XFX 8800GTS 512MB Alpha Dog Edition Review

Manufacturer Product Page: TBD
Product Number: PV-T88G-YDF4
Availability: Now
Warranty: Double Lifetime
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This is a great time to be a consumer looking for a new graphics card. Over the last few weeks we have been inundated with new cards from every quarter which have all been firmly focused at the more budget-minded enthusiast. With the release of the G92-based 8800GT, Nvidia released what some punters are calling the most popular graphics card of all time. Even though it was popular, the 8800GT proved to be next to impossible to find due to some serious supply shortages and the prices skyrocketed above the original MSRP. Finally, the shortages of this card seem to have ended….just in time for another new release from Nvidia: the G92-based 8800GTS 512MB. Or as I like to call it: “yes, another 8800GTS”.

While the 8800GT was aimed at offering a massive amount of performance for every one of your hard earned dollars, Nvidia is hoping their new 8800GTS will appeal to consumers looking for something with a little more power at a little higher price. Basically, what Nvidia is looking to do with this card is increase their lead over ATI’s recently released HD3870 which (like the 8800GT) is selling faster than they can be produced. There have been a few changes made to this card to differentiate it from the GT but we will get into that a little later. At this point, it is sufficient to say that Nvidia a firing on all cylinders these days and I have high expectations for this card. Something that also sets Nvidia apart from the competition is the sheer number of their board partners that offer lifetime warranties. Unlike the HD3870 launch where you would have had a snowball’s chance in hell to find an ATI card with a lifetime warranty, there will be quite a few manufacturers offering lifetime warranties on their 8800GTS 512MB cards.

Now that we have all that out of the way, let’s talk a bit about the availability of these new 8800GTS 512MB cards. Unfortunately, we are not hearing much out of our usual contacts but that could mean one of two things: either they have plenty of stock and are not panicking or have already hung themselves from the nearest doorframe rather than going through another 8800GT-like launch. Personally, I think that stock will be a bit tight due to popularity but not to the extent like we saw with the 8800GT. Pricing will pretty much run the gamut and these cards will be priced between $360-$400 CAD which represents about a $100 increase in price from the GT. Meanwhile, the XFX 8800GTS 512MB Alpha Dog Edition we are reviewing today comes in at a pretty trim $374.99 or thereabouts.

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EVGA 8800GTS 640MB (w/112SPs) SSC Edition Review

Intro

Just last week the entire graphics card market was shaken to its core with the release of the 8800GT. With glowing reviews and a price / performance ratio which proved to be through the roof, the card promptly sold out across the world. With increasing demand and virtually nonexistent stock replenishment, many potential customers of the 8800GT have been left high and dry with seemingly no alternative in sight. Unfortunately, with stock shortages the prices of the 8800GT have skyrocketed to over $300 at some online retailers in the US and Canada. So, where are potential customers supposed to turn? Luckily EVGA has provided somewhat of an answer: the 8800GTS 640MB SSC Edition.

With all the hoopla flying around the 8800GT, the release of EVGA’s new SSC Edition has gone almost completely under the radar. This is a shame because at about $375CAD it could present a potential alternative to customers left out in the cold by the lack of 8800GT stock. With it, you get EVGA’s legendary Lifetime Warranty, Step-Up program and second-to-none customer service. Yet, if this card fails to perform up to the standards of the 8800GT it will be doomed to infamy as an “also ran” in the graphics card performance wars.

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