Alright, so I've decided that I'm in the market for a new video card...the question here is, which one? I'm stuck in the middle between the ATI Radeon X1900XTX (Crossfire ready) card, which is a 512MB card, and the new nVidia GeForce 7950 GX2, with double the onboard memory of the Radeon - 1GB total. The increase in video memory seems pretty nice, but it's also over a hundred bucks more expensive. Anyone here care to help me make my choice? I'd like to pull out all the stops here and get something that'll last me a good long time, but I don't want to buy the second-place card either.
If there's one thing I've learned lately, it's to go with nvidia. Overall they have better drivers, they have better performance, are more widely supported, and run cooler. Try to get the BFG 7950 GX2, BFG doesn't use fancy packaging and therefore cuts down on the cost a little.
I'm usually partial to ATi as well...but I can't ignore the awesome specs on that nVidia card either... The next consideration out there is...should I wait for a card to come out that'll support DirectX 10? Suggestions?
I've actually had an NVIDIA card for a couple years now and it still runs the latest games with little effort. So you might not even have to get a top-of-the-line card right away. But that's just my suggestion if you want to save money. Either way, go for the NVIDIA card. It's much better.
Well, I'm currently getting 3-5FPS in Flight Simulator X, so I'm not sure anything less than the top-of-the-line card will do Good idea though Will...there's a 512MB version of the 7950 out there...I'll hafta see how that one looks as well.
Mine's a GeForce FX 5900 or something like that. I've had it since 2003, and I can run most new games with the settings on full. Sometimes I'll have to turn the settings down if there's too much action on the screen, but that's pretty rare.
Which games? Specifically, I develop freeware for MS Flight Simulator, and the newest version (FSX) is really taking its toll on even the highest end systems out there. I've got an Athlon 64 4000+, 2GB PC3200 ram, X800 256MB card, and I'm still getting destroyed by the latest. Keep in mind, however, that FS is and probably always will be the hardest workout you can make a system do - we're talking almost five thousand 3D objects on screen at any one time. The newest version has moving people/animals and even trees that sway in the wind All in eye-candy-ful 3D of course.
Well, I can't say every game, since I don't really have a bunch of the "latest" games. But I can run Halo fairly well and that game's known for COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY ANNIHILATING COMPUTERS so...
Now the next step of the decision process: sourcing a thousand dollars when you still owe the Winnipeg Flying Club $5,000. Fuuuuuuuuuuuck. Why oh why is technology so expensive...and addictive like crack? I think it's because I can't get a girl if my life depended on it...so I need SOMETHING to spend all my money on
I haven't gotten to play Battlefield 2. But Vietnam runs really well. I think Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood is the most demanding game I play and I don't have to turn down settings. Then again I try to free up all my RAM, and I only have 256 MB. I think if I had more it'd be better. It really comes down to really needing more RAM, I think. I could be wrong.
The issue being with ATI is they never go beyond. Usually when you buy an ATI card, it will run everything that's out then, but within a month or two, new games run worse and worse. nVidia cards always run better. And don't call me biased, because I've never owned an nVidia card in my life. I've always had ATI...
ati no matter what, nvidia cant do HDR and AA at the sametime. nvidia may have some better aspects and ati may some better features. either way you cant go wrong with an expesive videocard. there really isnt that much difference between the cards, just the HDR and AA fact. in my opinion, i would wait for DX10 cards, they are just around the corner.
I would recommend waiting for a DX 10 card but if you must have a video card now I would recommend the ATI Radeon X1900XTX. I always have been a fan of ATI, maybe because of the shading and filters. Both cards should run Flight Simulator X at full frames if the rest of your computer can handle it.