best bang for the buck video card for 3D cad?

[thirdlegstump]

Looking for cards priced between $200-$300 that performs good for CAD and general 3D stuff.
I think nvidia drivers are a bit more solid in this area so I'd prefer to stay with NV stuff.
Also, I need a 9' VGA extension cable for the monitor. Is it better to get a VGA-VGA cable or a DVI-VGA cable? Since the monitor is a high res 21" LCD monitor, picture needs to look very sharp. Unfortunately, it only has a VGA connector. Thanks in advance.

 

[dmw16]

I don't know model numbers off the top of my head, but I have read that the nVidia Quadro series are ok and I stress just ok at games. I am pretty sure no one has ever made a card great for CAD and games...mainly cuz one is all about accuracy and the other is about speed.
-doug

 

[thirdlegstump]

I may just take a crack at it and get a GF FX series...any suggestions regarding those? What about the cable extension thing?

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

In terms of solid drivers, ATI is there too. The 3.8's are supposed to be even greater. Right now, with the 3.7's, there are very few complaints. I would still go with ATI if it were me and get a 9800 Pro. That will give higher 2D quality as well as more speed and higher quality in games.

 

[sharkeeper]

Do you have a principal CAD software that is used? The manufacturers often have recommendations.

The extension cable should be high quality, however since you're running an LCD, 60Hz refresh will work perfectly and keep the pixel clock low enough that radio frequency limitations of extensions will be less apparent. ALWAYS make sure your connections are tight or you may get reflections which WILL cause ghost images. (not to be confused with ghosting seen on a moving image!)

Cheers!

 

[thirdlegstump]

Well it's mainly Form-Z by Autodessys, Autocad and 3DSMax for rendering and surface modelling. It's going to be highpoly count with maybe 100 megs of uncompressed texture mapping data. Fast and bugless realtime previews are what I'm mainly concerned about. Not final rendering speeds. (which is entirely CPU based anyway)

 

[thirdlegstump]

Forgot to mention, it will be used mainly for mechanical solid modelling and architectural models.

 

[thirdlegstump]

cump

 

[Schadenfroh]

parhelia

 

[Cerb]

ATi (or I guess Matrox, too). It will look better, and having been born again*, I can vouch for them havigotten their sh!t together with drivers. Also, as gaming cards get more and more advanced, the differences are less and less in the cards. In addition, the mid-range 9000 series cards are great deals right now. Don't worry about it for AutoCAD, either, BTW. You will either be CPU/RAM limited or it will fly like a bat out of hell.


* - Rage 128 AIW. Didn't work right from day 1, and it has only stayed around because it is an AGP card...good for short-term testing when you need an AGP 1x/2x video card. Got a Radeon 7500 AIW...it was bad. In the time of the RMA, tried the Rage 128 one...flawless. Never worked right a day in its life for more than 5 minutes or so at a stretch, but with newer drivers, does great. The DVD/PVR PC has been running just fine with the new 7500 AIW, too...ATi is doing things right.

 

[sharkeeper]

Well it's mainly Form-Z by Autodessys, Autocad and 3DSMax for rendering and surface modelling. It's going to be highpoly count with maybe 100 megs of uncompressed texture mapping data. Fast and bugless realtime previews are what I'm mainly concerned about. Not final rendering speeds. (which is entirely CPU based anyway)

3D Labs Wildcat Model VP870

Cheers!

 

[thirdlegstump]

b