Nvidia 6800GS AGP arrives next week

[Midknyte]

http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=28094
NVIDIA is fulfilling its promises and will start shipping its Geforce 6800 GS AGP cards next week. We already reported that Nvidia has a massive shortage of AGP chips and that it can not print enough 6600 based chips and bridge it back with HSI bridge chip. Its time for the new old card.

Unlike the 6800 GS PCIe, the AGP version will be based on good old NV40 chip and it will be native AGP card without any bridges. We still don’t know about the clock speeds but we heavily suspect that it will have the same clocks as its PCIe brother.

The card will start at a similar price - we expect $249 - and you should see some Etailers listing these cards in the next few days.

ATI is happily shipping its X800 and X700 based AGP chips and it's expected that X1600 based AGP cards won't take to long after its PCIe brother. Nvidia still hopes to cash in the Yule AGP shopping madness.

[Roadhog]

I was looking for some news on the 6800GS AGP. I was glad to see this. Seems the Inquirer has the breaking news on this board each time, I hope they know what they are talking about?

I have been looking around, and Newegg will have a 6800GT AGP in stock in a couple days (about $270), mwave has a x800xl in stock now (about $270), but if (and that is a big if), the 6800GS is in the $220-$230 price range online or onsale, I think I have to go the cheaper board.

Please post at the first sign of these showing up for sale (or any bench marks on the agp board). I think I will get one right away. I still have an aging 9500Pro and it is time for an upgrade.

PS I think if I get it from Newegg (I hope they get them in first), I will splurge on Fedx, as I have seen some not so kind posts about UPS. I always liked the FedX 3 day from Newegg, as I always got it in two days lol.

[bblqj78]

AGP seems to be holding its own for now. I upgraded my 6800ultra last week for a 7800GT and sold my 6800ultra (BFG) on Ebay. I was quite amazed when I looked and saw some of the prices they were selling for. I sold my 6800 card for £250+10 delivery....I only paid £250 for it in January this year...I was well pleased. It sems that manufacturers have stopped making some of the AGP cards and people dont want to rebuild there whole system just to upgrade slightly for gaming...hence the reason they are still going for high prices. AGP certainly ait dead yet!

[Roadhog]

Nope, not yet 78, but I think time is running short on AGP. I figure one last upgrade and I will go PCI myself. I hope a 6800GS will keep me happy for another 1-2 years. By then, who knows what they will have out. There is always the next big thing right around the corner.

Since searching for an upgrade for my AGP systeim, I notice on a lot of forums, that people like me just are not quite ready to give up on their AGP system (like you said).

I hope this 6800GS is as good as what is rumored. Time will tell. I saw one site today that said the x800GT and GTO (GTO2) would be a better buy then the 6800GS (because of unlocking pipes, and overclocking). I am not sure if I buy into that one.

There is talk of the unlocking pipes on the 6800GS AGP also, but that is just guess work I think, as no one has even seen the 6800GS in AGP form yet (at least I have not read any articles on this yet).

[Midknyte]

there are no extra pipes to unlock on a 6800GS. the core is designed with only 12. it's not like there is a 6800GSX or something that has 16 pipes and just got cut down to a 6800GS.

if anything, you can look into the GTO2. i haven't heard of as much success with the GT or GTO.

I had this link in Best of Video for a couple weeks already:
http://www.techpowerup.com/articles/overclocking/vidcard/127

An AGP version of this card does not exist. Some shops list a Sapphire GTO² AGP but this is not a Sapphire product, it's probably regular GTO's which are labeled "wrong".

just an FYI, the "best of" isn't just static. I do add things from time to time. :)

[Roadhog]

Mid

By your first post, it says the agp version will be based on the nv40 chip.

I am taling only about AGP now, as that is what mobo I have.

I have read on several boards that "maybe" since it will be on an nv40 chip, that it "may be" possible to unlock some pipes on the agp 6800GS agp?

You stated in your last post the core was designed with only 12 pipes (were you talking of the pci version, or am I just mistaken about the nv40 core?)

I think the 6800gs stock will be fast enough for me with out over clocking or trying to get extra pipes, as I only have a 2.4GHZ Intel over clocked to 3.0GHZ. The 6800GS may even be over kill for me, as I may be cpu bottle necked with just the stock speeds.

HOWEVER, that does not mean that I would not want to play if it becomes apparent that the card can open up another 4 pipes with some sort of bios flash or tweak.

BTW, what do you guys think will be better--the 6800GT or the 6800GS--talking only in agp form? There may only be a difference of $30 or $40 between the two cards, and I think I would prefer to just get the best one.

[Midknyte]

then by the same token, it wouldn't be able to hit the overclocked speeds that the "new" 6800GS core could. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

Nvidia has apparently learned from their mistakes, since it looks like they are laser cutting pipes in the 7800GTs. I haven't heard of any successful flashes to a 7800GTX yet.

Actually, the 6800GS would be a good fit for you. 3GHz was about the sweet spot for a stock 6800GT.

I'll try to keep an eye out once the cards come out. MVKTech.net is a good site for bios flashing. If anyone figures it out, that would be one of the first sites to publish it.

Can't make a full recommendation until the cards come out.

[causticVapor]

Smaller core + 6800gt heatsink fan assembly = excellent performance by a long shot.