no 6800ultra Extreme, still the same 6800ultra

Well, you still can't buy any, but apparently they're heading to stores right now.

Anyway, I really don't see any reason to buy a Radeon X800. It's nothing more than a turbocharged R3xx. It doesn't have better image quality than ATI's previous chips, or even hardly any more features. All it gets you is higher resolution play. I just don't see why.

 

Higher resolution and/or more AA/AF equals better image quality.

Not everyone needs a checkbox item on their product, most people do actually just play the games.

However, if you are happy with the performance of your current card, there is no reason to upgrade at all.

 

Presumably you equally saw no point in GeForce4, GeForce2, TNT2, etc?

 

Heck, you think a turbocharged R3xx is such a bad thing?

 

And what does the NV40 offer that's so much better? Please don't say SM3.0.

 

PS 3.0, and everybody is gonna use/support it and it'll bring lots & lots of new and wonderful special effects and eye-candy to the table!!!

 

And it'll also run with NEGATIVE ONE CONNECTORS so that it can power a hard drive by itself, and cook you dinner, and clean your room, and get rid of that embarassing rash! It still won't get you a girlfriend, though.

 

Well of course not!

Everyone knows that chicks dig guys that run ATi. 8)

 

That's practically the only reason people upgrade, unless you meant that the 6800 offers you that and SM3.0.

 

Not if you had a GeForce3, GeForce DDR, TNT, etc.

 

So, you are suggesting that Radeon 9700/9800 were sooooo sucessful everyone has one now?

 

<sigh> Same old song from Chalnoth....just move on, nothing of interest there.......

 

No. But they're still for sale, aren't they?

Besides, the way I see it, why buy one when you can buy a card with similar performance and image quality, but more features?

 

Yes, but if you don't have one then there is a lcear reason why you may want an X800.

So, you were suggesting people go for Radeon 8500 when GeForce4 came out?

 

No, because at the time, ATI had pretty poor drivers.

 

There was plenty of point in upgrading those cards. They werent fast enough to begin with for high rest modes. If you're already running at (eg.) 1600x1200 with AA etc why do you need more at the moment?

 

Maybe if you have an R3xx card, I see your point. But what about people with even older cards? For example, I'm about to upgrade my Geforce 3 to an X800. I'm assuming I'll see a bit of a difference

But the card with more features requires a beefier PSU (mine is 430w, but I'm running 4 hd's, plus other stuff) and costs more. Sorry, but this long-time nvidiot is switching teams.

 

Only for the Ultra version. But your PSU should be enough anyway, as long as it's a high-quality one.

 

What are these features you keep referring to? Care to list them and their purpose/benefit to the end consumer?

 

It's an enermax, so I'd assume it's ok. But I've had 3 hard drives die while using it (and they're usually the first things to go with a flaky PSU). Also, it's been putting out fairly hot air, a lot hotter than other PSU's I've had. The voltages are fine though... heh who knows