Back on team red...it's nice here.

[Arachnotronic]

So, I haven't used an ATI/AMD card since 2003 (Radeon 9800 Pro 256MB). Since then, I've been using NVIDIA (7800GS -- best AGP upgrade at the time, 8800GT, 2x GTX 470, and GTX 580). I was very leery of moving back to the red team, but my experience with the AMD A8-3850 was favorable, so that pretty much green-lit (ha ha ha) my move to AMD with the 7970.

I couldn't be happier. This thing is FAST, it overclocks like a beast, and I'm not getting any compatibility issues and such.

NVIDIA probably has the edge with 3D vision, PhysX, and such, but I don't really care for those much. I am tempted to go nab a third monitor and try some eyefinity action, though...if I can get the monitors to fit on my desk, that is.

Anyway, yeah, AMD stuff is nice, NVIDIA's stuff is nice. After years of using NVIDIA and hearing horror stories about the AMD drivers, it's just a relief that they just plain aren't true or don't apply to me

 

[daveybrat]

Completely agree. Funny thing is that most of the AMD bashers i've talked to haven't even used an AMD/ATI card in years.

Their drivers are much improved and i personally have had no issues with them.

My current card is an Nvidia but only because i got a better deal at the time. I'm not partial to either, just whoever has the best performance for the price

 

[stahlhart]

I'm still going to give it a little more time to see how the driver thing shakes out, but I'm very strongly considering one of these here.

I'm thinking about an upgrade at tax refund time, and don't think that Kepler's going to be ready yet (at least not the one I'd be interested in). I really like the current 560Ti SLI setup -- it was a neat experiment to try out multi-GPU without breaking the bank -- but having gone both routes here, I think with my resolution and build I'm going to be better served with one stronger card.

 

[thilanliyan]

Yep I've never had issues with ATI drivers (I have had with nv drivers) and I have been using ATI on and off since a 9600XT so I always found it odd that people bashed their drivers. I however have NOT used XFire...and I think they have had issues with that.

 

[stahlhart]

Ran ATI for seven years (9500 Pro, AIW 9800, AIW X800), and never had any here. Just switched to green last year out of boredom more than anything else; agnostic about it otherwise.

 

[djnsmith7]

They both seem to work for me. I've always wondered why people are so passionate about one over the other. I've had issues with both SLI & CF in the past. They both have pros & cons. Just upgraded from a 5850, which is a great card.

 

[Modular]

I've always wondered why people had so much trouble with "drivers". In most cases, I think that they have serious hardware issues or have things overclocked, etc. It's just easier to complain about "drivers".

There are some case by case issues where quality control misses the boat and there are legit driver issues, but they're one in a million. I buy cards based off of performance for the $ and at least with the HD4850 and my current Sapphire HD5850 Xtreme, Ati has been way ahead of nVidia, so I've gone with them.

 

[Arachnotronic]

Yeah. I mean, when it comes time for me to upgrade again, I'm just going to go with whatever's fastest.

Being on a yearly upgrade cadence is nice

 

[Larnz]

I've used AMD for the last few gens, mainly just because when i wanted a new card(s) AMD just happened to have had the best bang for buck at the time. I would be happy to have either companies products and have many times.

I've argued the amd driver issue many times over the last few years but the last 6 months have been the worst for amd drivers in years imo, however ONLY for xfire, single cards have never been an issue for me I don't think amd really ever have issues with single cards. Xfire has missed the boat on a few major games on last 6 months though.

I'm really keen to drop my 6950xfire for a 6970. As fun as crossfire was to play with for a year or so, I really want to go back to a single card for heat/noise/stability.

 

[VulgarDisplay]

I've used AMD for the last few gens, mainly just because when i wanted a new card(s) AMD just happened to have had the best bang for buck at the time. I would be happy to have either companies products and have many times.

I've argued the amd driver issue many times over the last few years but the last 6 months have been the worst for amd drivers in years imo, however ONLY for xfire, single cards have never been an issue for me I don't think amd really ever have issues with single cards. Xfire has missed the boat on a few major games on last 6 months though.

I'm really keen to drop my 6950xfire for a 6970. As fun as crossfire was to play with for a year or so, I really want to go back to a single card for heat/noise/stability.

Why would you drop 2 6950's for one 6970? You might as well just sell one 6950 and continue to use the other. Unless you meant 7970.

I was a staunch nvidia only person for years, until one of my friends was telling me about this new GPU called a 5870 from ATi. I was like dude ATi drivers suck. He let me know I was retarded. I bought one and have had no problems with it at all. Great card, and no driver issues to speak of.

I plan on getting a 7970 as soon as I see what custom PCB's are available.

 

[tweakboy]

Your brave. Congrats man, enjoy that new 7970!

gl

 

[VulgarDisplay]

Your brave. Congrats man, enjoy that new 7970!

gl

How can someone have close to 4,000 posts and none of them be constructive. You're putting on a clinic for useless posting.

Every single thing you post is a thread crap in an AMD centered thread.

 

[Panopticon]

You will love the 7970 it is a great card. I really don't know why people are so pro one company over another. I have owned AMD/Ati and Nvidia cards back and forth for the last ten years and can honestly say neither has been more problematic then the others. I remember the first AMD card I had was DOA but I also had a GTX260 burn up on me last summer that had never been oc'd... Anyway enjoy your new card it overclocks like a monster and the performance gains you get are worthwhile. I have it at 1125/1575 and it never goes above 76c even after hours of BF3.

