1800XT vs 7800GTX 512mb.

[Geomon]

I am abouts to upgrade my 68gt to one/two of the latest top spec cards. This upgrade will be at the start of December(payday).

I did have my sights set on the ATI 1800xt but am now thinking to go 512gtx.

Who is the daddy out of these two? I wont the best performance after both have been o'clock to the max, what will come out on top? I also wont the quality to be taken into account such as which has the best features like most AA & AF, HDR lighting,ect.

I'll be using a dfi sli-dr board and I presume most others will be using some type of nf4 board.

No won has the facts as of yet but any educated opinions will help.

So in the red corner, the all mighty: ATI 1800XT 256/512!

And in the green corner: Nvidia 7800GTX 512mb!

Which way would you go?

 

[GoLLuM4444]

Unless you're using really really extreme cooling (where the 90nm chip will scale better - 1Ghz if you're sampsa) or you want to up the voltage lots without hardmods and you can afford the extra $$ for the GTX then get it. The SM3 performance is better on the ATi card but I think nVidia have fixed their texture shimmering issues and both cards have all the goodies like HDR.

 

[maverik-sg1]

Unless you're using really really extreme cooling (where the 90nm chip will scale better - 1Ghz if you're sampsa) or you want to up the voltage lots without hardmods and you can afford the extra $$ for the GTX then get it. The SM3 performance is better on the ATi card but I think nVidia have fixed their texture shimmering issues and both cards have all the goodies like HDR.

Driver issues with the X1800 series are a relativiely unknown entity right now.

Outright performance goes to the 512MB GTX, then X1800XT then 7800 256MB GTX - strangely enough, price goes the same way

Typically a 7800GTX 256MB will clock to 500/1380 with stock cooling, with water cooling 530/1400.

People are still finding their way with the X1800 (drivers and OC tool issues at present).

Cheers

MAv

So it really does go to show - you get what you pay for

 

[GoLLuM4444]

Yeah I think by the end of the month ATiTool should be fairly capable. I think it can do Voltage (VGPU, VDD, VDDQ) changes alright and core freq clocking too. 5.11 drivers seem to be ok on XTs as does mem clocking on XTs (Sampsa used ATiTool) but both dodgy on XL (also DMM reading is a no go on XLs). XTs seem fine driverwise though - except the X1800 tool is rubbish.

 

[Geomon]

Before I buy theres also the matter of an XTPE edition being released at a later date of and 78ultra. This would seriously piss me off if these came out shortly after getting an XT of GTX.

 

[maverik-sg1]

Before I buy theres also the matter of an XTPE edition being released at a later date of and 78ultra. This would seriously piss me off if these came out shortly after getting an XT of GTX.

The sooner you learn to live with the speed of these releases the better - there is no such thing as a good time to buy right now - the next 3-4 months are chocca blocked with new releases (CPU, GPU, Motherboard etc.....).

Mav

 

[stocky]

I was informed this new 7800 512MB was the new term for nVidias 'Ultra'?

 

[maverik-sg1]

I was informed this new 7800 512MB was the new term for nVidias 'Ultra'?

Where the cooler has been removed, some cards 'core' states 7800-U, so you are correct.

I believe they are saving the ULTRA for the first batch of 90nm releases.

Mav

PS: 5mins to launch

 

[Geomon]

I was informed this new 7800 512MB was the new term for nVidias 'Ultra'?

Hmm.. If that is true then I would be content in getting one but I would be sure ATI will bring out a XTPE which would force nvidia to release something faster, maybe more pipes.

 

[Geomon]

GTX 512mb just appeared on sc**.co.uk. And it costs £516.99!!

Checkout the hsf on it, looks like a 120mm fan!

 

[fatty]

Just wait for the 8800 Ultra's they will be oooober

 

[GoLLuM4444]

Just wait for the 8800 Ultra's they will be oooober

Or R580 .

 

[JAFFA]

The sooner you learn to live with the speed of these releases the better - there is no such thing as a good time to buy right now - the next 3-4 months are chocca blocked with new releases (CPU, GPU, Motherboard etc.....).

