Shootouts

GeForce 8800 GTX Buying Guide & Shootout

By Vincent Chang - 14 Dec 2006

Conclusion

Conclusion

Stocks of the GeForce 8 series are plentiful at the moment with the high entry prices and lack of DirectX 10 applications probably dampening sales in certain regions, but other regions like ours have enjoyed brisk sales due to the card's strong performance and future-proofing qualities. While there are many brands for consumers to choose from, the basic hardware is the same for almost all the models out there. Hence, consumers have their deciding factors reduced to the individual package, price and warranty to determine which is the best GeForce 8800 GTX to purchase. Hopefully, our buying guide has helped to highlight the various differences between our selected cards, with the overclocking segment an additional nod towards a card's worth to enthusiasts. While the guide doesn't involve every single GeForce 8800 GTX card available worldwide, we have made efforts on our part to bring you the bulk of the brands that would peddle them at the point of writing. Of course we have contacted other vendors, but some have declined to join in the fray for the lack of stock and other reasons that are beyond us to bring you the article in a timely manner.

With that said, here is a short summary of the strong and weak points of the various models we have compared in this shootout:

  • The ASUS EN8800GTX 768MB is probably one of the most expensive GeForce 8800 GTX cards, though given ASUS' usual premium pricing, it's not unusual. Especially since it does come with an excellent game and package overall. The three-year warranty locally may also be extra insurance for such high-end hardware and is probably one year more than most of the competitors. If price is no issue, you probably can't go wrong with ASUS.
  • Foxconn's GeForce 8800 GTX takes our unofficial 'award' for being the most gimmicky GeForce 8800 GTX. Perhaps you may disagree but we find the whole blue LED rather overdone and pass� by now. The addition of a game pad does seem like Foxconn is aspiring to reach ASUS' standard for including surprising add-ons to your package.
  • Gigabyte too throws out a lavish game bundle with two recent games, including the big name Civilization IV for its GV-NX88X768H-RH. The price of these games however is accounted into the final retail price for the Gigabyte and that could be an issue if the games are not what you're looking for. Else, the Gigabyte provides a noteworthy package.
  • The Inno3D GeForce 8800 GTX may not offer anything spectacularly different besides a recent game that's not usually seen in other bundles, though the few reviews we have seen on the game did not seem positive. The price however is quite average and those looking for just a no-frills GeForce 8800 GTX may find Inno3D's simple bundle attractive.
  • Our strongest overclocking performer, the Leadtek WinFast PX8800 GTX TDH does well in both overclocking and in terms of its package. Although the software and games were not particularly new, they were quite comprehensive. The price too was reasonable for the rather balanced package you'll get. The Leadtek gets our nod for the Most Overclockable Product award in the GeForce 8800 GTX ranks.
  • With the most attractive price and a strong overclocking performance, the MSI NX8800GTX-T2D768E-HD offers that rare blend of performance and value. The package may have some consumers lamenting the lack of new software or games but we can't fault its completeness, from the DVD playback to the integrated D.O.T in the drivers and its revamped utilities that we have highlighted here previously . For that, we present the MSI card with our Most Value for Money award and the overall Winner of this comparison.
  • Last but not least, the XFX GeForce 8800 GTX we received appeared to have an incomplete bundle. Since the distributor has assured us that it's a mere mistake that will be amended with the next shipment, we'll give them the benefit of doubt. Its main plus is its competitive pricing, second only to the MSI.
The Award Winners
The MSI NX8800GTX-T2D768E-HD.

The Leadtek WinFast PX8800 GTX TDH.

The ASUS EN8800GTX 768MB.

The Foxconn GeForce 8800 GTX 768MB.
The Gigabyte GV-NX88X768H-RH.
The Inno3D GeForce 8800 GTX 768MB.
The XFX GeForce 8800 GTX 768MB.
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