 

[toyota]

you people claiming to NEVER have issues since the old 9000 series days are flat out liars or do not play many games. from what I have seen, AMD has more issues with games especially new releases. I am also on many game forums and it is hilarious seeing how many drivers and/or hotfixes AMD users have to go through sometimes just to get one game to work properly only to have to change to another driver for another game. yes that can happen for Nvidia too but it most certainly happens more often for AMD.

 

[TakeNoPrisoners]

AMD drivers have been pretty good for me. The only problem that I can't seem to fix is the issue with CCC crashing when I try to open it.

Other then that I have not had any driver issues.

 

[Larnz]

Why would you drop 2 6950's for one 6970? You might as well just sell one 6950 and continue to use the other. Unless you meant 7970.

Yeah typo sorry, I meant drop the 2 6950s for a new 7970 to maintain similar fps but with the benefit of single gpu.

 

[YBS1]

you people claiming to NEVER have issues since the old 9000 series days are flat out liars or do not play many games. from what I have seen, AMD has more issues with games especially new releases. I am also on many game forums and it is hilarious seeing how many drivers and/or hotfixes AMD users have to go through sometimes just to get one game to work properly only to have to change to another driver for another game. yes that can happen for Nvidia too but it most certainly happens more often for AMD.

Actually, I've personally had better experiences with ATI(AMD) drivers than nVidia drivers since...oddly enough that you mention it the 9700 days. That being said....AMD's drivers have just given me fits over the past 3-4 months and I'm getting a bit fed up with it. I was considering buying a 7970 or two on launch day, but reconsidered and am going to wait until the new nV cards come out to see how they fare or at least until that Sapphire Atomic card is released and see if AMD can get their ducks back in a row on the driver front.

 

[Will Robinson]

you people claiming to NEVER have issues since the old 9000 series days are flat out liars or do not play many games. from what I have seen, AMD has more issues with games especially new releases. I am also on many game forums and it is hilarious seeing how many drivers and/or hotfixes AMD users have to go through sometimes just to get one game to work properly only to have to change to another driver for another game. yes that can happen for Nvidia too but it most certainly happens more often for AMD.

You have lots of issues with your ATi card...oh wait...you don't have one...even so,everyone else here must be liars...
I guess you thought the "suicide" drivers from NVDA that overheated and destroyed many cards last year as "hilarious "too? :whiste:

 

[blackened23]

you people claiming to NEVER have issues since the old 9000 series days are flat out liars or do not play many games. from what I have seen, AMD has more issues with games especially new releases. I am also on many game forums and it is hilarious seeing how many drivers and/or hotfixes AMD users have to go through sometimes just to get one game to work properly only to have to change to another driver for another game. yes that can happen for Nvidia too but it most certainly happens more often for AMD.

My take is that both NV and AMD are equally good or bad depending on how you look at it. Now chill out.

 

[BD231]

you people claiming to NEVER have issues since the old 9000 series days are flat out liars or do not play many games. from what I have seen, AMD has more issues with games especially new releases. I am also on many game forums and it is hilarious seeing how many drivers and/or hotfixes AMD users have to go through sometimes just to get one game to work properly only to have to change to another driver for another game. yes that can happen for Nvidia too but it most certainly happens more often for AMD.

You're wrong, both nVidia and ATi have been known to put out bad drivers here and there its a pointless argument. Nothing is ever *perfect* on either side of the fence but both sides have offered acceptable compatibility more often than not. When you see people bashing Ati or nVidia it's because they're butthurt dealing with an issue that actually effected them and they're failing to be rational about it.

Problems are reported, issues are fixed, and everyone should be happy there are such frequent driver updates from both sides that address these kinds of issues.

 

[N4g4rok]

yes that can happen for Nvidia too but it most certainly happens more often for AMD.

If the AMD drivers work, then why would you hear anything about it in a forum where people discuss driver problems?

I use 2 5830's, and i've put 6870's in a few other systems. None of them, to this day, have ever had a driver-related issue.

I have had problems with nVidia drivers before. That doesn't necessarily condemn nVidia drivers to be non-functional.

 

[Dark Shroud]

As of this moment I have one 6970, three 5870s, two 5830s, two 4670s, & one 4650 all running in different PCs without issue for years now.

 

[IonusX]

to make matters worse the gtx 590's stock on cd drivers dont actually work. if you use them they brick your card after one use, as upon heavy use (furmark, gaming) it causes the fan to shut off, and then overheat is the natural result.

 

[toyota]

You're wrong, both nVidia and ATi have been known to put out bad drivers here and there its a pointless argument. Nothing is ever *perfect* on either side of the fence but both sides have offered acceptable compatibility more often than not. When you see people bashing Ati or nVidia it's because they're butthurt dealing with an issue that actually effected them and they're failing to be rational about it.

Problems are reported, issues are fixed, and everyone should be happy there are such frequent driver updates from both sides that address these kinds of issues.

AMD most certainly has more issues with more games. of course I agree that BOTH companies have put out crappy drivers so that is all the more reason that somebody claiming to never have an issue is 100% full of crap.

 

[nOOky]

I've had issues with both companies drivers, it depends on the card and the games I'm playing.
I currently have both brands in different computers, and believe it or not sometimes newer drivers in both camps aren't always better, and both can't seem to fix game-specific issues fast enough for me.
Lets put it all in perspective and not get our panties in a wad too much over a piece of computer hardware.
It does make you wonder though. Graphics card companies put out new hardware with cruddy drivers. Games are released with major issues. OS's are released that suck until the first Service Pack. Does anybody out there test and qualify things anymore...?