Mav

Never a truer word said man, I expected the X1800's to be released not long after the 7800's, I waited and waited.... and waited. I really should have just got the 7800 and been done with it, but thats easy to say in hindsight. ATi have pushed my loyalty to the brink this time round.

 

[Geomon]

Never a truer word said man, I expected the X1800's to be released not long after the 7800's, I waited and waited.... and waited. I really should have just got the 7800 and been done with it, but thats easy to say in hindsight. ATi have pushed my loyalty to the brink this time round.

Yeah I done the same thing expecting the 1800xt to blow the gtx away but it hasn't, even with so much extra developement time.

Yeah I get what your saying about I could be waiting forever like this. Best to get the best card of the moment and leave it at that untill the next upgrade.

 

[Master_G]

I always advise people never to have loyalty, seems to give very little pay back in most places, look at your options currently, look at what may come with reasonable expectations of perfomance and then make your decisions, ignore the companies invovled IMO.

I can never afford top of the range atm so i dont have a problem with faster things coming out

G

 

[stocky]

I'm with you there, I'm still a little in the past with my Skt478, and the Dothan + CT-479 has just made me keep it for a little longer

Although I'm beginning to get the itch for this PCIe stuff you lads keep chatting about, it makes me feel left out

 

[Master_G]

Can beat bang for buck with Dothan

Im going to hopefully switch to PCI-E over the winter, damn expensive to change motherboard and graphics card at once (even when not buying top of the line GPUs), im struggling to justify it to myself atm with what the cash could buy me at uni (ie less debt).

Ive decided i cant afford to have a bash at DI or LN2 soon either, just dont have the funds

G

 

[JAFFA]

7800 GTX 512 vs X1800 XT

The 7800/512 arrived this morning, its a Point Of View 7800 GTX 512Mb Extreme Version and stock clocks are 580/1730. My first impression is that it's a nicely put together piece of hardware and the overall design seems very straight forward and logical. The cooler is a beast with a 92mm fan and consequently is nowhere near as loud as the X1800 XT's and idle temps rest at 42c in a room with an ambient temperature of 20c. The initial set up was very easy and it's nice not to have to deal with Catalyst Control Center.

So I did a little compare

All results taken with identical CPU Clocks (3.3GHz) and Default/Performance settings for both GPU's with stock clocks and no special tweaks etc. Unfortunately I couldn't publish the results as the orb is in need of an update for the 512 GTX's.

3dmark03

X1800 XT 512Mb - 18055

7800 GTX 512Mb - 22017



3dmark05

X1800 XT 512Mb - 9296

7800 GTX 512Mb - 10273



I've yet to overclock the GTX, but so far I think I like it... a lot.

I do need a couple of pointers please; what is the preferred tool for overclocking the cards and is there any kind of app that would allow me to change fan speeds and monitor temps more easily?

 

[maverik-sg1]

Firstly Jaffa - that proves a point I have been trying to make and I thank you for your efforts on this - very impressive, I feel the money draining out of my account already (well not yet but soon).

Gollum this test IS as close to like for like as its gonna get I feel - it's not too late to cancel your order and re-join the light side of the force (oooops!)

Overclock with Rivatuner or install the coolbits registry hack -the good thing about Riva is that you can turn off the 'test' setting nividia use in their drivers and then incrementally up your clocks and monitor the temps yourself, until you find the real balance and maximise the overclock within your own temperature boundaries.

BIOS flashing works a treat too, force the overclock and avoid throttling.

I think Riva can help you with fan control too - but I think BIOS flash does that as well if you use nibitor.

 

[JAFFA]

Thanks Mav that's just the information I need, nice one! I think I may hold off the bios flash for a little while until I get a better feeling for the capabilities of the card and I'll certainly be hitting you up for a bit of advice on the advised procedure when the time comes.

As far as X1800 vs 7800 GTX 512 it's a very strange comparison indeed, they both seem to have strengths and weaknesses. In my cursory tests I would say that the 7800 has higher highs and lower lows in 3dmarks, clearly however the average FPS rating is obviously in favour of the Green camp. Seeing peak speeds of 3000fps in the Aeroplane test of 3d03 was a pleasant surprise The image quality is different, not better nor worse... just different.