Poll: ATI Radeon X850 XT PE or nVidia GeForce 7800 GS?

[Mik3y]

Though the Anandtech article concluded that the X850 XT PE card is generally faster, the 7800 GS does have SM 3.0 and has better features overall. Which would be the better investment considering I still have a 3700+ system w/ an AGP port that's not ready to be retired yet.

**PLS DONT MAKE STUPID VOTES BASED ON BIAS**

 

[Corporate Thug]

there is no poll here

anyway, how cheap can u get the x850 for?

 

[hooflung]

well I would say an ATI because I like ATI tech better... but my last 2 cards have been Nvidia since eVGA has made me a happy customer.

So 6800GS or 7800GS would be my bet.

 

[Mik3y]

Originally posted by: Corporate Thug
there is no poll here

anyway, how cheap can u get the x850 for?

Woops. It's fixed. Forgot to add the poll.

As for $$, don't worry about that. That wont be an issue. I want this vote based clearly on performance and features, not how much cheaper I can get one for. Since I have a friend who's friend works for EA, I get half off video cards. Woot. I'm more worried about SM 3.0 since I hear it will be really beneficial to have in the near future, especially when newer games and Vista will come out.

 

[Cooler]

X850 XT is cheaper! and it can be oced to PE speed NP.

 

[mwmorph]

price? if there is a differemce, x850, if same price, 7800gs.

 

[apoppin]

i actually got an x850xt . . . it was $200 in January and the 7800GS wasn't out.

if it were today and the prices were similar, i'd get the GS.

 

[Maximilian]

The X850XTPE is superior. Im going on a limb here but i think by the time SM3.0 is actually useful that 7800GS will be horribly obsolete and unable to utilise the feature.

 

[Cookie Monster]

In newegg, the cheapest X850XT PE is 385 USD.

The cheapest 7800GS is $299 while OCed GSs are $319.

Now the GS can be oced around 480~/1400~. It is S.M 3.0. Power usuage is about the same, but the GS is single slot, and produces less heat. Firstly, the GS offers you TRAA (hence you can use either TR MSAA, or TR SSAA). It also comes with pure video if you want high quality DVD playback etc. When the GS is oced, it beats the XT PE by about 5~10%, even more in OpenGL titles. HDR is also a nifty feature you get.

I would choose the GS, as the X850XT PE wont be able to play S.M 3.0 titles. These cards of now should be using 10x7 or 12x10 resolution.

Another option is option is to move to PCI-e. The cheapest GT is at $270, a EVGA model. im sure, getting a s939 mobo and the GT is far more better than getting either the GS or XT PE.

edit - the 7800GS can run S.M 3.0 games fine and another thing to note is that IQ will look better due to GS having P.S 3.0 unlike the XT PE shown in various games like AOE III. You have to remember that these cards perform very well at 10x7 or 12x10 resolutions. Higher resolutions are for the higher end cards like the X1800XT or the 7800GTX.

 

[JPB]

Originally posted by: Cookie Monster
In newegg, the cheapest X850XT PE is 385 USD.

The cheapest 7800GS is $299 while OCed GSs are $319.

Now the GS can be oced around 480~/1400~. It is S.M 3.0. Power usuage is about the same, but the GS is single slot, and produces less heat. Firstly, the GS offers you TRAA (hence you can use either TR MSAA, or TR SSAA). It also comes with pure video if you want high quality DVD playback etc. When the GS is oced, it beats the XT PE by about 5~10%, even more in OpenGL titles. HDR is also a nifty feature you get.

I would choose the GS, as the X850XT PE wont be able to play S.M 3.0 titles. These cards of now should be using 10x7 or 12x10 resolution.

Another option is option is to move to PCI-e. The cheapest GT is at $270, a EVGA model. im sure, getting a s939 mobo and the GT is far more better than getting either the GS or XT PE.

edit - the 7800GS can run S.M 3.0 games fine and another thing to note is that IQ will look better due to GS having P.S 3.0 unlike the XT PE shown in various games like AOE III. You have to remember that these cards perform very well at 10x7 or 12x10 resolutions. Higher resolutions are for the higher end cards like the X1800XT or the 7800GTX.

Yea, but the X850 XT is right at $200...overclock to PE speeds....that makes it that much better

 

[crazydingo]

Originally posted by: Cookie Monster
In newegg, the cheapest X850XT PE is 385 USD.

The cheapest 7800GS is $299 while OCed GSs are $319.

Wow, thats like not recommending a GTX because the 512MB GTX is horribly overpriced.

Hint: The X850 is available ~$200 (like suggested by others above) and is probably a better option.

If you dont mind shelling out $350 for 7800GS, I would recommend you to get the evga mobo + 7800GT deal. Far, far better choice also echoed by leading hardware websites.

 

[Cookie Monster]

People fail to realise that the X850 XT PE is around $400!!!! Go check price watch etc.

The $200 dollar deal after rebate ended quite some time ago.

The most expensive GS costs $323.69, while thre cheapest is 299.

 

[Avalon]

I'd get the GS if it were priced no more than $75 over the X850. I used to not care about SM3.0, but now that it has been out for a while, it's going to start becoming important, mainly if you plan to keep this card for at least a year. Also, the card should OC fairly well.

If you're like me, and you don't plan on keeping it for an extended period of time, I'd get the X850.

People fail to realise that the X850 XT PE is around $400!!!! Go check price watch etc.

You can get a boxed X800XT for $200 on eBay. Then just overclock the core 40mhz?

 

[crazydingo]

What is surprising is the fact that you ignore that X850XT can easily reach PE levels and you yourself are recommending him to oc:

Originally posted by: Cookie Monster
Now the GS can be oced around 480~/1400~.

