely different tune.

 

[gsellis]

Originally posted by: Rollo

Originally posted by: Kalessian
I've been holding on to $300 for quite some time now... and it seems that the most I can get is a 7800GT or x1800xl. And the x1800xl isn't really much of an improvement over the 6 month old gt.

Dude- either of of those cards are a HUGE update over the 6600GT!

7800GT a bit faster, X1800XL a few nicer features.

Buy! Buy! Buy! You'll love either.

Agreed.

I do think that if you tell us what you plan to do the most with it, you might get a tighter group of recommendations.

 

[Hacp]

At 300 dollars, the 7800GT is the only card IMO. The XL lags in performance so much and costs more. The reason that there is a lack of options for that specific price segment is because it is still relativly high end.

 

[gsellis]

Originally posted by: Hacp
At 300 dollars, the 7800GT is the only card IMO. The XL lags in performance so much and costs more. The reason that there is a lack of options for that specific price segment is because it is still relativly high end.

BUT, if he said that "I plan on doing some video editing", I would say different... depending on the package, of course.

 

[Kalessian]

I didn't want recommendations. And I don't single-player game on my 6600GT. My main rig is linux mostly and WinXP Multiplayer gaming (graphics low for high FPS).

I single-player game on my x800xtpe. And the 7800gt won't help me at 1600x1200 4xAA/16xAF @60+ fps any more than my xtpe will.

I just wanted to discuss the $300 price point. What's it's future? Is it now gonna be mid-range card territory from now on? I think it deserves to be low-highend at least.

The 7800gt is getting anceint compared to the excitement the $500+ range is getting (7800gtx, x1800xt, 7800gtx 512, x1900xt(x), 7900gtx).

 

[Demoth]

Midrange right now is the 6800GS which is selling for $165. I would even consider that the low end of the high spectrum since most gamers use a 19" LCD and at the native res they can max out almost every game they currently play with a more then good frame rate. I'd put the 6600GT in the low mid range, though I think it is overpriced now considering what the 6800GS sells for.

The 7800GT is mid high end when you compare some of the $285 factory overclocked cards to a 7800 512 GTx or a X1900XT. The 7800GT is by no means far behind the very top end performance wise, and for most gamers, there will be nothing to gain going past a 7800GT.

This is all in line with every other previous generation, only there are super high end cards now for people with very high end 24"+ LCDs or people who specifically want to play FEAR maxxed on everything.

 

[Hacp]

Originally posted by: Kalessian
I didn't want recommendations. And I don't single-player game on my 6600GT. My main rig is linux mostly and WinXP Multiplayer gaming (graphics low for high FPS).

I single-player game on my x800xtpe. And the 7800gt won't help me at 1600x1200 4xAA/16xAF @60+ fps any more than my xtpe will.

I just wanted to discuss the $300 price point. What's it's future? Is it now gonna be mid-range card territory from now on? I think it deserves to be low-highend at least.

The 7800gt is getting anceint compared to the excitement the $500+ range is getting (7800gtx, x1800xt, 7800gtx 512, x1900xt(x), 7900gtx).

The reason why there are so few options for the 300 category IS because of the dominance of the 7800GT in that category. It was like the dominance of the 6600GT last year. It owned that category, and all other options were considered "overpriced" and didn't have the price/performance, so no one bought them.

There are options at the 300 pricerange. I think the x850 XT PE or the 6800ULTRA would be options, just not good ones. The reason why there is so much competition in the 200 price range is because alot of those cards were made from cores developed to compete at a higher level, hence they are highly overclockable, and perform well at their prices. They are rehased parts.

 

[BenSkywalker]

To be quite honest, the $300 range right now is the ultimate territory to be in. The 7800GT is such an enormous improvement over the x800/6800 series parts that were there previously it really is a shocking jump. Roughly 50% faster then the last gen versions. We don't normally see that kind of bump in the mid range. I'm not sure what you are talking about in terms of the 7800GT not obliterating what you have now, nor what you are expecting to see performance wise in that price range. With a fairly modest OC you will be very close to GTX levels of performance for considerably less money.

The 7800gt is getting anceint compared to the excitement the $500+ range is getting (7800gtx, x1800xt, 7800gtx 512, x1900xt(x), 7900gtx).

The 7800GT is getting old in its throne because of its absolute domination at its price point. Nothing else is viable in its price range when compared against it. I don't see what there is to lament here- nigh top tier performance for mid range price..... I guess I really don't understand what it is you have an issue with?

 

[xtknight]

I got my eVGA 7800GT for $289 and I love it. Best purchase I've ever made. Awesome 'midrange' card, if you can even call it midrange! $300 range getting stale?!? $300 is the absolute SWEET SPOT right now. I previously owned a 6800NU and the difference is unbelievably huge.

 

[Kalessian]

double-post

 

[Kalessian]

I'm sorry, I just don't agree.

I think it's gotten stale. Since the 7800GT came out, every other price-point saw a decent upgrade except for the $300.

I don't expect a powerful card for $300, as I said above I'm willing to wait another year to play FEAR. But I think my point remains, the $300 price point has gotten stale.

Anyhoo, dingo, v8envy and crazyfool understood the meaning of my post.

 

[xtknight]

I think midrange will move to $350 at lowest with the "7900GT".

 

[Zebo]

Originally posted by: Hacp
At 300 dollars, the 7800GT is the only card IMO. The XL lags in performance so much and costs more. The reason that there is a lack of options for that specific price segment is because it is still relativly high end.

I don't think so - if you can stand ati drivers - I'd get a 100300 sapphire GTO2 for $170, almost half price and make it perform like a GT.

Or this for $190!!!

The 7800GT offers poor bang for the buck with those kind of deals IMO. Realistically it should cost $250.

 

[Munky]

If you really want to buy now, there's nothing wrong with a 7800gt or a x1800xl for ~$300. The only reason to wait is that both Ati and Nv will be shortly releasing refresh products. There will likely be a x1900xl/pro and a 7900gt at $400 msrp, but in a month or two both should drop to $300 if it's a wide availability launch.

And things have been stale in that price segment because the 7800gt was basically unopposed for 4 months, and the x1800xl was too little too late. But the refresh war is only starting, so the competition will be heating up.