XT or not to XT that is the question

[NotMrT]

Ok first post so here goes

I have finaly decided that my 9700pro is getting a little long in the tooth!
(9700pro @ 380 : 350(700) || Zalmans heatpipe and fan)
So i decided last month an upgrade is in order.
Swaying back and forth ever since between the Gainward 6800GT golden sample and an IceQII x800xt pe
the price of the 6800GT GS is 475? (best i could find if anyone can find a better price online from a company that will ship to germany i would be more than happy to hear it)
I found the x800xtPE for 550 euros(there was one for 530(normal cooling) but i would buy a new cooling system anyway so i decided the extra would be worth it)
Looking over benchmarks as I have since the release of both cards , I am still utterly at a loss as to which i should get
Having seen the 3dmark05 scores of the xtpe(for all they are worth) i am swaying more in that direction
However the Gainward is cheaper and perfomance is nearly on par with the 6800U(which means in turn its on par with the XT) However the cooling seems to be a little loud(ive gotten used to using the zalmans)
Anyone who owns either of those cards and could give me the low down on performance /noise / stability / overclocking / they are achiving would be grand

PS: pls no fanboy comments i have no bias atall against nvidia or ati (bar the GF fx line )

 

[Corporate Thug]

IMO, the x800xt pe is a better card. the 6800 gt is a better value

 

[NotMrT]

The one thing the Nvidia card has in its favour for me is the *nix driver support as i do like to play some games whilst im on my Debian boot

 

[AristoV300]

I agree though the 6800gt is a better value card. Unless moeny is no object then go with the GT.

 

[Shagga]

Originally posted by: shady06
IMO, the x800xt pe is a better card. the 6800 gt is a better value

I concur.

 

[NotMrT]

well the money isnt so much an object as i saved 600
clearly the XTPE is a better card but is it worth it compared to the gainward which clocks at 400 1100 so will perform nearly on par
(This would be far easier to decide if HL2 actualy got released on time)

 

[gururu]

i think the best option is an XT (non PE). You might be able to find one around 500. Otherwise, the XTPE is well worth the 75 extra euros in comparison to the GT.

BTW, isn't 500 euros ~ 650 U.S. dollars?

 

[nRollo]

Of these two cards, money not considered, the X800XT PE is the obvious choice. (why others aren't noting this is beyond me)

IMO a 6800U is a better choice than either of the two cards being considered, but of these two, the PE is the better choice.

BTW- with money no object, I wouldn't buy a GT and OC, I'd buy an Ultra. Get that speed with a warranty, and for sure. YMMV on OC, and warranty is voided for sure.

 

[Shagga]

Originally posted by: NotMrT
well the money isnt so much an object as i saved 600
clearly the XTPE is a better card but is it worth it compared to the gainward which clocks at 400 1100 so will perform nearly on par
(This would be far easier to decide if HL2 actualy got released on time)

I have just purchased the Gainward 2400 6800GT a week or so ago and if I could have found a X800XT PE in stock anywhere I would have had one.

 

[NotMrT]

Well the Gf 6800 ultra realy is far too power hungry( i have a 400W enermax) i know it could handle the card but i realy dont like the benchmark results compared to the x800xt or 6800gt . to be honest the only think making me consider the GT is the fact that the ATI open gl drivers are not on par oh and getting ahold of an XT or xt PE is not the easyest task
? does anyone know any good online retailer that will ship to germany ( or one inside germany) I found a great price for an XT on Dabs.com but they only ship to the uk and france

 

[McArra]

Originally posted by: shady06
IMO, the x800xt pe is a better card. the 6800 gt is a better value

 

[nRollo]

I doubt you would be compromised by either of the cards mentioned, both will play any game at a very high level of performance and detail.

Your psu should be sufficient for the Ultra, but if you don't want one that's your business. You'll find a GT much easier than a PE, good luck with the search.

 

[NotMrT]

The ultra is tempting , however reading some benchmarks over its clear that the GT (especialy the gainward GS) is able to push the games nearly as far
I think what sways me toward the x800xt PE more is having owned a 9700pro) ive had this card in my system longer than any other and it can still put out good numbers even 2 years later)

 

[otispunkmeyer]

Originally posted by: Shagga

Originally posted by: shady06
IMO, the x800xt pe is a better card. the 6800 gt is a better value

I concur.

hits the nail on the head...the xt is without doubt the better of the two, but then it should be it costs more. the 6800gt has really good value tho and can be just as good as a ultra most of the time

the x800pro however well it maybe able the reacvh xt speeds like the gt can ultra, but theres no makin up for the missing 4 pipelines

 

[NotMrT]

Yeah the 12 pipes never did sound too apealing for the price and i dont fancy buying a vivo just to flash and then find out it was a waste of time because the pipelines arnt working properly
would be nice if the normal XT became slightly more avaliable

 

[Gamingphreek]

I dont think that it will last as long as your 9700Pro. There is no doubt that in most every game out there the XT will win. However i think with the new technologies coming out and what not the GT will be like the new 9700Pro. It will probably last long.

