Can I Really Trust Nvidia?

[Pixle]

My first video card was the GeForce 1 (four years ago), then the Ti 4600 (two years ago), Then the Ati 9800 Pro AIW (year ago).

I usually buy video cards depending on which seems to be the best. I do read articles (well recently) about the performance gains etc. I know that the current winner is Nvidia with their SLI technology able to run two video cards. This smokes the X800 XT platinum (the card I was going to recently buy).

The last few months their have been articles on both sides about driver cheats etc. I've heard about it more from Nvidia and the "GeForce 6 series video processor - Not fully functional" thread by Dapunisher. Along with other member about static frame shots while playing a game.

I am more inclined to purchase from Ati. Although Nvidia's SLI with two 6800 Ultra's seems tempting.

Would you suggest that Nvidia is trustworthy and playing fair in its recent benchmarks?

btw...anyword on when Ati's (sli) duplicate will come out?

 

[Rage187]

how is something that is not working a cheat?

if you want Ati, buy Ati.

 

[otispunkmeyer]

basically this round u cant go wrong with either side.

tho i chose 6800gt because of its vid processor (which doesnt work) and the fact that NV40 is possibly more future proof than r420, plus now that i have gone back to the green side i have to say i prefere nvidias drivers so much better

its a case of u pays ur money n takes ur choice

 

[Gamingphreek]

Originally posted by: otispunkmeyer
basically this round u cant go wrong with either side.

tho i chose 6800gt because of its vid processor (which doesnt work) and the fact that NV40 is possibly more future proof than r420, plus now that i have gone back to the green side i have to say i prefere nvidias drivers so much better

its a case of u pays ur money n takes ur choice

Couldn't have said it better myself.

-Kevin

 

[nitromullet]

IIRC, this generation, ATi seems to be the one that has been accused of "cheating" with their "trylinear" ansio, not nViida.

details:
http://www.elitebastards.com/p...;head=1&comments=1

Edit: not accusing ATi of anything here... this topic has been beaten to death. Just pointing out that there are trust issues on both sides.

 

[gururu]

Would you suggest that Nvidia is trustworthy and playing fair in its recent benchmarks?

No and Yes.

 

[Rankor]

Both companies make great cards.

AND they both "optimize" their drivers.

Read the reviews, read feedback and users' experiences and take your pick.

 

[Pixle]

It seems like Sli Nforce4 Motherboards are just around the corner. Asus just shipped their first line.

I guess i'm going to go with Nvidia this round. Ati is speculated to have this type of technology out by early 2005.

 

[Mrvile]

Dual 6800Ultras? That's like 1600 for video + motherboard alone.

 

[Pixle]

Originally posted by: Mrvile
Dual 6800Ultras? That's like 1600 for video + motherboard alone.

I have a rich uncle willing to buy one for my bday.

And another family member willing to buy me something after missing a ton of my bday's.

way to find the deals

Pixle.

 

[Mrvile]

You sick bastard

 

[Hajime]

Gah. You lucky bastard.

SLI hands down then - can't top 6800U's period, except for 6800UE.

And isn't ATI's supposed SLI nothing but a rumor?

 

[n7]

Originally posted by: Gamingphreek

Originally posted by: otispunkmeyer
basically this round u cant go wrong with either side.

tho i chose 6800gt because of its vid processor (which doesnt work) and the fact that NV40 is possibly more future proof than r420, plus now that i have gone back to the green side i have to say i prefere nvidias drivers so much better

its a case of u pays ur money n takes ur choice

Couldn't have said it better myself.

-Kevin

I always heard stories about how Nvidias drivers were so much better than ATIs, & now that i have an Nividia card, boy, am i ever unimpressed :roll:
They still haven't fixed DEP + A64 + SP2, & when i disabled DEP completely to try the new 66.93s, i had the pleasure of experiencing BSODs every couple hours when gaming for some reason.
So i'm using the ancient 61.77s since they are the only ones i can get working without some sort of issue :|


As for the OP's question, Nvidia seems to be the way to go, though i would still prefer the X800XT & P.E. for top end, since ATI almost always does better with AA & AF.

 

[ronnn]

No, Nvidia has proven that you can not believe or trust them. Remember the ultra extreme. The bad news is ATI is not trustworthy either. (9800pro 128bit) They both will say, do and sell just about anything. They both think the consumer is very stupid, which is why the first 512mb card will be a 5600 or 9550 variant.

