There is a thread going on over Anandtech about choosing between the X1800XT OEM ($299 at Newegg) or the 7900GT Retail ($299, but sold out at this price), so why not ask here as well?
X1800XT Pros:
HDR+AA
HQAF
Less texture shimmering
X1800XT Cons:
Drivers (CCC sucks, though replaceable with something like ATI Tray Tools)
Fan noise (but better cooling)
7900GT Pros:
Supposedly quieter, but I've heard conflicting reports about the noise of the 7900GT fan. Any comments from 7900GT users?
7900GT Cons:
No HQAF
Worse texture shimmering
The ATI card seems better, but the great debate is the speed of the two cards. Many have shown comparisons between the 7900GT and the 512MB version of the X1800XT with the XT winning for the most part, but the XT for $299 is only 256MB, and that probably negatively effects performance.
X1800XT Pros:
HDR+AA
HQAF
Less texture shimmering
X1800XT Cons:
Drivers (CCC sucks, though replaceable with something like ATI Tray Tools)
Fan noise (but better cooling)
7900GT Pros:
Supposedly quieter, but I've heard conflicting reports about the noise of the 7900GT fan. Any comments from 7900GT users?
7900GT Cons:
No HQAF
Worse texture shimmering
The ATI card seems better, but the great debate is the speed of the two cards. Many have shown comparisons between the 7900GT and the 512MB version of the X1800XT with the XT winning for the most part, but the XT for $299 is only 256MB, and that probably negatively effects performance.