Why'd you get your 6800 series card?

I'm wondering this because I can't really tell too many reasons why I should go for a 6800-series card rather than a x800 card. (for me I'm looking at GT vs. Pro) The main thing I like about the 6800GT is that it is ONLY a slowed-down 6800 Ultra. If you can get good heatsinks and cooling onto it, it's THEORETICALLY possible to get it to Ultra speeds.

However, for the x800 Pro, you'll have to do a pipemod AND a softmod to get it to run like an x800 XT. Since you don't have to go through all the software hassle's, why not go for 6800GT overclocking?

*note* 6800GT overclocked to Ultra speeds wouldn't make it perform EXACTLY the same as a factoty 6800 Ultra, would it? That's one flaw I can find in my thinking. As you guys can see I really want to get the best bang for my buck here.

Not so much.......

Well i hate to burst your bubble, but the GT is not just a slowed down version of the ultra. The GT (like the pro) only has 12 pipelines. So even at Ultra speeds you dont have the pipelines.

I got my 6800 GT because it is a fast card. It is faster than the x800's (both) in Doom3 even after the driver fix and also sports Direct3D9.0c support. This doesn't mean much now, but it allows for much more complex visuals later. If you have an x800 still at that time you won't get to see what I do.

The card are dead even in everything but support and Doom3 so far, if you need a card now better support for API's, better performance in Doom3 and often Far Cry, and a full 16 pixel pipes means a much better card.

We have a zero tolerance policy on Flaming here, consider this your first and last warning, thank you. -- JoT

O.P. said:

Well i hate to burst your bubble, but the GT is not just a slowed down version of the ultra. The GT (like the pro) only has 12 pipelines. So even at Ultra speeds you dont have the pipelines.

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That is *incorrect*, the NU has 12. Where as the GT has a full 16, and is simply clocked lower. Try not to be so harsh on pplz, everyone makes mistakes

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My reasons for buying a 6800GT

#1 It has a *full* 16 pipes and isnt a gimp
#2 They all clock to Ultra speeds
#3 Try something from nVidia again
#4 #3 Full DX9c support (unlike ATi) --> Pixel / Vertex shader 3.0
#5 Ultra-shadow II
#6 Cuz nVidia has alot of "partnerships" with ID and other devolpers
#7 Drivers

Just a side note, I greatly value nvidia's drivers for their "digital vibrance" color correction feature. It basically makes everything your screen ever displays more...well... vibrant. Makes everything a bit prettier

Oh yeah, I remember that setting with my Geforce 3 Ti200, Digi Vibrance made Morrowind look SWEET. Only bad thing about it is that when it gets turned off everything seems so dull.

And one other thing - I NEED this 6800GT now, I was over at my friend's place who just got Doom 3 and he has a FX 5600 and has to run it at 800x600 on medium settings or so. Looks *okay* but I can tell that this game would look 10000x better with 1600x1200, high settings, Anisotropic, and Antialiasing

Why did I get my 6800GT??

16 Pipes -> BIG reason. As games get more intensive I feel the 12 pipes vs. 16 pipes is going to make a difference. And using a softmod to open up 4 more pipes may cause problems as newer games come out (At least that is what the boys at ID think)

95% of GT's clock to Ultra speeds -> Why pay $100 more when you can get the same speeds out of the box

Digital Vibrance -> I've used this feature since they developed it and what can I say, it looks GOOD

Drivers -> Nvidia has always had stable drivers. I don't think I have ever had a driver issue with them.

DirectX9c -> SM 3.0 does make a difference in games that use it. Farcry is a favorite of mine. I also plan to play EQ2, and Sony is partnered with Nvidia so you KNOW it will have SM 3

That is *incorrect*, the NU has 12. Where as the GT has a full 16, and is simply clocked lower. Try not to be so harsh on pplz, everyone makes mistakes

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Sure didnt sound harsh to me. Was just making a point. Anyway. None of them are the same card at all. I have one of each card in my store. The 6800 128mb scores about 8500 on 3dm03. The GT clocked to Ultra speeds in hitting just over 10k, and the Ultra at stock speed is hitting just over 12k. So apparantly *something* is still different in the cards. I have yet to see an X800xt go through my store, but the Gigabyte X800 pro has 16 pipelines open and if I OC that to XT speeds I get around 11.5k.

I got my 6800 GT because I only paid $299 from Best Buy (pricing error). I would not have paid $400+ though.

uhhh

O.P. said:

Sure didnt sound harsh to me. Was just making a point. Anyway. None of them are the same card at all. I have one of each card in my store. The 6800 128mb scores about 8500 on 3dm03. The GT clocked to Ultra speeds in hitting just over 10k, and the Ultra at stock speed is hitting just over 12k. So apparantly *something* is still different in the cards. I have yet to see an X800xt go through my store, but the Gigabyte X800 pro has 16 pipelines open and if I OC that to XT speeds I get around 11.5k.

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Uh, I am not sure what system you tested your GT on.. but mine at stock was 10459 on 3dm03. When I OC'd it to 404/1100 I managed 11940 on 3dm03.. This is all on my 2.53mhz XP-M 2600

The GT clocked to Ultra speeds in hitting just over 10k, and the Ultra at stock speed is hitting just over 12k.

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Eh something wrong there... stock GT hits 10k easy. A good NU can hit 10k.

And just another reminder, the GT and Ultra both have 16 pipes, the NU has 12 but it's looking like a software mod to get some of them to 16.

Why AM I going to get a 6800NU? Because right now I have a GeForce 3

Having had all 3 NV cards, I can honestly say that the NU is the best all around value. The GT does everything the ultra did, even my benches were within a few points of each other. If the mod to open the other 4 pipes on the NU works well, it may be the best value card of all time!