Help Needed today! 7950gx2 or 8800gts which!

dazsly · 8 Nov 2006 at 08:11

Hi I really need to make my descision by end of today which graphics to put into my rig, I know that the gts and gx2 are priced about the same, but its looking like for raw power the gx2 is beating the 8800gts. Help!! :confused:

doodleplop · 8 Nov 2006 at 08:13

I would get the gts as it will last you longer

.

Jonny

Stelly · 8 Nov 2006 at 08:29

I vote GTS too... I'm getting the GTX this afternoon

Stelly

dazsly · 8 Nov 2006 at 08:32

So you think that some of the reviews that are on here are wrong? I only play at 1280 x 1024 and would like to keep the carda at least a year or two, and we dont know how good the cards are in dx10 yet.

What does the gx2 get in 3dmark 05, 06?

doodleplop · 8 Nov 2006 at 08:33

Tbh, the gx2 will be obsolete in about a year, I don't know how much you like to spend on components and things but I know I wouldnt wanna spend about £350 on something that will only last a year.

Jonny

Darkwave · 8 Nov 2006 at 08:35

I personally wouldn't bother with either for 1280x1024, that's overkill.

Just get a 7900GTO, it will cut through plenty at that res for some time to come.

dazsly · 8 Nov 2006 at 08:37

Ulfhedjinn said:
I personally wouldn't bother with either for 1280x1024, that's overkill.

Just get a 7900GTO, it will cut through plenty at that res for some time to come.

But if I get that card what happens in 6 - 12 months when dx10 is established, I will have to upgrade anyway.

doodleplop · 8 Nov 2006 at 08:39

My point exactly, also the 8800 will deffinitely be able to handle whatever comes out in the next 2 years on high settings maybe even (im pushing my luck here) 3
or 4 on medium.

Jonny

ih8modem · 8 Nov 2006 at 08:42

dazsly said:
Hi I really need to make my descision by end of today which graphics to put into my rig, I know that the gts and gx2 are priced about the same, but its looking like for raw power the gx2 is beating the 8800gts. Help!!

You planning on running vista when it comes out ? If yes go for the 8800GTS. If not for a while (as long as it takes for your next hardware upgrade) then get the 7950GX2.

Honestly, I would wait 1 week, then see the released reviews and posts from other early adopters. See how it goes. It might make your decision easier.

Darkwave · 8 Nov 2006 at 08:44

dazsly said:
But if I get that card what happens in 6 - 12 months when dx10 is established, I will have to upgrade anyway.

6-12 months is very wishful thinking at best. Count how many Shader Model 3.0 supported games you know that won't play on an X800, I dares ya'. I can count on half of one hand.

If you buy a 7900GTO now you would have spent a fortune less, would plough through everything at 1280x1024 for a long while, and would be able to afford a monster of a DX10 card in 1+ years time.

Its_Me · 8 Nov 2006 at 08:57

Ulfhedjinn said:
6-12 months is very wishful thinking at best. Count how many Shader Model 3.0 supported games you know that won't play on an X800, I dares ya'. I can count on half of one hand.

If you buy a 7900GTO now you would have spent a fortune less, would plough through everything at 1280x1024 for a long while, and would be able to afford a monster of a DX10 card in 1+ years time.

Sound advice there, although i would say if you can go for the 8800GTX.

The GTS is just not fast enough to warrant it as a replacement card 'just for DX10'

ih8modem · 8 Nov 2006 at 09:08

doodleplop said:
Tbh, the gx2 will be obsolete in about a year, I don't know how much you like to spend on components and things but I know I wouldnt wanna spend about £350 on something that will only last a year.

Jonny

LOL I know that feeling ...7800GTX 256 a week before the 512MB version came out. Since then 7900/7950/7950GX2, not to mention ATi's offerings.

Burumbar · 8 Nov 2006 at 09:10

DX10 will be a completely different proposition to SM 3.0 imo so take the anti-DX10 brigade with a pinch of salt.

You're going to get a lot of people telling you one thing or another in this thread as the 8800 has been a hot topic for debate but tbh the logic to me says the single chip GTS.

The GX2 is a fine card but you will have some of the quirks you get with SLI which may not be for you. If you are not someone to upgrade every 6-12 months also then you may kick yourself next year when you may (or may not depending on your view) need a DX10 card. For the same reason I don't see the point in a 7900GTO however easily it "cuts" through games at the moment.

I'd break it down into two options.

If money is no object and you are happy to upgrade again in 6-12 months then spend 200 sheets on a GTO for the res you are playing at and buy a DX10 card as and when its needed.

If you are not going to be wanting (or not be able to afford) another upgrade if and when DX10 becomes needed, then get the GTS just to be on the safe side. At least then you have the option of adding another one at a later date if you can afford it for even better performance.

dazsly · 8 Nov 2006 at 09:18

Its_Me said:
Sound advice there, although i would say if you can go for the 8800GTX.

