9800 vs 8800GT vs Ati - Best Card for in the $200 range?

2008-07-14 13:05:26

#1

r2zoo: Knowledge is power, guard it well; +126|6865|Michigan, USA

Alright, first things first. Been a year since I bought my first graphics card, and since then the market has changed radically, throwing all my knowledge assunder, leaving me at a loss. Im looking for a PCI-E card for around $200 USD(preferably less )

First, I suppose Ill throw my specs up.

AMD Athlon 64 3200+ <--- On my Upgrade list
2 GB DDR2 800
Nvidia 7600GT
Rosewill 500W Psu

Hopefully these specs will run the newer cards(looking at you PSU)

What im looking to do is upgrade my video card, however in the $200 range, the lines get blurry at whats better for the price. Looking up some prices im seeing 9800s(cant recall extension) at 8800GT prices. With Nvidia latest launch of cards, right after the 98s, its thrown me through a loop, although im well aware that the new Nvidias arent worth it

Another option im looking at is Ati, However... Im not a fan of Ati, at any length. their drivers and cards have ben nothing but hell everytime ive used them, ranging from the x600 to the x1950. That said, the new Atis are looking to beat Nvidia in both price and performence, and im looking to get the most out of my money.

Im well aware theres several hundreds posts asking for people to suggest this and that, but in this case, Im lost at how a 9800 could be the same price as a 8800GT, when it should be higher performence.

As of right now im leaning towards the Nvidia 8800GT as an upgrade, although with 9800s in the same price arena, they been looking at them, and I havent found much to seperate the two performence wise, in a dramatic way. Any sugestions(yeah, I know) or can someone point me where the 98s and 88s differ, and if its worth the cost?

This will be a gaming card by far, not crucial to buy right this moment either, planning to upgrade before Spore launches anyways.

2008-07-14 13:11:51

#2

DUnlimited: got any popo lolo intersting?; +1,160|6732|cuntshitlake

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a … 6814102747

Gogogo

main battle tank karthus medikopter 117 megamegapowershot gg

2008-07-14 13:12:16

#3

Gooners: Wiki Contributor; +2,700|6901

Radeon 4850

2008-07-14 13:15:33

#4

Bell: Frosties > Cornflakes; +362|6818|UK

Which 9800 are you talking about?

9800GTX+ is due to launch this week I think, and the standard 9800GTX is taking a price cut aswell, the expected cost is meant to be $229 and $199 respectivly.

However, like was said, the ATi card is doing so well it is kind of wrong not to buy one in that price range. Especially with the filters on it barely takes a hit in performance and it still has a lot of potential. If I was you, 4850 no worries.

Though that 9800GTX+ might be interesting, we will see.

Martyn

2008-07-14 13:31:59

#5

r2zoo: Knowledge is power, guard it well; +126|6865|Michigan, USA

Bell wrote:
Which 9800 are you talking about?

9800GTX+ is due to launch this week I think, and the standard 9800GTX is taking a price cut aswell, the expected cost is meant to be $229 and $199 respectivly.

However, like was said, the ATi card is doing so well it is kind of wrong not to buy one in that price range. Especially with the filters on it barely takes a hit in performance and it still has a lot of potential. If I was you, 4850 no worries.

Though that 9800GTX+ might be interesting, we will see.

Martyn

Doublechecked and it was indeed the Nvidia 9800GTX

Guess ill have to try Ati again, as I heardtheir cards were gonna stomp Nvidias, and at the price for the 4850, Nvidia really doesnt have alot going for it besides my personal preference. As for the 9800GTX+ , would it be worth it shell out the extra coin for one opposed to the 4850? Willing to spend a bit more for brand loyalty(cringe hearing Ati + drivers) but if the performence isnt there, then ill stick to the 4850 for the time being.

Given the general consenus, guess I'll go with Ati on this one, but ill give it a couple weeks, seei f prices shift around a bit(also wait for my paycheck to show up )

Thanks guys, Karma all around

2008-07-14 13:32:59

#6

.Sup: be nice; +2,646|6722|The Twilight Zone

Go with anything made by ATI. Its ATI's year.

https://www.shrani.si/f/3H/7h/45GTw71U/untitled-1.png

2008-07-14 13:36:41

#7

DUnlimited: got any popo lolo intersting?; +1,160|6732|cuntshitlake

And Ati's drivers are just generally better, for a GPU overclocker at least. I hate it when my nVidia drivers decide to crash.

