Upgrade? If so...

[SourTimes]

install coolbits and go to display properties, advanced, 6800 gt, and pick the clock frequency setting. it will show your clock speeds for core/mem

 

[RussianSensation]

Originally posted by: Mosad
wow... anandtech is amazing... no where else have i received such quick, descriptive, and didactic responses. I thank you very much.

Now, what did you use to overclock? How did you find out the clock speeds on your card?

You can use RivaTuner or Coolbits to overclock Nvidia cards.
If you want a quiet 6800GT, i'd go with Leadtek one. Leadtek card also has Prince of Persia and Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow bundled with it. Review

If you want a good overclocking 6800Gt, i'd probably go with Gainward 2400. Review

 

[CHfan4ever]

ok found a way to look without installing coolbits, i used 3d mark 2003 and it say that:

VGA Memory Clock 1.0 GHz
VGA Core Clock 351.0 MHz


the 351 is the thing thats not normal?

 

[CHfan4ever]

XFX cards come with DOOM3!!!!

 

[Mosad]

hmmm interesting. Unfortunately, due to my having a shuttle... i cannot fit neither the leadtek nor the gainward... they are too thick

Thanks though.

 

[Slappy00]

I chose the Gainward 6800GT Golden Sample

now to be sure the card carries a small premium over the "regular" 6800GTs (i paid $415 as opposed to the $350 that ppl were getting occasionally for the BFG(regular price is much much higher))

The questions is "why" so I will tell you. I do Video card upgrades every two years, and I buy the best that I can afford that year, overclock it the second year and get rid of it at the end of the second year. The difference between the Gainward GS 6800GT and the 6800 Ultra is really nothing. The only difference that I could find is that the Gainward runs at a max voltage of 1.3V while the regular ultra runs at 1.4v (you can modify your BIOS to accept this voltage and get some insane speeds), so in effect you are purchasing an much more expensive card at about half-price.

Gainward fully warrentees the card to run at 420/1100 in fact the card has the most coveted samsung 1.6ns ram, and will usually go a bit faster than 1100 (usually 1200 but i have seen 1300) with a bit of coaxing.

People have reported that it is loud but new tools allow it to be quiet in normal (2D) operation, and speed up when you fire up far cry.

This card is almost never in any retailer and when they do get it in it flies off the shelves, I would reccomend checking out Monarch Computers around Monday or Tuesday as thats when the card is expected to be in.

 

[Slappy00]

also if you run at 1024 x 768 and you use lots of AA and AF there will be a difference. Also some games play slow at 1024x768 doom 3 and far cry and Morrowind are three I can think of right off the bat. To say you will see no difference at 1024x768 is hogwash, unless you are playing games from three years ago.

 

[Mosad]

i wish i could fit the gainward in my shuttle... but unfortunately i cannot as room is rather restricted....

So i might as well pose another question: Should i take my friend up on his offfer of 200 for my 9800xt and put another 200 down for the 6800GT now? or should i wait a year to a year and a half or more and then upgrade my entire system? I could then fit any card i wanted....

So many choices... and all come with a price

 

[CHfan4ever]

Hmmm, quick question, how much ram your 9800 xt got? 128 or 256?

 

[Mosad]

256

 

[CHfan4ever]

Honestly you will be able to run todays game in 1024x768 very easily.YES some game required bigger cards( exemple doom 3,far cry) but i was still able to play these games with my 9800 pro evehrything at very high, beside some little options tone down.

In 2006, when quake 4 will come out, yes i think the 9800xt will have problem running it in very high detail, but it will still be playable like medium to high settings.

People todays are able to run doom 3 medium settings/800x600 with a simple ti 4200(release like 2 years ago).In a year with the 9800xt youll be able to play some games the same way people play doom3 with their ti cards,and some games will run very ok.

Its simple, your moving from a year of generation if you decide to upgrade.In one year im sure youll be able to get 100 buck for your 9800xt, when the price of the 6800gt will drop by half easily.

Me i like to be up to date, and because i love playing widescreen, i decide to change card.But if your someone always playing in 1024, using no AA and little AF, then upgrading doesnt really worth it for now.Those new cards are made if you love to play in high resolution.Some people dont mind playing 800x600, some people can't live playing with anything less than 1600x1200.

You 9800xt can hold you up for another good 2 years imo, but i can garantee you that in 2 years, quake 4 wont run in very high detail on your 9800xt

BUT $200 buck for your xt now, and if you got the spare cash to get a 6800gt, yeahs its a good move.Dont get a x800pro tho.Its only 12 pipelines and do not support shader 3.0, the x800 pro really feel like an overclocked 9800xt, iv got a buddy who bought it when it came out, and god he regret it.

Your move depend of the kind of pc gamer you are.

And jeshhh you got a 256meg card, thats even better

 

[SourTimes]

One note on the x800pro. If you buy a VIVO Sapphire X800Pro it is fully moddable to an x800xt pe with the full 16 pipes and same clock speeds (520/1100 or something like that I think) I actually am thinking I would have rather gone that route than have gotten my 6800gt. Don't get me wrong the gt is a great card. But the x800xt-pe does beat it in most games. Although I have to admit for me, doom 3 was the clincher. The game appealed to me, so I got the gt.

 

[HostVisions]

I chose the eVga 6800GT because it overclocks well with standard cooling, and they have a nifty upgrade policy. I've been happy so far.

 

[caz67]

If you are going to get a GT, go for this one..

Gainward 6800GT 2400/Ultra Golden sample. This card is awesome, its clocked @ 400/1100 default, which is Ultra speeds..This card is fully covered under warranty, and can get to speeds of 425/1200..

This card is excellent value.

 

[Mosad]

thank you for the replies! However, i cannot fit a gainward into my shuttle.. unfortunately.. in a year or so im upgrading my computer again... to a full case antec... a complete turn around - completely silent, large enough to fit anything, and never a cooling problem in site..

But thats besides the point.

The more responses i receive the better: whether to upgrade now for another 200 or to hold out... And whether i shoudl opt for dual dvi (if xfx is a good card)...

Thanks

 

[Robor]

If you want silent the BFG 6800GT is *not* the way to go. I've only heard 2 6800GT's but I know for a fact that the 2 small fans on the BFG are louder than the single large fan on the PNY. I hear my BFG over my 2 120mm Panaflo case fans and my Zalman cooler. Of course, the BFG has the lifetime warranty so it's all a matter of what you're looking for.