Suppose I'd Better Get Looking!

Thanks to my cack-handedness (http://forums.hexus.net/showthread.php?t=42246) I think it's unlikely that I will have continuing use from my 9800pro.

As such, I think I'd better look at my options.

I've already weighed up the idea of upgrading my whole PC and jumping on the PCI-e bandwagon, but that’s going to be costly, and for not much gain.

As a result... I think what I will do is stick with AGP, replace the broken card (or soon to be declared by an electronics guru). This of course now begs the question... What the heck do I buy?!

Personally, I'm not a fanboy of any manufacturer, I do lust for High performance/Efficient budget. What do I mean by that? Well, if I'm buying a new bit of kit, I like to be able to get the best performance I can, so that the bit of kit has as long a lifespan as possible. What I also like to appreciate, is that there is no way I'm going to spend £100 more to have the flagship, if the flagship is going to reward me with +3fps.

From what I've found out in my little time searching, I'm basically looking at 3 cards:

• nVidia 6800GT
• ATi x800xt
• ATi x800xt-pe

It's been hard work trying to find unbiased material contrasting these cards, and to be honest, I don't think I've found everything I want to know about them out yet. I've looked at some reviews on Hexus, but the site seams quite dry of fluent material regarding these cards. Well, I say that, what I really mean is that I'm not good enough to find the information I want! :p


This is basically why I'm posting, I'm looking of the impartial advice that I have come to often rely on, from Hexus. The 3 cards I mention are priced very closely, but with your advice, I hope to discover the best one to choose.


Thanks everyone :iloveyou:

might be worth a nice 6800 vanilla for £160 from low www.lowestonweb.co.uk.

i'd second the vanilla, mines lovely.

but for a bit more performance and still good value have you considered the x800 xl?

edit: i tend to think you are right about the idea of a flagship card being poor value and it being more sensible to buy the one down from it..........but when you gotta have the best :devilish:

Well the x800xt-PE is the best card on your list.

How bout an x800 xl for £200??

The order is place, hope it's an okay one. :/

Went for a "Sapphire X800XT Platinum 256MB". Anyone had any experiance with this one?

Theres no fooling us acid. Fancy delibrately breaking it so you could justify buying a new card tut tut ;) :)

I dont think you will have any problems with a Sapphire and im sure it'l clock easily to PE speeds.

It is a PE mate :p

Quote:

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Originally Posted by acidrainy

It is a PE mate :p

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Hence it will clock very easily to PE speeds! :P

Seriously, that is a decent card, and my Sapphire is still going strong after a year and a bit.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mike_w

Hence it will clock very easily to PE speeds! :P

Seriously, that is a decent card, and my Sapphire is still going strong after a year and a bit.

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Ahh great, you have one of these too?
I've never used or seen a Sapphire card before, but they apparantly have a decent reputation...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by acidrainy

It is a PE mate :p

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:lol: whoops :heckle: :p

I should hope it clocks well then... Sapphire are well thought of apart from the crappy heatsinks but on x800's the hs is reference design so its not an issue.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by acidrainy

Ahh great, you have one of these too?
I've never used or seen a Sapphire card before, but they apparantly have a decent reputation...

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I have a Sapphire 9600, bought in January 2004, no problems whatsoever.

I'm in the same boat as acidrainy - although I haven't purposefully broken my 9700pro to justify a shiny new card......... Yet. :D

My only issue is - Am I going to be getting the most out of a 6800GT/x800xt/PE in my current rig running xp2500 @ 2.2Ghz? Would it be better to go x800xl (and o/c) instead?

i think my 6800 vanilla is cpu limited on my 2600+ so you will prob find that it may well be with a 6800gt.

reason i say this is that my 3dmark03 scores rise with a good overclock on the cpu.