EVGA

[arc@css]

Hello all,
More than likely gonna order an EVGA card tonight. Just before I do, thought I'd get to hear about any experiences, good or bad, that you may have had. I'm under the impression that they are among the best. if not thee best. Like the idea of their stepping up program too.

 

[MoRT489]

Which card you going for? It's worth considering that the BFG cards come with Far Cry 2 and factor that into the price.

EVGA and BFG considered the best makes of nvidia cards.

If going for a 260GTX note that the "Maxcore" version is a new, faster release. Also, nvidia are releasing updated models for the 260/280 range in the next [month?] so may be worth holding off.

 

[arc@css]

Unfortunately I already have Farcry 2. Will probably go for the Maxcore 216 EVGA version like you mention, they have the stepping up option which, I think, runs for 90 days after purchase so I could always go to a 270 / 290.

 

[arc@css]

Anyone had dealings with Step-Up program, how did you find it?

 

[rjk]

some useful links in my guide - see sig

 

[arc@css]

Cheers

 

[SH4RKY]

Good point about the Step up program. I was about to buy the GTX260 Superclocked 216 core card, its nice to know that you have 3 months to swap to a newer card if one is introduced.

http://www.evga.com/stepup/default.asp

The 896-P3-1265-ER GeForce GTX 260 Core 216 is in the list, but it doesn't seem to mentioned the clocked versions... i wonder if that's just reference to all 260s... or just the base model...

 

[Legionaire68]

Evga are also giving away Far Cry 2 and Vantage for Gtx 280/260 at the moment when you register the card online, you could always bay it for a rebate!

 

[MoRT489]

Regarding the step-up, FYI, so you realise it's not a straight swap:

Your purchase price will be reduced by the amount equal to the original purchase price of the graphics card or motherboard that you are trading in.

Not sure how EVGA calculate the new price, guess it's RRP, your only problem would be if that RRP was significantly more than the price in shops at the time of release of the new card. Though it could work out quite well if u buy now and the exchange rate improves early in the new year, meaning very little for u to pay for the new card...

 

[Greebo]

Regarding the step-up, FYI, so you realise it's not a straight swap:



Not sure how EVGA calculate the new price, guess it's RRP, your only problem would be if that RRP was significantly more than the price in shops at the time of release of the new card. Though it could work out quite well if u buy now and the exchange rate improves early in the new year, meaning very little for u to pay for the new card...

It works like this:

You pay the EVGA website price for the new card less what you actually paid for your old card plus the cost of shipping it back to them.

Works well in a falling price market. For example, say you bought one today for £400 and prices fell due to the exhange rate or competition from ATI and the new GTX290 (or whatever its called) comes out at £350 you would have nothing to pay except postage to swap the cards.

Works out badly if you buy your original EVGA cheap or if the cards increase in price eg if you got one a couple of months ago for £250, you would have £150 to pay just to step up to the same card.

It was great for me when I bought a 8800GTS KO 320Mb 2 months before the 8800GT came out. I was allowed to swap for free since the purchase cost of the old GTS was more than the list price of the new GT.

Other bonus is that any bundled games you are allowed to keep and the list price you bought your card for is the total price including the game. For example when they were bundling crysis with the cards for an extra £20, that extra £20 will still count and you keep the game.

 

[SH4RKY]

Well... that's a little bit of good news to hear. Prices at the moment really really suck. So its nice to have a little hope that when/if the new 260s come out i may be able to swap to one fairly cheaply.