Refurbished Video Cards for using SLI

[imported_Warrior]

Anyone pair up their video cards with a refurbished model?

NewEgg had my Asus 6800GT available yesterday refurb OEM for only $265... the retail one is $369. I didn't grab one 'cause I was unsure about the quality - should be a nice way to get a good deal to jump into SLI, right? Or stay away from refurbished stuff?

I'm kinda wishin' I got one while they had it available...

 

[tuteja1986]

Nah , i would just a get a 7800GT : )

 

[imported_Warrior]

Originally posted by: tuteja1986
Nah , i would just a get a 7800GT : )

I already have one Asus 6800GT... I just bought it retail in July for at least $400 from NewEgg (now retailing at $369 thanks to that 7800 release)... I'm not going to toss it into the spare parts drawer quite yet...

If refurbished parts are worth their price tag - then I would have an Asus 6800GT SLI rig... which will bench better than a 7800GT at half the price...

 

[keeleysam]

Originally posted by: Warrior

Originally posted by: tuteja1986
Nah , i would just a get a 7800GT : )

I already have one Asus 6800GT... I just bought it retail in July for at least $400 from NewEgg (now retailing at $369 thanks to that 7800 release)... I'm not going to toss it into the spare parts drawer quite yet...

If refurbished parts are worth their price tag - then I would have an Asus 6800GT SLI rig... which will bench better than a 7800GT at half the price...

Although it MAY bench better, in the end the 7800GT will have higher performance.

Sell your 6800GT and pick up the 7800GT.

 

[deadseasquirrel]

Originally posted by: keeleysam
Although it MAY bench better, in the end the 7800GT will have higher performance.

Not exactly.

BF2 1600x1200 4xAA
6800U SLI.....67
7800GT.........55

Doom3 1600x1200 4xAA
6800U SLI.....75
7800GT.........47

HL2 1600x1200 4xAA
6800U SLI.....118
7800GT.........100

Quake 4 1600x1200 4xAA 8xAF
6800U SLI.....85
7800GT.........55

Yeah, I realize these are 6800U SLI benches and not 6800GT SLI benches, but it's all I could find real quick. And every single 6800GT clocks to 6800U settings with ease anyway, so it's somewhat comparable. You get my point though. Unless you're playing at 2048x1536, the 6800GT SLI will run very well against the 7800GT in most games at 16x12 4xAA/8xAF (quite a popular setting).

If you can find a 6800GT for REAL cheap, and don't mind the extra noise/heat/power, go for it. And I mean, *real* cheap. Like sub-$200. Otherwise, see if the prices of the 7800-series cards drop with the new cards coming out soon. Because the 7800-series cards do have a lot of really good features that the 6800-series do not.

 

[jiffylube1024]

For all the reasons listed (price/heat/benchies showing a 6800U, not a 6800GT - remember, you can overclock that 7800GT too), I'd recommend selling the 6800GT and buying a 7800GT. Especially since he's looking at another 6800GT for about $270+.