Graphic Cards - 8 Series, when to buy?

[mcpaper]

Bit of a strange question but does anyone know when the 8800GTS will reach a good price range?

Im thinking around £230 - I mean we have some 7900GTs which are at a reasonable price of £170.

I've been stuck with a 6200TS (Not for gaming) for quite a while now and still have not seen most of my games (BF2142, Oblivion etc.) in high settings. Ive always been behind on latest technologies and Im sure if I buy a 7900 series card I will be behind once again on the vista showcase.

I want to get a 8800, but when? 

[Jari]

After one product cycle, i.e. when the new top of the line card is introduced.

nVidia's product cycles used to be six months, not sure if they still are. It might drop bit sooner, depending on how well the R600 will perform and when ATi manages to launch it (supposedly PCB of the reference design went back to the drawing board, since it was even more humongous than 8800-cards).

[mcpaper]

Hmm thanks for the input - oh and is it true you need a 500w PSU to use it mininum?

I only have 460ws  *sigh

[Jari]

Don't know, but considering how many different kinds of PCs there can be, stating that 500W is a absolute minimum for all cases seems bit silly. It probably won't hurt, but I'd most likely just try with your 460w one, unless the system requirements absolutely state that you must have 500w. It's less than 10% difference, anyway.

There are PSUs and then there are PSUs. I had a 1.4GHz Tualatin Celeron with several hard drives, 4 optical drives, 2 sound cards and other stuff running with a 235w PSU for the longest time. And it gave more stable voltages than this 350w Enermax (granted, this is not the Skeletor anymore, but other parts are mainly the same).

So, not all PSUs are created equal, and the wattage is not necessarily the most important spec about them. It is the easiest to interpret, though, and that's why they say that you need such and such PSU as a minimum.

[ChaosControl]

There are PSUs and then there are PSUs. I had a 1.4GHz Tualatin Celeron with several hard drives, 4 optical drives, 2 sound cards and other stuff running with a 235w PSU for the longest time. And it gave more stable voltages than this 350w Enermax (granted, this is not the Skeletor anymore, but other parts are mainly the same).

True.

I'm using a P4 prescott 3,2 and 4 pci cards(live! 1024, 4x extra usb 2.0 expension pci card, 2nd network card and a IDE 100 controller) one pcix16 card (6800xt silent) 2hdd's and 3 optical drives, works great on my 400w powersupply.

[Otokoshi]

I would wait until the first or second quarter of next year.  Vista is not even out yet to take advantage of DirectX 10.  The first DirectX 10 games (to my knowledge) are Crysis and Flight Sim X (with a patch).  Wait until you can actually take advantage of the new tech, by March of next year another generation of the card may be out, 8900?  If you really want top of the line then, at least the hysteria will be down and they will probably be around $500.00 American.  Otherwise get the 8800 for hundreds of dollars cheaper. 

[Decayrate]

AFAIK crysis has been delayd a couple of months, can't remember the issui but it had nothing to do with the game itself.

Your PSU is fine, this is my pc: Core 2 Duo e6600 @ 3.6, P5W DH, 2GB OCZ 6400ddr2 platinum, Club3D X1900XTX, 4 hdds, 2 dvd drives, 2 pci cards, (one raid and one a NIC) and the total output of the system measured with a "watt'o'meter" is 390watt on Load (My PSU is a Silverstone Zeun 850W Btw).

and the "new" cards dosn't need a gazillion watt PSU, like the rumered wattage.

The wattage is ONE thing, but if the PSU can actually manage to keep up with the load thats another story. (don't buy some nasty Qtec 600W, it's peek power, not continues power. If you wan't to buy a PSU don't be a cheap scout, buy something good like: OCZ, Tagan, Silverstone, Zippy, Hiper (quite good for the price).

wait after christmas, or something, perhaps there will be a nice "lager salg" (sell out the stock ) with nice prices

Pardon my engrish

[RW_66]

I really don't get why everybody is making such a big deal that "It's a DX10 card, which won't be out till XXXX..". It doesn't matter because it's still the fastest DX9 card available! Yes, it might might be even more amazing with Vista.. but it's still amazing with games right now! If you meet the requirements for Vista now, there's no good reason (besides hoping for a price drop) to wait for this card. The Power requirements are really no worse then that of the 7950GT2. Or a Quad-SLi  setup.

