graphics card for vista advice
i am considering getting a new graphics card to replace my geeforce 6600 - 256 MB, but after recently switching to vista ultimate i`m not sure what to go for. i do not want to spend over £100 and would also preferably like to have 512MB. and what do people think about directX10? is it worth limiting myself to graphics cards which have this capability?
and of course ati or nvidia for vista? i have done some reading and a few web articles suggest ati has better support for vista but both nvidia and ati run far from perfect on vista overall. does anyone have any working knowledge of these issues? many of the articles i read were months old and are probably out of date now. plus is it also correct that currently only nvidia offer directX 10 graphics cards?
the graphics card which has caught my eye is the ati 1950 pro 512 MB but my knowledge of graphics cards is quite limited and my knowledge of ati graphics cards is even more limited. what do people think of this card? and how suitable is it for vista? would also like to know what nvidia card this compares to.
other cards in my price range i found included nvidia's 8600GTS, i`ve seen a 512MB one for under 90 quid. i would post links but i`m not allowed to yet because of my post tally.
right thats about it. i have more than likely forgot to add key info so please ask me about any specifics. as i already said, my current system specs are on drop down menu on the left.
back in the days when i had an amiga500 computers were not this complicated lol
thanks guys and girls, your advice and help would be greatly appreciated.
Re: graphics card for vista advice
OK, i should have really said what sort of things i do on my PC as well.
I do game, but i`m not a hardcore gamer, i only own 3 PC games at current, Halo :bowdown: football manager, and galactic civilizations 2. i will at some point get halo 2 as well, now that i have completed number 1 on legendary :cool: i watch alot of media on my PC. i suppose i do a bit of everything. my bro will use my PC for things like photoshop, 3d studio max, final cut and other graphics related software.
more i think about it also, directX10 seems pointless, or am i wrong? i just want a better graphics card than what i have now, which will comfortably run what i do now and dare i say it is 'futureproof', to a degree anyway. and of course something which runs well with vista.
Re: graphics card for vista advice
You missed a bargain this weekend.. 7900GTX 512mb @ £90.
I'd pester scan to put in on again i'm sure they are just trying to clear stock on them.
Email it to themanwhocan@scan.co.uk.
the x1950pro is a good card though..as is the XT
Re: graphics card for vista advice
cheers staffsMike, will have a look now, and i can be quite good at pestering lol
Re: graphics card for vista advice
this x1950 is a bargain still
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showpr...odid=GX-064-OK
I know a lot of people have had problems with overclockers but I have had none and I have had to return 2 graphics cards to them. 1 for replacement and 1 for a refund and it was all painless.
IMHO the mid range DX10 cards are poor gamers but good for video decoding but none pack 512 memory (could be wrong). The x1950 will pound them into the floor in games .
Re: graphics card for vista advice
Quote:
Originally Posted by
dfour
this x1950 is a bargain still
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showpr...odid=GX-064-OK
I know a lot of people have had problems with overclockers but I have had none and I have had to return 2 graphics cards to them. 1 for replacement and 1 for a refund and it was all painless.
IMHO the mid range DX10 cards are poor gamers but good for video decoding
but none pack 512 memory (could be wrong). The x1950 will pound them into the floor in games .
thanks for the reply.
Yep there is mate, http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Compo...roductId=27797 just one example, i think i have seen an 8600GT with 512 memory as well.
now i knew the x1950 would be good for games, but never realised directX10 cards would be better for video decoding. that makes things interesting and gives me more food for thought, as i said above, i do play games but i watch alot of media also on my PC. i would still presume though that any x1950 pro would kill my current geeforce 6600, on both games and video decoding.
i am still leaning towards the x1950 at the moment, unless scan reduce the price for the 7900gtx to under 100 quid again. I have emailed them, awaiting a response.
Re: graphics card for vista advice
depends exactly what you mean by media.
