All 8800GTs exactly the same?

[meridimus]

I heard from another forum that the new 8800GT is just a reference board and each manufacturer is just using it exactly as is until they have time to make them with different GPU/Memory clocks, until then it's just the BIOS. So a card with memory clocked at 2000MHz is the same as a card with memory clocked at 1600MHz It's just how the manufacturers want to pitch the card.

What I mean is, the memory is clocked by the BIOS at 1600MHz when it's just the same memory as the 2000MHz card. Is this true? If so, I'm buying a 1600 card and flashing it to have the higher clocks.

 

[Greebo]

All true. All current GT boards are the same with different stickers and bios.

However your theory doesn't hold water. Not every card can run at 700/2000. Manufacturers are testing the reference boards and the ones which pass are being sold as overclocked cards at 635,650,660 and 700 core speeds. Those that fail are being sold as normal 600Mhz core speed.

So the odds at the moment of getting a card which runs at 700/2000 is reduced. Plenty of people aren't getting those overclocks.

And I think standard clock speed for the 8800GT is 1800Mhz not 1600Mhz as you state.

SO certainly buy a cheap none overclocked one and use ati tool, rivatuner to overclock it but test it thoroughly before flashing the bios.

Plus a lot of etailers are not asking a premium for pre-oc cards or if they do it's only a few quid.

My MSI cost £152 inc VAT delivered (comes Wednesday) and is pre-overclocked to 660/1950. Why bother buying a vanilla standard clocked card for £176???


Downside is flashed bios= no warranty

Safer to just overclock it using software IMO.

 

[JohnnyG]

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