No NV40 yet=?

[Transistor]

You can get a 6800 Ultra right now. Go to Alienware. Purchase a system with a 6800 Ultra. Take the 6800 Ultra out and plut it in your PC. Buy a replacement video card for the Alienware PC. Sell the Alienware PC on Ebay. They also have the X800 XT as well.

It may end up costing you about $600 or so for the video card in the end, but at least you would have one.

My friend bought an Alienware last month and got his 6800 system on May 19th.

 

[visionen]

hehe wish I had the money to do that m8

 

[GeneralGrievous]

Its not like there are apple carts of X800s being flung to the starving masses either.

I agree. ATI should have ramped up X800 Pro production, it is selling like hotcakes. I guess they are waiting for enough memory chips to launch the X800 XT in mass.

 

[SickBeast]

Originally posted by: Edge3D
I'm mainly upgrading for resolution increase.

Do you realize how much money you're going to spend for an incremental increase in resolution? Probably in excess of $1000. You could buy an entire very serious computer for that amount of money. You already have a very nice rig. Honestly, either you're a little hardware-crazy these days, or you're just *saying* you're going to buy all of this stuff so that it will somehow give you more credibility when you reccomend the 6800U over the X800XT. Have you recently inherited a large sum of money? I'm a pretty avid gamer and my R9700PRO still serves me very well, especially in your beloved UT2004.

That's the other thing: you're buying uber-hardware for a CPU-limited game that has a graphics engine that is extremely outdated. It's primarily DX7 based. I've read about how CPU-limited that game is; it doesn't require the next-gen cards to run beyond any refresh rate on the highest resolution possible. Sorry, but it's true.

 

[stickybytes]

Approxiametly 10 months ago, which would be around september of 03, i first expressed interests in finally building my own computer. I had enough with these pre-built desktops that were loaded with nothing but junk componets so i decided i wanted to build my own computer. Besides, it would be a great learning experience. I was set out to build a pc with the newest stuff. One with a btx motherboard, ddr2 memory, and of course, one of those next gen video cards. All the rumors about the 6800 GT got me pumped and excited. I knew i was going to get one.

Fast foward 10 months and im still waiting here for the 6800. All you hear from tech sites , and the forums was that that all those new technologies would be released around april. Its 2 months past april now, and i've haven't seen any of these cards available yet. They haven't lost me as a customer. It is quality that im looking for and the 6800 sure looks like a true performer. But these delays are really pushing my patience.

 

[OfficerDoofey]

Originally posted by: stickybytes
But these delays are really pushing my patience.

amen to that

 

[SickBeast]

Maybe I should paper-launch a graphics card then never release it. I'll say I had "manufacturing problems". :roll:

 

[OfficerDoofey]

Originally posted by: SickBeast
Maybe I should paper-launch a graphics card then never release it. I'll say I had "manufacturing problems". :roll:

HAHA im sure u could get tonnes of investors too.. then just pocket the money...

 

[nitromullet]

Originally posted by: stickybytes
Approxiametly 10 months ago, which would be around september of 03, i first expressed interests in finally building my own computer. I had enough with these pre-built desktops that were loaded with nothing but junk componets so i decided i wanted to build my own computer. Besides, it would be a great learning experience. I was set out to build a pc with the newest stuff. One with a btx motherboard, ddr2 memory, and of course, one of those next gen video cards. All the rumors about the 6800 GT got me pumped and excited. I knew i was going to get one.

Fast foward 10 months and im still waiting here for the 6800. All you hear from tech sites , and the forums was that that all those new technologies would be released around april. Its 2 months past april now, and i've haven't seen any of these cards available yet. They haven't lost me as a customer. It is quality that im looking for and the 6800 sure looks like a true performer. But these delays are really pushing my patience.

