Thinking of EVGA StepUp program..anyone done it?

Chunkee

Lifer
Jul 28, 2002
10,391
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81
i have an oc'd opty 165 at 2.7... with 1gb memory running xp pro with raptor.

I notice when i play quake 4 there is lag, and it drives me crazy. i can upgrade to the gts for 188 bux...

is it worth it? will i see a performance increase?

jC
 

agathodaimon

Senior member
Jul 11, 2005
488
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What rez & quality are you running Quake 4 at?
I think a 7950 GT should be able to handle it fine if my x1900gt can at 1680x1050....

That's on high, not ultra...
 

Chunkee

Lifer
Jul 28, 2002
10,391
1
81
i let the software handle...i think it is set at 1680 also, maybe lower...

it is just very laggy...
 

Woofmeister

Golden Member
Jul 18, 2004
1,385
1
76
Your step-up is going to expire ninety days from purchase, so step-ups are "use it or lose it." Given that fact, I don't see why everyone doesn't step up. Getting credit for the full purchase price of your old card against a new card is an unbeatable deal and even if your 7950 currently runs all your games, eventually games will be unplayable on the 7950 at your chosen settings. All graphics cards eventually suffer the same fate, but getting an 8800 is going to push that day out much further.

Add in the fact that the 8800s are DX10 capable while the 7950 is not and apart from the fact that you will be without your card for a week or so, there's really no downside to stepping up.
 

Matt2

Diamond Member
Jul 28, 2001
4,762
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Originally posted by: Chunkee
i have an oc'd opty 165 at 2.7... with 1gb memory running xp pro with raptor.

I notice when i play quake 4 there is lag, and it drives me crazy. i can upgrade to the gts for 188 bux...

is it worth it? will i see a performance increase?

jC

1. Yes! Step-Up!!! 8800GTS 640mb will make a big difference, plus for only $188, it's an unbeatable deal like Woofmeister said.

2. Quake 4 is lagging because you only have 1GB of RAM. I strongly suggest you get another 1GB and you'll notice huge improvements. Anything that you currently play that stutters or lags even thought the FPS is high enough will benefit from an extra gig of RAM.
 

Raider1284

Senior member
Aug 17, 2006
809
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the problem with step up is you have to pay the MSRP for the card even though you paid no where near MSRP for the card you are trading it in for. Granted it is still a really nice gesture from EVGA, but its brutal having to buy a 8800gtx from EVGA at 650 when you see them around ~550 everywhere else. So unless your card's value has dropped below the price difference between MSRP and current stores, the Step-Up program is not worth it.
 

manimal

Lifer
Mar 30, 2007
13,559
8
0
Well I am in the process of doing stepup and it has its points. I got a 7900gs that I have been pushing kinda hard for the last 3 months with the intention of trading up near the end window. Sad thing is Love this gs and it ocs better than most articles have it listed for. Now the process of step up is a serious pain in the keister.

What they tell you takes a week to process took almost 3 weeks for a card that was supposed to be in stock. Secondly they finally took my payment and request and it took another 4 days for them to approve transaction. So from day 1 of the online request to stepup I am at week 3-again for a card that was supposed to be in stock- and they have my money and wont aprrove the damn transaction even though my credit card has been billed for almost a week.

All in all its a great marketing ploy like rebates, how many people forget to circle the damn rebate or forget to do some arbitrary step that voids their rebate or screws up their step up. Check the EVGA forums and you will see what kind of problems they have with this program.

M
 

TanisHalfElven

Diamond Member
Jun 29, 2001
3,512
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Originally posted by: Raider1284
the problem with step up is you have to pay the MSRP for the card even though you paid no where near MSRP for the card you are trading it in for. Granted it is still a really nice gesture from EVGA, but its brutal having to buy a 8800gtx from EVGA at 650 when you see them around ~550 everywhere else. So unless your card's value has dropped below the price difference between MSRP and current stores, the Step-Up program is not worth it.

meh its good for it when the product is released cuz then its selling at msrp. not 6 months later.
 

nitromullet

Diamond Member
Jan 7, 2004
9,031
36
91
Do it. You will never never get as big of a return on your 7950GT than you will via Step-Up. I'm kicking myself for selling my two 7900GTXes instead of stepping them up. Too much FUD from the NV haters making me worry that the 8800's wouldn't be in stock on launch day.

Now the process of step up is a serious pain in the keister.

I would call having to wait 3 weeks to get full credit for the purchase price of your current card towards an upgrade a "minor inconvenience" maybe... A pain in the "keister" would be a 3 month long RMA with HISTech (and having to call for updates) just to get the same card replaced after having to track down their North American distributor becuase HISTech doesn't do RMAs directly, which is a true story. All of my experiences in dealing with EVGA have been positive, and I have owned quite a few of their cards.
 

zagood

Diamond Member
Mar 28, 2005
4,102
0
71
I took advantage of the step up from a 7900GS that I overpaid for at Fry's. $250. Ouch. Step-Up was a no-brainer. $180+ship for the 8800GTS.

