Opinions on GeForce 6800 on Dell XPS

[Need_a_Dell]

I just bought a 4th gen Dell XPS gaming system and it comes stocked with a PCI-express 256mb nVidia GeForce 6800. I just want to know what your general opinions are on this videocard. I'm not very familiar with nVidia being an ATI buyer. What is the ATI equivalent to the nVidia 6800? Is it the Radeon x800?

 

[dopefisher]

your card kicks major A**, god i wish i had that card lol. btw what is the wattage on your power supply???? apparently, that card requires about 480 (correct me if im wrong)watts to function properly. i dont know why dell wouldn't hook you up right if you bought it altogether like that, but you never know.

 

[sllewe]

Well...

I would assume that dell would abide to all manufacturer guidelines. Yea a 6800 is a freaking nice card. The x800 is comparable to that. Which one is better? It is a matter of opinion.

Sean

 

[vnf4ultra]

It's a good card. The xps has a 460w psu. It should be fine. Here are some benches of several cards.

 

[Need_a_Dell]

Awesome guys, thanks for the info. :haha:

 

[zephead]

how much did you pay for that?

 

[Need_a_Dell]

After customizing the XPS to the way I wanted it, it came up just over $3000 + tax = small fortune. But if you look at it this way, I was interested in buying a DVD Recorder with built in HD. If I had bought a good one, it would have cost me upwards of $800. But with my new Dell, I'll be able to use it as a PVR. So really, I got the Dell for $2200. Here are the specs on my new beast:

Processor - Pentium® 4 Processor 650 with HT Technology (3.40GHz, 800 FSB)
OS - Microsoft® Windows® XP Media Center 2005 Edition
RAM - 1GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 533MHz (2x512M)
Hard Disk - 2x160GB Serial ATA Hard Drive (7200RPM) in 0 RAID array
Drive 1 - 16x DVD-ROM Drive
Drive 2 - 16x DVD+/-RW w/ dbl layer write capable
Video Card - 256MB PCI Express™ x16 (DVI/VGA/TV-out) nVidia GeForce 6800
Sound - Sound Blaster Audigy™2 (D) Card w/Dolby 5.1, and IEEE 1394 capability
Acessories - Dual TV Tuner with Remote Control

This puppy is going to be friggin' sweet!

 

[Phantasm66]

Well, I have the AGP version of the card and, well.. I have no complaints. I can only imagine that the PCI express version is even better.

 

[vnf4ultra]

I think a rig like yours would cost about $2200 to build(at retail prices, Dell gets stuff in bulk for cheap), if you got a monitor worth $300, and a $100 speaker system, and the regular mouse/keyboard. So Dell made a little money. If you got like a 24" lcd or highed speakers, then it'd be a better deal. Still it's a really good rig, but I can't imagine spending that much on something that will only last a few years. Enjoy it!

 

[Need_a_Dell]

You may think that it will only be good for a few years, but technology nowadays is so sophisticated that it will be quite easy to upgrade in the future. My last computer lasted me 7 years, so this one should do about the same. (Hopefully longer!)

 

[vnf4ultra]

Yeah, the computer will last a long time. It depends on how much performance you "need". If your content to live with it and don't "need" every new part that comes out, then you'll use it longer and the cost is spread out longer, so it equals out. Plus the xps has special tech. support I think. Yeah, if you plan on it lasting 7 years, then it will cost only about $450 a year. Whereas, if you get a $1500 computer every other year it's $750 a year. So you'd come out ahead. Btw, I didn't mean to make it seem like you got ripped off, you got a top end rig, and it should last a long time.

 

[Need_a_Dell]

No offence taken. I'm pleased with what I'm getting. Although t did cost me $3000, you have to remember that the currency is Canadian. The pricing would be a bit different in the U.S. I bought Half-Life 2 in November nut haven't been able to play it due to a bad internet connection. (Damn Steam.) But now that I have a new computer and a fast interent connection, I'll finally be able to play. (The situation before was, I have a decent computer at my mom's place, but she has dial-up. I didn't realize that I was going to have to go online in order to play Half-Life, so I was pretty pissed. I've had to wait 4 months now!) I can't wait to see how she runs.

 

[vnf4ultra]

Oh, wow, that's 3000 canadian. That's a lot better deal. Sorry man, I didn't realize that. Should be a screamer.

 

[C0d3Warr10r]

The last time I checked, the 6800 that comes in the Dell XPS is actually a 6800GTO (Notice the extra "O"). Its performance still blows pretty much every card outta the water right now, but its retail namesake has it beat by a few frames per second. No biggie especially considering you're buying an extremely powerful system that should virtually devour any game or application you throw at it. I'm not knockin' the system, I just think its kinda sneaky how Dell slipped in that card and marketted it like it was a 100% Genuine Nvidia 6800GT. *shrug* Thats my 2cents, not that its worth much

C0d3Warr10r

Big Blue:
Asus P4P800 I865PE
P4 2.8GHz 800MHz
1024 KingMax PC-3200
Maxtor DiamondMax 9 /160GB /7200RPM /8MB Cache
ATI Radeon X800 Pro
Enermax 420W PSU
Aspire X-Dreamer II
Lite-On 12X DVD+/-RW
Sony 48X CD-RW
Samsung SyncMaster 997DF 19" CRT
3DMark03 Score: 10,035

 

[vnf4ultra]

256MB PCI ExpressTM x16 (DVI/VGA/TV-out) NVIDIA® GeForceTM 6800 Optional: 256MB PCI ExpressTM x16 (DVI/VGA/TV-out) ATI RadeonTM 850 XT Platinum Edition Optional: 256MB PCI ExpressTM x16 (DVI (dual)/VGA) NVIDIA® GeForceTM 6800 GTO

The gto is optional, and more expensive. The 6800 is standard, but still really good.

