Graphics card

[beerbelly]

Another one of my silly questions, but I just wanted to verify.
If I buy a 7800GT, it is basically the same thing no matter who makes it right? eVGA, ASUS, etc.

[beerbelly]

Stuff like this is confusing me.

Look at this card (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814121204) , then look at this card (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814130249) , the second one beats the first one in all numbers, plus you get the free game with the second one. Here's the kicker, the second one is basically $36.50 cheaper after figuring in rebates and shipping........I'm so confused!!!!

[hockey man]

It comes down to the manufacturers price. I don't know too much about eVGA, but Sapahlline has an eVGA for his sticky- so it must be good. As far as I see it, the eVGA actually is a tiny bit better (Say that three times fast!) than the ASUS.

[beerbelly]

Thanks for your time and input hockeyman. Seems like we've both come up with the same conclusion.

[saphalline]

If I buy a 7800GT, it is basically the same thing no matter who makes it right?Right now, vid cards do differ by quite a bit. Some include killer game bundles, some are factory-OC'ed, and some are just more expensive because of the name. Asus vid cards are always more expensive because of the name, for instance. (Not that this is a bad thing - the Asus name is worth the price for some gamers.)

MSI is known for its massive game bundles, Leadtek is known for its massive copper heatsinks (helps in OC'ing), XFX and eVGA are known for their barebones vid cards (keep the costs down and just gives you the hardware), etc. Most of the manufacturers have found some little niche that they like to fill, or some way to distinguish themselves. BGF Tech, XFX, and eVGA have started to offer barebones vid cards that are factory-OC'ed, for those gamers who want OC'ed hardware for a good price, but don't want to actually mess with the OC'ing themselves (plus it's covered by the warranty).

Performance-wise, that eVGA is better than the Asus. But total value in a vid card is up to the buyer. For instance, let's say you're a gamer that's been running on older hardware for a long time, and you haven't been able to play the latest games. Compared to older hardware, any new vid card will be insanely fast, but the best value for a new system will come from a vid card with a good games bundle. That way you get a new vid card at a good price, and a whole bunch of games to try out that are practically free! It's all about deciding what's best for a given situation. Buying vid cards only for performance isn't always the best solution.


As an historical tangent to this, the vid card market went through a stagnant period a few years ago. In the times of the GF2 and GF3, nearly all vid cards were identical. They were all basic reference designs, all clocked at the same speed, all with the same accessories, and no game bundles at all. It was a sad time for those who enjoy shopping for computer parts. Since then, we've had a "gaming revolution" so-to-speak, in many areas. Vid cards are now more variable and fun, gaming cases are all the rage, lighting is an important aspect of building a computer, and we have tons more options when it comes to more than one vid card, tons of RAM, single-core and dual-core CPU's, etc. The list goes on and on, but one thing is for sure: the boring days of hardware are over!