New Card: Asus EN8800GT 1GB

[Saihossoku]

Just grabbed it;

http://www.tbreak.com/reviews/article.php?id=578

Is a good deal? Paid $300

[Kunaak]

its a standard price.
these have been on and off newegg for about a month now. always around $300.
a few times I almost bought one, but never could convince myself to.
I already have a GTX, but been itching to playing with something different.

in a great deal of games you will find that 1 gig of memory doesnt help all that much, except in games where you have very high resolutions and high AA/AF.
so a card like this, is really best suited to high end monitors.

but at the same time, a card with high amounts of memory is usually easier to resell later, so I tend to like them just for that reason alone.

[PhysX]

not dissing your purchased, but i doubt there will be much of a performance increase with this card of the 512mb version.

[Saihossoku]

Yeah, I think I got duped. I'm going to exchange this tomorrow. What is the best card I should get for that price? I can add an extra $80 or so. It must be better than the card listed in my sig. Thanks.

[Drinkyoghurt]

8800gts 512mb, for the same price you could get that, add another $80 and you could get yourself a 3870x2

[Saihossoku]

8800gts 512mb, for the same price you could get that, add another $80 and you could get yourself a 3870x2

http://www.asus.com/products.aspx?l1=2&l2=6&l3=442&l4=0&model=2003&modelmenu=2

That one?? I need something that would be a nice jump from the one in my sig.

[Drinkyoghurt]

yes that one, but your cpu will still be a very big bottleneck for even the 8800GT 512mb, let alone the 8800GTS 512mb.

[Saihossoku]

yes that one, but your cpu will still be a very big bottleneck for even the 8800GT 512mb, let alone the 8800GTS 512mb.

Please explain? Also, I noticed that it's not DX10.1 compatible!?!?!?

Well the website says it is, however all the reviews I saw said it wasn't?? Odd.

[Shiggity]

Please explain? Also, I noticed that it's not DX10.1 compatible!?!?!?

It's DX10.1 compadible and not even going to touch that AMD CPU bottleneck question =D

[nd4spdbh2]

ya save your money... theres no use in gettin a bomb ass gfx card if your cpu even an x2 clocked at 3.31ghz is gonna bottleneck it.

[Saihossoku]

ya save your money... theres no use in gettin a bomb ass gfx card if your cpu even an x2 clocked at 3.31ghz is gonna bottleneck it.

You know it's really funny, I've been running the 8800GTS 640MB for a year now and have NEVER seen a "bottleneck" problem, yeah sure some games are CPU intensive, but A LOT of games are GPU intensive like F.E.A.R.. I'm getting the best CPU there is when AMD makes one! lol But I want to get a card that's better than mine that I have now, to hold me over until 8900's come out.

Also, I have already grabbed the 8800GT 1GB, so the $$ is spent, just gonna exchange, hence the questioning. :P Anyhoo, here's the website http://www.filtechcomputer.com/, this is where I buy my parts, on their GPU page what would be the best purchase? Need to know ASAP. Thanks.

[Saihossoku]

~BUMP~ Sorry to be annoying, but I need an answer by tomorrow morning.

[Gregz]

You know it's really funny, I've been running the 8800GTS 640MB for a year now and have NEVER seen a "bottleneck" problem, yeah sure some games are CPU intensive, but A LOT of games are GPU intensive like F.E.A.R.. I'm getting the best CPU there is when AMD makes one! lol But I want to get a card that's better than mine that I have now, to hold me over until 8900's come out.

Also, I have already grabbed the 8800GT 1GB, so the $$ is spent, just gonna exchange, hence the questioning. :P Anyhoo, here's the website http://www.filtechcomputer.com/, this is where I buy my parts, on their GPU page what would be the best purchase? Need to know ASAP. Thanks.

If you're running games on the monitor in your sig (1920 x 1080) you might want to rethink exchanging that card...unless it's for a 3870x2.

Many of the 'fps charts' are based on standard resolutions. When you get up to higher resolutions like 1920X1080, especially when using AA, then factors like more memory and multi-GPU (or SLI/crossfire) become significant.

I'd suggest doing your homework. Or, if he has time and you want to cut straight to it, send ViperJohn a PM and refer him to this thread. He'll be able to answer this question easily off the top of his head...including that dubious 'CPU bottleneck' supposition up there.

[Saihossoku]

If you're running games on the monitor in your sig (1920 x 1080) you might want to rethink exchanging that card...unless it's for a 3870x2.

