Which GeForce 8800 GTS card is better?

[dave85]

Hi, I am currently considering on buying a new computer, since I don't know much about computers I am not going to construct one from scratch... The thing is I'm pretty sure about what I want, but I want to know which would be my best option. The computer I want to buy can come with a NVIDIA GeForce 8800GTS w/ 320MB, Dual DVI-I Dual link TV Out (Factory Overclocked) w/ VGA adapter Graphics card with the additional price of $299.99, but I was looking up the EVGA e-GeForce 8800GTS Superclocked w/320MB and it seemed like an even better choice being that it is supperclocked(NVIDIA = 500 Core Clock (MHz), EVGA = 576 Core Clock (MHz))... But before making the choice I wanted to know is this the only difference between the two? would it be better that I just buy EVGA superclocked instead of having my PC already include the NVIDIA... Since it would cost me relatively the same to go either way, I just want opinions on what choice would be better to get that extra juice for gaming (btw, my PC will be having Vista).

 

[Falken699]

Grab the 640MB version, totally worth it.

 

[dave85]

The thing is 320MB is as High as I can go price wise (-$300) and I heard that GeForce 8800 320MB runs well at 1280 1024 resolutions (which is what I will be using) So I believe I will be going with the 320MB version, but I wonder if the EVGA e-GeForce 8800GTS Superclocked will be a better choice to the previously mentioned NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTS.

 

[aevm]

Absolutely, get the eVGA superclocked if it's the same price or close.

 

[dave85]

Ok, Thanks for the Help... My PC will be coming then with a NVIDIA GeForce 7500LE 256MB (512MB shared) graphics card (included) so the computer will cost me $300 dollars less and I can use that money to get the eVGA superclocked

 

[horsepower288]

you know, if you read attentively on the XFX website, you'll notice that this brand was chosen twice so far as "best nVidia brand", in 2005 and 2006...which I found out after I had got mine...:d...

 

[aevm]

Well, BFG and eVGA also have lists of awards a mile long. Don't rely too much on that. But yes, XFX is one the best.

 

[spuddyt]

Ok, Thanks for the Help... My PC will be coming then with a NVIDIA GeForce 7500LE 256MB (512MB shared) graphics card (included) so the computer will cost me $300 dollars less and I can use that money to get the eVGA superclocked

since it is coming with it does that mean its a prebuilt system?, if so, can your PSU survive an 8800?

 

[systemlord]

You will be limited with the 320 because some games like GRAW 1 & 2 will block you from selecting high quality textures, I think future games will rely on lots of Vram.

 

[Mati87]

The XFX 8800 GTS 640 XXX is the fastest also the most expensive. Just get a basic one and overclock it.

 

[deusex]

I'd personally stick with eVGA - warranty, greatsupport, and stepup

 

[smodd]

I just bought my videocard ...PNY 8800 gts 320mb (500mhz GPU) Why? Because its overclocking capabilities ...
up to 651 GPU in overclocking mode and 2000 ram (none other brand can achieve this)... So u can save a lot here in clubit ...this store is even cheap that newegg ... and cost me 266.00 + 7.00 delivery ... its the best deal for your money and btw an overcloked 8800gts 320mb outperform any 8800gts 640mb even overcloked ...


Because of the high amount of ram that the 640mb has ... you can´t get higher clocks of the gpu so it performs worse...this was intended for user with monitor resolutions of 1920x1200 ...

If you use 22" 1680x1050 this card (320mb ver) is more than enough ...

Also u get a great warranty with PNY (3 years) plus (2 years more) if is registered in their website once u buy it ...
Thats a 5 years of warranty none other can give u more man ...

Just be sure to buy the "XLR8 Performance Edition" because there are others just XLR8 without this special editions that cant perform as far as the other
Thanks and heres the link for that special model...

http://www.clubit.com/product_detail.cfm?itemno=CA9670533

 

[aevm]

Also u get a great warranty with PNY (3 years) plus (2 years more) if is registered in their website once u buy it ...
Thats a 5 years of warranty none other can give u more man ...

http://www.clubit.com/product_detail.cfm?itemno=CA9670533

Others say "lifetime warranty" or even "double lifetime warranty". How does that compare with PNY's warranty?

