Video Card $/Performce?

[Slack3r78]

Well, after having managed to spill a glass of water right down the fan intake on the top of my P180 a few weeks ago, I'm looking to rebuild my desktop.

Only surefire casualty is my R2600 Pro.

The rest of the box is an A64 3200+ with 2GB of DDR, so it'd probably be silly to put money into a decent video card that's just going to choke on that CPU. Due to the glory of having a ton of dead shells of computers around at work, I have acquired an X2 5200+ that can be used as the basis of an upgrade. Just need to pick up a cheap AM2 board and some sticks of DDR2 and that end should be good to go.

Then I'll need a video card. And I'm having a hard time figuring out what the best value is in the market right now. The R4850 is a favorite and seems to be findable for about $175 out of pocket with rebates to bring it down to $150ish.

What has me particularly intrigued are Nvidia's 9800GTs. As I understand it, they're pretty much die shrunk 8800GTs. They run about $120 out of pocket with rebates getting them dangerously close to the $100 mark.

Is the 9800 the way to go or does the 4850 actual have enough extra power to make up the 30%+ price difference? I'll be driving a 20" 1680x1050 display with this, for reference.

[Wraith]

http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/1520/1/gigabyte_9800_gt_zalman_edition/index.html

[Slack3r78]

http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/1520/1/gigabyte_9800_gt_zalman_edition/index.html
The 9800GT looks really freaking compelling for the price. Thanks for the link.

Have Nvidia's Vista drivers gotten less sucky lately? I'll be running Vista x64.

[Schnoogs]

The fact that ONLY your 2600 died almost makes the event seem less like an accident and more like divine intervention.

[Wraith]

Have Nvidia's Vista drivers gotten less sucky lately? I'll be running Vista x64.No clue. I'll probably be looking to upgrade my card sometime next year, in part due to sucky nVidia XP drivers. (Fan runs at 100% when I come out of sleep mode and it doesn't dial down unless I restart. I get weird glitches when I have two monitors enabled. But my card isn't from the current gen, so I really don't know what the 9800 GT drivers are like.)

[Slack3r78]

The fact that ONLY your 2600 died almost makes the event seem less like an accident and more like divine intervention.
I still haven't figured out exactly how it happened. Glass of water was sitting on my desk, I was sitting 3-4 feet away from the desk watching a cutscene in STALAKER Clear Sky, and the glass tipped over the edge of the desk and landed upside down right on top of the fan intake.

Had I bumped the desk or something, I could understand it. It's like the 2600 telepathically pulled the water over to commit suicide as is.

[Spectre-7]

What has me particularly intrigued are Nvidia's 9800GTs. As I understand it, they're pretty much die shrunk 8800GTs. They run about $120 out of pocket with rebates getting them dangerously close to the $100 mark.

You're 100% correct about their relationship to the 8800GTs; the 9800GT is the same transistors on either the 65 or 55nm process, depending on which revision you get.

I can't speak about the 4850 since I don't have any experience with it, but I can tell you that I'm quite pleased with my XFX 9800GT. It runs a little hot but the performance has been stellar, and I doubt could've gotten a better card for the price.

[Ancalagon]

I've been using Nvidia's Vista 64 drivers for well over a year now, no probs. No crashes, no random restarts, no performance issues, no graphical anomalies. I mean, with my 8800 GTS 640, so I'd say you are fine.

I'd recommend at least buying a 780G board or something, ie something that supports AM2+ CPUs out the box, just so its at least partially upgradeable.

[muddi900]

You're 100% correct about their relationship to the 8800GTs; the 9800GT is the same transistors on either the 65 or 55nm process, depending on which revision you get.

I can't speak about the 4850 since I don't have any experience with it, but I can tell you that I'm quite pleased with my XFX 9800GT. It runs a little hot but the performance has been stellar, and I doubt could've gotten a better card for the price.

9800GT = 8800GT

No difference performance wise.

the 4850 gives 9800GTX+ performance , but kinda cheaper. Of course, the price difference is not as much as when I bought it. Gotta love AMD just for that.

[Shadowstorm]

4850 FTW! The price:performance ratio is fantastic.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121253

[biosc1]

Well, after having managed to spill a glass of water right down the fan intake on the top of my P180 a few weeks ago, I'm looking to rebuild my desktop.

Man, I stare at that vent everyday. My case is just down to the left of my desk, on the floor. Every time I put a liquid in a glass on that side, I look at the cat and wonder...is this the day she jumps up? I would put the glass on the other side, but a sloppy game of TF2 and a full glass of beer and a jittery mouse hand tend to make a mess of things :(

The 9800's are getting ridiculously cheap ($120 cdn) (http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=33091&vpn=512-P3-N971-TR&manufacture=eVGA&promoid=1084), considering I spent close to $300 for my 8800GT when it came out.

[Disgustipated]

There's only three choices:

9800 GT
Radeon 4850
Radeon 4870 1 GB

[Slack3r78]

Just stumbled across something I'd not considered. Picking up a 9800GT and a Geforce mobo for Hybrid SLI power savings. I am intrigued at this possibility.

[biosc1]

Just stumbled across something I'd not considered. Picking up a 9800GT and a Geforce mobo for Hybrid SLI power savings. I am intrigued at this possibility.

Guinea pig!
Guinea pig!
Guinea pig!
Guinea pig!
Guinea pig!