The GTS is just not fast enough to warrant it as a replacement card 'just for DX10'

What are you basing your comments on?

I saw a review that gave the gts at 1280x1024 at default in 3dmark06 over 9000 this is about on a level with the gx2 is it not?

Its_Me · 8 Nov 2006 at 09:33

dazsly said:
What are you basing your comments on?

I saw a review that gave the gts at 1280x1024 at default in 3dmark06 over 9000 this is about on a level with the gx2 is it not?

Well specificly I am thinking long term, not just 1280x1024 res.
think in terms of gaming, not just ooo ahh 9000 points in a DX9 based benchmark.
GTX is a fair buy, i don't consider the GTS is.

6months or even less ( jan?) from now, the DX10 cards will be hammering past 10K for £100 less.

Darkwave · 8 Nov 2006 at 09:34

Burumbar said:
DX10 will be a completely different proposition to SM 3.0 imo so take the anti-DX10 brigade with a pinch of salt.

Tim Sweeny, the man in charge of developing Unreal Engine 3, disagrees.

Whatever you choose to do, dazsly, I have no doubt you'll love the experience.

Burumbar · 8 Nov 2006 at 09:42

Ulfhedjinn said:
Tim Sweeny, the man in charge of developing Unreal Engine 3, disagrees.

Whatever you choose to do, dazsly, I have no doubt you'll love the experience.

Did he? The interview you posted actually seemed to me as though he was pretty keen on it but you quoted the one slightly negative bit and I didn't see him saying it will be another SM 3.0 as you seem to think. It depends on what you want though. DX10 to me looks as though its going to make the developing process and gaming experience more streamlined, quicker and easier. If it does that I'll be a happy bunny I'm not expecting fireworks or photo-realism though. Maybe thats the problem, people always expect to much.

Darkwave · 8 Nov 2006 at 09:50

Burumbar said:
Did he? The interview you posted actually seemed to me as though he was pretty keen on it but you quoted the one slightly negative bit and I didn't see him saying it will be another SM 3.0 as you seem to think.

Of course he's keen on it, he develops game engines for a living.

The reason I emphasised numerous quotes in the article that put DirectX 10 in a less impressive light is because he made it clear that once you cut through the hype, DirectX 10 mainly brings incrimental improvements in performance and visuals to the table, which will probably take a good couple of years to turn into anything different than we see today (see: Shader Model 3, and how the hype around that turned into a pretty anti-climactic dry fart until lately.)

This is great news to someone who develops game engines, but to end users and enthusiasts it's just going to disappoint as most have their expectations set far too high due to the hype.

Burumbar said:
It depends on what you want though. DX10 to me looks as though its going to make the developing process and gaming experience more streamlined, quicker and easier. If it does that I'll be a happy bunny I'm not expecting fireworks or photo-realism though. Maybe thats the problem, people always expect to much.

Bingo!

The paragraph you just wrote sums up my feelings on DirectX 10 perfectly, just a lot more eloquently than I seem to be able to put it. I think the reason that people get so annoyed at me when I talk about DirectX 10 is a.) I am not good at phrasing my point of view in a neutral tone and b.) I am too good at killing high expectations.

Burumbar · 8 Nov 2006 at 09:58

Ulfhedjinn said:
Of course he's keen on it, he develops game engines for a living.

The reason I emphasised numerous quotes in the article that put DirectX 10 in a less impressive light is because he made it clear that once you cut through the hype, DirectX 10 mainly brings incrimental improvements in performance and visuals to the table, which will probably take a good couple of years to turn into anything different than we see today (see: Shader Model 3, and how the hype around that turned into a pretty anti-climactic dry fart until lately.)

This is great news to someone who develops game engines, but to end users and enthusiasts it's just going to disappoint as most have their expectations set far too high due to the hype.

Bingo! The paragraph you just wrote sums up my feelings on DirectX 10 perfectly, just a lot more eloquently than I seem to be able to put it. I think the reason that people get so annoyed at me when I talk about DirectX 10 is a.) I am not good at phrasing my point of view in a neutral tone and b.) I am too good at killing high expectations.

Aye it'd help us all if M$ dropped the hype machine. Like yourself I'm not looking for miracles from DX10, I'll leave that for people like Crytek. I just want to play these gorgeous looking games that the devs are putting out at good frame rates and if DX10 helps that then I don't care if some robot has realistic foggy breath or what-not.

dazsly · 8 Nov 2006 at 10:03

So im still no clearer, I think I will wait until this afternoon hopefully someone will post a gts,gtx,gx2 review! also I guess these drivers will not be that good at this time so maybe more performance as drivers mature.