6800 GT out / 7800 GTX in?

[ProfessorUtopia]

Hello all,

I'm having a hard time making a GPU choice for my soon-to-be new computer. I had originally planed on buying an MSI 6600 GT, but I received some money on my birthday and decided to put it toward my computer fund. glc and some others convinced me that a GPU upgrade was the way to go.
I picked out this one.

I was feeling all nice and sure of my new decision until the latest issue of CPU arrived yesterday, and I read a review of the 7800 GTX.

So for anyone who has a good understanding of these cards, or has a baseless opinion, I need your help deciding: Would it be wise to invest(?) an additional $100+ into a video card right now?

I could also use some help picking out which 7800 gtx to get, should that be my decision. I just assumed get this one.

It looks to me like the lack of a fancy package and The Chronicles of Riddick is the only reason for a $40 price difference compared to the retail version...

Thank you ever so much for your advice!

[spyder003]

Really I think that's just a personal decision. Do you game enough to justify spending nearly 500 smackers on a video card?

Both cards are top end. The 6800GT is a fantastic card, will run virtually any game maxed out (as long as the rest of your system can back it up), and should last you a couple of good years.

[ProfessorUtopia]

Originally Posted by spyder003 The 6800GT is a fantastic card, will run virtually any game maxed out (as long as the rest of your system can back it up), and should last you a couple of good years.

I think, perhaps, that's the very reason I am so tempted to go for the 7800 GTX. The game I plan on using this PC for, more than any other, is EverQuest II.

I'm a bit skeptical of all these reviews though. Every time a new product is released there are reviews everywhere raving about how amazing it is, and how much better it is then the previous generation. Maybe it's just me, but when I look at the comparison screen shots that claim to show off this apparent huge difference, I'm thinking to myself; "Ok, great. So... umm... which is which?"

That's why I'd like to here some opinions from an everyday consumer, I'd like to know if the difference is really worth the price tag. Screen shots can't really capture the true look and feel.

[Nav]

I faced the same dilemma. So i asked my uncle whose an IT technician for some bg company (cant think of their name right now) and he always tells me "the more you spend now, the less you spend later"

[Jaggannath]

Interesting Nav... I would think the opposite, as depreciation.
Prof. Utopia, if I were you I'd just buy the 6800GT. I understand the desire to have the best video card money can buy, as it'll run the games better, but at the end of the day you need to make a decision, and it's totally up to you whether you want to pay the extra $110 for the 7800GTX... personally, I wouldn't

[glc]

Everquest II will run very well on a 6800GT. Spend your money on 2gb of ram, EQ needs it worse than a 7800GTX.

[ProfessorUtopia]

Would anyone happen to recall when the 6800 GTs were released and what their price tag was at the time?

Despite depreciation in value, what Nav said makes sense. On top of that, if I ever want to make a RAM upgrade I'd simply have to buy more, but when it comes time to make a video card upgrade (assuming I don't go for SLI) the old card is pretty much going to be a total loss. If a 7800 GTX is going to last me a year+ longer than a 6800 GT then maybe it is a better long term fiscal choice.

As always, your exhortations are greatly appreciated!

[DonVito]

I always think its better to get something thats not top of the line but will still last you a year or two. Because no matter how much you spend on a video card now, its not too long till theres something better. A 6800gt is more than ehough for everquest 2 and any other game out there. Then in about a year, sell your 6800gt and get a 7800 when there around $350. I've always thout it was cheaper this way, I dont think theres a reason to spend that much for top of the line stuff. When stuff $200 cheaper will do the job just fine.