I personally think it's just a bunch a whining by all the ATi fanboys, who are mad that Nvidia has really spanked the X1950's @$$. "Wait for r600. It's gonna own Nvidia!". Yeah, right. It's not even going to be out till like Feb-March next year, IF they don't screw up the release date(And ATi has been having a lot of problems with that for the past 2 years.. ). I've seen the PROPOSED specs for it, and it's not totally different from the present 8800. In fact, the specs look more like their DX9 cards than Nvidia's radical departure with the 8800. Anyway, I'm not putting any stock in a bunch of fanboy speculations until we see head to head testing by actual independent sources like Tom's Hardware and Anandtech. Till then, the 8800 is the King of the present Hill.

[Jari]

If you meet the requirements for Vista now, there's no good reason (besides hoping for a price drop) to wait for this card.

You said it yourself. But since we seem to be getting personal, I'll give you my honest opinion: people who waste their money on the fastest available PC hardware should get their heads checked. There. My opinion even has some basis in reality, unlike yours.

The Power requirements are really no worse then that of the 7950GT2. Or a Quad-SLi  setup.

ROFLMAO! Has PC gaming really come to this? "It's okay to use assloads of power, since the other setups do too! We didn't start it!"

I personally think it's just a bunch a whining by all the ATi fanboys, who are mad that Nvidia has really spanked the X1950's @$$. "Wait for r600. It's gonna own Nvidia!".

And personally I think that you need help. The professional kind. They can give you drugs for that paranoia.

Listen, you little whinyass punk, only ATi card I've ever owned is an old Rage Pro, which I bought like 7 years after it was released, just so that I could attach a monitor to my server.

However, I am seriously considering becoming ATi fanboy, just so that I wouldn't be nVidia fanboy. Because they seem to be flaming morons.

Till then, the 8800 is the King of the present Hill.

You have wet dreams about 8800, don't you? Come on, you can tell us.

[RW_66]

Seriously, Jari.. Were you born an asshole? Or did you actually have to LEARN it from other people?

You said it yourself. But since we seem to be getting personal, I'll give you my honest opinion: people who waste their money on the fastest available PC hardware should get their heads checked. There. My opinion even has some basis in reality, unlike yours.

Oh, I forgot.. your OPINION is the world standard by which everybody else lives.   
My opinion is no less valid then yours. Grow up and get a life.. loser. Yes, cost is a concern. But, the best is never cheap.

ROFLMAO! Has PC gaming really come to this? "It's okay to use assloads of power, since the other setups do too! We didn't start it!"

If you've bought a MODERN video card in the last year and a half, ATi or Nvidia, they require a seperate power line. Hell, the first 6800's needed a 400w power supply too! Did you really think that with over twice the number of transistors on a chip, that it would use less power? Or run cooler? I know I'm not that big of an idiot..

And personally I think that you need help. The professional kind. They can give you drugs for that paranoia.

Listen, you little whinyass punk, only ATi card I've ever owned is an old Rage Pro, which I bought like 7 years after it was released, just so that I could attach a monitor to my server.

However, I am seriously considering becoming ATi fanboy, just so that I wouldn't be nVidia fanboy. Because they seem to be flaming morons.

Gee, thats nice. Now, if they could just find a cure for ignorance,stupidity, and being an asshole, you'll be fine too!
P.S. Changing Video Cards in your case won't save you. It's waaaayy too late for that. Because the video cards were never the problem in the first place. You were born a flaming moron, and you'll probably die that way, too. Too bad they have drugs to treat that.

You have wet dreams about 8800, don't you? Come on, you can tell us.

No, I don't. My most satisfying dreams involve the idiots of the world being rounded up, driven to the ocean, and being lined up on the rails of ships.. where they are smacked upside the head with a 2 x 4, into the shark infested waters.

It's alright Jari.. don't be afaid of the water..

[zero88]

I loved my old computer (of course I still use it, of course I'm using it, but I bought a newer, much more powerful PC some months ago).

Pentium III, 600Mhz, 384 RAM, 128 MB nVidia GeForce FX 5200.

Surprisingly, the little system has held its own over the six years that I've had it. It runs Final Fantasy VII and VIII flawlessly with any patch out there, anyway, which is more than what my newer computer can say.

I hate keeping up with the latest technology, but it can be an interesting read from time to time.

[Jari]

Seriously, Jari.. Were you born an asshole? Or did you actually have to LEARN it from other people?

