Video Card woes..... [Archive] - Multiplay UK Forums

Pileyrei

31st October 2007, 09:51

Boy and girls

I'm ready to order my new high spec gaming pc. For what it's worth, here are the specs:

1. Casing: Coolermaster Mystique RC-631-KWN1 - Black Alu Window with preinstalled watercooling <<<funky :v

2. Processor: Intel Core 2 Quad-Core Q6600 G0 SLACR, 95W, S775, 2.40 GHz, 1066MHz FSB, 8MB Cache

3. RAM - 4GB: CorsairTwinX XMS2, DDR2 PC2-6400 (800), 240 Pins, Non-ECC Unbuffered, 4-4-4-12, DHX.

Now the main reason of this post is to ask one last time for some video card choice help. I cannot for the life of me decide on a video card. This is really to run UT3 but at the same time my pc is 6 years old so its due an upgrade!

Traditionally I've always been an ATI man. No reason, just always had them.
I'm looking to go with this card:

http://www.scan.co.uk/images/products/619491-A.jpg

1GB ScanFX HD2900XT PCI-E(x16) 512Bit 1650MHz GDDR4 GPU 740MHz CrossFire 2xDual Link DVI-I/HDTV

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/productinfo.asp?WebProductID=695930

Other cards I'm considering, budget wise are (all NVIDIA)

512MB XFX 8800GT XXX, PCI-E (x16), 1950 MHz, GDDR3, GPU 670 MHz, 2x Dual Link DVI-I/HDTV, HDCP, Fan.

or

512MB XFX 8800GT XT, PCI-E (x16), 1900 MHz, GDDR3, GPU 640 MHz, 2x Dual Link DVI-I/HDTV, HDCP, Fan

or

512MB XFX 8800GT PCI-E (x16), Mem 1800 MHz, GDDR3, GPU 600 MHz, 2x Dual Link DVI-I/HDTV, HDCP, Fan

I looked at the NVIDIA 8800 Ultra's but those are over £360.......getting a little silly price wise IMO.

I'm really thinking to go with the ATI.

Suggestions and comments welcome!!

Piley

Tsung

31st October 2007, 10:03

Well i hear a rumour there are new ATI cards (http://www.fudzilla.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=916&Itemid=34)out very soon... (mid November) so you might want to hang on for them. (2950xt / 3800 i'm not sure it's all rumours to me).

I have an ATI2900XT and I'm happy with it, it runs UT3 demo (1650x1050 res) and other games just fine; but it does appear the geforce cards are the prefered "gamers choice". ( just out 8800GT (http://www.overclockers.co.uk/productlist.php?groupid=701&catid=56&subid=1008) are reasonable price and good performers)

Jez_Gafys

31st October 2007, 10:08

Yes there are some new ATI cards due very soon, my bro had a meeting with AMD about 3 weeks ago where they showed of their new line of cards and the triple core processors ...

To take full advantage of one of these new cards you will need a new motherboard that has 4 PCI-E gfx cards slots I seem to remember him telling me that all four cards work out slower then crossfire 2600HD he was telling their plans just seem ludicrous. There is also a card in the pipeline for Q1 08 which is said to be a budget card with close to 8800GTX speeds.

My bro aint online atm but when he connects Ill post some more info.

If going for ATI be aware that the current drivers are still in their infancy for all 2x00 series cards (though the latest version is very bloody good with some great speed increases of upto 70% in some games like Bioshock)

oxy

31st October 2007, 10:32

I would say get a 8800GTS/X depending on budget, not that its official but i found that intel n nvidia run better together rather than intel n ATI, personal experience

Pileyrei

31st October 2007, 10:33

Ah, thanks chaps.

So I should wait a little longer then :)

Piley

Semajal

31st October 2007, 10:37

Wait a bit longer, expect lots of shiney to be released before christmas.

JeRkY

31st October 2007, 11:11

assrat

31st October 2007, 11:35

Pileyrei

31st October 2007, 12:05

You can always "wait a little longer" since new hardware is released all the time. At next you wait for cheaper and cooler quadcores, faster mainboard chipsets, bigger and cheaper harddrives and so on. In my opinion there is no better time to buy than now.

Good point....buy the latest vid card or system and 2 weeks later something else better is out. Meh.

I may well wait until UT3 is released before buying a new comp.

At least UT99 is still rocking on my pc :)

Piley

Jez_Gafys

31st October 2007, 12:08

8800gt seems to be blowing everything away on a bang per buck basis atm. consistantly faster than the 8800gts, sometimes faster than the GTX and i think most the time faster than the ATI offerings. From what i recall of the benchmarks i was looking through.

