Why are people still reccomending the GTO^2?

[Sunrise089]

(Note: this is for US buyers only, I have no idea what prices those in other countries are paying)

When the GTO^2 first arrived I thought it was the best deal of the currently available cards, reccomended it everywhere I could, and in general thought it was a cool opportunity. Then retailers either went out of stock or raised the price 30%+ to $260 (give or take). At the same time prices on some 7800GTs dropped to below $300 (not sure what brand, know its sold @ Tigerdirect). Finally the Connect3D GTO vanilla has basically been confirmed to always unlock as well (there is one failure, but the card has not been confiremed as the reason).

Now it seems when most posters ask what card to buy in the midrange price department the Connect3D GTO is stated, but only in responce to others reccomending the GTO^2. I know everyone is entitled to their own reccomendation, but it seems to me many posters just arn't aware how much can be saved by "dropping" to the GTO which many users have had OC just as highly as the GTO^2s anyways. If there are other advantages that people use to justify the GTO^2 recomendation than please state them here, otherwise maybe some users will read this and realize there is a better bang-for-the-buck alternative out there.

 

[Corporate Thug]

the connect3d has slower ram and an R423 core instead of a R480

 

[Sunrise089]

Originally posted by: Corporate Thug
the connect3d has slower ram and an R423 core instead of a R480

Agreed, but both those things only matter if there is a real world clock speed change, and from the 71 forum pages I have read at The TechPowerUp Forums there doesn't seem to be a large (if any) difference. So AFAIK if the core and memory runs just as fast the actual numerical ratings don't really matter. Also I have seen someone in another thread claim the R423 is actually faster than a R480 clock for clock, but don't know if that is true. Anyways, to me for $75-100 cheaper its still EASILY a better value.

 

[JimmyH]

Peeps slow to see the real deal. You seen any GTO2 clock 7100 3dmark05 stock cooling, No volt mods? Maybe

The C3d is 10% cheaper than the GTO2 ever was. Ever seen a $200 GTO2 clock 7800 3dmarks (10% higher) w/ stock cooling? Currently the GTO2 is 40% more expensive. Ever seen a GTO2 clock 10000 (40% higher) in 3dmark05 stock? Me neither.

The R423 is not inferior to the R480, but the aluminum heatsink on the GTO2 IS inferior to the copper one on the C3d x800GTO. There's a new Bang for Buck Champ

 

[bunnyfubbles]

A. you cannot play 3DMark (3DMark historically is a poor test of memory bandwidth anyways, thanks to its absurdly low testing resolution)
B. It doesn't have to be 40% faster to be a more desirable card even when paying 40% more. 80fps isn't 40% faster than 60fps, but it is far more desirable, especially if your low is 40 as opposed to 30.
C. I can argue that a $30 GeForce 4 Ti 4200 offers far better bang for buck, but that doesn't mean it will be able to run games at acceptable quality levels, if at all (for example, it cannot run BattleField 2 at all)

However you are correct about the C3D X800GTO being a great deal.

 

[Nirach]

I don't see the big thing about the GTO^2 anymore, they're being priced to compete with the higher end cards, which they just arn't. GTO^2 may unlock and overclock to the same levels, but it's a risky proccedure regardless of how skilled you are.

I have a Sapphire X800 GTO, not unlockable, but another thread was stating that they were getting upwards of 620/620 without huge amounts of cooling.. So.

Thee GTO^2 has been a good idea turned into a crap one by people overpricing them. It's old stock anyway.

Edit: UK buyers after the GTO^2, http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/X800PCI_Series.html they stock it, and it's not TOO expensive, but still not cheap enough to warrent buying it over something higher up the scale.

Edit 2: http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...atid=31&threadid=1714545&enterthread=y Thread with the GTO O/C speeds

 

[Munky]

I guess people are still under the impression that you can get a gto2 for <$230. Well, at least here in the US, you cant. My c3d gto is suposed to be coming in today, and considering it only cost $180 and will usually unlock and OC almost as well as the gto2, it's a no brainer.

 

[Rage187]

people are retarded.

 

[Bartokomus]

^^^final word

 

[Madellga]

We have never had the GTO2 here (where I leave) for less than $249.

This week a local store reduced the Sapphire X850XT price to $269. They have also Powercolor X850XT for $259.

You see, if you want to save money, get the Connect 3D for $180.

If you want the X850XT, get the original one for $ 20 bucks more - no mod required, better cooler and including the dual DVI that the GTO2 doesn't offer.

The GTO2 for $249 lost completely the appeal....