Many of the 'fps' reviews and GPU charts are based on standard resolutions. When you get up to higher resolutions like 1920X1080, especially when using AA, then factors like more memory and multi-GPU (or SLI/crossfire) become significant.

I'd suggest doing your homework. Or, if he has time and you want to cut straight to it, send ViperJohn a PM and refer him to this thread. He'll be able to answer this question easily off the top of his head...including that dubious 'CPU bottleneck' supposition up there.

Thanks for the response, I'll do that. So even though the clock speed stock is 600MHz with the GT I grabbed today and the clock on the GTS is 650MHz or 7something if I got the XFX XXX version they have, it's better to keep the 1GB one I bought? Thanks again.

[Gregz]

Thanks for the response, I'll do that. So even though the clock speed stock is 600MHz with the GT I grabbed today and the clock on the GTS is 650MHz or 7something if I got the XFX XXX version they have, it's better to keep the 1GB one I bought? Thanks again.

I don't know, but your situation is complicated because you're running at a high resolution. It's hard to find accurate benchmarks and reviews at high rez because those resolutions aren't quite mainstream yet.

So, if I were you I'd:

1) PM Viperjohn and ask him if he could read and respond to this thread.
2) google around for reviews and comparisons of your card vs. other cards at high rez (1920X1200 or 1920X1080).
3) run the benchmarks yourself with the card you have, and then try to find high rez benches of the card you plan to buy (running the same app at the same rez I.e. F.E.A.R. etc.) To do this, open the console in the game and enter the 'show fps' command for that game, I don't know what it is you'll have to google that. Some games have benchmark programs built in, which would be more accurate. I don't know which games have them and which don't, I believe crysis has one.

[Saihossoku]

I don't know, but your situation is complicated because you're running at a high resolution. It's hard to find accurate benchmarks and reviews at high rez because those resolutions aren't quite mainstream yet.

So, if I were you I'd:

1) PM Viperjohn and ask him if he could read and respond to this thread.
2) google around for reviews and comparisons of your card vs. other cards at high rez (1920X1200 or 1920X1080).
3) run the benchmarks yourself with the card you have, and then try to find high rez benches of the card you plan to buy (running the same app at the same rez I.e. F.E.A.R. etc.) To do this, open the console in the game and enter the 'show fps' command for that game, I don't know what it is you'll have to google that. Some games have benchmark programs built in, which would be more accurate. I don't know which games have them and which don't, I believe crysis has one.

1.) Done
2.) Done, you're right about the higher Resolutions, I do run my games MINIMUM 1140 x 900, but almost always run them at 1920 x 1080.
3.) Don't want to remove it from the package. Either way, I'm keeping this one, or buying the GTS version, I'd grab the ATi, but I can only through another 80 bucks at this. Anyone else care to give an opinion? The more the merrier please. :)

[Jas]

Higher Res, More RAM is better in general. I could be wrong but I belive that the 8800GT doesn't receive much benefit as much form the 1 gb of RAM.

If you can afford it, I would go with the 3870x2. It's the top card out there right now. Then look at upgrading your CPU.

[PhysX]

eithger way you will be limited by the cpu.

[JamesXP]

Not at 1920x1080... as the resolution becomes higher games become more GPU itensive.

[Saihossoku]

Not at 1920x1080... as the resolution becomes higher games become more GPU itensive.

Exactly! Finally someone said that. lol I ended up getting the Radeon 3870x2 1GB http://www.insidehw.com/Reviews/Graphics-cards/ATI-Radeon-HD-3870X2-1-GB.html For $340CAD, so basicly I exchanged the GT 1GB ($300), paid the $40 difference and got that one. Is that good? lol I hope so. It benches higher than 2 GTX's SLi'd so it had better be a good pickup. Also, did I overpay?

The stock CPU speed of mine is actually 900MHz, different than the one in the link. :)

[Mr.Guvernment]

[H] did a review of the 1g vs 512 and there was maybe 1-2% i think increase at really high resolutions, evenw ith crysis, if you can get one for the same price as a 512, sure why not, but i think it is a case of, once games can use 1G the 8800Gt wont be powerful enough anyways.

[Jas]

Exactly! Finally someone said that. lol I ended up getting the Radeon 3870x2 1GB http://www.insidehw.com/Reviews/Graphics-cards/ATI-Radeon-HD-3870X2-1-GB.html For $340CAD, so basicly I exchanged the GT 1GB ($300), paid the $40 difference and got that one. Is that good? lol I hope so. It benches higher than 2 GTX's SLi'd so it had better be a good pickup. Also, did I overpay?

