Is it worth me getting an ATI graphics card instead of an 8800GT?

Gazza33 · 11 Nov 2007 at 23:27

The reason is, I was thinking of getting the P5K-C. It looks like a fairly nice board, but supports Crossfire rather than SLI.

So I was wondering. Instead of paying for an Nvidia card, should I purchase a nice ATI card that I can Crossfire later on?

Thanks.

DavidB · 11 Nov 2007 at 23:30

Better off selling your 8800 GT when its time to upgrade and buying a new card imo.
Save on the electricity bills and get as good/better performance.

pastymuncher · 12 Nov 2007 at 11:20

Gazza33 said:
The reason is, I was thinking of getting the P5K-C. It looks like a fairly nice board, but supports Crossfire rather than SLI.

So I was wondering. Instead of paying for an Nvidia card, should I purchase a nice ATI card that I can Crossfire later on?

Thanks.

I would wait and see what ATI unveils on the 15th and Nvidia on the 19th. It's ceratinbly what i am doing.

mishima · 12 Nov 2007 at 11:42

pastymuncher said:
I would wait and see what ATI unveils on the 15th and Nvidia on the 19th. It's ceratinbly what i am doing.

19th Nov?

pastymuncher · 12 Nov 2007 at 11:44

mishima said:
19th Nov?

New GTS is'nt it? Or has it been put back? Bloody hope not as i've been cardless for two weeks now!!

mishima · 12 Nov 2007 at 11:45

ah I just wondered when you meant, I've no idea when the new GTS is released. Do you know anything about the price-range?

pastymuncher · 12 Nov 2007 at 11:49

mishima said:
ah I just wondered when you meant, I've no idea when the new GTS is released. Do you know anything about the price-range?

Considering the performance of the GT i would say around £240ish. That is a complete guess though and would put it uncomfortably close to the 640GTS for Nvidia.

mishima · 12 Nov 2007 at 11:52

I think the GTS's will drop in price once the GT becomes mainstream and the stock issue is sorted out. Interesting though.

LoadsaMoney · 12 Nov 2007 at 11:53

Wait till Thursday and see how the 3870/50's are priced, if they priced as rumoured then 2x of those should be a cracking buy.

I heard the new GTS was coming around 1st week of December, and would priced around £260.

Pneumonic · 12 Nov 2007 at 11:55

Gazza33 said:
The reason is, I was thinking of getting the P5K-C. It looks like a fairly nice board, but supports Crossfire rather than SLI.

So I was wondering. Instead of paying for an Nvidia card, should I purchase a nice ATI card that I can Crossfire later on?

Thanks.

Second PCI-E slot on that board is not x16 only x4 I believe better going for 1 high end card or get an x38 board with 2 PCI-E x16 slots

Gunther · 12 Nov 2007 at 12:02

i would say wait till the ATI's 3800 series comes out, see what that's like and go immediatly for ati, later you can than crossfire them, no need to lose money on buying and reselling

pastymuncher · 12 Nov 2007 at 12:03

LoadsaMoney said:
Wait till Thursday and see how the 3870/50's are priced, if they priced as rumoured then 2x of those should be a cracking buy.

I heard the new GTS was coming around 1st week of December, and would priced around £260.

Is crossfire like Sli though where only certain games support it? It would be nice if all games support it though as i have a pair of 16x pci-e 2.0 slots here.

jabski · 12 Nov 2007 at 12:13

Pneumonic said:
Second PCI-E slot on that board is not x16 only x4 I believe better going for 1 high end card or get an x38 board with 2 PCI-E x16 slots

thats correct

LoadsaMoney · 12 Nov 2007 at 12:20

pastymuncher said:
Is crossfire like Sli though where only certain games support it? It would be nice if all games support it though as i have a pair of 16x pci-e 2.0 slots here.

