Nvidia GPU for CS:Source?

[poofyhairguy]

Now that CS:Source is on OSX's Steam, I want to relive my college days by playing some. But nowadays I have a 26inch screen, so playing it in anything less than 1980x1200 seems pointless.

Don't worry about "does the card work with OSX?" As long as its an Nvidia card I can make it work.

So what Nvidia card do I need to play CS:Source in 1980x1200? Please take into account say a 30-40% performance hit for it being OSX. Will a 260 GTX do?

 

[toyota]

I believe even an 8600gt will give you 100 fps in that old game.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Ooo really? A 8600 GT? I will say that now I have a 9500 GT 512mb DDR2 and it just doesn't do the job. At 720p it does, but not at 1980x1200.

I have always wanted to get a 9800 GT, if that can do it I would be a happy camper.

 

[toyota]

Ooo really? A 8600 GT? I will say that now I have a 9500 GT 512mb DDR2 and it just doesn't do the job. At 720p it does, but not at 1980x1200.

I have always wanted to get a 9800 GT, if that can do it I would be a happy camper.

yeah probably not at 1920x1200. btw a 9500gt ddr2 would be a little slower than an 8600gt gddr3. a 9800gt level of card should easily get the job done.

 

[nonameo]

to be frank, it really doesn't make much sense to get anything less than a 9800GT new, that is unless you're worried about power consumption.

 

[taserbro]

Don't quote me on that but I hear enhancements are being made to OSX source engine games. While the performance still isn't at PC level, it's rumored to be much better and will inevitably get better as mac gamers give it more attention.

 

[poofyhairguy]

to be frank, it really doesn't make much sense to get anything less than a 9800GT new, that is unless you're worried about power consumption.

Nope, hackintoshing messes up speedstep anyway and I have a 650W Antec PSU.

I am just worried if a 9800 GT is enough.

 

[cbn]

Nope, hackintoshing messes up speedstep anyway and I have a 650W Antec PSU.

I am just worried if a 9800 GT is enough.

I would probably just get that 9800 GT. Those cards are really cheap.

 

[zerocool84]

Don't quote me on that but I hear enhancements are being made to OSX source engine games. While the performance still isn't at PC level, it's rumored to be much better and will inevitably get better as mac gamers give it more attention.

Of course there will be enhancements made but it will not be better.

 

[Insomniator]

If a 9800GT isn't enough to run Source @19x12 then Steam should just give up on porting to OSX.

Source is now 6 years old btw.

 

[Acanthus]

Look at PC reviews, cut the speed in half, there is your OSX speed on identical hardware.

(Facepalming you using a hackintosh to game)

 

[poofyhairguy]

Look at PC reviews, cut the speed in half, there is your OSX speed on identical hardware.

(Facepalming you using a hackintosh to game)

Its not really like I am "gaming" on my hackintosh. CS:Source and the free Portal I got from Steam will be the only games I will play on there. I have a 360 and Wii for most of my gaming, I just want to relieve some good times as that CS:Source is the ONLY Windows thing I have missed all these years in hackintoshland.

So you say that my speeds will be half- does that mean a 9800GT WON'T cut it? Do I need to step up to a 260 GTX?

 

[v8envy]

IIRC I got 117 fps under Linux+wine at 19x12 with the HL2 benchmark using a 650 mhz 8800GT on a E2180. So it should be fine, but you'll probably be happier with at least a GT250 or better yet GTX260 as insurance.

 

[toyota]

IIRC I got 117 fps under Linux+wine at 19x12 with the HL2 benchmark using a 650 mhz 8800GT on a E2180. So it should be fine, but you'll probably be happier with at least a GT250 or better yet GTX260 as insurance.

a gtx260 and decent cpu will be pegged at 300 in the bench.

 

[v8envy]

When I did that round of benchmarking the gains due to CPU stopped being material after 2.8 ghz or so. As in, the frame rates at 3.0 and 3.2 were within margin of error from 2.8, but decreased linearly below.

This includes a bit of overhead from the DirectX -> OpenGL and Windows to POSIX system call translation.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Oops, I did forget all other important specs:

Q9550 (stock)
8 GB DDR2 800
60 GB Samsung SSD