First off; for me, MONEY IS NO OBJECT (for once). ^_^

I have yet to find any RECENT 8800 Ultra SLi Benchmarks verses everything else. I really can't wait for Tomshardware to update their multi-gpu charts (which never have shown Ultras at all! ).

Anyway, as someone in another thread has "confirmed", March 13th release and $449.99 MSRP of the 9800GX2. I am getting some cash on the 21st of Feb, and Need to BADLY upgrade my 7800 GTX (fine for source, but thats about all). I was seriously looking at two 8800 GTS's (G92), but heard some rather sad things about the memory bottlenecks de to the 265 bit memory, considering that I REALLY want some hardcore performance (Water cooling, the whole shebang) (I love putting these right at the end of sentences).

I'm really looking at two EVGA 8800 Ultras (standard ones, ill OC myself and save $200), or two 9800GX2s. Im trying to weigh the pros and cons of each.

Pros for 8800's; Sexy brag rights, lots of memory, Nice water cooling accessories, and the best cards in SLI out there; max performance, and half the power consumption of the 9800GX2. (assumption)
Cons for 8800's: $$, Heat, old.

Pros for the 9800GX2: New, Cheaper, G92
Cons for the 9800GX2: Unknown performance, a BITCH for water cooling, double the power consumption of 8800's (assumption)

Ive been looking at the old 7900GX2's and 7950GX2's and the water cooling accessories were....for a lack of a better word, abysmal. I'd really not like to take such an odd approach to cooling 9800GX2's, nor would I like to have to WAIT so long for a waterblock to be made. Thats one reason that I'm leaning towards the 8800 Ultras.

Another reason I'm looking at EVGA is because of the Step-up. If I buy around... the 25th or so, that gives me ample time to enjoy the Ultras, wait for the 9800GX2's to come out, see their performance, and wait for driver updates to possibly upgrade if the benefits of having them are THAT great.

So what I would like to know; is my logic correct? Am I missing anything? Please refrain form just putting "wait for the GX2", i'd really like some good points that would make me change my mind. Thanks guys.

System Specs (current):
CPU: Q6600
Mobo: Asus P5N-E Sli
Ram: 4GB 5-5-5-15
Power: 1600w Ultra X3
Video: 7800 GTX

System Specs (after all this):
CPU: Q6600
Mobo: EVGA 780i
Ram: 4GB 5-5-5-15
Power: 1600w Ultra X3
Video: ?

2 8800GTs in SLI offer the same or better performance as two 8800GTXs.Although some games do not use SLI,a lot do,so the 8800GT is a better card to get as you can buy 2 of them for about the same as one GTX.But if the ULTRA is what your after,ask THG to include them in their next VGA chart.As for the 9800GX2,you'll just have to wait for benchmark testing to be done when they come out.Goodluck.

Dahak

M2N32-SLI DELUXE WE
X2 5600+ STOCK (2.8GHZ)
2X1GIG DDR2 800 IN DC MODE
TOUGHPOWER 850WATT PSU
EVGA 8800GT SUPERCLOCKED
SMILIDON RAIDMAX GAMING CASE
ACER 22IN WS LCD 1680X1050
250GIG HD/320GIG HD
G5 GAMING MOUSE
LOGITECH Z-5500 5.1 SURROUND SYSTEM
500WATS CONTINUOUS,1000 PEAK
WIN XP MCE SP2
3DMARK05 15,686
3DMARK06 10,588

the OC versions are close to stock anyhow and in some cases unstable, not to mention you can overclock them yourself - i see no point in the OC versions, check the stock benchmarks and figure from there, and yes the 8800GT's are a better deal, and as for the 9800 series - maybe you might want to wait and see whats coming?

I knew this all already, but the Slimmed memory of 256 bit on the current G92's is something I just can't have. I'm really looking for pure performance since I dont need to save or spend less.

Are you able to Crossfire 2 3870x2's yet? If so, that'd not only give the added bonus of 4 GPUs, it also give you the ability to use the sexy x38 chipset, which is probably the best chipset out there.

I dont think the driver support is there yet, plus, Ive never been an ATI user, and a switch scares me... until we see benchmarks

Sounds like you have already made up your mind. You don't want to wait for the 9800x2 and you have $$ to blow on some fracking sweet gaming gear. It would be a waste of money to get the Ultras, but if you are just going to step up with them to the 9800x2 anyway you might as well (if money is truly no object). For someone in your situation ($$wise) I would personally recommend a G92 GTS SLI, but it sounds like you don't want that. Something to consider with the dual 9800x2's is the driver support as its essentially a quad SLI (I think, something you will have to research, or someone will post).

Yes, youre pretty much right. At the moment, Money is no object, but by the time I can step up, If i got the 8800 GTS's or GT's, I'd need to shell out money that I wouldnt have then. I feel like I'm getting the most performance now, and paying my Step-up fee already.

Does anybody else remember the 7900GTX OC BFG disaster?

I love BFG but they screwed up. The OC meant the card was unstable and textures were popping in and out. At one point I was running on a placeholder texture in Oblivion.

I know money might not be an object, but I still say go for the 8800GT unless you want the novelty of 3xSLI. Even if I had the cash to get three 8800 Ultras or a 9800GX2, I'd still just buy another 8800GT and spend the money on software or audio production hardware for myself instead of looking for what might not even be a real world performance upgrade while paying hundreds of dollars more.

Actually, I'm going to be taking that exact route, Almost. I'm settling for two GTS's. And with the money saved, Getting Quantum Lead SD2

Get a 790fx or x38 board and a couple of 3870x2's fastest thing out!!!!

Do they work yet? Like, i heard XF for those didnt work yet.

I have a 7800 GTX

But the seccond the 9800GX2 and Q9450 are both out I'm getting a new pc, Crysis here I come.

they will in march when the driver comes out or so ive read the driver is coming in early march. ATI has been preatty good about driver updates compaired to Nvidia.

the 8800gtx ultras have been discontinued from Nvidia. I talked to Mike (evga rep) last week and he said that anything up from the 8800gtx superclocked they won't be replacing. Whether you find any ultras in stock somewhere else is another story...but supply is drying up.

Also he stated that they (evga) test the cards once they come in and the cards that are stable at overclocking, they lable "KO" or "Superclocked". That any 8800gtx will not be able to overclock to ultra speeds.