Don't look now, but we've come out of the closet! (Vault)

[123bob]

Well, we've made the mainstream Xtreme Teams section. We can no longer hide in the dusty, moldy old vault!!

This means we've got to keep our team up. Let's take this baby to the top. I see Team 2 Ch is on our radar. We could never challenge them at WCG, they just ran us over like yesterday's news....We could get them here....

I'll commit to adding at least two more 260-216s this week, maybe more if I can catch a good sale. (No pressure implied to anyone else. I know times are tight. I have been planning on doing this for a while anyway. this just gives me an excuse to pull the trigger...)

Regards,
Bob

[Movieman]

Well, we've made the mainstream Xtreme Teams section. We can no longer hide in the dusty, moldy old vault!!

This means we've got to keep our team up. Let's take this baby to the top. I see Team 2 Ch is on our radar. We could never challenge them at WCG, they just ran us over like yesterday's news....We could get them here....

I'll commit to adding at least two more 260-216s this week, maybe more if I can catch a good sale. (No pressure implied to anyone else. I know times are tight. I have been planning on doing this for a while anyway. this just gives me an excuse to pull the trigger...)

Regards,
Bob

Go back in the closet where you belong!

[INFRNL]

Well, we've made the mainstream Xtreme Teams section. We can no longer hide in the dusty, moldy old vault!!

This means we've got to keep our team up. Let's take this baby to the top. I see Team 2 Ch is on our radar. We could never challenge them at WCG, they just ran us over like yesterday's news....We could get them here....

I'll commit to adding at least two more 260-216s this week, maybe more if I can catch a good sale. (No pressure implied to anyone else. I know times are tight. I have been planning on doing this for a while anyway. this just gives me an excuse to pull the trigger...)

Regards,
Bob

The 260's are getting cheap; I think they can be had for less than $150 after rebates/CB.
Even though they are more; I like my 275's. thinking about picking another one up; will have to see if its worth the extra cost over a 260 though. they were the best bang for the buck IMO for F@H; and may still possibly be for GPUGrid; not sure

[123bob]

Go back in the closet where you belong!

You know, it kind of feels nice to be out in the open air.....I think I'll leave it out...


@INFRNL, I'll look at the other options out there. the 260-216s have been absolutely bullet proof and painless for me on folding or GPUGrid....

Bob

[PoppaGeek]

I am planning on adding another 260 hopefully in a few weeks. If not then either a GTS 250 or will wait another month. I like GPUGrid and I like watching us climb the charts. No doubt we can get #3, #2 will take awhile and more cards. Maybe more people will join us now that we are public! I prefer the 260 and hope I can swing it.

[PoppaGeek]

I have always bought Evga nVidia cards. XFX is $20 cheaper on a 216 shader 260. Anyone have any experience with XFX?

[123bob]

I have all BFG and eVGA. I went through the 680i mobo growing pain with eVGA, and they went out of their way to make it right by me, plus some. So I buy them when the price is right. The BFGs are good cards I'm running now.

I think the XFX are in a similar category with respect to warranty and the card itself? I think it's a reference design? It should be similar to BFG and eVGA then.

Others will likely know more. I don't own an XFX

Bob

[PoppaGeek]

I have all BFG and eVGA. I went through the 680i mobo growing pain with eVGA, and they went out of their way to make it right by me, plus some. So I buy them when the price is right. The BFGs are good cards I'm running now.

I think the XFX are in a similar category with respect to warranty and the card itself? I think it's a reference design? It should be similar to BFG and eVGA then.

Others will likely know more. I don't own an XFX

Bob

Yeah that's why I have bought them.

[123bob]

Here's what I ran onto at the Fry's store for $169. It would seem to have been a very good deal then and it still is.... These cards run great in my rigs. I now wish I had another 6....

Bob

[PoppaGeek]

$164.99 plus free shipping at newegg.com

[123bob]

That's a good price but it's not a 260-216. The model I got is the "maxcore" one with 216 cores. I gotta have that extra 24 cores. For what, I don't know, but I gotta have them...

