New Build Soon: XFX 7800GT or Wait for R580?

GTaudiophile

Lifer
Oct 24, 2000
29,767
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I am planning a build for the late January/early February time frame. I had been set on an XFX 7800GT. But now I am wondering if I should hold off for the mid-range R580. Will nVidia be updated its line at about the same time as well? If so, I am sure I could at least expect immediate availability from them.
 

tuteja1986

Diamond Member
Jun 1, 2005
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wait... ATI is replacing all of its high end product ! R520 dead by 2006 jan

X1900XL , X1900XT , X1900XT crossfire and X1900XT PE.
 

argoldst

Senior member
Jan 17, 2005
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I would say do not wait.

ATI has been REALLY bad when it comes to releasing things on time and even when they do release it, it has been in such low quantities that they gouge the customer.
 

John Reynolds

Member
Dec 6, 2005
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Originally posted by: argoldst
I would say do not wait.

ATI has been REALLY bad when it comes to releasing things on time and even when they do release it, it has been in such low quantities that they gouge the customer.

I think the X1xx launch completley belies that statement, but whatever.
 

dug777

Lifer
Oct 13, 2004
24,778
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Originally posted by: John Reynolds
Originally posted by: argoldst
I would say do not wait.

ATI has been REALLY bad when it comes to releasing things on time and even when they do release it, it has been in such low quantities that they gouge the customer.

I think the X1xx launch completley belies that statement, but whatever.

lololol the 512mb GTX would NEVER fall in that category would it now? IIRC you can buy it now, well below rrp, in your local best buy...
 

Steelski

Senior member
Feb 16, 2005
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Originally posted by: dug777
Originally posted by: John Reynolds
Originally posted by: argoldst
I would say do not wait.

ATI has been REALLY bad when it comes to releasing things on time and even when they do release it, it has been in such low quantities that they gouge the customer.

I think the X1xx launch completley belies that statement, but whatever.

lololol the 512mb GTX would NEVER fall in that category would it now? IIRC you can buy it now, well below rrp, in your local best buy...

Dont you go around telling porkies...
you know that card is not available anymore. how dare you make such comments. ;)

But on a serious note this chip is expected to be a killer. and the Nvidia part is to follow soon.
 

Wreckage

Banned
Jul 1, 2005
5,529
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Originally posted by: John Reynolds
Originally posted by: argoldst
I would say do not wait.

ATI has been REALLY bad when it comes to releasing things on time and even when they do release it, it has been in such low quantities that they gouge the customer.

I think the X1xx launch completley belies that statement, but whatever.

Depends on your version of a launch. There were reviews of the whole series long before any cards are available. So January may just be the "preview" and that's when they will give actual launch dates.

The high end R580 is not going to cost less than $300 like a GT so keep that in mind.

ZZF has an EVGA 7800GT with Quake4 $285 AR.
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=322739
 

ElFenix

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Mar 20, 2000
102,397
8,563
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Originally posted by: GTaudiophile
I am planning a build for the late January/early February time frame. I had been set on an XFX 7800GT. But now I am wondering if I should hold off for the mid-range R580. Will nVidia be updated its line at about the same time as well? If so, I am sure I could at least expect immediate availability from them.

you've already said that you won't be building until after the thing comes out anyway. at that point you can make a decision with actual knowledge in hand.
 
Jun 14, 2003
10,442
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you can never tell

ATI claims that R580 is less than a month away, and if i believed them and they had credible evidence to show that they stick to their word then id wait, but ATI have been very lackluster since the x800 series, paper launching left right and center, producing just enough of the high end cards to claim top dog etc etc.....ATI have been very unreliable with their products. the products them selves are actually great (well most) but they always fall down bringing them to market.

if you have faith in ATI to stick to their word then wait

for me, id take what ATI say with alot of salt, Atis current track record suggest that R580 will be just like any of their other launches. paper.


Originally posted by: Wreckage
Originally posted by: John Reynolds
Originally posted by: argoldst
I would say do not wait.

ATI has been REALLY bad when it comes to releasing things on time and even when they do release it, it has been in such low quantities that they gouge the customer.

I think the X1xx launch completley belies that statement, but whatever.

Depends on your version of a launch. There were reviews of the whole series long before any cards are available. So January may just be the "preview" and that's when they will give actual launch dates.

The high end R580 is not going to cost less than $300 like a GT so keep that in mind.

ZZF has an EVGA 7800GT with Quake4 $285 AR.
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=322739


i believe tech report even paper launched x1800 cross fire for ATi too. but that was a mix up.

customs at the canadian border were being fruity....the cross fire cards were ready for release and sale exactly when ATI siad they would (kudos to them) but customs had held up the shipment of the dongle cables needed for crossfire. so they postponed the launch a couple of days, guy at TR didnt get the email since he was away and they published the x1800 CF review before the cards were out.


now if ATI can do what they did above for the R580 that would be great. even if the supply isnt massive, releasing the cards to buy on launch day would be a step in the right direction
 

secretanchitman

Diamond Member
Apr 11, 2001
9,352
23
91
7800GT is your best bang for the buck. seriously, 7800GTX performance at 150 bucks less (if you OC, maybe not).

but i would wait until next month, as ati will either launch or paper launch their X1900s...
 

toyota

Lifer
Apr 15, 2001
12,957
1
0
Originally posted by: GTaudiophile
I am planning a build for the late January/early February time frame. I had been set on an XFX 7800GT. But now I am wondering if I should hold off for the mid-range R580. Will nVidia be updated its line at about the same time as well? If so, I am sure I could at least expect immediate availability from them.
when did the r580 become midrange???????? as of yesterday it was going to be the x1900 which will be their top card.
 

