Ive got a BFG 6800GS 'AGP' if i wanna upgrade what option is the best ...dont mind between ATI or NVIDIA... thanks to any replies :)
Printable View
Ive got a BFG 6800GS 'AGP' if i wanna upgrade what option is the best ...dont mind between ATI or NVIDIA... thanks to any replies :)
Upgrading to AGP or moving to PCI-E.Quote:
Originally Posted by Vega
If its AGP then THE best is the Gainward Bliss 7800GS
I have a 7800GS AGP currently & it's very good if you're not quite ready to cross over to PCI-E. But make sure you're not going to be restricted by lack of CPU speed or RAM.
But you can also get the x1950 on AGP which is also pretty darned nippy.
I got a Gainward 7800GS, and it just died on me the other day, so I'm back on my more powerful but less well supported ATi X1950 Pro, so.. no Linux desktop (although ATi released new drivers the other day, maybe it's fixed).
did you not manage to flog the card aidanjt ?
ikonia: nope, seems that AGP is on the verge of total death, although I suppose I'm lucky I didn't, or I'd be stuck with the 9600XT as fallback :/
very surprised at that, unlucky, sorry you got stuck with it.
Cheers, well I've been thinking, I might just send the Gainward back and get a PX, maybe a case and PSU for a new build, would be a moitivator to scrape cash together to get it done.
Anyhow, in an attempt to not hijack the OPs thread, if you're only using WinXP/Vista, the X1950 Pro is a fine, very powerful card. I can't fault it on that.
sorry to the OP - didn't mean to divert the thread, I was just a tad taken back that aidanjt hadn't had any interest in the card.
X1950 Pro or the 7800GS ?
It's up to yourself, the X1950 Pro is more powerful and probably the best choice if you only use Windows, if you dab with Linux (or think you might in the future), the 7800GS is much better for that.
Its not more powerful than the Gainward Bliss 7800GS sorry.Quote:
Originally Posted by aidanjt
It better than a standard 7800GS though.
With 'No Eye Candy' the X1950Pro just edges it. As soon as something like AA is switched on the Gainward 7800GS runs away with it.
Basically, if you want eye candy go 7800GS...If not, go X1950Pro
The X1950Pro is also very loud as the cooling solution on it is far far inferior the GB 7800GS one.
I run Windows Ultimate RTM and when launching games such as Oblivion my 7800GS defaults to Ultra High settings and plays the game perfectly. To say it doesnt run WIndows applications well is a very misleading and incorrect statement.Quote:
Originally Posted by aidanjt
Or maybe its just your sales pitch. ;)
Well I got the Gainward 7800GS+ (Goes Like Hell), and it does lag behing the X1950 Pro in performance, even with FSAA, not that I need it with native resolutions.
But I'll agree with you on the cooling end, it does tend to get loud when it heats up, but when that happens you tend to be playing games, so music, audio effects and such will mask it, so it's a null point.
I ran Vista, XP, and Linux on both cards, I have to say that Vista does hurt gaming performance, which makes sense due to the overhead of context switching of the new WDDM. My comment "the X1950 Pro is more powerful and probably the best choice if you only use Windows", is not to say that the 7800GS doesn't work in Windows, it's that the X1950 Pro doesn't work in Linux, ATi has a horrible history of official Linux support, I'm guessing you've never used Linux before so I won't go off on one, but you could have read my prior posts in this tread to figure out the context of my statement if you bothered.
Anyhow, I have both GPUs, so I'm in the unique position to compare them both, I'm not Pro-ATi or Pro-nVidia, I did hate nVidia for years for killing off 3Dfx with FUD, although it was bad management on their part too, now I don't mind. And I'm not selling the X1950 Pro anymore, so no sales pitch.
I'm just saying it as it is so the OP has subjective opinions on his best choices.
As far as I'm concerned, ATi for raw performance, and nVidia for wide compatibility, which is why I bought the 7800GS after getting pissed off with a never-ending batch of broken fglrx drivers.
A less hostile reply would be nice in the future.
512MB Gainward 7800GS GLH Bliss @ £214.99
512MB Sapphire Radeon X1950Pro @ £153.51
X1950 pro is ALOT CHEAPER!!
Indeed it is.
HIS ATI Radeon X1950 Pro ICEQ3 Turbo 512MB @ £158.61 from OCuk
512MB Sapphire Radeon X1950Pro @ £153.51 from Scan
I'd stick with the Sapphire, last one of those HIS cards I got, a bearing went on the mammoth cooler and started annoying the hell out of me.
I now need to sell my BFG 6800GS
Certainly is.....ask yourself why :rolleyes:Quote:
Originally Posted by Vega
AidanJT - wasnt my intention to sound hostile. I just don't agree with your statement on performance that's all. I havent read any reviews that state the nvidia card is inferior....just the opposite actually.
Cause nVidia charge through the nose for AGP - they have done since PCI-e was released...Quote:
Originally Posted by Blitzen
The X1950 Pro isn't cheap, it's just not overcharging for the sake of a PCIe->AGP bridge chip. nVidia cards have been pricey for awhile now. Just look at the differences between AGP cards using PCIe GPUs and their native PCIe counter-parts.
I have seen such performance reviews (however they were old so not compaired with my 7800GS specifically), although 'inferior' is too strong a word, the 7800GS performs well, and granted if it had the same amount of shaders it would probably beat the X1950 Pro hands down.
I own both cards, and I have niggly gripes with both companies so I'm not biased towards either of them, and it's been my experience that reviews are usually biased, errornous, or just plain wrong. I'd rather trust my own eyes and brain if I can.
The performance of the two cards is near as hell the same... Personally i find that with ATI cards the image produced is slightly sharper but tbf it depends what game you are going to be playing. For example UT2004 and Call of Duty are best with nvidia cards and Oblivion or Prey are better with ATI. (i think :s)
Cheaper is always better when upgrading out of date systems IMO.
Can I express an interest in this card if you decide to sell i.e. specs and price and how old is it? as I am looking to upgrade my Nvidia FX5700le.Quote:
Originally Posted by Vega