Summer 2008 XS Cheapazchips 3D Challenge

[[XC] gomeler]

Cooling classes are air/water on CPU/GPU and anything goes on CPU/GPU, 2 classes. SLI doesn't fit into the theme either, might as well do 4870s if we want a combined $200 card Go ahead though and post up some scores but I'd say single-card is the way to roll.

[oohms]

Poll has been open for 2 weeks now, looks like we have a winner with the 8600GT

DDR2 or DDR3?

[Johnny Bravo]

As always gomeler sign me up - I have a 8600GT waiting in the wings

Whats the prize - is it cash?

[dinos22]

DDR2 or DDR3?

cooooooooooooooool
i have Simon again to mod a card for me
whatcha reckon dude heh

[oohms]

cooooooooooooooool
i have Simon again to mod a card for me
whatcha reckon dude heh

Hells yeh

Except i can't find any decent cards under $100 that i can pick up from a shop

[dinos22]

Hells yeh

Except i can't find any decent cards under $100 that i can pick up from a shop

what MSY doesn't get decent cards
i can't believe it

hey here is a bunch of ppl listing cards and some DDR3 for $67 or more might do the trick

http://staticice.com.au/cgi-bin/search.cgi?q=8600GT

[edit] hmmmm you're not wrong......freaking $100 >> might as well buy 9600GT

[oohms]

what MSY doesn't get decent cards
i can't believe it

hey here is a bunch of ppl listing cards and some DDR3 for $67 or more might do the trick

http://staticice.com.au/cgi-bin/search.cgi?q=8600GT

[edit] hmmmm you're not wrong......freaking $100 >> might as well buy 9600GT

Problem is that 90% of the 'standard' cards are DDR2... and they are so much slower its not even worth thinking about getting em

will keep my eyes open when im at work though..

[youngpro]

do we know which model brand to get yet before i fork out

[dinos22]

well one thing is for sure we have to all agree on the same card otherwise competition will be up to

i don't mean same brand or whatever but that it's a for example DDR2 256MB card only or 512MB ddr2 or 256MB gddr3 or 512MB gddr3 or whatever

it would be good to have a gddr3 card so that RAM doesnt kill the comp again but it won't be a cheapzilla comp because we'll spend $100

in which case 9600GT is a killer buy

i reallythink we should go that way if we are going gddr3 because of closeness in pricing

[oohms]

My suggestion was always the 8500GT DDR2, because if you allow for DDR3, we all have to hunt down those cards, which are a fair bit more than $50 for most people, and harder to find because they are old.

Also if you go for the 8600GT DDR2, then we will probably be ram limited (again), whereas with the 8500GT the core is slower so it would work out to be more balanced.

It really depends if we want to make this a cheap comp or a midrange cards comp

[youngpro]

i found the xfx 8600gt for about $100AUD shipped, it might be worth just saying go for the ddr2 card so everyone is on the same playing field, then can just grab any of them...

[N00B]

i found a used 8600gt ddr3 for 40€ a, a new 8500gt ddr2 costs 50€

[Marvin_The_Martian]

Well if this ends up with 9600gt I will join to lol, in the not extreme section then ( air/water ) since I already have the hw for it.

I won't vmod the hell out of it, can't afford to break stuff atm. But it will do nice clocks without a vmod even, and well I might change my mind when we are further along.

[[XC] gomeler]

Ok, after some deliberation it sounds like we'll have to limit it to the GDDR2 8600GT. This limitation is due to a few non-American members(silly Australians ) not being able to acquire cheap GDDR3 8600GTs. Memory size will be unrestricted but from what I can tell there are only 512mb and 1gb cards available. Contest will start September 1st and run till October 1st. All scores must be submitted by October 1st at 12:00 PM EST. You must submit an image with CPU-Z showing CPU speed, CPU-Z or mem-set showing memory speed and timings, GPU-Z showing GPU speed, and preferably but not required the detailed results of the benchmark so we can all compare and try to beat you. If you somehow can't submit an image, a hastily snapped picture can be snail mailed to me

Updating the 1st post. Post below or send PM if you need to be added to the roster. Going to send PMs to all the previous contestants, even if they've already posted above because I'm that lazy.

[[XC] gomeler]

As always gomeler sign me up - I have a 8600GT waiting in the wings

Whats the prize - is it cash?

The prize is our enormous respect for your ability to tweak a garbage core and hit the 3D01 and 3D03 World Records





for these cards

[massman]

GDDR2 it is then ... I'll try to do my best ;-).

[oohms]

Awesome work... will pick up a card on friday

[dinos22]

Awesome work... will pick up a card on friday

me too lemme know how much $$ ya need

[N00B]

no ddr3?

should it be 256 ddr2 or 512 ddr2?
Can't seem to find many 256 ddr2

[Johnny Bravo]

OK lets go! eBay here I come

[Johnny Bravo]

HA! I have this competition in the bag!!! Check out this awesome card on eBay



Memory speed will be the least of my worries!!!

[filmbot]

JB, I think you need to be looking just slightly harder

[[XC] gomeler]

HA! I have this competition in the bag!!! Check out this awesome card on eBay



Memory speed will be the least of my worries!!!

I think you win

[systemviper]

buydotcom


Tech Specs
Dual Link DVI - Supporting digital output up to 2560x1600: Yes
Engine Clock: 540 MHz
Memory Clock: 800 MHz
Shader Clock: 1180 MHz
Chipset: GeForce 8600 GT
Memory: 512 MB
Bus Type: PCI-E
Memory Type: DDR2
Memory Bus: 128-bit
Highlighted Features: HDCP Ready , TV Out , RoHS , SLI ready , HDTV ready , Vista

[[XC] gomeler]

Newegg.com ZOTAC 8600GT
$64 with $20 MIR and $8.25 shipping for $53 after MIR.

I've got a dead HD 3850 here with a functional core PWM, going to mod the card and use it as a powersupply to power the core on the 8600GT If I need more than 1.8v then I suppose I'll either use an old motherboard or try and beef up the onboard PWM.