Vote for the best under $400 video solution

[btarunr]

If people are reading this looking for 8800GT's, they're back in stock! I just ordered another one for a friend that's in class, because these things go fast!
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814130306

Here's something you'll laugh at: Every card you see in the above poll? I ordered them and they're all with me, unopened. After I decide upon which card to keep (the one that wins this poll), I'll simply sell all the other cards for a refund. I knew what a fu**-up this holiday season would mean for shoppers. I bought them all from Singapore. A cousin's going back in 20 days, enough time to sell (with a tiny margin of-course,)

 

[FatForester]

Here's something you'll laugh at: Every card you see in the above poll? I ordered them and they're all with me, unopened. After I decide upon which card to keep (the one that wins this poll), I'll simply RMA all the other cards for a refund. I knew what a fu**-up this holiday season would mean for shoppers. I bought them all from Singapore. A cousin's going back in 20 days, enough time to RMA.

I smell BS, but if you actually did that... then that's ridiculous. On that list, I would take off the 2900 series because the 3870 is cheaper, quieter, cooler, more efficient, and faster than any of them. Buying a 2900 is rather silly now, unless it's the 1gb 2900 Pro GDDR4. Even then it's still a waste. Considering the new 8800GTS's are out yet, buying an older version is also a waste considering the value of the 8800GT. Another thing, crossfire and sli of lower / mainstream parts is not a good solution if you're planning for the future.

Depending on if you can get the benefits in your country, the evga 8800GT is a great deal. The only reason I'm going with evga is because of their warranty and their 90 day step-up program. If you bought an evga 8800GT for 300 or so, in 90 days you can step up to the 9800GTX or new 8800GTS for only the difference in price. It's awesome!

 

[bombfirst885]

Here's something you'll laugh at: Every card you see in the above poll? I ordered them and they're all with me, unopened. After I decide upon which card to keep (the one that wins this poll), I'll simply sell all the other cards for a refund. I knew what a fu**-up this holiday season would mean for shoppers. I bought them all from Singapore. A cousin's going back in 20 days, enough time to sell (with a tiny margin of-course,)

You somehow even have the new 8800GTS G92 in front of you? Right.

 

[btarunr]

I smell BS, but if you actually did that... then that's ridiculous. On that list, I would take off the 2900 series because the 3870 is cheaper, quieter, cooler, more efficient, and faster than any of them. Buying a 2900 is rather silly now, unless it's the 1gb 2900 Pro GDDR4. Even then it's still a waste. Considering the new 8800GTS's are out yet, buying an older version is also a waste considering the value of the 8800GT. Another thing, crossfire and sli of lower / mainstream parts is not a good solution if you're planning for the future.

Depending on if you can get the benefits in your country, the evga 8800GT is a great deal. The only reason I'm going with evga is because of their warranty and their 90 day step-up program. If you bought an evga 8800GT for 300 or so, in 90 days you can step up to the 9800GTX or new 8800GTS for only the difference in price. It's awesome!

No BS, man. I really did get all these from Singapore. They're at my cousin's place. Correction: we won't RMA it but sell them locally excluding the card(s) I choose to keep. They're all gray-market priced and came in white boxes.The 320M 8800 GTS cards were packed along with clothes.

 

[Mussels]

No BS, man. I really did get all these from Singapore. They're at my cousin's place. Correction: we won't RMA it but sell them locally excluding the card(s) I choose to keep. They're all gray-market priced and came in white boxes.The 320M 8800 GTS cards were packed along with clothes.

pics or it didnt happen

 

[erocker]

Hands down the new GTS is going to romp all other cards.

 

[btarunr]

pics or it didnt happen

Cousin's place, moron, 800 KM from here. didn't happen? who cares I don't own any of them as yet. He's the one dodging customs and bringing stuff here, all of them except the New 8800 GTS.

 

[btarunr]

Very few takers for the GPU + PPU options. Is it worthless having a physics-accelerator at this point?

 

[FatForester]

Well a PPU isn't worthless, but when that money could be used for a better GPU, it's a no brainer. Also physics processing doesn't really have a future with add-in cards, but more so on the CPU. With quad-core starting to become mainstream, there's no need to invest in PPU's right now, if ever.