You knew about the Geforce 6800 GT 10 months ago and didn't bother to share that news with the rest of us? I personally only found out about it sometime in late April or early May. Yes, the wait is getting a bit long, but it was stated in an interview with Tony Tamasi - nVidia's VP of tech marketing back in April that the 6800 Ultra would be available by May 31 (no mention of the GT, since it wasn't even publicized yet), which only makes it a few days late at this point.

http://techreport.com/etc/2004q2/tamasi/index.x?pg=1

NV40 was only actually launched in April 14, with an expected delivery in 45 days. As far as the rest of the parts you listed, BTX mobo, DDR2 RAM, and you'll probably want PCI-Express as well, not only will you still have to wait a bit, but they will be extremely expensive at first, and maybe a bit buggy. If you read Anandtech's preview of the socket 939 mobo's they didn't exaclty scream stability.

<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.anandtech.com/cpu/showdoc.html?i=2065&amp;p=4
">http://www.anandtech.com/cpu/showdoc.html?i=2065&amp;p=4</a>

Testing these processors was a very difficult task, as I had a large number of stability issues. Winstone was run so many times just to get through the benchmark. We covered all the bases we knew how to cover, using a PC Power &amp; Cooling Turbo Cool 510, a ThermalTake Venus 12 and 2 120mm case fans (on an open system) to make sure we had stable voltage supplies and adequate cooling. Nothing really seemed to make a difference until we noticed that the 3500+ and FX-55 benchmarks were "easier" to run. This seemed to indicate that the motherboard wasn't supplying enough voltage to the CPU...

There is never a golden time to upgrade/build... There is always something new around the corner. If you keep waiting for the final solution you will never build that system. You have to weigh it out if you will benefit more from waiting than you are missing out on the performance currently available. You said you wanted to learn some stuff through building your own rig, this is one of those things...

 

[Edge3D]

Originally posted by: SickBeast

Originally posted by: Edge3D
I'm mainly upgrading for resolution increase.

Do you realize how much money you're going to spend for an incremental increase in resolution? Probably in excess of $1000. You could buy an entire very serious computer for that amount of money. You already have a very nice rig. Honestly, either you're a little hardware-crazy these days, or you're just *saying* you're going to buy all of this stuff so that it will somehow give you more credibility when you reccomend the 6800U over the X800XT. Have you recently inherited a large sum of money? I'm a pretty avid gamer and my R9700PRO still serves me very well, especially in your beloved UT2004.

That's the other thing: you're buying uber-hardware for a CPU-limited game that has a graphics engine that is extremely outdated. It's primarily DX7 based. I've read about how CPU-limited that game is; it doesn't require the next-gen cards to run beyond any refresh rate on the highest resolution possible. Sorry, but it's true.

This is true what you say.

I dont consider myself hardware crazy.. I just dont have a great system right now.. but it works fine for what I do.

By the time all my parts are out, I'll be needing a better PC for Doom3/HL2 anyway. Achieving 20x15 in UT2K4 is just one thing I want to achieve with my new build.. because if I'm going to dump that kind of money... I want some kickass results damnit.

But no, I'm not bluffing. I didnt inherit anything.. I have huge college debt and never buy anything. My only vice is the PC and I havent bought anything for over a year at least.
I'm a big saver though so I DO have a nice savings. I can afford a $1,000 in parts for a new PC easily. Not bragging because I dont have **** for money.
But I do have the dough waiting. "rainy day money". Cuz most of my "milestone savings".. or, when I reach 10,000 in my savings I put those chunks towards college debt. I have only little real operating money.

Anyway enough about my finances.

Besides, I may recommend a 6800U over a XT.. but I would have no problem recommending a X800Pro with equal props to a GT.. esp since I believe the price will eventually be much lower. Thats just my opinion.. if I'm going to buy one of the "uber" cards (Ultra or XT).. I'm going with ALL the newest features AND speed... the Ultra of course.

But the X800Pro is an EXCELLENT card, and the one that I'd recommend due to its decent price and avid availability. When we see 6800s.. who knows if they will be priced where the X800Pro even currently is!

Dont get me wrong here either, I do believe the 6800 series is the best choice.. but considering all circumstances.. the X800Pro is NOT a bad choice.. and equal considering all factors. Availability being the biggest, of course. For those looking TODAY, its priced decently (i think) and its performance/features arent going to make anyone cry later when the 6800s ARE available.. IMO.

/phew!