When I first sent it in, things were smooth. I was on the waiting list, waited maybe 2 weeks then got the confirmation that they had one for me. That's when things got a little ugly.

Let's just say that I wouldn't fax ANYTHING to eVGA. Always email. And if you've got a problem, just call. When/if they pick up the phone, they're really easy to deal with.

-z
 

secretanchitman

Diamond Member
Apr 11, 2001
9,352
23
91
Originally posted by: zagood
I took advantage of the step up from a 7900GS that I overpaid for at Fry's. $250. Ouch. Step-Up was a no-brainer. $180+ship for the 8800GTS.

When I first sent it in, things were smooth. I was on the waiting list, waited maybe 2 weeks then got the confirmation that they had one for me. That's when things got a little ugly.

Let's just say that I wouldn't fax ANYTHING to eVGA. Always email. And if you've got a problem, just call. When/if they pick up the phone, they're really easy to deal with.

-z

why no fax?
 

manimal

Lifer
Mar 30, 2007
13,559
8
0
lol I had the same problem with the faxing thing too. Had to resend my original bill of sale 3 times even though they confirmed receipt by phone twice.

Finally got my transaction confirmed, now on to the step of sending in my old card.
 

zagood

Diamond Member
Mar 28, 2005
4,102
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71
I was told on the phone that all faxes go through the some other department, I think it was accounting...I'm assuming they only have one fax machine or something lol. Anyway the guy on the phone said they lose a lot of Step-Up faxes because of that.

-z
 

nullpointerus

Golden Member
Apr 17, 2003
1,326
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Originally posted by: zagood
I was told on the phone that all faxes go through the some other department, I think it was accounting...I'm assuming they only have one fax machine or something lol. Anyway the guy on the phone said they lose a lot of Step-Up faxes because of that.

-z
Maybe he should be telling that to the boss instead of the customers... ;)
 

fivetiger

Member
Feb 19, 2007
76
0
0
I've been looking into the Stepup program because I'm building a new computer this month, but I just don't get it. I mean, I understand the details, but I don't understand who would need to do this.

If I thought I was going to want a better card in only 90 days, why wouldn't I just buy the best card I can right off the bat? I guess it's essentially buying a new card for full price, but getting to use an older card for 3 months for free first.

The only use I can see is if you are already commited to buying a not-yet-released card, but need a "placeholder card" in the meantime (e.g. if your old card just died). But by doing that you are also commited to paying the outrageous retail price that a brand-spanking new card is going to command...with no chance of getting a sale price.

Is there something I'm missing?
 

1Dark1Sharigan1

Golden Member
Oct 5, 2005
1,466
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Originally posted by: fivetiger
I've been looking into the Stepup program because I'm building a new computer this month, but I just don't get it. I mean, I understand the details, but I don't understand who would need to do this.

If I thought I was going to want a better card in only 90 days, why wouldn't I just buy the best card I can right off the bat? I guess it's essentially buying a new card for full price, but getting to use an older card for 3 months for free first.

The only use I can see is if you are already commited to buying a not-yet-released card, but need a "placeholder card" in the meantime (e.g. if your old card just died). But by doing that you are also commited to paying the outrageous retail price that a brand-spanking new card is going to command...with no chance of getting a sale price.

Is there something I'm missing?

Well it's quite possible that a 8 series refresh will arrive within 90 days (if you were to buy a card right now) so depending on when you decide to buy the card, step up can be quite a good deal. i.e. I'm about to get a 8800GTS and within 90 days if a refresh comes out, I'll definitely be stepping up to it.

I stepped up from a 7800GT to a 7900GT a while back (only paid like $30 including shipping) which was definitely the most mileage I could have gotten from a 7800GT. The process was pretty smooth and took only about a week from the time they received the card and for me to receive the card from them.
 

fivetiger

Member
Feb 19, 2007
76
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0
^^^
I'm sorry. I still don't get it.

Why would you bother buying the 8800 GTS when you know the refresh is within 90 days? If you wait, you'll at least have a chance of buying it for less than retail. If you step-up, you're locked into the high retail release price.
 

gramboh

Platinum Member
May 3, 2003
2,207
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Originally posted by: fivetiger
^^^
I'm sorry. I still don't get it.

Why would you bother buying the 8800 GTS when you know the refresh is within 90 days? If you wait, you'll at least have a chance of buying it for less than retail. If you step-up, you're locked into the high retail release price.

I'm thinking about doing it but only if the price differential drops from my 8800GTS to a GTX. This is the advantage of the program, and one that was real when the 7900 series came out, people were stepping up for $0-50. I think the MSRP to retail spread is high on the 8800 series so this isn't as economical as it was with 7800->7900.