Although, the one you linked has a $20 rebate......I'd probably have to send them to all the family and friends and buy one at a time to get it. Hmmmm.

Regards,
Bob

[PoppaGeek]

Did not notice the shaders, well that makes the EVGA look a little better at $184 w/free shipping.

[Paladin]

If there's a Microcenter near you, the 260-216 is $145 after-rebate and 275 (240 shaders) $190 after-rebate.

http://microcenter.com/search/search...&keyword_array[geforce]=geforce&keyword_array[gtx]=gtx

[123bob]

If there's a Microcenter near you, the 260-216 is $145 after-rebate and 275 (240 shaders) $190 after-rebate.

http://microcenter.com/search/search...&keyword_array[geforce]=geforce&keyword_array[gtx]=gtx

Your link is perhaps busted?

However, I found this....

It is the same price I paid for the slew of six I got from Fry's. Same card. They run really well here. 260-216 overclocked to 590/1296. I didn't see a rebate on this at the on-line store. I don't have a brick store here....

Thx,
Bob

[INFRNL]

Hey Bob,
so you think the GTX 260 is the best bang for the buck? can you explain your logic in this please. I was going to get another gtx 275 which would be approx $45 more. I know my 275's make a good amount ppd more than a 192 shader gtx 260 on F@H. Probably approx 2k more ppd(if I recall correctly); this is why I opted for the 275's over the 260's.

I was running the 250's but they were not producing like I hoped. I have been extremely happy with my 275's minus the pwr draw I now have on my rigs, but that could be from the 3 I7 rigs @ 3.8ghz, Q9550 @4.25ghz, & the 6 gtx 275's I am currently running.
When the wifey saw the increase in electric bill, she almost put me in the dog house. Granted I do not use nearly as much as a lot of the guys, its dramatically more than it was for us.

anyway back to the subject; after rebate and CB I can get a GTX 260 SC for $135-140 and a GTX 275 for $195. I do not know if the difference is much on the Grid, but I am pretty sure its very noticeable on F@H.

Just wanted to know your logic before I made my final decision. Thanks....Others opinions welcomed too

[123bob]

I think right now, at this moment in price/technology, the 260-216s are hard to beat for PPD, vs initial cost, vs power run-rate. Having said that, I do not have a 275 in my hands to compare to. I would assume they are close, just looking at the specs.

What I will no longer do is buy the latest, greatest high tier card, as I have done in the past.

I learned this building a CPU crunching farm. I went very heavy into the Kentsfield line, had some REALLY high tier stuff, and concluded that plain old retail Q6600s were the way to go, FOR THAT MOMENT IN TIME. Now it appears to me the i7 920 has taken this place. AMD is coming back though too. I am waiting for Gulftown, and the next gen AMD stuff to make the next move on my WCG farm.

The GPUs are a similar story. For now, to finish off the kents farm, I have no problem buying a boatload of OC 260-216s at $169 USD. I won't go higher than that though.

My 2 cents, USD,
Regards,
Bob

[INFRNL]

Thanks Bob,
I appreciate your opinion. I told myself I would not spend more than $200 on a gpu; granted its more initially, but after rebates or CB I have bought mine(275's all for $170-$200 at most. I have not had experience with the 216 260's, but I do know that I was not happy with my 192 160; so I did a stepup on it to a 275.

as for AMD; what do they have or what is coming that can compete with an I7? right now I am running at 3.8 ghz and getting around 30k ppd sometimes a little less and sometimes up to 40-45kppd. I think the 40-45k may have held some complete wus for longer than normal, not sure. My Q9550 is anywhere from 15-25k ppd ( would have to look at the log , but I am guessing avg of approx 15-20k ppd)

Im off to bed; have to get up in less than 6 hours, but will check back tomorrow. Thanks again.....I may just have to try a 216/260 just for comparison.