NVidia & ATI feature question

Z

zandor

Supreme [H]ardness
Joined
Dec 14, 2002
Messages
4,199
I did a little looking on eBay today and it looks like I could get $200+ for this Parhelia Retail. Hope I still have the original box...
I've got 2 rigs that could use new cards, so I'm thinking about getting a 9700 or 9800 of some variety or a 5900nu for now & getting an NV40 or R420 after they both come out & I can see which one I like better unless one's really delayed...
The card I'm looking for now would then go in my lan rig.

Do NV or ATI support storing different AA/AF settings for different games like Powerdesk does? As best I can tell ATI doesn't, but I have no clue on NVidia since I've never had a modern NV card. I have a Riva128 in my server, but I don't think that counts.

Is anyone other than BFG known for 5900nus w/ fast memory? Not a huge concern, but a board that OCs well is always nice... ;)
 
Originally posted by zandor
I did a little looking on eBay today and it looks like I could get $200+ for this Parhelia Retail. Hope I still have the original box...
I've got 2 rigs that could use new cards, so I'm thinking about getting a 9700 or 9800 of some variety or a 5900nu for now & getting an NV40 or R420 after they both come out & I can see which one I like better unless one's really delayed...
The card I'm looking for now would then go in my lan rig.

Do NV or ATI support storing different AA/AF settings for different games like Powerdesk does? As best I can tell ATI doesn't, but I have no clue on NVidia since I've never had a modern NV card. I have a Riva128 in my server, but I don't think that counts.

Is anyone other than BFG known for 5900nus w/ fast memory? Not a huge concern, but a board that OCs well is always nice... ;)
Click to expand...

In a future driver version i believe they will have the option to store aa/af settings per game, or at least have profiles that can be applied to games when you launch them. I don't know when this will happent though. Right now there are 3rd party applications for ATI cards that do allow this kind of functionality.

I haven't seen that feature with nvidia cards, but I haven't checked out the latest RivaTuner yet so I don't know if it will or not.
 
If you want to wait for the new lines, I'd say buy a 9600 XT and gain perf. over 5900 nu for same price.
 
I believe there is something for nVidia to have different video settings saved for different games, but I can't recall what it is right now, as I haven't gotten around to playing with it yet.

As for which type to get, go with an FX 5900nu, that's known for being a great OCer, so bang-for-the-buck, you can get an FX 5950's performance +, for roughly $200-$230. And other than BFG, which is one of the best, Gainward's 5900nu has almost identicle performance to BFG's, easily getting to 5950+ speeds, for $230.
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-128-157&catalog=48&depa=1

And a 9600xt won't get near the performance of a 5900nu. A 5900nu is the way to go.
 
Originally posted by CleanSlate
If you want to wait for the new lines, I'd say buy a 9600 XT and gain perf. over 5900 nu for same price.
Click to expand...

Got a link for some benchies?

This is really between the 5900nu & 9800np I think, and it's really more about features than performance.
 
Badger_sly: Any guesses on what that util is?
Powerstrip? Rivatuner? Hell maybe ultramon?

My Linux nut side is telling me get an NV. My 2D IQ nut side is telling me keep the Matrox but an ATI would be tolerable. And I want better framerates. Grrr. (fights with self) :rolleyes:
 
Ok, BFG is out.
I stopped by the local Best Buy after work. They had one for on "clearance" for $200. I figured I could always just take it back if it didn't work, and that's a pretty nice price. I get it home, crack the box, and dammit it's a 2 slot card. No pic on the box either. Grr. So I took it back. I can't give up one of my PCI-64 slots. I need them for my SCSI and Fibre Channel controllers.

At any rate, this particular Best Buy may be having an open box special on a BFG 5900nu. The store's at Clark & Schubert in Chicago, roughly 2700 N Clark St. 60614.

Now I'm back to the Gainward vs. a 9800.
 
if you are already trying to pick NVIDIA manufacturers then you already made up your choice. The fact is that the 5900 can't come close to the 9800's speeds... It does 9700 speeds. 9800 all the way, go chose a 9800 manufacturer. lol.

~Adam
 
It's not so much that but rather that I had no clue what NV manufactuers are good. If I get an ATI I'll probably just get a Sapphire. I certainly haven't heard much of anything on here since the 9700 came out suggesting another brand is better than an ATI or a Sapphire, and the Sapphire boards cost less. Besides, it's better to ask all your questions up front. That way they get answered sooner & you don't have to wait as long.
 
I had a GF 2 mx 400 from leadtek and I'd say it was a very strong brand. Asus is also a great brand all around, they push their cards to the limit and then they all you overclockability too! The good mfg's I've seen all used good cooling solutions and opted for the best ram that came optional with the boards or if they werent satisfied they put their own ram on the boards. I'd say look for a board with a large heatsink and a fan with large fins and ram heatsinks already on there. But that's just me.

~Adam
 
Ok, now I'm starting to think about 9800pros. That BFG was a good deal, but it didn't fit. I can't seem to find a 9800 on pricewatch for much less than a 9800pro. The Sapphire's 268 @ newegg. The only 9800 they've got is a GeXCube for 259, and pricewatch isn't helping. Maybe I should just get a 9800XT lol. I could, but it seems like a waste of $$$.
 
Go with a 5900nu, specifically the Gainward 5900nu
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProdu...g=48&depa=1

A 5900nu overall is on par with, and can even surpass a 9800 or 9800pro
http://www.bit-tech.net/review/263/4

Too bad the BFG wouldn't fit for you, but the Gainward is a single slot card. It will OC to faster than a 5950 (from 400/850 to 475/950+), in which case it will the majority of time outperform a 9800 or 9800pro, and be on par with a 9800xt, performing faster in some games / slightly slower in others
http://www.firingsquad.com/hardware/evga_e-geforce_fx_5900_xt_review/page5.asp

So save some cash and get one of the best performing, single-slot cards for $229.
 
For ATI the RadLinker program can be used to have different settings for each game, albiet by creating a shortcut that uses RadLinker to run it. I believe this includes AF and FSAA though it seemed to me like it was mainly intended so you could have different clock rates. (This makes sense when you think about it so you can have the card only using what it needs when it needs it.)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top