quick poll

[imported_GeekWannabe]

I just wanted to get some fast A or B opinions on 2 cards over at the Egg........both Powercolor, both within $10 of each other, except the 4870 is an open-box unit.

With a budget of $200 total these appear to be the best bang/buck ratio and will be replacing the x1950xtx in the system in my sig.

Just so you know, I'm almost exclusively an MMO player but I would like the ability to play the shooters/drivers if one catches my interest, and mainly want to be able to easily run a dual-monitor setup with full candy (16x12). If one of these won't do it I'll bump the 1950 down and use it as well, unless it would actually crossfire with these cards (which I doubt)

Thanks for the advice and votes!
peace, Hugh

 

[dguy6789]

4870 gets my vote.

 

[cmdrdredd]

I'd take the extra power of the 4870 vs the extra memory.

for 1600x1200 the 512MB won't be a limitation.

 

[Tempered81]

Originally posted by: dguy6789
4870 gets my vote.

+1

 

[Denithor]

Neither...

MSI GTX 260 $200 shipped - $20MIR = $180

Extra memory and stronger card for a lower price FTW!!

 

[Tempered81]

Personally i like the msi 260 as well, but that wasn't in the poll. If it's anything goes, then grab an open box hd4850 512 for $105 @ the egg

 

[AzN]

Originally posted by: Denithor
Neither...

MSI GTX 260 $200 shipped - $20MIR = $180

Extra memory and stronger card for a lower price FTW!!

I second that but 512mb 4870 have been coming down in price. Little cheaper than the older 192 260.

 

[OCNewbie]

Here's a new 4870 at the egg for $165 shipped after $40 MIR Link

That MSI GTX 260 is a great choice too though.

 

[Denithor]

The GTX 260 has one major advantage over the lower end 4870: more VRAM. A large frame buffer is becoming more and more important as game resolution and AA go up.

 

[SlowSpyder]

So far I'm loving my Radeon 4870 512 on a 22" monitor. I'm sure the 260 or 4850 would do plenty well too. I'm not much help.

 

[Leyawiin]

Here's a review on the HD 4850 1GB. Save for Crysis, the HD 4870 512MB always beats the HD 4850.

http://www.guru3d.com/article/...b-gvr485oc1gi-review/1

I'd go for the MSI GTX 260 as well, unless you are set on ATI with no chance of going Nvidia. Its probably the best deal in sub $200 video cards atm.

 

[error8]

Originally posted by: SlowSpyder
So far I'm loving my Radeon 4870 512 on a 22" monitor. I'm sure the 260 or 4850 would do plenty well too. I'm not much help.

Yup, 512mb 4870 rulez. :laugh:

 

[Elfear]

I'd go for the HD4870. It is faster than the GTX 260 (192 shader model) and costs the same. There's even an overclocked model at the Egg for $190 AR. The ram shouldn't hinder you at 1600x1200 until games come out that will choke the the gpu anyway.

 

[Cheex]

4870

/thread

 

[Qbah]

At 16x12 the HD4870 512MB is the best choice.

 

[DaveSimmons]

4870 definitely. The extra power beats the ability to go higher with AA/AF, especially for newer games and for future games where the 4850 might not run smoothly at 16x12.

 

[Adam8281]

4870, no question

 

[zod96]

I like the 4870 512 Its a good all around card. I have tried the GTX260, didn't like it. Its huge I like the size of the 4870 much better. I also like how Ati puts the power connectors on the side of the pcb rather then the top like the gtx260 is. I also like the IQ on the Ati card better, and the monthly driver updates unlike nvidia's once a year updates. I got a HIS 4870 1 gb with the artic cooling twin turbo on mine and its dead silent and idles at about 42 and loads about 58 not bad. It can play all my games maxed out at 1680x1050.

 

[OCGuy]

Originally posted by: zod96
I like the 4870 512 Its a good all around card. I have tried the GTX260, didn't like it.

You are better than 99.9% of the world if you can put in a GTX260 and a 4870 and be able to tell the difference, especially @ 1680x1050. Isnt there a 10% or less difference between the two?


+1 for the 4870 512 here.

 

[imported_GeekWannabe]

Firstly, thank you all for your input!

My choices weren't so much that I'm an ATI Fanboy, actually the 2- x1950xtx's I'm using are the first radeons I've owned (since I had a smokin' RagePro in my K6-2 system anyway...=).....), its just that I know ATI's stuff gets along with my system right now and don't want to risk any ugliness by switching gpu's right now.

I'm not a "latest and greatest" guy........I built the system in my sig almost 2 years ago and expect it will do what i need for 1-2 more, with the occasional upgrade like we're talking about. I'm hoping to stretch it just until I can afford to do an l7/vista 64-bit system completely from scratch and I think the new graphics card will do just that.

peace,Hugh

 

[zod96]

That's just it, I couldn't tell a difference It just came down to personal choice. I have used Nvidia for that last 2 years or so and I wanted a change of scenery so to speak. But at 1680x1050 your right the cards at pretty much identical...

 

[brencat]

Deleted post