Step up from 8800 Ultra to 9800 GX2?

[Throckmorton]

Originally posted by: Rubycon

Originally posted by: error8

It doesn't matter what screen resolution I use, or what settings, because the performance is the same. I don't know what you experience, but I have this severe stuttering all the time, even though fraps is showing between 30 to 60 fps. There is a thread on the NFS pro street forum about this situation, but there is no fix for it.

It was just slow at 1920x1200 with everything turned on so I started turning eye candy off to make it acceptable. I force V sync off for that reason as it tends to make things stutter. Perhaps that's what is happening on your system?

If you two have stuttering problems, try running Rivatuner, and monitor how much video RAM your game is using. If it's maxed out, that means it has to swap textures with system RAM, which causes stuttering. I'm going to do a lot of tests once I get my 1gb 8800GT because I'm interested in this texture swapping thing that most people ignore. You can still get high average framerates and therefore good benchmark scores, yet have stuttering, because the stutter doesn't last long.

Edit: Wait, I just realized I get that stuttering without a drop in framerate too. Hmmm....

 

[terencek]

Originally posted by: Jephph
Do you pay anything extra (besides shipping) for the step up (down?)?

I pay shipping, and since the Ultra costs more than the 9800GX2, then no, I pay nothing else. (and no, they don't give me the difference of the two cards.)

 

[ashishmishra]

Originally posted by: terencek

Originally posted by: Jephph
Do you pay anything extra (besides shipping) for the step up (down?)?

I pay shipping, and since the Ultra costs more than the 9800GX2, then no, I pay nothing else. (and no, they don't give me the difference of the two cards.)

If you pay nothing but shipping, then I think it is definitely worth it. I received my step up 9800GX2 yesterday. Difference from the 8800GTS 512MB running at 755 core 2000 memory is significant in some games I play. Will be doing some benchmarks over the weekend.

 

[panfist]

If you're paying nothing but shipping then I don't see any reason why not.

The only reason you might want to consider keeping the Ultra is that in some cases the minimum framerates are higher, because it's a single card and not SLI.

 

[JustaGeek]

If you can't double your FPS, it is not an upgrade IMO.

I doubled the FPS by going from 7950GT 512 to 8800GT 512 ~5 months ago.

The new one is gonna be probably in November 2008, or whenever the new generation GPU arrives.

 

[panfist]

Originally posted by: JustaGeek
I doubled the FPS by going from 7950GT 512 to 8800GT 512 ~5 months ago.

So you're saying that if someone offered you a GX2 for the cost of shipping...you would say..."ummm since I'm only going to get a 90% boost for almost free...no thanks?"

???????

 

[JustaGeek]

But he's got Ultra, you know...

It's still a better card than my 8800GT. And what the gain is going to be, if any...?

If I had an Ultra, I probably wouldn't "update". Cost of shipping plus the wait - they don't cross ship.

EDIT: And he still has to pay the difference between the MSRP of GX2 per EVGA website and the ACTUAL price he paid for the Ultra.

 

[terencek]

Originally posted by: JustaGeek
But he's got Ultra, you know...

It's still a better card than my 8800GT. And what the gain is going to be, if any...?

If I had an Ultra, I probably wouldn't "update". Cost of shipping plus the wait - they don't cross ship.

EDIT: And he still has to pay the difference between the MSRP of GX2 per EVGA website and the ACTUAL price he paid for the Ultra.

I did ACTUALLY pay $700 for it though. Dell then reimbursed me $250 after the fact, but after all I've read, I'll be keeping the Ultra, possibly buying another down the road. I still am not sure if my PSU will support SLI on Ultras. It's not on the SLI list for Ultra SLI certified PSUs - does that matter?

 

[bryanW1995]

I think that it's a mistake to keep the ultra. The 9800gx2 is a clearly superior card. Look at it this way, the 9800gx2 is the undisputed performance king right now. Some people have a few issues with it in certain situations, but it is a LOT faster than the ultra. The way I look at it, you could do the step-up and then sell the gx2 for MORE THAN the $450 that you originally paid for the ultra if you weren't happy with its performance. You could then use some of the proceeds to get a nice 8800gt/gts for ~ $200 and keep the extra in your pocket for gt200 or r700. not a bad deal in my book...

 

[panfist]

Originally posted by: terencek

I did ACTUALLY pay $700 for it though. Dell then reimbursed me $250 after the fact, but after all I've read, I'll be keeping the Ultra, possibly buying another down the road. I still am not sure if my PSU will support SLI on Ultras. It's not on the SLI list for Ultra SLI certified PSUs - does that matter?

Regarding your PSU I think the answer you will get is that it will work but you would be pushing it hard, and shortening its life expectancy.

 

[Blacklash]

According to EB a single GTS 512MB can run Need for Speed Pro Street fine @ 1920x with 4xAA|16xAF-

http://www.elitebastards.com/c...7&limit=1&limitstart=6

The HD 3870 X2 performs worse than a single HD 3870-

http://www.elitebastards.com/c...7&limit=1&limitstart=6

and once you turn on AA it really gets killed. 8800GTS 512Mb cards are over at Newegg for 199usd with rebate-

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814127325

I'd take that over an X2 any day of the week. 8800GT cards are as low as 175usd now. I don't care for cards that perform like what they cost in one title then turn around and preform slower than a card less than half their price in another.

I'd buy the 8800GTS 512Mb over the 9800GTX too.

 

[JustaGeek]

Originally posted by: terencek

Originally posted by: JustaGeek
But he's got Ultra, you know...

It's still a better card than my 8800GT. And what the gain is going to be, if any...?