KeepItRed

Senior member
Jul 19, 2005
811
0
0
Originally posted by: tuteja1986
wait... ATI is replacing all of its high end product ! R520 dead by 2006 jan

X1900XL , X1900XT , X1900XT crossfire and X1900XT PE.

 

JBT

Lifer
Nov 28, 2001
12,094
1
81
I'd personally wait this one out. I ussually tell people to not wait as new stuff is always comming out but, a little over a month away for something that will more than likely drop the GT's price a bit and possibly have a product that you'd be really interested in.
 

hans030390

Diamond Member
Feb 3, 2005
7,326
2
76
If you're building in a couple months, i'd wait. if you want it right now, just get the 7800gt. it's a great card anyways.
 

John Reynolds

Member
Dec 6, 2005
119
0
0
Originally posted by: Wreckage
The high end R580 is not going to cost less than $300 like a GT so keep that in mind.

ZZF has an EVGA 7800GT with Quake4 $285 AR.
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=322739

So a new high-end board isn't going to cost less than a mid-range product that's been on the market for a half-year? What an insightful post to make, though I'm somewhat at a loss trying to find any kind of logic to support why or how it applies to this thread.

As for reviews "long" before the cards were available, I don't think that's very accurate. At the time of the NDA ATI was very clear on when to expect availability and actually came pretty close to it. People need to stop re-writing the history of product launches just because NVIDIA hard launched the 7800 series and was able to do so at their complete leisure and without any competitive pressure. This isn't meant as a slam against NVIDIA since it would be great if *every* product launch could go like the 7800's did, but it's an unrealistic expectation to have IMO.
 

golem

Senior member
Oct 6, 2000
838
3
76
Wasn't the x1xx close to 6 months late?

Originally posted by: John Reynolds
Originally posted by: argoldst
I would say do not wait.

ATI has been REALLY bad when it comes to releasing things on time and even when they do release it, it has been in such low quantities that they gouge the customer.

I think the X1xx launch completley belies that statement, but whatever.

 

ElFenix

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Mar 20, 2000
102,397
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the other consideration is that with the historical general downturn of the computer industry post xmas prices will be falling toward the end of january anyway.
 

John Reynolds

Member
Dec 6, 2005
119
0
0
Originally posted by: golem
Wasn't the x1xx close to 6 months late?

Privately or publicly? Did ATI announce availability for last summer or was that just a well-known secret?

Anyways, I was talking about the official launch of the last series/lineup. It was an improvement over the X8xx stuff, that's for sure.

 

golem

Senior member
Oct 6, 2000
838
3
76
Originally posted by: John Reynolds
Originally posted by: golem
Wasn't the x1xx close to 6 months late?

Privately or publicly? Did ATI announce availability for last summer or was that just a well-known secret?

Anyways, I was talking about the official launch of the last series/lineup. It was an improvement over the X8xx stuff, that's for sure.

If what they say about the x1900 series is true (availability in Jan. and a total replacement of the x1800 series) then saying the x1800 series was available when it was officially launched is about the best thing you can say about this (not the product itself but how it was launched).

Either is was six months late, and ATI is hiding this behind the use of an OFFICIAL launch date

or

Or they spent millions on R&D and millions more on multiple tapeouts for a product with a shelf life of 3 months.

Unless there are other factors involved, I don't see how this can be considered in any way a good launch (again not talking about the card itself which I like, but the handling of it's launch)
 

John Reynolds

Member
Dec 6, 2005
119
0
0
Originally posted by: golem
Unless there are other factors involved, I don't see how this can be considered in any way a good launch (again not talking about the card itself which I like, but the handling of it's launch)

Well, my comments were really only meant toward the NDA lift and subsequent parts availability. No doubt the lineup was late in terms of competing against the 7800s and, yeah, the X1800s sound like they're going to have a short run as ATI's flagship products. But it's either that or compress R580's lifespan or, even worse, bump R600's launch back.

 

golem

Senior member
Oct 6, 2000
838
3
76
Okay, sorry to bust your chops over it then. Just didn't think the x1800 launch was all that good. But most information on the x1900 launch seem good far.


Well, my comments were really only meant toward the NDA lift and subsequent parts availability. No doubt the lineup was late in terms of competing against the 7800s and, yeah, the X1800s sound like they're going to have a short run as ATI's flagship products. But it's either that or compress R580's lifespan or, even worse, bump R600's launch back.