Question Concerning POSSIBLE issues with ATI cards

[dleidlein]

Hello all, I currently have a DFI Lanparty Infinity Ultra with my aging Athlon XP 1800+ (overclocked of course), and I am upgrading to the Lanparty UT NF4 Ultra-D and all the shennanigans that go along with it. My question is also asking for some advice. I've done quite a bit of research into which graphics card to buy for my system and have narrowed it down to the 6800GT and the X800XL. First, is there any known "issues" with using the ATI cards in the Nforce mobos? Secondly, if there aren't any issues are there any performance gains using an Nvidia card in the Nvidia mobo? It would be underhanded of Nvidia, true, but the world is the world...

 

If there is no difference between using ATI compared to Nvidia, which card would you reccommend? If I go with the 6800GT I want to get the eVGA as I've heard that it is the best brand to go with. I'm looking at about $350 for that, compared to $270 for a HIS Highpoint X800XL. From the benchies I've seen, the cards seesaw back and forth as far as which one wins (X800XL better in HL2, 6800GT better in Doom 3, etc.) with no discernable image quality difference.

On the one hand I save money with the X800, but I have reservations, aside from the questions mentioned above (which are probably unfounded but I haven't found any good articles or posts on the subject). First, I've always been leery of ATI's drivers, and wonder how they are nowadays. Secondly, I heard mention that the GPU of the X800 may have less "life" in a year or so as the newer games hit. Something about the R420 architechture not being supported by Unreal 3... Can't remember exactly but maybe someone here knows what I'm referring to.

 

I apologize if this is in the wrong section as it's a little "general," but it does relate to a 64 bit motherboard

Great site BTW and among a billion other factors, is what spurred me to go again with a DFI board!

[Fire-N-Ice]

hello and welcome! Please create a sig. This is personal preference. Might as well ask....

intel or pentium?

coke or pepsi?

chevy or ford?

lol....

[dleidlein]

Sorry, was in the process of creating my signature

 

I realize that there is a lot of personal preference involved but if someone can allay my fears about using an ATI card in an Nforce Mobo that will go a long way in helping me make my decision. And I don't want to start an ATI VS Nvidia flamewar, I just want people's opinions on which card to go with (and why), as there doesn't seem to be a clear-cut choice. Thanks!

 

Oh,

Intel or Pentium? I choose AMD ;-)

Coke

Chevy

 

p.s. how do you like your Viewsonic monitor? I'm considering their 17" version.

[Fire-N-Ice]

oops, guess i should have amd in there.

i like my viewsonic alot.

 

amd

coke

chevy

nvidia

viewsonic

[lb11]

I have used ati cards with both the nf2, and now the nf4 and have not had a single problem. drivers are great.

 

If the performance is similar then get the cheaper one. AFAIK the extra features that the nvidia supports will make the card slow to a crawl if you have software that uses them. Its more a gimmick to make people feel it is "future proof" than anything.

 

So while it will support more of the features of the new unreal engine, it probably wont play those features at playable speeds. And because ATI doesnt have them doesnt mean you wont be able to play the game. You just wont have the option to turn them on.

 

Like they said its all in your preference. Whoever you feel more comfortable with.

[Guest Partizan]

X800XL works fine with my Ultra-D.

 

 

Regards, Partizan