ATi doesn't share that problem.

main battle tank karthus medikopter 117 megamegapowershot gg

2008-07-14 13:38:24

#8

max: Vela Incident; +1,652|6836|NYC / Hamburg

true. Ati drivers are actually better now. nvidia is just a pita

_{once upon a midnight dreary, while i pron surfed, weak and weary, over many a strange and spurious site of ' hot xxx galore'. While i clicked my fav'rite bookmark, suddenly there came a warning, and my heart was filled with mourning, mourning for my dear amour, " 'Tis not possible!", i muttered, " give me back my free hardcore!"..... quoth the server, 404.}

2008-07-14 13:41:06

#9

Bell: Frosties > Cornflakes; +362|6818|UK

r2zoo wrote:
Bell wrote:
Which 9800 are you talking about?

9800GTX+ is due to launch this week I think, and the standard 9800GTX is taking a price cut aswell, the expected cost is meant to be $229 and $199 respectivly.

However, like was said, the ATi card is doing so well it is kind of wrong not to buy one in that price range. Especially with the filters on it barely takes a hit in performance and it still has a lot of potential. If I was you, 4850 no worries.

Though that 9800GTX+ might be interesting, we will see.

Martyn
Doublechecked and it was indeed the Nvidia 9800GTX

Guess ill have to try Ati again, as I heardtheir cards were gonna stomp Nvidias, and at the price for the 4850, Nvidia really doesnt have alot going for it besides my personal preference. As for the 9800GTX+ , would it be worth it shell out the extra coin for one opposed to the 4850? Willing to spend a bit more for brand loyalty(cringe hearing Ati + drivers) but if the performence isnt there, then ill stick to the 4850 for the time being.

Given the general consenus, guess I'll go with Ati on this one, but ill give it a couple weeks, seei f prices shift around a bit(also wait for my paycheck to show up )

Thanks guys, Karma all around

9800GTX+ is meant to be 10% faster than a 4850, yet, there seems to be a bit of ambiguety as to what one is actually quicker. Ultimately, I think it comes down to the games you play. Yet this aserts the 9800GTX+ still isnt as quick as the 4850:

Although if you watch it, he says how the 9800GTX is quicker in UT3, so, I mean it isnt as if anyone could say a 4850 is faster than a 9800GTX (or the 9800GTX+) all round, your looking for an overall I guess.

As long as your waiting, what I would do is hold off till that plus card comes out, and, not so long after that I would expect ATi to do something in order to respond to it (new drivers/price cut etc). Maybe it be best to wait for the card and come back to this thread when the dust clears as it where. By then everyone would have a much clearer picture as to what is going on.

Martyn

2008-07-14 13:46:22

#10

r2zoo: Knowledge is power, guard it well; +126|6865|Michigan, USA

DeathUnlimited wrote:
And Ati's drivers are just generally better, for a GPU overclocker at least. I hate it when my nVidia drivers decide to crash.

ATi doesn't share that problem.

Well i dont overclock so not much of a plus there I can see why it would be though for some

However, my last few times with Atis drivers...

1.X1650 - Card runs fine, attempted to install drivers and install would complete but drivers would notwork, regardless of what version or where I got the drivers from. 2 Weeks laters , come back to check no the card(my bro-in laws PC) drivers installed themselves magically :S Never understood that, my Bro in-law doesn't get PCs so it obviously wasnt him.

2.x600 - Card would cause full system lockups and crashes of any 3d game randomly, but only after drivers were installed, without drivers, card worked fine :S

3.X1950 - Driver install would not complete, could barely get the screen to work properly, tried redownloading, etc etc. Eventully my friends dad spent 3 hours on tech support line after I left and somehow fixed it.

Yeah, Ati hasnt been good to me, Nvidia has always installed properly and ran smooth. Those wereDx9 though, so hopfully its different. Not gonna call out something I havent used yet, but Im sure you can understand my apprehension

2008-07-14 14:22:35

#11

Agent_Dung_Bomb: Member; +302|7005|Salt Lake City

I was happy to dump my 8800GT to my secondary box and rid myself of the buggy drivers nvidia has put out lately. My 4850 has been absolutely flawless.