The stock CPU speed of mine is actually 900MHz, different than the one in the link. :)

You made a good choice.

[Drinkyoghurt]

yep, because I just remembered you had something like a 42 or 52 inch monitor :p, something like that requires a bit more ram than 512MB

[Saihossoku]

yep, because I just remembered you had something like a 42 or 52 inch monitor :p, something like that requires a bit more ram than 512MB

512x2 :p But yeah, I have a 42" 1920 x 1080.

[jason4207]

Yeah, you don't have a 1GB frame buffer...it's still only 512MB, but it should still give you great results. Even though both 512MB frame buffers are filled w/ almost identical data i guess it's just too hard (or too costly) for them to figure out how to get the multiple cores to share the same memory pool.

1920x1080 is the same at 26", and 72"

I have a 95" screen at 1280x720, but it still uses less memory than your 'little' 42"er. :p

[Saihossoku]

Yeah, you don't have a 1GB frame buffer...it's still only 512MB, but it should still give you great results. Even though both 512MB frame buffers are filled w/ almost identical data i guess it's just too hard (or too costly) for them to figure out how to get the multiple cores to share the same memory pool.

1920x1080 is the same at 26", and 72"

I have a 95" screen at 1280x720, but it still uses less memory than your 'little' 42"er. :p

Two Jason's, two projectors. lol I have the BenQ W5000 HDTV 1080P LCD Projector, I managed a screen size of 155" in my living room. lol Very kewl for Cinema but toooooo big for games. Well, PC games anyway, I get motion sickness. lol

[jason4207]

A couple FPS's have made me a little queasy, but Metroid Prime 3 on the Wii is fine. It gets better if I get further back, but I pretty much just play FPS's on the 22" now. I do like my driving games in the living room on the projector, though.

155" is a bit much, though!

I've got the Sanyo PLV-Z4. Just put in the extra free bulb, and it has a lot of pop right now. Once this bulb wares out I'll probably be looking to go 1080p.

[Saihossoku]

A couple FPS's have made me a little queasy, but Metroid Prime 3 on the Wii is fine. It gets better if I get further back, but I pretty much just play FPS's on the 22" now. I do like my driving games in the living room on the projector, though.

155" is a bit much, though!

I've got the Sanyo PLV-Z4. Just put in the extra free bulb, and it has a lot of pop right now. Once this bulb wares out I'll probably be looking to go 1080p.

My living room is 25ft by 20ft aprox, and the throw distance I have right now is around 16ft. So I don't sit super close. But I love my "theater" experience. :) Yes car games are really cool on the Projectors aren't they. ;)

[jason4207]

http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/508/P7050008_1.JPG

http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/508/P7050004_1.JPG

[Charr]

Very cool Jason! Pink makes it look even better :P

@Saihossoku: I second the 3870X2 over the 8800GT. Especially for high resolution, since that is where the 3870 shines.

[jason4207]

Very cool Jason! Pink makes it look even better :P

@Saihossoku: I second the 3870X2 over the 8800GT. Especially for high resolution, since that is where the 3870 shines.

It's actually red. Something got lost in the translation. :beer:

[BmanG17]

you got a 3870x2 for 339USD? wtf thats an AMAZING deal.

It will really shine at the resolutions you play at :). great choice bar none

[Saihossoku]

I'm glad I grabbed it then. I'll be playing on minimum 1920x1080. As for the deal, Toronto is a great place to live and a great place for deals....especially when you know the owner. :)

[thideras]

I'm glad I grabbed it then. I'll be playing on minimum 1920x1080. As for the deal, Toronto is a great place to live and a great place for deals....especially when you know the owner. :)You got a great deal on that card!!! I'd buy it in an instant at that price (where did you get it??).

[Saihossoku]

You got a great deal on that card!!! I'd buy it in an instant at that price (where did you get it??).

A little store on College and Spadina in Toronto where I live. I know the owner, I've dropped mad dollars over the years so he did me a Valentine's Favour...okay that sounded nasty! lol You know what I mean.

[Gregz]

A little store on College and Spadina in Toronto where I live. I know the owner, I've dropped mad dollars over the years so he did me a Valentine's Favour...okay that sounded nasty! lol You know what I mean.

So how is that card performing? Have you tried Crysis at high settings?

[Saihossoku]

So how is that card performing? Have you tried Crysis at high settings?

Been busy, just installed my new parts (in sig) check out this thread (http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=548148) for more info. :)