Fanboys taught me.

Fanboys who cry "Cole should be fired, he said that our wiis are small!!!!1111"

Fanboys who posted thousands after thousands of messages when Twilight Princess got measly score of 88.

Fanboys who claim that other people are fanboys, because they happen to give sane advice.

There is absolutely no reason to be nice or even civil towards fanboys. You deserve to be mocked. You and your sick fantasies about how your platform/graphics card/whatever is better than the rest and that this would even somehow matter to people other than you.

Oh, I forgot.. your OPINION is the world standard by which everybody else lives.   
My opinion is no less valid then yours. Grow up and get a life.. loser. Yes, cost is a concern. But, the best is never cheap.

Let's recap your opinion:

I personally think it's just a bunch a whining by all the ATi fanboys, who are mad that Nvidia has really spanked the X1950's @$$.

That is your precious opinion. It's fanboy drivel. In this thread nobody demonstrated noticeable bias. Until you came along.

Best sure ain't cheap when it comes to computer components. And so called early adopters - in other words people who wank off thinking about video cards - get totally ripped off. I don't mind it, it's their money, serves them right for being idiots. But I take serious offense when some fanboy idiot starts spewing their shit when someone seriously asks when he should buy a new card.

Tell me, what game runs so badly on lower spec cards that you need to have 8800 to run it now? Oh right, there are none, are there?

So, unless the rest of your system is up to running game X at 1600x1200 with FSAA and shit and you get off on the fact that you now get 50fps instead of the 30fps you used to get... you are just wasting your money.

Grow up and get a life.. loser.

Said by someone who previously said:

I personally think it's just a bunch a whining by all the ATi fanboys, who are mad that Nvidia has really spanked the X1950's @$$.

Oh, the irony. You know, you are pretty funny. Unfortunately for you, you are not trying to be. But that is the funniest kind of funniness.

ROFLMAO! Has PC gaming really come to this? "It's okay to use assloads of power, since the other setups do too! We didn't start it!"

If you've bought a MODERN video card in the last year and a half, ATi or Nvidia, they require a seperate power line. Hell, the first 6800's needed a 400w power supply too! Did you really think that with over twice the number of transistors on a chip, that it would use less power? Or run cooler? I know I'm not that big of an idiot..

Well, let's see... we take step or two forwards in lithography, we optimize our architecture, we move to low voltate parts... yes, I am disappointed that the power consumption continues to rise, in both GPUs and CPUs.

You are pretty massive idiot for completely missing my point, though. Which was that this trend is all wrong, and will eventually kill off PC gaming altogether, if it continues unopposed.

PCs have survived as gaming machines because you can do other stuff on them too. Well, you certainly can do other stuff on the gaming monstrosities of today, but the question is are you willing to foot the electricity bill and wear ear protectors while doing that other stuff. Or would you rather buy a Mac Mini and play on a console.

The manufacturers must start paying attention to factors other than the ever increasing power, at this rate the PC is on a road to becoming a dedicated gaming platform... and that will be the death of PC gaming. Simply because consoles do the same thing for much less money and wasted resources.

Gee, thats nice. Now, if they could just find a cure for ignorance,stupidity, and being an asshole, you'll be fine too!
P.S. Changing Video Cards in your case won't save you. It's waaaayy too late for that. Because the video cards were never the problem in the first place. You were born a flaming moron, and you'll probably die that way, too. Too bad they have drugs to treat that.

Awww, did I make the fanboy angwy? So sowwy.

You have wet dreams about 8800, don't you? Come on, you can tell us.

No, I don't. My most satisfying dreams involve the idiots of the world being rounded up, driven to the ocean, and being lined up on the rails of ships.. where they are smacked upside the head with a 2 x 4, into the shark infested waters.

Why, then our dreams are surprisingly similar. One would think that one wouldn't dream of his own demise, but perhaps one does.

[Skillster/RedSarg99]

We all know the story;
ATi will release its more featured card and just about beat nvidia.
nVidia will update their top of the line card with a 8950 Ultra something or the other.
ATi will be forced to release its X295 Platinum whatever to compete.
Then there is a lul while ATi and nVidia fill up the rest of the market for graphic cards with less powerfull devices.

Then the next product cycle begins after 3-4 months.

Best bet is to wait for their "ace up their sleave" - that extra special card nVidia has hidden waiting for ATi to reveal it's hand.