Ive not seen any GT cards beat the GTX, they are close in lower resolutions and lesser setting like no AA but when you start ramping everything up the GT then shows why its a budget card. You can see in these benchmarks how the GT starts to move away from the GTX as things like AA are increased. I reckon once even more mature ATI drivers are released the 2900 wil move further up the benchmark. In Crossfire vs SLI the ATIs pwn atm aswell

http://www.expreview.com/img/topic/8800gt/3dmark_01.png
http://www.expreview.com/img/topic/8800gt/3dmark_02.png
http://www.expreview.com/img/topic/8800gt/3dmark_03.png

sikamikanico

31st October 2007, 16:16

hi

have a look at this review

http://anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3140

GF8800 GT

available for about 250.- euros

only problem, its pretty new, and seems hard to get, at least where i live

cu
sika

Species

31st October 2007, 16:50

In my opinion and being an ATI man myself I would wait for these new 3800 series cards which as Tsunami already mentioned are slated for release sometime In November.

I've read a few articles lately that seem to think they will be a good improvement on the 2900 series not least because they will be using a 55nm production process and be fully DX10.1 compatible (Coming Visa SP1) of which as far as I know none of the current ATI/Nvidia cards are.

There isn't really much concrete evidance yet since ATI/AMD are keeping it quiet until the November launch but take a look at this article on Toms Hardware about the new ATI cards and the inclusion of DX10.1.

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/amd-hd-3800-dx-10,review-29720.html

I also found this which may be of interest,click here for source. (http://www.techpowerup.com/?42509)
http://img456.imageshack.us/img456/3199/02radeonrm5.th.jpg (http://img456.imageshack.us/my.php?image=02radeonrm5.jpg)

FiRe

31st October 2007, 17:46

Zotac 8800GT 512Mb AMPED! Edition has got rave reviews

Deckard

6th November 2007, 10:22

Hey Piley

What I tried to tell you between two games :

The new Nvidia 8800GT is released. Perfs are very close to 8800GTX, for less than half price (250-300 Euros). A bit hard to find at the moment, it sould be easier in a couple of weeks.

Some 8800 GT are (slightly) factory overclocked (MSI...). According to some reviews, they are then given equivalent to 8800 GTX (sometimes better, sometines not, depending on the games, cf. fudzilla site). They are not much more expensive

A new 8800GTS (512Mo) card based on the same new GPU than the GT, will be issued mid november. They are supposed to be even better than the 880GTX and 8800 GT (128 shaders instead of 112 for GT). Price should be around 300 euros. If the commercial name "gts" is re-used, be careful no to buy the old ones (512 mo is a new one, 320/640Mo would be an old one)

The new ATi cards will come out soon, at lower prices but reviews suppose perfs would be a bit lower. On the other hand, they woulb be directX 10.1 compatible and a bit cheaper, nvidia cards are DX 10.0 "only".

A previous post id right : this is a good time for having a nice config for optimal money. I am tempted...
Santa will have a hard time.
Jingle bells, jingle bells, my new PC comes....
la la la, la la la .... ;)

Pileyrei

6th November 2007, 10:46

Hi Deckard

Thanks for the post!
I never tried Nvidia and so I guess it's about time I did ;)

Piley

6th November 2007, 11:25

I have just got myself a 8800GT 512mb, and i currently can play UT3 @ 1680x1050 on vista using DX10 with pretty settings at a nice 45fps which is pretty good for a rig with an old X2 processer and 2GB of DDR ram, my old 7800GT SLI set up failed to even run the game on low and at 1280x720 with a poor result of under 15fps

I_AM_SAM

26th November 2007, 16:39

I have problems with D3D on my GF6600 and recently also on OPEN GL

Deckard

30th November 2007, 07:30

First review of the new 8800 GTS 512 Mo based on G92 gpu. A few % better than the 8800 GT it seems, the gap increases as you use it with higher resolutions (up to 10ù) ....

w w w .tweaktown.com/articles/1234/1

Deckard

30th November 2007, 07:39

I have problems with D3D on my GF6600 and recently also on OPEN GL

Try the D3DTNSeDrv renderer. Solved a lot of problems for many people, including me. Where to get it and install it (simple) is explained is another thread, or a quick search on the net will give you the answer.

gemini

30th November 2007, 09:00

Personally, I despise ATi. This has been because of all the three graphics cards of theirs that I have owned, each has been unsatisfactory.

The first was a 9800 Pro XT which apparently had bios conflictions with something which was a part of WXPSP2.
The second was an X1300 which was REALLY bad performance for the price I paid. I paid out £170 for it and was left with a card that couldnt cope with much beyond the Source games.
And the third is an X1150 (i think) which is currently in my laptop. The drivers for it are atrocious and whenever I want it to push out a few pixels (even just Source) it BSODS and restarts.

Either way, enough of my ATi bashing. Personally, I would suggest the 8800GT despite them being rarer than......... a very rare object.

The price v performance is just astonishing.