The difference between the Ultra and the XT varies too much to tell.

What benchmark results are you looking at... hopefully your not basing everything off of 3dmark or something similiar.

-Kevin

 

[kylebisme]

Originally posted by: otispunkmeyer

Originally posted by: Shagga

Originally posted by: shady06
IMO, the x800xt pe is a better card. the 6800 gt is a better value

I concur.

hits the nail on the head...the xt is without doubt the better of the two, but then it should be it costs more. the 6800gt has really good value tho and can be just as good as a ultra most of the time

the x800pro however well it maybe able the reacvh xt speeds like the gt can ultra, but theres no makin up for the missing 4 pipelines

I dissagree completely; but then I payed a little less for my xt-pe than I did for my gt.

seriously though, they are both nice cards in their own right but if I had to give up one it wouldn't be the xt-pe.

 

[lordtyranus]

At those prices I'd get the XTPE. Farcry, HL2, and 6xAA are too good to pass up IMO.

 

[NotMrT]

hehe no no i base my theorys on about every benchmark i can find 3dmark is a nice reference only to someone with an identical system
i just found an x800XT for a good price so im seriously considering getting that

 

[RussianSensation]

Originally posted by: NotMrT

i just found an x800XT for a good price so im seriously considering getting that

you should as X800XT beat 6800Ultra in 80% of the cases Here

Although some wins aren't what I would consider a win when X800xT leads by 1-2 frames. Also it loses a lot of frames in Doom 3. But overall, I think X800XT is definately faster in most games than 6800Ultra. If you are willing to spend the $$$, you can't go wrong.

 

[NotMrT]

well considering doom3 was a total disapointment to me im not botherd(This is what hapens when your an old skool doom fan )

 

[Travis6586]

Originally posted by: NotMrT
hehe no no i base my theorys on about every benchmark i can find 3dmark is a nice reference only to someone with an identical system
i just found an x800XT for a good price so im seriously considering getting that

Not sure for what price you found the X800 XT, but at CDW.com the X800 XT Platinum Edition is listed at $459.51. I don't know whether they deliver to Germany or not, but it might be something to look into. Just a suggestion though.

 

[Pete]

It's rather simple: just look at benchmarks of games you (will) play, and if the XTPE is 15% faster than an Ultra (that Gainward GT appears to be clocked at Ultra speeds), then it's worth its 15% higher price.

Cost aside, I'd choose the XTPE simply because it's faster (and the fastest card "available," ATM). But if the Gainward GT will be fast enough for you (at the resolution and with the AA/AF settings you want), and the Gainward cooler will be as quiet as the IceQ II one, why not get the GT and use the money you saved for some new games/more RAM/a CPU upgrade?

Edit: And welcome to AT.

 

[Cawchy87]

Originally posted by: Rollo
Of these two cards, money not considered, the X800XT PE is the obvious choice. (why others aren't noting this is beyond me)

IMO a 6800U is a better choice than either of the two cards being considered, but of these two, the PE is the better choice.

BTW- with money no object, I wouldn't buy a GT and OC, I'd buy an Ultra. Get that speed with a warranty, and for sure. YMMV on OC, and warranty is voided for sure.

I thought he said fanboi comments weren't needed? Show me the benchmarks where 6800U's out proform x800pe's. And since this x800 as extra cooling he can overclock it farther and get even more profomance out of it.

x800pe is worth the extra 75 dollars for the card+ cooling imo.

 

[nRollo]

Originally posted by: Cawchy87

Originally posted by: Rollo
Of these two cards, money not considered, the X800XT PE is the obvious choice. (why others aren't noting this is beyond me)

IMO a 6800U is a better choice than either of the two cards being considered, but of these two, the PE is the better choice.

BTW- with money no object, I wouldn't buy a GT and OC, I'd buy an Ultra. Get that speed with a warranty, and for sure. YMMV on OC, and warranty is voided for sure.

I thought he said fanboi comments weren't needed? Show me the benchmarks where 6800U's out proform x800pe's. And since this x800 as extra cooling he can overclock it farther and get even more profomance out of it.

x800pe is worth the extra 75 dollars for the card+ cooling imo.

Blahblahblah.

I told him that of the two cards he asked about I'd take the XT PE, and that my personal preference in that price range is a 6800U.

How is that "fanboi"? :roll:

When I said

I doubt you would be compromised by either of the cards mentioned,

and recommended both brands, it kind of leaves the realm of "fanboi".
You see, Cawchy, "fanboi" is a term that's usually used for people cheerleading one brand or the other. Do you not understand this?