 

[btarunr]

Well a PPU isn't worthless, but when that money could be used for a better GPU, it's a no brainer. Also physics processing doesn't really have a future with add-in cards, but more so on the CPU. With quad-core starting to become mainstream, there's no need to invest in PPU's right now, if ever.

Whatever happened to the NVIDIA Quantum physics acceleration. Tks!

 

[zekrahminator]

Whatever happened to the NVIDIA Quantum physics acceleration. Tks!

Intel/Havoc killed it (as well as AMD's GPU physics) until DX11.

 

[btarunr]

Intel/Havoc killed it (as well as AMD's GPU physics) until DX11.

Havoc is Intel's baby (at least now). What about AMD multi-core processors? Will the Havoc FX be "optimised" for Intel processors? Are we here to see another drift in the industry?

 

[Scrizz]

what mobo are you gonna use?

 

[btarunr]

what mobo are you gonna use?

Read post #1 (Page 1)

 

[imperialreign]

Very few takers for the GPU + PPU options. Is it worthless having a physics-accelerator at this point?

Not yet. The PPU necessity hasn't taken off yet.

If you want that possibility later down the road, though, it might be best to stick with ATI at this point. Supposedly they will at some point allow xFire across dissimilar cards. Supposedly they will at some point also offer the capability that a dissimilar card could act as a PPU. nVidia's rumored plans are only through similar cards.

When that will happen, who knows?

If you're looking more for great HD playback and compatibility, I'd have to cast my vote for either a xFire 3850 setup, or a single 3870.

But if your looking for flat out performance, I'd go with the new GTS.

 

[J-Man]

SINGLE: EVGA 512-P3-N806-A1 GeForce 8800GT SSC

 

[Mussels]

Not yet. The PPU necessity hasn't taken off yet.

If you want that possibility later down the road, though, it might be best to stick with ATI at this point. Supposedly they will at some point allow xFire across dissimilar cards. Supposedly they will at some point also offer the capability that a dissimilar card could act as a PPU. nVidia's rumored plans are only through similar cards.

When that will happen, who knows?

If you're looking more for great HD playback and compatibility, I'd have to cast my vote for either a xFire 3850 setup, or a single 3870.

But if your looking for flat out performance, I'd go with the new GTS.

if history is any indicator when 'someday' happens and they 'someday' allow dissimilar cards to work together and work as PPU's, we'll need entirely new cards anyway - 'masterless' crossfire did this... needed all new cards, so people who tried to early adopt got shafted.

 

[btarunr]

if history is any indicator when 'someday' happens and they 'someday' allow dissimilar cards to work together and work as PPU's, we'll need entirely new cards anyway - 'masterless' crossfire did this... needed all new cards, so people who tried to early adopt got shafted.

GPU's doing physics processing is dead and gone, you'll never have that, at least not till DX 11. Read some of the older posts in this tread.

 

[Pinchy]

Dual 3850's imo.

 

[Mussels]

GPU's doing physics processing is dead and gone, you'll never have that, at least not till DX 11. Read some of the older posts in this tread.

i was replying to one of those 'earlier posts' and saying the same thing - IF it happens, it wont happen with current cards. please dont argue for the sake of arguing.

 

[btarunr]

LOL I'm not arguing for any sake. Just thought you didn't read some posts on page 1. Take a chill mate, I know it's hot down-under.

 

[niko084]

Crossfire 3850's... They are fast, work great, run cool, don't use tons of power, and you can get them brand new for under $400 with good warranties

 

[snuif09]

Crossfire 3850's... They are fast, work great, run cool, don't use tons of power, and you can get them brand new for under $400 with good warranties

double that

 

[Grings]

yup, i'd go for crossfire 3850's (512mb ones though, or 3870's if you can stretch to that), if i were to pick a single card it would be the new 8800gts 512mb (or even an ssc 640mb one if it was cheap)

I would however avoid using the phenom/790 for the crossfire setup (at least until/if a good clocking phenom arrives), and get an intel quad/x38 setup

 

[niko084]

I would however avoid using the phenom/790 for the crossfire setup (at least until/if a good clocking phenom arrives), and get an intel quad/x38 setup

Indeed Phenoms are not very promising... Infact they are pretty much failing so far...

AMD needs to fix these problems lately