Hunt around and find yourself one of those my man. ATM the 8800GT cards are the bargain of the centrury.

BullDog

30th November 2007, 10:51

ALL GONE

Deckard

30th November 2007, 13:52

1 LEFT:

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/134393

Inno3D 8800GT 512MB 256bit GDDR3 Dual DVI HDTVOut PCI-E Graphics card

New arrivals announced for the next couple of weeks. Some factory overclocked models (MSI) behave as good or sometimes better than 8800 GTX (source : fudzilla site). Prices may stabilize around 250 Euros instead of the 300 at this time.

PS. Have an ATI 9600 pro at this time (don't laugh). D3D was awfull (30 seconds to switch to windows with alt-tab). No delay with TNSe driver.

Preed

30th November 2007, 14:12

1 LEFT:

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/134393

Inno3D 8800GT 512MB 256bit GDDR3 Dual DVI HDTVOut PCI-E Graphics card

How ironic, I just ordered one when they had 2 left!

Semajal

30th November 2007, 14:34

Rumor of a new 8800GTS that will be even better than the GT esp if price is similar. So very tough call at the moment.

BullDog

30th November 2007, 15:50

http://www.play.com/PC/PCs/4-/3515227/Zotac-GeForce-8800GT-512MB-GDDR3-PCI-Express-2-0-Graphics-Card/Product.html

http://www.gladiatorcomputers.com/ProductList.aspx?SearchString=8800GT&Link=TextSearch

http://www.lowestonweb.com/products/index.asp?e=085D645F-552B-49A8-8F80-0A09DBFCE353&c=&txtSearch=8800GT&btnSubmit=Go

http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/specpage.html?NOV-88GT5

I_AM_SAM

1st December 2007, 18:36

Try the D3DTNSeDrv renderer. Solved a lot of problems for many people, including me. Where to get it and install it (simple) is explained is another thread, or a quick search on the net will give you the answer.

Hey thanx m8, it seems to work well now :)

Edit: no, when I use zoom on sniper rifle then it shut down the ut and back to windows :(

I must wait for my laptop. There will be an Ati card and I remember when I had Radeon 9000 I had no problems with UT besides not working antialiasing :P

Pileyrei

13th December 2007, 12:11

Finally sorted a new rig:

For those interested....

Itel Quad Core 2.4 Processor
2GB Ram
HIS 1GB HD2900XT PCI-E(x16) GDDR4 Video card
2 x 74GB Sata 10 000rpm hard drives, striped.
Asus p5kr motherboard with onboard surround sound in high definition

Bought a PSU, additional fan and a case (already had DVD rom spare).

Total cost: £950.

Also easy for future upgrades.

UT 3 runs sooooooo sweet on max settings!!

[/geek rant]

Piley

JeRkY

13th December 2007, 12:31

Nice spec, out of interest what made you go ATi in the end, with so much Nvidia pimping in here?

ez64

13th December 2007, 12:48

and the new 8800gt/s with 700mhz clock have come out at the same price with much better drivers for most games and it trounces any ati soloution.

bean

13th December 2007, 12:55

Pileyrei

13th December 2007, 14:16

Nice spec, out of interest what made you go ATi in the end, with so much Nvidia pimping in here?

Looked at the card specs and checked a few bench mark tests. It was also a good £50 (or more) cheaper than some of the Nvidia stuff. Always had ATI so happy to stick with it. Amazing graphics! I still need to check over some additional tweaks and work out my FPS in UT3.

Will post back.

Pileyrei

13th December 2007, 14:47

Pileyrei

13th December 2007, 14:48

and the new 8800gt/s with 700mhz clock have come out at the same price with much better drivers for most games and it trounces any ati soloution.

and my daddy is bigger than your daddy

ez64

13th December 2007, 14:49

yeah but my daddy will screw your daddy, and your daddy will like it.

Pileyrei

13th December 2007, 15:46

^^

Yup, that's what I thought. :roll:

Deckard

21st December 2007, 22:56

Any chance you could you post a screenie of the CPU core utilisation while running UT3?
I nearly went for that CPU a few weeks ago, but opted for the dual 6750 instead as it's cheaper now, and I can upgrade to a quad core later on - would be nice to know what I'm missing though :)

Read a Q6600 VS E6750 test (with O/C of both). Q6600 is ahead in video compression or other parallel tasking (+5% average). E6750 is ahead for games, they don't get much use of mutlprocessing for now. E6750 has better o/c capabilities and a better FSB, but for a 5% final difference. So there is no regret for having bought one or another. But that may change with the next generation in 45n.

I bought the new 8800gts 512 the day it came out, the price was the same than the unavailable 8800GT! With a E6750, UT3 is smooth with all details, and so is crysis. For now, I spend more time looking at the details than fragging, so I get lousy scores ;)