8800GT 512mb or Atomic HD3870?

[niko084]

My HD3850's fan died, and I was thinking about rma'ing it because at a few months thats stupid...

But now thinking, maybe I'll toss a better hsf on it and sell it to my friend, for an upgrade from his 2600xt, which he would sell to his roommate to upgrade from his 6800GS.

Now if I did that I have been pondering back and forth between a 8800GT 512mb or a Atomic HD3870.... I see lots of mixed reviews and claims on IQ etc...

Other opinions, same price area.

Anyone own both, have experience with both?

Not going SLI or Crossfire, probably ever again, so thats not an issue at all.

 

[erocker]

Tough call. I guess if you like IQ over benchmarks the 3870 is the way to go, unless you are a big Crysis and Benchmarking fan, I would go with the 8800GT. Oh, and while the Atomic version is nice with the briefcase you get with it, the Toxic version is the same card without all the glitz!

 

[NinkobEi]

I prefer ATI, so I say go with the 3870. Someone else may prefer the 8800 and suggest you take NVidia's card. Really, its all up to your preference, as both cards are monstrously good performers.

 

[-iceblade^]

i would say after having skimmed through TPU's review, go for the 8800GT - it's more powerful, and the Atomic is just a flashy 3870, with not much to boast about in terms of actual power. also, you can take advantage of TWIMTBP and all of that jazz... and step up, if the price is right

the atomic really failed to impress me

 

[PrudentPrincess]

I prefer ATI, so I say go with the 3870. Someone else may prefer the 8800 and suggest you take NVidia's card. Really, its all up to your preference, as both cards are monstrously good performers.

I hope my "its all up to your preference" you mean its all up to the performance. I recommend to niko084 to look at benchies at Toms Hardware etc. 8800gt is almost always a better performer.

 

[erocker]

Which is why my answer to his post makes the most sense.

 

[niko084]

Which is why my answer to his post makes the most sense.

Pretty much... I'm not too big on benchmarks, I do highly enjoy IQ.

I know very well the 8800GT is a faster card, but I am very used to ATI's having superior IQ.

The only reason I'm digging at the Atomic is because its single slot cooler, and I can get a pretty sweet price on it even compared to other 3870's.

I'll probably ponder on it for a day or two here and figure out what I'm going to do... Personally my 3850 was fast enough for me, so either card will be fine at that level.

 

[JrRacinFan]

IMO niko and you know I am not one to really recommend anything. But I highly recommend the 3870, only due to the IQ and you are already big time used to the drivers. In other words, you know what to expect.

nVidia's drivers on the other hand, you have to tweak and tweak everyday to get the most out of them. If you don't mind playing around with settings, go for a 512MB 8800GT.

 

[niko084]

IMO niko and you know I am not one to really recommend anything. But I highly recommend the 3870, only due to the IQ and you are already big time used to the drivers. In other words, you know what to expect.

nVidia's drivers on the other hand, you have to tweak and tweak everyday to get the most out of them. If you don't mind playing around with settings, go for a 512MB 8800GT.

Hmm, ya I'm not so up for that anymore either... Another thing to think about...

Curious here though, does anyone know if either card will allow you to run a program in its native resolution at full screen? You know like your average notebook screen, normal and stretch, just adds the black border around everything?

I keep hearing about how this card and that card with these specific drivers can or can't do it... It's something I really would like and could make a difference here, especially being I'm going to be getting a larger screen here shortly.

 

[newtekie1]

The stock 8800GT 512MB is about 10% faster than the 3870 Atomic and the 8800GT overclocks better to boot. I'd go with the 8800GT if both are at the same price.

 

[NinkobEi]

The stock 8800GT 512MB is about 10% faster than the 3870 Atomic and the 8800GT overclocks better to boot. I'd go with the 8800GT if both are at the same price.

if you're using the Tom's Hardware VGA charts, you have to look to see that the 8800GT version is the OC'd version. Its not stock. so in reality their performance is about the same. And tom's hardware doesnt even show the Atomic version of the 3870, which I presume is a better performer than just the 3870.

 

[newtekie1]

if you're using the Tom's Hardware VGA charts, you have to look to see that the 8800GT version is the OC'd version. Its not stock. so in reality their performance is about the same. And tom's hardware doesnt even show the Atomic version of the 3870, which I presume is a better performer than just the 3870.

I wouldn't even type tomshardware into my address bar. I'm using W1z's relative overall performance chart of the 3870 Atomic.

Oh, and while the Atomic version is nice with the briefcase you get with it, the Toxic version is the same card without all the glitz!

The Toxic version seems to use a different PCB, and overclocks slightly worse than the Atomic version.

Atomic:

Toxic:

 

[NinkobEi]

hm, very good then.

 

[niko084]

Well actually I think I'm going to go grab me a HD3870 right now.

 

[newtekie1]

I dont' see why you would ask for help if you are just going to ignore what everyone says. There is no reason to buy a HD3870 when the 8800GT is the same price or lower, and performs better. And no, there is no IQ difference, anyone that says there is, is either a fanboy or just full or crap. The IQ difference is just a way for ATi fanboys to try and backup reasons to buy their overpriced and underperforming hardware.

