x1800xt cooling and availability

[abyssalloris]

I'm late to the party, but what is with the X1800XT cards? Why are so few available? Only 2 or 3 makers and only at a few retailers. Not much choice really.

As I'm going to buy one very soon (tomorrow), I'd like to know which maker (currently on the market) offers the best cooling solution. It may be either the 256MB version or the 512MB version.

 

[cleeve]

Look for the new VF900 from Zalman.

Also coming out soon is the KuFormula VF1 Plus (I have a prerelease version of this cooler I did a review on, it's what I'm using now)

 

[abyssalloris]

Actually I was referring to the stock solutions on existing cards. I mean what card manufacturer (Sapphire, MSI, HIS, Powercolor, etc..)?

But thanks for the info anyway. I might just investigate aftermarket cooling solutions.

 

[RichPLS]

HiS has an IceQ series of excellent custom stock cooling and also have some of the fastest quality cards made.

It ships stock speeds of 650MHz Core/1550 MHz Memory, and overclocks very well too.

 

[abyssalloris]

I think you're talking about the X1900 series. Those come in the iceQ variety and 650/1550 speeds. For some unfathomable reason, the x1800 series does not come in the iceQ format and is quite stock just like the reference card. This is what I have gleaned from reading a few reports.

The x1800 is beginning to look like an abandoned orphan to me. But it is at an attractive price range providing high end performance without having to go much over $300 (if at all).