nVidia or ATI?

[DarcMetal]

First off I wanted to say that I DID use the search, but I can't find a clear-cut answer as to which brand is better. There is just too many threads to go through.

I currently have an Powercolor ATI Radeon 9250 (I bought it mainly because I got a good deal on it), but I want to eventually upgrade it to something just a tad bit more for what I do. Some of what I do on my computer is video editing, and I was wondering what is best for doing video editing and rendering.

If it isn't the video card, what else could it be that I might need to update?

And if you are suggesting something specific, my budget is $110, and I'm not a gamer. The only games I have are usually sim games or arcade stuff. All of the major games I have are on my PS2.

Thanks in advance. My computer specs are in the link below.

 

[Steve]

Video editing and rendering rely more on the CPU than the GPU. Video cards are about image quality, esp. for 3D acceleration (gaming) and DVD playback.

 

[Childs]

Nvidia has the nicer logo. I could throw around marketing terms and quote benchmark numbers, but with your specs and usage, I'd stick with the 9250 and instead buy another gig of RAM.

 

[gsellis]

Regarding NLE and video, depends on the editor. ATI and Pinnacle do really well together. If you plan on doing HDV (got a spare $4k+ sitting around for camera and upgrades?) and doing it with Pinnacle, a X800 is a good start. Pinnacle uses DirectX to do renders and realtime playback via the GPU in their advanced software, and to a lesser degree in Studio 9.

Otherwise, find something that can play 1080i or 1080p and you will be happy.

 

[DarcMetal]

I figured originally it was more about RAM than the card. I was thinking of getting another 512 to just have an extra push if I need it. I've read a lot of benchmarks, but nothing stood out for me as far as what brand is better. As far as playback, my DVD's play perfectly with what I have. I don't even have delays.