 

[swatX]

Originally posted by: Pixle
My first video card was the GeForce 1 (four years ago), then the Ti 4600 (two years ago), Then the Ati 9800 Pro AIW (year ago).

I usually buy video cards depending on which seems to be the best. I do read articles (well recently) about the performance gains etc. I know that the current winner is Nvidia with their SLI technology able to run two video cards. This smokes the X800 XT platinum (the card I was going to recently buy).

The last few months their have been articles on both sides about driver cheats etc. I've heard about it more from Nvidia and the "GeForce 6 series video processor - Not fully functional" thread by Dapunisher. Along with other member about static frame shots while playing a game.

I am more inclined to purchase from Ati. Although Nvidia's SLI with two 6800 Ultra's seems tempting.

Would you suggest that Nvidia is trustworthy and playing fair in its recent benchmarks?

btw...anyword on when Ati's (sli) duplicate will come out?

you mean ATI's Multirenedering which is totally diffrent than NV;s SLI! if i were you i would just wait for on more quarter and see what cards both sides come up with caz is ATI is releasing its r500 soon and Nv is releaseing... i dunno .. 6900series?

 

[Nebor]

They're cheating all the time. Did you see that poker match the other night? Nvidia was definitely doing something fishy.

Yeah, they cheat. That's why I bought their card. It runs cheats 95% faster.

This is one of the stupidest threads in the video forum... and knowing the video forum, that means a lot.

 

[dug777]

lol

their latest drivers even come optimised for cheating

 

[otispunkmeyer]

nvidia definately have their act together again after the FX series

 

[bunnyfubbles]

Everyone seriously needs to DROP the "cheating" subject. Even if the companies do cut corners somehow in order to improve performance, as long as we cannot tell the difference then there should be no room for complaint. Its like saying Kryo's TBR didn't render all the stuff we couldn't see, that's cheating!!! Now obviuosly if one company goes too far the other will claim supperior image quality nullifying the performance gain by the other.

Your games are going to run well AND look good no matter which side you choose. Unless you are buying a flagship part you would be best to go with nVidia as they definately seem to have it in the bag between $200 and $400 as the X800 Pro is not priced to be competetive, obviously the identically priced 6800GT is the superior part, so why pay the same for the slower product when you can't justify anything along the lines such as superior IQ? And unless you have PCI express, the 6600GT is your only AGP option for $200, the 9800 series has definatley been outclassed by the X700 and 6600. Then there is the 6800nu which is not much faster than a 6600GT so its up to you as ATI doesn't even really have a part to compete with it (unless they dropped the price of their X800Pro down to $300)

 

[PingSpike]

I don't see what the big deal is about "optimizing"...doesn't we want optimized drivers?

 

[Actaeon]

Originally posted by: PingSpike
I don't see what the big deal is about "optimizing"...doesn't we want optimized drivers?

Yep, you're right, optimizing is ideal its done RIGHT.

But often, these companies "optimize" with some sort of compromise, like visual/image quality. They are willing to sacrifice something that they think we might not notice, for an extra few framerates in benchmarks.

We hate that.

 

[HappyNic]

Originally posted by: Pixle

Originally posted by: Mrvile
Dual 6800Ultras? That's like 1600 for video + motherboard alone.

I have a rich uncle willing to buy one for my bday.

And another family member willing to buy me something after missing a ton of my bday's.

way to find the deals

Pixle.

Then buy the most $$$$ one, I mean you have a rich uncle that will buy it for you. But if you do get the most $$$, he might not get you any more gift in the near future.

 

[bunnyfubbles]

Originally posted by: Actaeon

Originally posted by: PingSpike
I don't see what the big deal is about "optimizing"...doesn't we want optimized drivers?

Yep, you're right, optimizing is ideal its done RIGHT.

But often, these companies "optimize" with some sort of compromise, like visual/image quality. They are willing to sacrifice something that they think we might not notice, for an extra few framerates in benchmarks.

We hate that.

Yeah but the fact is, is that the drivers usually never sacrifice on IQ because we notice it right away. People scream bloody murder if we find out by doing some insane sleuthing and discover and optimization but noone would have known otherwise. That is when it gets absurd and people get worked up over what is basically nothing.

All you have to do is compare the performance and the quality to the next guy. Now if both ATI and nVidia go to far and both look equally bad then that gives a chance for a 3rd party to come in and claim IQ superiority but that isn't going to happen because despite all the "cheating" we're still getting very good eye candy.