Oops, thanks for correcting me Avalon.

 

[Mik3y]

Originally posted by: crazydingo

Originally posted by: Cookie Monster
In newegg, the cheapest X850XT PE is 385 USD.

The cheapest 7800GS is $299 while OCed GSs are $319.

Wow, thats like not recommending a GTX because the 512MB GTX is horribly overpriced.

Hint: The X850 is available ~$200 (like suggested by others above) and is probably a better option.

If you dont mind shelling out $350 for 7800GS, I would recommend you to get the evga mobo + 7800GT deal. Far, far better choice also echoed by leading hardware websites.

Like I said earlier, money isnt a problem. Also, upgrading the motherboard is also not an option considering that this is for an XPC. Also, I wont be doing much gaming since I will be upgrading the CPU for dual-core during the summer. This is primarily a video editing system. I just want a GPU good enough for CS, BF2, and maybe WoW if i ever get back into that.

 

[Cookie Monster]

Unless your looking for a X850XT which is selling for 247 at newegg. But like avalon said, if you plan to keep the card for sometime, go with the GS. If your not going to keep the card for awhile grab the XT or the XT PE.

 

[crazydingo]

Originally posted by: Mik3y
Like I said earlier, money isnt a problem. Also, upgrading the motherboard is also not an option considering that this is for an XPC. Also, I wont be doing much gaming since I will be upgrading the CPU for dual-core during the summer. This is primarily a video editing system. I just want a GPU good enough for CS, BF2, and maybe WoW if i ever get back into that.

XPC?

Why not go with passively cooled cards? A 6800GS should be able to handle those games.

 

[Avalon]

Originally posted by: crazydingo
What is surprising is the fact that you ignore that X850XT can easily reach PE levels and you yourself are recommending him to oc:

Originally posted by: Cookie Monster
Now the GS can be oced around 480~/1400~.

$199 X850 XT

That's PCI-express.

 

[Munky]

Sm3 will not be of much use on a 7800gs, since it's barely as fast as an x850xt pe, and sm3 is usually used to add extra eye candy in games using more complex shaders. If the card is not fast enough to run the game smoothly with all that eye candy cranked up, you'll only be watching an sm3 slideshow. I really cant recommend anything in this poll, because I'd usually just pick the cheapest one, but if money wasnt an issue then I'd switch over to pci-e and not pick any of these two.

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: munky
Sm3 will not be of much use on a 7800gs, since it's barely as fast as an x850xt pe, and sm3 is usually used to add extra eye candy in games using more complex shaders. If the card is not fast enough to run the game smoothly with all that eye candy cranked up, you'll only be watching an sm3 slideshow. I really cant recommend anything in this poll, because I'd usually just pick the cheapest one, but if money wasnt an issue then I'd switch over to pci-e and not pick any of these two.

Good call.

 

[JonnyBlaze]

do either of these cards come with dual dvi ports? the only ones i can find have vga / dvi.

 

[hclarkjr]

Like I said earlier, money isnt a problem. Also, upgrading the motherboard is also not an option considering that this is for an XPC. Also, I wont be doing much gaming since I will be upgrading the CPU for dual-core during the summer. This is primarily a video editing system. I just want a GPU good enough for CS, BF2, and maybe WoW if i ever get back into that.

well INHO if you are mainly using it for video editing and some games that SM3 is not a factor i would get the Radeon based on that it is an ATI card that will have better 2D performance than the Nvidia card. over the years i have owned cards from both manufactures and have found that ATI cards always have the better desktop quality and eye candy compared to nvidia cards. if you want brute force for games nvidia is the answer but if you want 2D and stuff like that go with the ATI card.

 

[Keysplayr]

Originally posted by: Mik3y

Originally posted by: Corporate Thug
there is no poll here

anyway, how cheap can u get the x850 for?

Woops. It's fixed. Forgot to add the poll.

As for $$, don't worry about that. That wont be an issue. I want this vote based clearly on performance and features, not how much cheaper I can get one for. Since I have a friend who's friend works for EA, I get half off video cards. Woot. I'm more worried about SM 3.0 since I hear it will be really beneficial to have in the near future, especially when newer games and Vista will come out.

Sounds like you really didn't need to start a thread and poll. You knew your own answer before you even hit the "New Thread" button.

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: keysplayr2003

Originally posted by: Mik3y

Originally posted by: Corporate Thug
there is no poll here

anyway, how cheap can u get the x850 for?

Woops. It's fixed. Forgot to add the poll.

As for $$, don't worry about that. That wont be an issue. I want this vote based clearly on performance and features, not how much cheaper I can get one for. Since I have a friend who's friend works for EA, I get half off video cards. Woot. I'm more worried about SM 3.0 since I hear it will be really beneficial to have in the near future, especially when newer games and Vista will come out.

Sounds like you really didn't need to start a thread and poll. You knew your own answer before you even hit the "New Thread" button.

it looks like he want's "reassurance"

SM3.0 is not that important yet[period] . . . and the 7800GS may be still too slow for future games SM3.0 implementation with hundreds of shader instructions . . . .

. . . in other words, you can turn on SM2.0+++ in 'Riddick' with a 7800GS but probably would chose not to do so. . . . same thng may happen with Unreal3 games and truly advanced shader instructions.

that said, i would still recommend the 7800GS over the x850xt for its better feature set and possible future SM3.0.

 

[secretanchitman]

i think the 6800GS is a much better option than the 7800GS. 7800GS is too crippled and the price increase isnt worth it IMO.

but if i had to pick, it would be the 7800GS, as the drivers are much more refined and i havent had troubles with installing them. ATi is still good nonetheless. if the micro center deal is still on for the x850pro/xt, i would get that.