8800GT - The only graphics card that matters

[Quantum]

On Monday (29th October) nvidia launched the launched the 8800GT, price positioned in between the 8600GTS and the 8800GTS it should retail for $200 - $250, but nvidia expects price to quickly drop so that even the 512MB version (256MB is the other version) should retail for $200. It outperforms the 8800GTS and the 8800GTS (640MB) making much of nvidias 8xxx linup obsolete and almost all of AMDs 2xxx lineup obsolete.

Development around the G92 processor revolved around reducing the thermal and power draw on the GeForce 8800 GTX (G80) processor.  G80 was manufactured on TSMC's 90nm process node while the G92 is manufactured on TSMC's 65nm node.  This shrink allows a single 8800 GT to operate on a 105 Watt draw, almost 80 Watts less than the 8800 GTX during heavy operation.

http://www.dailytech.com/NVIDIA+Debuts+Considerably+Cooler+GeForce+8800+GT/article9424.htm

AMD will respond with the ATi HD 3800, launching along side their new Phenom line of processors in a few weeks.

[Synbios]

I'm confused as to why the 8800GT is priced lower than the 8800GTS and is supposed to be lower on the lineup, but yet it performs better?

I also heard that it performs better than the 8800GTX on some tests. It doesn't make any sense and I think it was a silly release. They should have given it more memory and used it as the 8850 Ultra if it's doing so well..

[Quantum]

I'm confused as to why the 8800GT is priced lower than the 8800GTS and is supposed to be lower on the lineup, but yet it performs better?

I also heard that it performs better than the 8800GTX on some tests. It doesn't make any sense and I think it was a silly release. They should have given it more memory and used it as the 8850 Ultra if it's doing so well..

It's not memory that's hindering its performance, it's number of stream processors active.

It runs on 65nm transistors as apposed to 90nm ones, so it's cooler and uses less power. The 8800GTS (320MB and 640MB) runs on 1 year old tech, the 8800GT uses a lot of perfomancing enhancing things that cost less to make.

Essentially the 8800GT costs so little because it costs so little to make and the mid-range cards are where the money is. If they'd made it the 8850 Ultra, it would only be bought by the top graphics card consumers, not made nvidia much money, and they can't lower the price of the 8800GTS or GTX very much, because it costs them more to make.

They're releasing a new 8800GTS, which will be built on the G92 (what the 8800GT is), the new 8800GTS will feature a full set of 128 stream processors and all the other limits removed that the current 8800GT has, it will also come in 512MB and 1024MB sizes.

Bad naming convention, but there we go.

[Exous]

For my card GTX ultra I could build in 2 GT cards... just was a little too early with buying my card I guess lol

[Quantum]

For my card GTX ultra I could build in 2 GT cards... just was a little too early with buying my card I guess lol

It happens, new and better stuff always comes out, it's just surprising when it's more than the usual "10% faster" or "10% cheaper", but when it's "10% faster and 40% cheaper" lol. Now that AMD have launched the 3850 and the 3870, the 8800GT has serious competition.

[Exous]

I chosen a Nvidea card because most game developers use alot of Nvidea technologies, before this I had an ATI card which had some weird effects on games like Titan Quest (flickering textures, parts of the world dissapearing and appearing in the air, stuff like that), with the Nvidea card all those problems are solved and the game runs smooth for me

[Synbios]

I've had an Nvidia card my whole life.
Geforce 256, Geforce 2, Geforce 3 Ti300, Geforce 4600Ti, Geforce 5950 Ultra, Geforce 7800GT, Geforce 8800GTX

Only generation I skipped was 6..damn

[Quantum]

I've had an Nvidia card my whole life.
Geforce 256, Geforce 2, Geforce 3 Ti300, Geforce 4600Ti, Geforce 5950 Ultra, Geforce 7800GT, Geforce 8800GTX

Only generation I skipped was 6..damn

My first card (non-family computer) was a Geforce 6600, amazing price / performance when I bought, it was some time before upgrades were seriously worth while.

[Synbios]

The worst generation (and suprisingly the one I had almost the longest) was the FX series (geforce 5). I had the top of the line so it wasn't THAT bad, but overall the FX generation was such a huge failure. I heard that Nvidia really redeemed themselves with the 6 series a year later.