Member Avatar for rcrevolution

I am deciding between two 6800Gt's

both have
256Mb 350Mhz core 1000Mhz Ram, and such
but one is a XFX with a refresh rate of 2???x1??? @ 85Hz
and the other is a eVGA with a refresh rate of 2???x1???@ 75Hz

i forgot the exact resolutions but they are the same on both cards the only difference is the 10Hz refresh rate will 10Hz make a noticable difference? if not Ill get the eVGA because it has Doom 3 for only $8 more

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by scotianovan

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Short answer: the tiny advertised difference in a card's maximum refresh at an extreme timing is not the deciding factor for everyday gaming or desktop use. raised a reasonable concern; and were on the right track pointing out that real-world behavior depends on the monitor, the resolution you actually use, and how many frames the GPU can deliver.

A quick clarification that was missing in the thread: refresh rate is a property of the display (how often it repaints). Frame rate is what the GPU produces. If the GPU cannot sustain higher frame rates, a higher possible refresh on paper does not make motion smoother. If the GPU produces more frames than the display can show, use of vertical sync or adaptive sync (if supported) determines whether you get tearing or smoother presentation. Small advertised differences in max refresh at very high timings are usually irrelevant for normal resolutions and use.

Practical checks and things to prefer when the core specs are the same:

  • Verify the monitor's supported resolutions and refresh rates in the manual or on-screen menu before worrying about card specs.
  • Prefer the vendor with a better warranty, quieter/better cooling, and a good RMA reputation if price and core specs are otherwise identical.
  • Check physical fit (card length, power connector requirements) and look for independent reviews/benchmarks that show real gaming FPS and noise/temperatures.
  • Use the proper cable (digital when available) and update drivers; custom timings or forcing unusual refresh values can cause problems and is rarely needed.

Given the thread feedback from and , prioritize real-world factors (bundle value, warranty, cooling, and measured benchmarks) over a small listed refresh difference. If a small price or bundle difference swings the value, that is a reasonable tie-breaker.

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Member Avatar for Coconut Monkey

What you need to ask yourself is whether you'll actually be playing a game at a resolution of 2048 x 1536 (I assume that's what you mean by 2???x1???). High end 19" monitors max out at 2048 x 1536 @ 68Hz. Running a game at that resolution would also result in a heavy performance hit since the video card is doing a lot more work!

Member Avatar for rcrevolution

yes i know that but I am asking this because I dont know if since it runs at 10Hz lower at max resolution it might have to run at 75Hz on 1200x1024 jeez, I didnt know if 75Hz was max or just max at that resolution. I never said I would be running a game at max resolution. because i rather get doom 3 for 8 more bucks then 54 because commandos 3 doesnt look all that great.

and a question for someone else

is there any major common problem either either XFX or eVGA cards I should now about?
Like is one brand better then the other?

Member Avatar for Coconut Monkey

yes i know that but I am asking this because I dont know if since it runs at 10Hz lower at max resolution it might have to run at 75Hz on 1200x1024 jeez, I didnt know if 75Hz was max or just max at that resolution. I never said I would be running a game at max resolution. because i rather get doom 3 for 8 more bucks then 54 because commandos 3 doesnt look all that great.

I'm sorry for assuming otherwise rc. I'm only trying to help! The refresh rate described is only for that ridiculously high resolution. Lower resolutions will have much higher refresh rates.

and a question for someone else

Am I not allowed to try? :(

is there any major common problem either either XFX or eVGA cards I should now about?
Like is one brand better then the other?

Most card manufacturers follow the chipset maker's reference design, so performance will be near identical. The differences usually lie in the type of cooling (silent, double height) and RAM chips (may be higher-rated leaving room for overclocking) used. I'd just go for the Doom 3 package.

Member Avatar for Catweazle

I'm in full agreement with Coco. The stated refresh rate of the card is a bit of a nonsense, because virtually no monitors can display at those settings anyway.

And the cards I'm pretty sure are virtually identical in all respects except perhaps the heatsink and fan used.

The only cards I've seen that really deviate from the reference specs for the 6800GT are some of the Asus versions, which are sub-standard, and the Gainward Golden Sample, which is extremely good but ridiculously expensive.

Member Avatar for rcrevolution

once again I was not saying I was going to run at maximum resolution, I just wanted to know if since at max the refresh rate was lower then the other, it could have been lower as well at a lower resolution, I DID NOT say I was going to run at maximum resolution. :mad: why doesn't anyone listen to me here?

and that question for someone else was just for someone to answer.


BTW i went to a local Circuitcity and they had a AMD 64 3400+ there with 512MB and a 9200se, and WOW that pc had power, I opened up windows media player and unlike my celeron, windows media player opened up before I could react I was like , WOW. I cant stop thinking what a AMD 64 3400+ with 2gigs of ram and a 6800GT will do.

Member Avatar for scotianovan

ok not to be rude but, no monitors i know of run at 68 Hz because hte set minimum is 75, furthermore to answer the original guys question, most monitors run with a range of 75-85 hz, if ur monitor can run more then u can do w/e u want with ur card, it wont make u have less lag though, just make it 75 or 85, ull know which one to use.

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