mid-range dilemma

[pendulum79]

Hi all,

I'm about to buy the components for my new rig. I've planned to get an X800 GTO² which would serve me wonderfully; especially as ebuyer seems to be shipping cards with 16 pipes already enabled. However, they won't be in stock again for 14 days . The next best in-stock price I can find is £148 delivered.

Whilst I was looking around I saw a 6800GS on special offer this week only for £148 delivered too. As you can probably tell, this has my head hurting . What do people think I should do? As I understand it, the GS just shades the GTO² at stock but the GTO² pulls ahead with 16 pipes. I wouldn't mind too much waiting 2 weeks for a guaranteed softmod. Or should I just stop faffing around and get one from the place that has stock (if it's this option please say whether you'd go ATI or nVidia).

The 6800GS is a Point of View card if that changes anything.

Many many thanks to anyone who reads all that drivel and gives a reply

 

[Erasertone]

at stock settings both cards will perform almost the same, both cards are good overclockers but the GS is known to be the overclocking champ on the other hand the GTO2 however can unlock some extra 4 pixel pipelines making it a total of 16 by a simple BIOS flash editing but that would be too risky. If I were to choose, I rather have the GTO2.

and B.T.W. check these video card buyer's guide---->Text

 

[mwmorph]

6800gs si nice if you need it now, but the x850xt(basically) will be faster, espically with aa or af or high resolutions.

 

[ElFenix]

i thought the GTO2 was the overclocking champ, as you can basically double your power via bios flashing (33% more pipes on top of 33% more clock)

 

[pendulum79]

All the articles I've read on the GTO² say it's the best overclocker as a lot can be clocked at X850XT PE speeds. Haven't read up too much on the GS's overclocking prowess but I've heard it's not bad.

Thing is, from looking at the reviews on ebuyer, people are saying their GTO² is arriving with all 16 pipelines already enabled which would put it ahead of a GS for less but I'd have to wait 2 weeks with the rest of my system collecting dust. TBH though, I'm leaning towards waiting for ebuyer to restock; what's 2 weeks when you've been on a pentium 3 and 2MB o/b graphics for 6 years?

 

[imported_thefonz]

The gto2 would be faster than the gs when unlocked and overclocked. The GS is still a good card when overclocked too.

For the gto2, you could try newegg or another shop that has them in stock and get it 2 day rushed?

 

[pendulum79]

I could buy it from New Egg but I might have to pay a fair bit to get across the Atlantic . I found a GTO² somewhere else last night that adds up to a decent deal because I'm getting a mobo from them too so the delivery doesn't seem quite so bad now I'm getting 2 major components.

 

[Neavo]

I have the X800 GTO2 and its got power up the ***. i thought id need to overclock it for games like FEAR and CS:S,
but i didnt need to, you see, its just a bundle of absolute power. FEAR runs on the maximum settings very smoothly, my friend tried
it with his 7800 GTX and.. well he only got to the medium settings with dust and decals turned off.
the X800, well im very pleased, and im a very picky person. to show you how picky, at any hint of a virus, i reinstall my operating system.

 

[TheHans]

I don't understand how an X800gto² can outperform a 7800gtx.... :S

Edit: I think you should wait for the X800GTO², you'll get better performance than the 6800GS, unless of course you want SM 3.0.

 

[Wentelteefje]

Originally posted by: TheHans
I don't understand how an X800gto² can outperform a 7800gtx.... :S

Edit: I think you should wait for the X800GTO², you'll get better performance than the 6800GS, unless of course you want SM 3.0.

QFT... Me neither by the way...