 

[@12if]

can u get lower price of that specs by building ur own pc..?? that would be better.

 

[zephead]

ideally...

 

[Need_a_Dell]

Yeah, I just have the standard 6800. I would have gotten the GTO, but it isn't compatible with Media Center Edition. But after doing some research, it isn't really worth the $200 upgrade. The ATI X850 XT PE is a different story though....

 

[C0d3Warr10r]

Understood

Need_A_Dell,

I understand the budget constraints, but if you are dropping a large sum of money to buy an "Extreme Gaming Machine" (which the XMS is purported to be) I think you would be much happier with the 6800GT(O). I was unsure of which 6800 you were referring to though. Thanks for clarifying.
________________________________________
@12if,

Note that Need_A_Dell is quoting a price in Canadian dollars, not US dollar, which makes $3000 a much better deal.

C0d3Warr10r

Big Blue:
Asus P4P800 I865PE
P4 2.8GHz 800MHz
1024 KingMax PC-3200
Maxtor DiamondMax 9 /160GB /7200RPM /8MB Cache
ATI Radeon X800 Pro
Enermax 420W PSU
Aspire X-Dreamer II
Lite-On 12X DVD+/-RW
Sony 48X CD-RW
Samsung SyncMaster 997DF 19" CRT
3DMark03 Score: 10,035

 

[Merc14]

I was looking at getting the XPS but gagged evertime I contemplated $2500-$3000 US. So I ended up doing a lot of research and building my own:

Thermaltake V7000+
Asus AN8-SLI Deluxe Motherboard (awesome piece of gear)
1Gb 2xCMX512-3200C2PT Corsair DDR 400 Ram
AMD 3500+ (939 pin) Newcastle Core
2x80gb Caviar Western Digital (8MB buffer) drives in RAID 0
1 XFX 6800 GT (will buy 2nd when price goes down and have an SLI system)
Blue Storm 500W PSU
Sony DVD16x/ CD 52 xR/RW
Sony Floppy
Z-Board Gaming keyboard
Razer Diamondback mouse
Dell 19"CRT monitor (already had this)
Motorola PCI WIFI Card
XP Home
MS Works Suite
Total-$1710
Still steep but I had a ball building it and learned a helluva lot on the way. I'll probably never buy a PC again, to much fun BYO. I just bought the Lian Li PC60A-Plus case (fiance doesn't know yet, I'll take the day off, move everything and stand by for incoming) because I really don't like the looks of the Thermaltake. Should get here next week so I get to dabble again. The XPS is a beautiful machine though.

 

[Secondgunman]

I build my Rig

I build my Rig Inspiered by the XPS but with AMD, have alittle more gaming power to my system then what Dell Builds with but the 6800 nVidia cards are = to about an x800xt - x850xt depending on the nVidia card you are using. all though I am an Ati junkie nVidia is the way to go untill Ati gets their PCI-E SLI cards out that will take some time yet. AMD/VIA is going to get back into the GPU card world soon and will have a line of PCI-E/SLI cards as well. YES that means 3 GPU card builders! Can you say "Market Price Drop!"?

But If you are going to go with a "Tear 1" gaming Rig Dell is the company to go with (as far as Intel based systems go). AMD is far better for gaming.

P.S. AMD now has one of the top boys from Intel and some new kid from a German company. They were quoted saying "You think this company is good now you have not seen anything yet." I am told that someone who just left one of Trump's companies is now on AMD's marketing team, but I don't know If that one is true because there is allso chat that the person worked for Dell... I will keep an eye on AMD press page for that one, as that are expanding staff at a very fast rate this year.

But yes you have a very good card, I built my system for 3700, but it is alot more then just a gaming rig for the price you paid that is a good GPU with a good system that will last you for some time.

 

[archangelx22]

Geforce 6800 Pci-Ex

I have one of the 6800's from that model, and i was wondering how to order a second one so i can sli them. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[robertko2]

I just ordered very close to the same system

Great to hear these posts. I was a bit concerned after building then purchasing my Dell XPS system. Same video card, 2gb ram, 1-80gb by 10,000 RPM hard drive for the C:\ slot, and another 160gb 7,200 RPM hard drive. Wireless keyboard and mouse package, and of course alot more. I was concerned because of how much I had paid, and went to Comp USA to find a dual core machine for less than half the price. But after closer scruitiny I realized the other machine didn't have even close to the stuff mine has. Dell has finished building it, it is due to be delivered on March 2 2006. Can barely wait! :bounce:

Robert

 

[johnnyspade]

What are the inputs on the 6800? Are there 2 DVI inputs to hook up 2 LCD monitors digitally, or is there a DVI and a VGA?

 

[-w-o-l-f-]

I just purchased a Dell a few months ago and this is what i got in mine

Pentium® D Processor 830 with Dual Core Technology (3.0GHz, 800FSB)
1GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 667MHz - 2 DIMMs
19 inch Ultrasharp™ 1905FP Digital Flat Panel
250GB Serial ATA Hard Drive (7200RPM)
Dual Drives: 16x DVD-ROM Drive + 16x DVD+/-RW
Sound Blaster® X-Fi™ XtremeMusic (D), w/Dolby® Digital 5.1
5.1 100 Watt Surround Sound Speaker System with Subwoofer
256MB PCI Express™ x16 (DVI/VGA/TV-out) nVidia GeForce 6800

Whoever said that the XPS comes with a 480w PSU is mistakin, im not sure if maybe the american XPS only has a 480w but my Dell purchased in Canada has a 600w PSU