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X800XL now, GeForce SLI later

jshuck3

Member
Can anyone find a serious fault in my video card decision logic?

I was planning on getting the PCI-E 6800GT cards whenever they actually show up, but more and more looking makes me now turn instead to getting the cheaper X800XL until Nvidia can actually get their act together and ship a product a month after they've announced it instead of no shipping product 8 months later (The 6xxx series were announced in April 04).

Coupled with the fact that the GT and Ultra cannot take complete advantage of PureVideo I'm thinking I'll get the XL now and then in a year or so get a pair of whatever Nvidia's cards are then for a sweet native PCI-E setup.

Anyone see a problem with going XL now instead of GT?
 
I think ur logic is fine,

Im doing about the same as u.

Im getting an AGP system with an XT-PE for now,

But ill be upgrading in a years time anyway, to a PCI-E system with maybe either an ATi solution for SLi or nVs SLI.
 
Originally posted by: jshuck3
Can anyone find a serious fault in my video card decision logic?

I was planning on getting the PCI-E 6800GT cards whenever they actually show up, but more and more looking makes me now turn instead to getting the cheaper X800XL until Nvidia can actually get their act together and ship a product a month after they've announced it instead of no shipping product 8 months later (The 6xxx series were announced in April 04).

Coupled with the fact that the GT and Ultra cannot take complete advantage of PureVideo I'm thinking I'll get the XL now and then in a year or so get a pair of whatever Nvidia's cards are then for a sweet native PCI-E setup.

Anyone see a problem with going XL now instead of GT?

There are a few interesting things about this:
"Coupled with the fact that the GT and Ultra cannot take complete advantage of PureVideo I'm thinking I'll get the XL now and then in a year or so get a pair of whatever Nvidia's cards are then for a sweet native PCI-E setup'
X800XLs don't do WMV either, so the only difference is in the cost of the card you buy right now.

"I was planning on getting the PCI-E 6800GT cards whenever they actually show up, but more and more looking makes me now turn instead to getting the cheaper X800XL until Nvidia can actually get their act together and ship a product a month after they've announced it instead of no shipping product 8 months later (The 6xxx series were announced in April 04). "
PCIE 6800s have been for sale for a while, and I don't recall them being promised in April 04.
AFAIK you can't buy X800XLs at all.

Anyway, good luck with it, can't go far wrong either way.

 
I agree with Rollo. Also remember if you have any thoughts of going to Linux Nvidia is #1 hands down. Also remember that Nvidias drivers are very good.

-Kevin
 
I wondered if I'd get these responses 🙂

Yeah, I realize the ATI cards can't do any of the cool stuff that PureVideo allows, but I'm just leery of buying a card that was announced (even if not promised) back in April knowing that something new is probably coming out soon. At least the ATI card was just announced so it gives me a nicer cushion if they can actually deliver.

And yeah...the PCIE ones have been on sale for a while....but not in any real quantity..try finding an eVGA card for less than $500....I can't. And I keep readin that nvidia can't supply chips.

Thanks for not being harsh too...I was expecting something bad after I posted without these little extra details.
 
First of all, the 6800 PCIe versions weren't announced in April, the AGP were however, if I recall correctly. I think both companies are having trouble making chips, so what makes you think you're going to be able to get even an XL now? ATI says the XL ($299) should come out in mid-January, think a month later or so (it'll probably retail for $350 when first out), and you might get your hands on one. Should you get desparate, I'm willing to bet the GTs will be out before the XLs as BFG 6800GT PCIe's were on sale for MSRP ($399, good sign!) a week ago albeit in small quantities. If you have the dough, I don't find any serious flaws in your logic, though (no rhyme intended) 😀
 
Am I the only one who is nervous about buying a GT or even an Ultra for that matter? Even if it was only the AGP announced back in April the actual chip hasn't changed...only the interface. It just seems ripe for an update given the incomplete support of PureVideo on the GT and Ultra while the newer 6600s have complete PureVideo support.

Even if the ATI doesn't come out till mid January (fingers crossed) at least the chip itself will only be a month or so old.....
 
Originally posted by: jshuck3
Am I the only one who is nervous about buying a GT or even an Ultra for that matter? Even if it was only the AGP announced back in April the actual chip hasn't changed...only the interface. It just seems ripe for an update given the incomplete support of PureVideo on the GT and Ultra while the newer 6600s have complete PureVideo support.

Even if the ATI doesn't come out till mid January (fingers crossed) at least the chip itself will only be a month or so old.....

Not at all. Most of us 6800GT owners are really happy with their cards. The lack of WMP PureVideo support certainly isn't a glowing positive for these crads, but I ultimately bought this card to play games and it hasn't let me down.

 
sli is not a good idea at this time, as long as ur not a rich monkey, but the problem if u buy a sli card today and want to upgrade it with another sli card in a year or so is, that you cant be sure those two cards will really work with each other in a year. there are a lot of difficulties that could cross the way: like different chiprevisions, different memory, changed firmware or pcb layout. its nice to know that sli will be the future though.

for now the x800xl is a interesting solution, due to a great performance for a reasonable price. dont know when they wil come out but u should keep an eye on it.
 
>>>
X800XL now, GeForce SLI later
>>>

"Later" noone will give a **** about SLI....give it 6 months and a R520...and you can sell your "high-end" SLI systems (based on two low-end 6600 cards as MANY do 🙂 on the flea market for a dollar.....*if* anyone will buy it for a dollar 🙂

Dont get me wrong..i sound like a ATI fanboi...but i only state my amzement how many people praise SLI as the next best thing since sliced bread - and i do NOT think that the many systems based on dual 6600s etc. are ANYTHING to get excited over.

X800XL, 6800GT, whatver now..is good....but i think there are much better things coming around "later" and SLI (sooener or later) will be forgotten. The SLI hype right now is a direct result of the lack of new, exciting cores from Ati *and* Nvidia. my $0.2
 
If you go with x8000XL now and SLI later, that means you'll be buying 3 video cards. If you just go SLI now, you'll buy 1 now and 1 maybe later. The 6800GT PCI-e's are showing up at MSRP at Chumbo.com lately, if you're interested.

I'm going to watch and make a similar decision once the x800XL's come out and are reviewed.
 
From AT's preview of the X800XL, it competed very well with the 6800GT at its stock speeds. OCing is probably going to be a boon for the XL, but it won't be necessary to compete with the GTs. Doom 3 not withstanding . . .
 
I cannot agree you logic any more...
however... X800XL is not gone gold, and we do not even actually when it will be on market
ATI has done this several times this before, such as X700XT, X700Pro... after lowering their price, they have high C/P value,however after price reduction, thay... disappeared and leave the poor X600.

Now,ATI says X800/ X800XL will substitude X700XT/ X800Pro with very attractive price....
but time is clicking~~~ Maybe when it is released, 6800GT would have the same or lower price than it...
 
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