If I had an Ultra, I probably wouldn't "update". Cost of shipping plus the wait - they don't cross ship.

EDIT: And he still has to pay the difference between the MSRP of GX2 per EVGA website and the ACTUAL price he paid for the Ultra.

I did ACTUALLY pay $700 for it though. Dell then reimbursed me $250 after the fact, but after all I've read, I'll be keeping the Ultra, possibly buying another down the road. I still am not sure if my PSU will support SLI on Ultras. It's not on the SLI list for Ultra SLI certified PSUs - does that matter?

If you are thinking about buying another Ultra for SLI, then getting GX2 instead makes probably more sense.

 

[bryanW1995]

Originally posted by: Blacklash
According to EB a single GTS 512MB can run Need for Speed Pro Street fine @ 1920x with 4xAA|16xAF-

http://www.elitebastards.com/c...7&limit=1&limitstart=6

The HD 3870 X2 performs worse than a single HD 3870-

http://www.elitebastards.com/c...7&limit=1&limitstart=6

and once you turn on AA it really gets killed. 8800GTS 512Mb cards are over at Newegg for 199usd with rebate-

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814127325

I'd take that over an X2 any day of the week. 8800GT cards are as low as 175usd now. I don't care for cards that perform like what they cost in one title then turn around and preform slower than a card less than half their price in another.

I'd buy the 8800GTS 512Mb over the 9800GTX too.

I don't think that anyone is advocating a 3870x2 over anything in this thread.

 

[CP5670]

Originally posted by: error8
It doesn't matter what screen resolution I use, or what settings, because the performance is the same. I don't know what you experience, but I have this severe stuttering all the time, even though fraps is showing between 30 to 60 fps. There is a thread on the NFS pro street forum about this situation, but there is no fix for it.

If this game's engine is based on the same one as in NFS: Most Wanted, I know what you're talking about. It's an engine issue and seems to be caused by a fixed rate physics engine, similar to what happens in Doom 3 based games.

 

[error8]

Originally posted by: CP5670

Originally posted by: error8
It doesn't matter what screen resolution I use, or what settings, because the performance is the same. I don't know what you experience, but I have this severe stuttering all the time, even though fraps is showing between 30 to 60 fps. There is a thread on the NFS pro street forum about this situation, but there is no fix for it.

If this game's engine is based on the same one as in NFS: Most Wanted, I know what you're talking about. It's an engine issue and seems to be caused by a fixed rate physics engine, similar to what happens in Doom 3 based games.

I don't know what to say anymore, I'm so sorry that I've spent my money on this stupid game that doesn't work properly.

 

[Dream Operator]

Originally posted by: CP5670

Originally posted by: error8
It doesn't matter what screen resolution I use, or what settings, because the performance is the same. I don't know what you experience, but I have this severe stuttering all the time, even though fraps is showing between 30 to 60 fps. There is a thread on the NFS pro street forum about this situation, but there is no fix for it.

If this game's engine is based on the same one as in NFS: Most Wanted, I know what you're talking about. It's an engine issue and seems to be caused by a fixed rate physics engine, similar to what happens in Doom 3 based games.

I have the same issues w/ NFS Carbon. Great frame rate, but it stutters. Game sucks anyway!!

I say keep the Ultra until the next gen comes out. Don't buy another one. Power hogs, SLI hassle. Screw that. Next gen will hopefully be worth upgrading. Are you having performance issues right now?

 

[terencek]

Originally posted by: Dream Operator

Originally posted by: CP5670

Originally posted by: error8
It doesn't matter what screen resolution I use, or what settings, because the performance is the same. I don't know what you experience, but I have this severe stuttering all the time, even though fraps is showing between 30 to 60 fps. There is a thread on the NFS pro street forum about this situation, but there is no fix for it.

If this game's engine is based on the same one as in NFS: Most Wanted, I know what you're talking about. It's an engine issue and seems to be caused by a fixed rate physics engine, similar to what happens in Doom 3 based games.

I have the same issues w/ NFS Carbon. Great frame rate, but it stutters. Game sucks anyway!!

I say keep the Ultra until the next gen comes out. Don't buy another one. Power hogs, SLI hassle. Screw that. Next gen will hopefully be worth upgrading. Are you having performance issues right now?

No performance issues. I just HAVE the Step Up that I can utilize and want to know if it's worth utilizing it, or would it be better to keep what I got. As someone already told me, whether I keep the Ultra or get the 9800GX2, I'd still have a kicka!! card.

If it's worth the deal, I'd like to take advantage of it, that's all.

 

[thilanliyan]

I would rather keep an Ultra over a 9800GX2...might be a collector item one day.

If you don't have an ultra high res monitor like a 30" then I don't think you should do it.

EDIT: On second thought, the bandwidth of the GX2 might actually bottleneck you at ultra high res so my 2nd opinion is to keep the Ultra no matter what.

 

[bryanW1995]

I think that the gx2 clobbers the ultra in almost every benchmark, doesn't it? I still think that he should do the stepup then sell 9800gx2 and buy a highly overclockable 8800gt for $170AR. :evil:

 

[apoppin]

Curious .. if you buy a very similar 8800GTX and over-clock it to Ultra speeds - or even under-clock your Ultra very slightly to match your new card if it is not as capable - won't it work together in SLi with your Ultra?
--with the very latest drivers?
--The 8800 GTX can be found for pretty cheap and i think the core and ram are the same - just a bit slower, right?

--It would be similar to what i did with my 2900xt and O/C'd 2900pro - if my 2900Pro was 512Bit i could have also done it with the old Cat drivers. And i now get better than Ultra performance.