...ahem, try it out and let us know ;)

[Wraith]

Just stumbled across something I'd not considered. Picking up a 9800GT and a Geforce mobo for Hybrid SLI power savings. I am intrigued at this possibility.Hmm, I'd forgotten about that. I don't really need to get a new motherboard, but I would like something like this that would turn off my big graphics card when I don't need it.

[Slack3r78]

http://img.skitch.com/20081017-fux8xpbpqb7efgw7c6j73giwsh.jpg

$25 rebate on the video card and $15 back on the RAM.

And the MicroSDHC card is for when my G1 shows up next week.

[KingGorilla]

The 9800GT looks really freaking compelling for the price. Thanks for the link.

Have Nvidia's Vista drivers gotten less sucky lately? I'll be running Vista x64.

Never, Ever, Ever, Ever, Ever...Ask about NvIdia drivers, let Omega be your guide. Also be sure to turn off auto updates to Windoes.

[Smoof]

The 9800GTX+ is a good deal at around $200, it will outperform the 4850 in everything...except CoD4, I think. But for some reason, ATI cards seem to perform better in CoD4 no matter what.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010380048%20106792522%201067942261&name=GeForce%209800%20GTX%2b

[Stmfuller]

I got a 4850...I love it and it's awesome.

[Khrymsyn]

Sorry for the slight threadjack, but it's related...

I've currently got an 8800GTS320 (yes, the old GTS). Would the 9800GT, 4850, 4870 or 9800GTX be a significant increase? My Girlfriend's machine needs a new vid card, and for what she does, the 8800 I have would be perfect (if not a little overkill), but I was wondering if it would be worth it for me to jump?

Thanks!

[Slack3r78]

Sorry for the slight threadjack, but it's related...

I've currently got an 8800GTS320 (yes, the old GTS). Would the 9800GT, 4850, 4870 or 9800GTX be a significant increase? My Girlfriend's machine needs a new vid card, and for what she does, the 8800 I have would be perfect (if not a little overkill), but I was wondering if it would be worth it for me to jump?

Thanks!
Your current card is a hair slower than a 9800GT. You'd really have to go to a 4870 or 98000GTX to see any real jump. I don't think it'd be worth it normally, but if you need a second card anyway, it probably wouldn't hurt.

[itchyeyes]

Sorry for the slight threadjack, but it's related...

I've currently got an 8800GTS320 (yes, the old GTS). Would the 9800GT, 4850, 4870 or 9800GTX be a significant increase? My Girlfriend's machine needs a new vid card, and for what she does, the 8800 I have would be perfect (if not a little overkill), but I was wondering if it would be worth it for me to jump?

Thanks!
I made the jump from an old 8800GTS 640 to a 4870 and I would say the jump is noticeable but not too significant at 1680 x 1050. Personally, I'd say depending on what resolution you're going from, a switch to 4870 would be worth it, but not to a 9800GTX or 4850, and definitely not to a 9800GT.

Keep in mind that the 9800GT and 9800GTX are, for all intents and purposes, almost identical to the 8800GT and 8800GTX respectively. And the 4850 is pretty much on par with the 9800GTX. The only cards out there right now that are any sort of advance over the old 8800 line are the 4870 / 4870X2, the GTX200 series, and possibly the 9800GTX+.

[Khrymsyn]

Your current card is a hair slower than a 9800GT. You'd really have to go to a 4870 or 98000GTX to see any real jump. I don't think it'd be worth it normally, but if you need a second card anyway, it probably wouldn't hurt.

Only a hair slower? I thought the old 8800GTS320s weren't even on the same level as the new cards? (But the new ones definitely are)


@ itchy : I'd be switching between 1680x1050 and 1920x1080.

[Slack3r78]

Only a hair slower? I thought the old 8800GTS320s weren't even on the same level as the new cards? (But the new ones definitely are).
The 9800GT is just a rebadged 8800GT. From what I remember, the 8800GTS 640 was just a little slower than the 8800GT 512, and the 8800GTS 320 was just a little slower than both of those. They're all the same basic GPU at any rate.

[itchyeyes]

Only a hair slower? I thought the old 8800GTS320s weren't even on the same level as the new cards? (But the new ones definitely are)


@ itchy : I'd be switching between 1680x1050 and 1920x1080.
In terms of processing power the 8800GTS's are only slightly slower than the 8800GT's which are identical to the 9800GT's. However, at 1920x1080 and 1680x1050, that 320MB of frame buffer is probably limiting you so you'd likely see some performance bump with a 9800GT just because of that. You're much better off going with an HD4850 or 9800GTX+ though, both of which will give you a bump in both processing power and frame buffer. However, even those cards are going to be stressed at 1920x1080. An HD4870 or GTX260 would be a better choice at those resolutions.

[Khrymsyn]

Thanks for the correction. Always for some reason thought my GTS320 was a dog (comparatively speaking), as anything in DX10 was a complete bog down, without AA even.

Gives me some stuff to think about, that's for sure. Good news is, looks like MSI has a 260 with Vegas 2 for 240, so I'm not too far out of that 200$ range I want to stick to / stay under.

Thanks for the advice.

[Spectre-7]

Edit: Dur. Reposting something I already posted in this thread.

[Schnoogs]

Get the 1 gig 4870

[KingGorilla]

Get the 1 gig 4870

ATI's 1 Gig cards make me moist. I really need to stop looking at them, as my build day approaches.