Video Card Recommendation

[Cycloptis]

Okay, so I've got my CPU covered, now I've got the next hurdle to cover: the graphics card.

I live up in Canada, and we get things a bit later. At the moment I've been contemplating either tha 7800GTX or the X1800XT. Both cards have their ups and downs, but it has recently come to my attention that there are rumours of a 7800 Ultra coming out right around the time of the X1800XT's launch to parry it.

Right now, I can get a 7800GTX, but I'd be nerfing my computer for the future if the other two mentioned cards just popped up within the next two months.

So the question is, should I go ahead and get the 7800GTX, wait for the X1800XT, or hope/wait for the 7800 Ultra to appear?

 

[Polish3d]

Its worth waiting I think if you can, at least a month. The X1800xt if priced right is the card I'd go with, but the GTX ultra is probably even better, if it actually comes out

 

[Cycloptis]

Originally posted by: Frackal
Its worth waiting I think if you can, at least a month. The X1800xt if priced right is the card I'd go with, but the GTX ultra is probably even better, if it actually comes out

That's what I was thinking. I think I'll wait for more news, which should be very soon considering there's less than two weeks until the X1800XT releases, meaning we should here more by then.

And I'm sure these threads get rather redundant, sorry guys.

 

[Polish3d]

Let me rephrase something though. If the X1800xt really idles at nearly 70C with dual slot cooling I'd have to reconsider. A card that hot would affect my overclock of CPU and RAM, especially if I oc the card even further... That's hotter with dual slot than the GTX is with single slot, which is pretty bad lol (See the X1800xl review thread.)

 

[Cycloptis]

Originally posted by: Frackal
Let me rephrase something though. If the X1800xt really idles at nearly 70C with dual slot cooling I'd have to reconsider. A card that hot would affect my overclock of CPU and RAM, especially if I oc the card even further... That's hotter with dual slot than the GTX is with single slot, which is pretty bad lol (See the X1800xl review thread.)

I'm just praying that the 7800 Ultra exists and comes out to parry the X1800XT.

 

[Cycloptis]

And then of course there's this, which greatly affected my decision. If it were not for this, I would have gone with the 7800GTX:

http://www.firingsquad.com/hardware/quake_4_high-end_performance/

 

[Polish3d]

Yep, I was even considering selling my GTX for about 375 and then just paying 200 for the X1800, but I honestly don't think it will be worth it, as the heat is totally unacceptable and it looks like the XT will retail at 700 bucks which is 150 more than I'd ever pay.

I just hope the 7800 U comes out cause I do want more perf. than I have now, the GTX should have come out with 512mb ram, and while I typically hear in response to this that it is just a good business decision to equip it with 256 of crap ram, I may not buy Nvidia next time either, as I dont appreciatet that a bit. (Paid 600 bucks for mine when it first came out.)

 

[defiantsf]

I'd wait to see what Nvidia has and how they perform in their next 7800 refresh. Sucks that I have to get a whole rig really since I can't upgrade my P4 3G Northwood with AGP and RDRAM haha. Pretty amazing that it's almost 3 yrs old, and aside from the 6800 GT upgrade last year, it has kept up with most games.