Ok this is to help the op and anyone else out that are wanting to pick a card out right now. I believe users fall into sertain categories and I will number those with descriptions for said category.
The Buget speed segment. (not to be confused with the Budget IQ segment)
These useres want top end speed and are willing to sacrifice IQ to get it, just not money. They should have a monitor with at least 1280x1024.
The cards that would be good for this user are the:
Nvidia: 7900gt for around $300. or the 7600gt for $150-200
ATI:If that is too much step to the x1800xl 512 from MSI there is a thread in hot deals about it and they use the same memory the XT uses. The price on it is $200
The Buget IQ segment (not to be confused with The Budget Speed segment)
These users want pretty things on their games and don't care if it comes with a speed hit. They just don't want a hit in the wallet. They should have a monitor with at least 1280X1024
The cards that would be good for this user are the:
Nvidia:7900gt for around $300 good for turning up the AA and AF and still getting some speed but it misses HDR+AA
ATI: that x1800xl 512mb talked about in the budget speed segment. $200 for a card that will do HDR+AA at pretty good speeds down side you have to mess with the volts and overclock to get a 1800Xt. The 1800xt for around $300 makes a really nice Budget IQ card HDR+AA and the horsepower to pull it off nicely.
The Highend speed segment
These users have will have speed no matter what the costs. They should have monitors able to do 1680x1050 or higher.
Nvidia: 7900gtx or 7950GX2 both will give execcelent speed with the 7950GX2 beating everthing at the same IQ settings. They sell for between high $400-low $600. The 7950GX2 does HDCP but not HDR-AA the end users will have to evaluate and see what is important to them. HDR-AA is usefull now whereas HDCP has yet to see any use.
ATI: the 1900XT and 1900XTX these are just as fast in some games as the 7900GTX but the & 7950GX2 beats them both at same settings. they sell for high $300-high $400 depending on the card. They do offer HDR-AA but not HDCP users need to decide which one they like more.
The Highend IQ segment
These users have to have the best picture no matter what the costs. They should have monitors able to do 1680x1050 or higher.
Nvidia: I can't whole heartedly give a suggestion to nvidia because they lack IQ features that a users in this category really wants to have. That being said Nvidia looks to change this with their upcoming G80.
ATI: The x1900XT and X1900XTX hold the highend IQ crown. With excellent features like HQAF and HDR+AA they make the game look real pretty. They aren't as fast as their Nvidia counterparts but they make up for it in glamour and still provide playable frame rates.
THE GAMES
FPS like FEAR need about 40 fps to play nicely and about 60 to enjoy depending on how well you can see frames.
RPG like Oblivion need about 20fps to play nicely and about 40-50 to enjoy depending on how well you can see frames.
The user needs to keep this in mind when looking at benchmarks. The most important thing to look at is if your favorite game is getting playable frame rates at your desired settings. This said it would also be important to look at the newest game and also see if you will get playable framerates. This allows you to see just how long your hardware purchase will last.
Last but not least the VENDORS.
eVGA is the best I have come incounter with. BFG and XFX are also good.
ATI, Sapphire, Powercolor are also good.
the one thing I want to point out is that with any vendor it is a possiblity to recieve bad hardware. What you need to focus on is how that vendor makes good that(i.e. replacements quickly, easy tech support). However with so many board partners a users should not be turned off to a certain brand. Rather they should ask around and see what has been performing well. This is most often time the best way to gauge what cards are good at a certain time.
I hope this clears things up for the op and also some of our posters.
The Buget speed segment. (not to be confused with the Budget IQ segment)
These useres want top end speed and are willing to sacrifice IQ to get it, just not money. They should have a monitor with at least 1280x1024.
The cards that would be good for this user are the:
Nvidia: 7900gt for around $300. or the 7600gt for $150-200
ATI:If that is too much step to the x1800xl 512 from MSI there is a thread in hot deals about it and they use the same memory the XT uses. The price on it is $200
The Buget IQ segment (not to be confused with The Budget Speed segment)
These users want pretty things on their games and don't care if it comes with a speed hit. They just don't want a hit in the wallet. They should have a monitor with at least 1280X1024
The cards that would be good for this user are the:
Nvidia:7900gt for around $300 good for turning up the AA and AF and still getting some speed but it misses HDR+AA
ATI: that x1800xl 512mb talked about in the budget speed segment. $200 for a card that will do HDR+AA at pretty good speeds down side you have to mess with the volts and overclock to get a 1800Xt. The 1800xt for around $300 makes a really nice Budget IQ card HDR+AA and the horsepower to pull it off nicely.
The Highend speed segment
These users have will have speed no matter what the costs. They should have monitors able to do 1680x1050 or higher.
Nvidia: 7900gtx or 7950GX2 both will give execcelent speed with the 7950GX2 beating everthing at the same IQ settings. They sell for between high $400-low $600. The 7950GX2 does HDCP but not HDR-AA the end users will have to evaluate and see what is important to them. HDR-AA is usefull now whereas HDCP has yet to see any use.
ATI: the 1900XT and 1900XTX these are just as fast in some games as the 7900GTX but the & 7950GX2 beats them both at same settings. they sell for high $300-high $400 depending on the card. They do offer HDR-AA but not HDCP users need to decide which one they like more.
The Highend IQ segment
These users have to have the best picture no matter what the costs. They should have monitors able to do 1680x1050 or higher.
Nvidia: I can't whole heartedly give a suggestion to nvidia because they lack IQ features that a users in this category really wants to have. That being said Nvidia looks to change this with their upcoming G80.
ATI: The x1900XT and X1900XTX hold the highend IQ crown. With excellent features like HQAF and HDR+AA they make the game look real pretty. They aren't as fast as their Nvidia counterparts but they make up for it in glamour and still provide playable frame rates.
THE GAMES
FPS like FEAR need about 40 fps to play nicely and about 60 to enjoy depending on how well you can see frames.
RPG like Oblivion need about 20fps to play nicely and about 40-50 to enjoy depending on how well you can see frames.
The user needs to keep this in mind when looking at benchmarks. The most important thing to look at is if your favorite game is getting playable frame rates at your desired settings. This said it would also be important to look at the newest game and also see if you will get playable framerates. This allows you to see just how long your hardware purchase will last.
Last but not least the VENDORS.
eVGA is the best I have come incounter with. BFG and XFX are also good.
ATI, Sapphire, Powercolor are also good.
the one thing I want to point out is that with any vendor it is a possiblity to recieve bad hardware. What you need to focus on is how that vendor makes good that(i.e. replacements quickly, easy tech support). However with so many board partners a users should not be turned off to a certain brand. Rather they should ask around and see what has been performing well. This is most often time the best way to gauge what cards are good at a certain time.
I hope this clears things up for the op and also some of our posters.
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