 

[Falken699]

eVga, I use it EXCLUSIVELY. They overclock like mad too, get a free 500 3DMarks almost guaranteed on stock fan.

If you want to play upcoming titles (Crysis) don't throw away 300$ on a 320MB for the sake of 70$ more for the 640, UNLESS you don't mind med. textures. Was showing a game to a buddy once, he didn't even know what the difference was, just wanted to run and gun. Which is actually a good point to most players, really. If you don't care, save the 70$ for beer, WHICH I understand.

But I drink beer AND game at the same time, so I have issues. I like beer that tastes good, and High Res. textures. So, how do I get to save 70$? I don't. 70$ on my 2 hobbies is a relative bargain

 

[AdamJ]

I just dont see why people keep saying that the memory only has to do with the resolutions. All these new games comming out are probally going to require atleast 512mb vram because of the textures

 

[smodd]

Others say "lifetime warranty" or even "double lifetime warranty". How does that compare with PNY's warranty?

Nobody ever ever gonna give a real lifetime warranty ...thats like give you 50 years nobody does that...
they offer you the warranty over the life clicle of the product and they estimated that "lifetime" of the product in function of a perid of 2 years since the product left the fabric or you bought the prodcut ...PNY give you 3 and if you are smart when you have to sell the product in 2 or 3 years to a third party you can do it (and if u registered the product in the website the u have 2 years more 5 total) and sell it with still 2 years of warranty ...normally the warranty the product over the fabrication process ...other parts and labors too..
The waranty its over the product not over the person ...so keep the purchase ticket ...and the website registration...

www2.pny.com/8800-GTS-320MB-PCIe--P2131C269.aspx
Here newegg explain it better
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814133193
Says * Manufacturer Limited Warranty period (parts): 3 years
* Manufacturer Limited Warranty period (labor): 3 years

Just a question somebody comes and says i sell u my dvdrd but i warranty you that will work for 6 months and then other dude come and try to sell the same dvdrw and offer you a 1 year otherwise u can return it...what do u do?

 

[cleeve]

The 640 is a waste unless your monitor can handle at least 1650x1080.

If you have a 20" widescreen LCD monitor that caps out at 1440x900 or something, the 640mb will be a total waste.

 

[systemlord]

The 640 is a waste unless your monitor can handle at least 1650x1080.

If you have a 20" widescreen LCD monitor that caps out at 1440x900 or something, the 640mb will be a total waste.

The 8800GTS 320mb is still going to block you from chosing high quality textures reguardless what size monitor you have in GRAW 1 & 2. I bet that the 320mb version will limit options in Crysis.

 

[cleeve]

The 8800GTS 320mb is still going to block you from chosing high quality textures reguardless what size monitor you have in GRAW 1 & 2. I bet that the 320mb version will limit options in Crysis.

Maybe. But the 256mb texture sets out there are still very pretty. Resolution is much more of an impactful visual factor.

As far as Crysis, that's just a guess. Once again, it'll likely have a higher-res texture set, but I doubt it'll affect anything else...

 

[ejay]

As smodd has referenced, the PNY warranty is for the "lifetime" of the product. PNY always uses "reference" designs which tend to be safe. However, I have had bad luck with PNY in honoring their warranty. I purchased a PNY Ti 4200 about four years ago, unbeknownst to me, close to the end of the that particular card's production cycle. A year and a half after I bought the card, it croaked. When I finally did get a return e-mail for an RMA (forget about phone support), I was informed that the card was no longer in the active product cycle and that they could not repair or replace the card. On the other hand, BFG sent me a replacement FX 5900 card that was long out it's product cycle - in fact they sent an ugrade, an FX5950 Ultra - what a deal! Go with eVga or BFG if you want a company to honor a lifetime warranty that extends past a current production cycle.