New GeForce 6800 - 6800 Ultra

[OBM]

For those of us needing an upgrade for EQ2 :roll:

Taipei, Taiwan, April 2004 - Gigabyte Technology Co. proudly announces the release of the market's highest speed graphics accelerators, the GV-N68U256VH and GV-N68128D. Powered by NVIDIA's latest highest-performing GeForce 6800 Ultra/6800 GPU, these cards deliver up to 8x the shading power of previous generation products for screaming gaming performance. The GV-N68 series guarantees the most is gained from a wide range of applications from advanced 3D gaming to digital and video cinematography - a complete output interface is included such as VIVO and hardware monitoring functioning (GV-N68U256VH only). With high-speed 258MB/128MB GDDR III memory (GV-N68U256VH and GV-N68128D respectively), a 256-bit memory interface, and an enticing game bundle, the GV-N68 series packs an amazing punch in terms of speed, performance and affordability.

Theres a couple pics of it going around ... this sucka will take up 2+ slots on your MB. Better plan ahead and make some room.

6800 - $299 vs Radeon x800 - $399
6800 Ultra - $499 vs Radeon x800 XT - $499

Reviews are out now for the 6800 Ultra showing a huge improvment (50-200% compared to the 5950U/9800XT) for the Nvidia card. Which is really good news for EQ2 players!

Now if we can just get some tests between them... it will be a month or 2 before we know the winner.

[Kashaar]

Tom's Hardware already has a review up, with comparitive tests. This thing can run UT2k4 @1600x1200 w/ 4xAA and 8xAF at 64fps. That's insane.

Unfortunately, the power requirements are insane too. This mother needs not one, but TWO dedicated external power connections to it.

Read all about it here (http://www.tomshardware.com/graphic/20040414/index.html).

[OBM]

Most reviews are showing the card running 100% faster than the 5950ultra/9800XT (in a few games as much as 300% faster) the 6800ultra basically makes any card before it look like last years left overs...

Im thinking that ATI's card will have similar qualities... including the outrageous power needs.

Just bought an Antec 480 watt PS today ... just gotta wait to see how good ATI's reply is :wink:

[Kashaar]

The only complaint I've seen about it, though, is endemic to the recent NVidia cards -- the image quality just isn't as good. I'm an NVidia user, personally, as I feel that NVidia's driver support is vastly superior to ATI's, but I have to give a nod to ATI in the quality department, as seen here:

http://www.vitriolic.org/~alucard/drowtemp/farcry-scene1.jpg

http://www.vitriolic.org/~alucard/drowtemp/farcry-scene2.jpg

http://www.vitriolic.org/~alucard/drowtemp/farcry-scene4.jpg

Images from Tom's Hardware Guide (http://www.tomshardware.com)

--Kash--

[Meltdown]

Well good thing I got myself a beefy 550w power supply then :shock:

[Synns]

Just got the 5950, maybe abit slower than the Radeon 9800 but the overall quality is amazing, i run a POS rig (1.6 amd, 750 2100 ddr) and once i had installed the card i was able to jack every game im playing up to full graphics with no lag. For a low scale comp im getting 7700 benchmarks with 3DMARK 2001.

[Mortikahn]

Where did you go to find the 5950? Seems like I can only find the 5700.

[Synns]

i got my 5950u from new egg.... i suggest u give iyt a pass ive gone through 4 already and am currently NOT using the latest one till my new rig is up, they produce heat like a solar flare, unless your rig is cooled like an eskimo eating a snow cone in an igloo in an icestorm id give it a pass..... go radeon...
Synns

[Mortikahn]

I am a little worried about compatability since EQ2 seems to be based off Nvidia. I have an ati card now and have had problems with some games.

[OBM]

Id take a look at the 6800 if ya want to stay with Nvidia... most tech sites show it beats both the 9800 pro and 5950 by quite a bit in dx9 games.

Think the regular 6800 goes for $299 also.

[Devlik]

I have a BFG 6800GT with 3.0 gig processor. I run doom 3 at 1600x1200 with no problems what so ever. The GT especially the BFG ones are a killer value for the money. I am running UT 2k4 at 1600x1200 with 4x AA and AF with nary a problem as well.

-Dev


P.S a large number of the BFG GT cards run at ultra speeds with out any issues at all.