8600gt is one of the best cards for HD encodeing, so will give best performance when tring to watch an HD DVD
If you're just watching dvix tv shows you've downloaded via p2p, then it's not going to have much of an effect.
Re: graphics card for vista advice
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Pob255
depends exactly what you mean by media.
8600gt is one of the best cards for HD encodeing, so will give best performance when tring to watch an HD DVD
If you're just watching dvix tv shows you've downloaded via p2p, then it's not going to have much of an effect.
No HD for me at current i`m afraid. i should have been more specific. alot of normal DVD's, p2p downloads, so yeah definately divx, and i also watch alot of live football online and also use sites like dailymotion and tvlinks. i would not have a clue however if the latter has anything to do with your graphics card. i would guess it has more to do with your net connection, but thats just a guess on my behalf. other than the 'media', a few games and the software i listed above.
Re: graphics card for vista advice
nope they don't use the graphics card that much.
DX9
x1950pro / XT or 7900GS / GT / GTX
Ati = GT < Pro < XT < XTX
nvidia = GS < GT < GTX
Ebuyer HIS X1950Pro Fan 512MB £96
Ebuyer have got a nice EVGA 7900GS KO Edition 256MB £90 (ok not 512mb)
DX10
novatech have some good ones
HIS HD 2600XT IceQ Turbo 512MB £88
Novatech GeForce 8600GT 512MB £93
But I'm really not sure which is best :undecided
All of these cards will all be better than your 6600, however you'll only notice when playing games
EDIT: Great offer on Scan
512Mb XFX 7900GTX £117.50 ok slightly over but a great card.
If You've got an SLI motherboard, which you do and is on nvidia's list of compattable motherboards
1Gb XFX 7950GX2 £117.50 ! ! ! it's 2x 7950GT 512mb on the same board, probably one of the most powerful dx9 cards.
Re: graphics card for vista advice
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Pob255
WOW, thanks for the detailed response, i appreciate it very much, i really do and thanks to dfour and staffsMike to.
i have narrowed my choice down now. decided against DX10 cards, i dont see a huge benfit in them after reading about it on the www and i feel i would be sacrficing too much in getting one. a dx9 card will do me fine. it is down to either the xfx 7900gtx or a HIS X1950Pro IceQ 3 Turbo 512MB available from advance tech for 105 quid, both are slightly over my budget, but i suppose you get what you pay. i will give myself some time to mull it over i guess.
the xfx7950gx2 looks like an amazing card, a hexus review labelled it a monster, but there are 2 things putting me off it. cooling the thing and the noise it apparently makes. awesome card though at an almost unbelievable price.
thank you all once again.
Re: graphics card for vista advice
Lord have mercy.. a GX2 for £117 is a friggin bargain!! ..afaik it is the best DX9 only card there is.
I'm tempted by that and I have absolutely no use for it :D ..but if it does go under £100 on today only then I may get one for a little project :p
That said it does use two very small fans so it won't be very quiet as you say and it really only makes sense to use it with huge monitors tbh.
Re: graphics card for vista advice
They've sold out already :(
Probably will not get any more in :(
Shame I was considering it, but at least it\'s saved me from spending money I really couldn\'t afford to spend.
Re: graphics card for vista advice
I\'m tempted by the GTX still..would be nice to have a quieter card anyway.
Re: graphics card for vista advice
Same here, just annoid I\'ve missed the chance for the GX2 for the same price
Re: graphics card for vista advice
after my last post last night, i had a change of mind and had this urge to buy the 7950 gx2 there and then, i know very little about gpu\'s as my posts suggest, but even to me it seemed too good to be true for what you get and for how much. thought i`d give myself time to think about it, looks like i am too late though.
doubt my measly 17inch tft would do the card justice anyway, some consolation on missing out i guess.
Re: graphics card for vista advice
shame that..the GTX is still a bargain though.. i\'d pester scan again.. i\'ll send you them an email too see if we can\'t get it back on today only