 

[KainXS]

the atomic hd 3870 is a waste of money right now, you can buy a 9600GT or a cheap HD3870 and overclock both and get some nice performance

 

[MrW]

Save yourself the hassel and just get this:
http://www.ncixus.com/products/27878/ACCELERO-S1-REV2/Arctic Cooling/
http://www.ncixus.com/products/27268/TURBO-MOD/Arctic Cooling/

 

[NinkobEi]

well well, looks like it all comes down to "preference" anyway. score one for the Ninko

 

[gOJDO]

Like others said the 8800GT is around 10% faster in average but this % is getting bigger in DX10 with AA and AF turned on.
On the other hand the stock 8800GT has very poor cooler, which makes an annoying high-pitch noisy sound and that sound was going on my nerves. I would go with the 8800GT, but with non-referent cooler.

 

[newtekie1]

The Atomic HD3870 also has a very loud cooler, though it is more effective than the 8800GT's cooler, and the fan speed should be able to be turned down. Resulting in higher temps, but a barable sound.

 

[niko084]

I dont' see why you would ask for help if you are just going to ignore what everyone says. There is no reason to buy a HD3870 when the 8800GT is the same price or lower, and performs better. And no, there is no IQ difference, anyone that says there is, is either a fanboy or just full or crap. The IQ difference is just a way for ATi fanboys to try and backup reasons to buy their overpriced and underperforming hardware.

Ya, well from personal first hand expierience I'll say the 3870 has superior IQ to the 8800GT, as I have built probably around 10 systems with each card(s) in them.

PS- Talking about pricing, I got an Asus HD3870 for a price most of you can't touch a HD3850 for brand new. Wholesale prices are a bit better...

Also picked up a EVGA 8800GT OC'd for a customer and tried it out quick, I like the 3870 much more, quiter, looks better, I can deal with the every so slightly less fps.

As for not taking into consideration the opinions of others-

I did, thats why I asked, I was kinda looking to see someone say that a company or another had a nice stock cooler on the 8800GT, and that was a solid card good for clocking. I was looking to see maybe the 8800GTs drivers and performance was "better" now than it was at the time of tests by a fair amount.

Nothing of the sort came to life, so I made my decision.

 

[Kursah]

Personally I'd go for the best deal, get a fairly cheap AC S1 RV2 cooler (if it'll clear your case's side panel), with either the turbo module or a 120mm fan you have lying around, have great cooling, a fair price, and much ocability either way.

Depending on taxes I will be in this same consideration very soon between a 3870 512mb and an 8800GT 512mb. And that is my plan...I've been so impressed that the AC S1 rv1 I got for just over $20, the turbo module that I got for about $6, have done a great job keeping my OC'd 1950XTX cooler than the reference cooler by around 10-12C at load and about the same at idle.

I'm not a big fan of stock VGA cooling, so I'll either spend a little extra on pre-installed aftermarket cooling (depends on price value) or spend less on the basic cooler model and rip it off and replace it before first boot. That way I don't gotta deal with a noisy fan or overutilized and failing cooler design. Just a thought though!

Now that XFX is allowing an MIR for an 8800GT 512 for 189 after rebate is a helluva deal, but the 3870's are 189 before rebates on the basic ones, and there is a Sapphire 3870 with a little $10 MIR, but that's a good deal if the budget is tighter. Of course the HIS ICEQ3 Version is 189 also..(Newegg)..I have been a fan of that type of cooling, but that was until I tried the S1...where it doesn't matter as much to exhaust all of the hot air because the cooler is more effective at keeping everything cool enough the ambient air temp isn't nearly as affected since the heatsink isn't pouring hot air into the case so to say.

 

[VroomBang]

I hope my "its all up to your preference" you mean its all up to the performance. I recommend to niko084 to look at benchies at Toms Hardware etc. 8800gt is almost always a better performer.

especially with AA and AF on, and quite frankly, what's the point in spending 200+ dollars on a 3850 (1) where you'd better deactivate stuff to play at a decent frame rate, when for the same money you can actually enjoy a better visual quality on a 8800GT and at a higher frame rate?

it's a no brainer, 8800GT it is, at current prices.

The 3870 would have to come down in price to justify chosing it over the 8800GT. And even so, I'm not sure I'd want to turn off AA and AF.

Edit
(1) I meant 3870

 

[kylew]

especially with AA and AF on, and quite frankly, what's the point in spending 200+ dollars on a 3850 where you'd better deactivate stuff to play at a decend frame rate, when for the same money you can actually enjoy a better visual quality on a 8800GT and at a higher frame rate?

it's a no brainer, 8800GT it is, at current prices.

The 3870 would have to come down in price to justify chosing it over the 8800GT. And even so, I'm not sure I'd want to turn off AA and AF.

W1z's recent benches seem to show the difference in AA performance to not be that much anymore.

 

[SUPERREDDEVIL]

My HD3850's fan died, and I was thinking about rma'ing it because at a few months thats stupid...

But now thinking, maybe I'll toss a better hsf on it and sell it to my friend, for an upgrade from his 2600xt, which he would sell to his roommate to upgrade from his 6800GS.

Now if I did that I have been pondering back and forth between a 8800GT 512mb or a Atomic HD3870.... I see lots of mixed reviews and claims on IQ etc...

Other opinions, same price area.

Anyone own both, have experience with both?

Not going SLI or Crossfire, probably ever again, so thats not an issue at all.

GO FOR THE 8800GT