It was/is (not sure if its changed or not) better than SLi, as crossfire works/worked with everything, there was/is no need for profiles for your games like you needed/need for SLi.

pastymuncher · 12 Nov 2007 at 12:24

LoadsaMoney said:
It was/is (not sure if its changed or not) better than SLi, as crossfire works/worked with everything, there was/is no need for profiles for your games like you needed/need for SLi.

Cheers for that. That's something to think about. Lets hope these cards can do lot's of AA.

gareth170 · 12 Nov 2007 at 12:29

LoadsaMoney said:
It was/is (not sure if its changed or not) better than SLi, as crossfire works/worked with everything, there was/is no need for profiles for your games like you needed/need for SLi.

doesn't work with everything mate..

it depends if ati as got the game in they driver..

sometimes it takes 1-2 months for ati to add it.. like bioshock...

simonnance · 12 Nov 2007 at 12:54

LoadsaMoney said:
I heard the new GTS was coming around 1st week of December, and would priced around £260.

Isnt that the G80 112SP GTS? The one that'll be silently roled in to replace the older G80?

Doesnt look anything special to me, the GT broke ground with the smaller process and the extra processing units, the G80 will just take more power, and have higher initial clocks..... prob nothing a good OCer cant get out of a GT, and the smaller architecture should give it the edge in OCing.

I havent seen any evidence of a G92 GTS (likewise a G92 GTX) coming out any time soon, but i look forward to being supprised.

Greebo · 12 Nov 2007 at 14:18

simonnance said:
Isnt that the G80 112SP GTS? The one that'll be silently roled in to replace the older G80?

Doesnt look anything special to me, the GT broke ground with the smaller process and the extra processing units, the G80 will just take more power, and have higher initial clocks..... prob nothing a good OCer cant get out of a GT, and the smaller architecture should give it the edge in OCing.

I havent seen any evidence of a G92 GTS (likewise a G92 GTX) coming out any time soon, but i look forward to being supprised.

The G80 GTS with 112 shaders is out 19th November.

Better for high res/aa over the 8800GT but at lesser res/quality the GT is as fast or faster.

G80 GTS being marketed as "oc" cards. EVGA releasing as a SCC so should be more money than the current 640Mb GTS cards and too much IMO.

Better to just pay another £20 and get a GTX.

New G92 GTS with 128 shaders still rumoured to be coming and that's the one I expect to be beginning of December.

However, cureent stupid pricing of the 8800GT cards would lead you to expect the new G92 GTS to be more money than the current GTX cards as it will be faster at stock of 600Mhz and oc'd to 700Mhz faster than an Ultra.

pastymuncher · 12 Nov 2007 at 14:50

Greebo said:
The G80 GTS with 112 shaders is out 19th November.

Better for high res/aa over the 8800GT but at lesser res/quality the GT is as fast or faster.

G80 GTS being marketed as "oc" cards. EVGA releasing as a SCC so should be more money than the current 640Mb GTS cards and too much IMO.

Better to just pay another £20 and get a GTX.

New G92 GTS with 128 shaders still rumoured to be coming and that's the one I expect to be beginning of December.

However, cureent stupid pricing of the 8800GT cards would lead you to expect the new G92 GTS to be more money than the current GTX cards as it will be faster at stock of 600Mhz and oc'd to 700Mhz faster than an Ultra.

Oh bugger! I thought it was the G92 GTS coming out on the 19th and that the 112SP version was already out. I've just sold my GTS and am not about to get another with only slightly better performance. If i can't get a GT by the end of the week then i guess i will have to go with ATI's new card on the 15th.

simonnance · 12 Nov 2007 at 15:05

pastymuncher said:
Oh bugger! I thought it was the G92 GTS coming out on the 19th and that the 112SP version was already out.

So many unsubstantiated rumours about the G80/92 112/128SP GTS that i'm not sure what to believe.

Hell, i'm almost glad ATI are clearing the slate with the 38xx series, marketing gimicks aside, Nvidia are just confusing the hell out of me right now!