GPU for a 17" LCD

[jaythespacehound]

Hello people,
I'm planning an upgrade a little ways down the track and am thinking about video cards.
This is being done so that I can actually play Oblivion... (currently have an fx5200 urgh)
I was thinking of the x1900xt(x), but I do NOT want to upgrade my 17" LCD which I am very happy with.

Now, after reading some of the posts in this forum it seems that maybe there's no point in getting an x1900xtx as, at a resolution of 1280*1240, a different GPU would do just as well, or even that the x1900xtx might have problems at that resolution.

Remember please this is for Oblivion... I want a nice framerate and from what I have seen resolution doesn't make much difference in terms of performance.
Thanks for any info, or suggestions,
Jay

 

[BassBomb]

id say go for it if u have the money, then you can play with mad AA and AF, when newer games come out you wont have to drop resolution for awhile until some kind of beastly game comes out u know what im saying?

if u want to get good value for your money get a 7900GT

 

[jaythespacehound]

Thanks, that's what I was thinking.

I was considering the 7900GT but, a lot of NVIDIA cards seem to be having trouble with Oblivion and I'm not sure I'm up to volt-modding it.
(I've overclocked before but CPU not GPU)

EDIT:
Also according to this:
A&T Oblivion GPU review
The x1900xtx would give me 10 extra fps which seems worth it to me... I think... heh

EDIT2:
Still the x1900xtx is roughly twice as much as the 7900gt
AUD 800 to AUD 420 (550 for the extreme edition)

If I were to voltmod it how close would the performance be?
adding roughly $80 for heatsink, ramsink, fans

Give me your opinions people!

 

[Dkcode]

Dont expect to be touching 60fps even with a top end card unless your willing to drop to 1024 x 768. I have a X1800XT and i still only got 30fps in the wild outdoors. I did get around 60+ indoors however but this is at a resolution of 1024 x 768, playing in my native res of 1600 x 1200 rendered the game sometimes unplayable.

 

[aniruddha23]

1280 X 1024 seems to be the sweet spot for most games these days.

17 " LCD + X1900XTX + Max res + 4X AA + 8X AF + All other settings on ultra high = PURE GAMING BLISS

I sold my Dell 2005 FPW to go down to 17" just bcos 1280 X1024 is native to it.

 

[TanisHalfElven]

if you can buy a x1900xt get it. and no it won't go to waste cuz you can do 6XAA 8xHQAF and HDR AND maintain playable frame rates.

that type of wasting only refers to SLI systems cuz sli yields performace gains only opn high res

 

[CFP]

I run at 1280x1024 and own an X1900XTX.

For me, the difference in Oblivion alone at that res with this card vs a lower end card would have been enough to make me buy it (I had purchased before Oblivion).

Being able to run X3 at 4xAA and 16xHQAF can even bring this card to its knees (17-22fps region when in a large battle) so I am glad I got this over the lesser X1800XT, as the extra performance allows for more eyecandy.

Also, there is something pleasant about seeing your frame rate maxxed out at vsync (for me, 75) with 4xTAA and 16xHQ + AAA Quality in most games to date. Something very pleasant.

IMHO, go for the XT/X - you will not regret it.

 

[jaythespacehound]

Thank you very much people!
Lol I'm not expecting 60fps but 6xAA 8xHQAF mmmm I get shivers
The x1900xtx it is.

 

[firewolfsm]

ya, I have a 7900GT only at 530MHz/1.72GHz no volt modding and I can play any game with 4xMSAA/16xAF without any stutters. I'm about to do the volt mod to 1.3V and I hope that brings me to 635MHz.

 

[CFP]

Originally posted by: firewolfsm
ya, I have a 7900GT only at 530MHz/1.72GHz no volt modding and I can play any game with 4xMSAA/16xAF without any stutters. I'm about to do the volt mod to 1.3V and I hope that brings me to 635MHz.

I doubt you can do that on Oblivion, which is what the OP was talking about to begin with. It seems, with Oblivion being very popular, ATi may have gotten a boost from its superior performance.

But in any case, comparing a 7900GT to an XTX, volt modded or not is reaching.

 

[Cookie Monster]

Make sure you change the heatsink because in oblivion, the card can reach 60dbs.(reminds me of the dustbuster )

What are your PC specs?

 

[jaythespacehound]

Ah non yet heh
None of the old hardware is going to make it over.
Thinking:
3700+ San Diego
2gb ddr400
ASUS A8R32-MVP Deluxe (hey you never know with CF)
the xt1900xtx

that's as far as my thinking has gone so far

 

[CFP]

Try getting an X2 3800+ or an Opty 165 - dual core is the way to go.

 

[jaythespacehound]

I'm thinking about it but, to be perfectly honest I've yet to see a game that appears to make full use of Dual core.
As for applications... if I'm perfectly happy with the way a p4 northwood handles well... you get my drift.

Next year game titles may be coming out where it's really needed but by then Conroe will be out...
Of course, if you can prove me wrong by showing me some benches with more than a 5% increase I'll definitely give it some thought.

EDIT:
Thanks for your help so far people, I'm going to continue in general hardware now as it turns out I suddenly have the money to actually do this