2008-07-14 14:41:01

#12

r2zoo: Knowledge is power, guard it well; +126|6865|Michigan, USA

Agent_Dung_Bomb wrote:
I was happy to dump my 8800GT to my secondary box and rid myself of the buggy drivers nvidia has put out lately. My 4850 has been absolutely flawless.

Well this is what I hear here, but on Newegg and such reviews complin about Atis drivers not working properly

That said, when I get paid this thursday, Ill go against my self and get it Newegg has some great deals on it right now, and would be a huge step up from my 7600GT.

2008-07-14 17:38:40

#13

dill13: Member; +67|6462

The 9800 gtx is out on ncix already or its mislabeled
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php? … ifications

2008-07-14 18:48:52

#14

Havok: Nymphomaniac Treatment Specialist; +302|6943|Florida, United States

dill13 wrote:
The 9800 gtx is out on ncix already or its mislabeled
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php? … ifications

Website you posted wrote:
Availability:
This Product is available in 5 to 10 Days
This product is available but currently we do not have stock.

2008-07-15 16:44:07

#15

r2zoo: Knowledge is power, guard it well; +126|6865|Michigan, USA

Thanks agan to everyone, ended up going with the Sapphire 4850 recommended earlier up in the post. Had a good deal with a processor my sister wanted, ended today, so why not Was a good price, and should prove to be miles past my 7600GT(getting sold to my sister as well )

Thanks for the help guys.

2008-07-15 18:56:18

#16

The#1Spot: Member; +105|6808|byah

r2zoo wrote:
Thanks agan to everyone, ended up going with the Sapphire 4850 recommended earlier up in the post. Had a good deal with a processor my sister wanted, ended today, so why not Was a good price, and should prove to be miles past my 7600GT(getting sold to my sister as well )

Thanks for the help guys.

You might get an addiction from all the detail you have been missing using a 7600gs or your eyes might bleed from too much.

2008-07-15 22:45:38

#17

r2zoo: Knowledge is power, guard it well; +126|6865|Michigan, USA

The#1Spot wrote:
r2zoo wrote:
Thanks agan to everyone, ended up going with the Sapphire 4850 recommended earlier up in the post. Had a good deal with a processor my sister wanted, ended today, so why not Was a good price, and should prove to be miles past my 7600GT(getting sold to my sister as well )

Thanks for the help guys.
You might get an addiction from all the detail you have been missing using a 7600gs or your eyes might bleed from too much.

700GT Thank you very much I purhased it late alst summer for $100, and that was abck when the 8800s were king . Before that, my trusty Nvidia 5200 was all I had,, man what a HUGE step up from that my 7600GT was. If this card can match that sense of sheer amazement I had of running BF2 maxed out....

Cant wait for the following months in gaming Spore, Fallout 3, Far Cry 2...No longer must I worry

2008-07-15 23:11:40

#18

CrazeD: Member; +368|6941|Maine

r2zoo wrote:
Thanks agan to everyone, ended up going with the Sapphire 4850 recommended earlier up in the post. Had a good deal with a processor my sister wanted, ended today, so why not Was a good price, and should prove to be miles past my 7600GT(getting sold to my sister as well )

Thanks for the help guys.

Niiiice. I have one too, it's sechs.

Make sure you do the CCC fan tweak, it gets very hot on default fan speed.

2008-07-16 01:42:33

#19

.Sup: be nice; +2,646|6722|The Twilight Zone

http://www.grafikkartenpower.de/shop/ca … rer=PSM_DE

2008-07-16 06:31:45

#20

r2zoo: Knowledge is power, guard it well; +126|6865|Michigan, USA

.Sup wrote:
http://www.grafikkartenpower.de/shop/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=816&referer=PSM_DE

Would be nice, but...

A. Aready bought the 4850

B. thats $247 USD, and also a german retailer

BF2S Forums 9800 vs 8800GT vs Ati - Best Card for in the $200 range?

Bell wrote:

r2zoo wrote:

Bell wrote:

DeathUnlimited wrote:

Agent_Dung_Bomb wrote:

dill13 wrote:

Website you posted wrote:

r2zoo wrote:

The#1Spot wrote:

r2zoo wrote:

r2zoo wrote:

.Sup wrote:

Board footer