Should I wait for the DX-10 Cards?

[Twitch22]

Hello all.

I building my newest rig this week. Main points are C2D E6600, Asus P5W DH and 2 Gigs of Crucial Ballistix DDR2-800 RAM. All really nice stuff. However, the only PCI Express card I have at the moment is an ATI Radeon X1600 Pro 512MB version. I know it's not very good, but I'm trying to decide wether or not to wait for the upcoming Direct-X 10 cards or upgrade to "Crossfired" 1950 XTX's when the prices fall?

I do plan on getting back into serious gaming, but tend to prefer Flight Simulators, racing and strategy/sim games. I dabble in FPS, but Battlefield really intrests me (have never played any games in the series before).

I'm trying to catch up with the current technology of GPU's...my current rig is a Athlon XP 2000+/nVidia GeForce4 Ti 4400 set-up I built 4 years ago!

Thanks for any info or suggestions!

Twitch

 

[jiffylube1024]

Your best bet is to pick up an X1900XT 256MB / 512MB and then waiting until DX 10 cards come out early next year...

 

[apoppin]

if you build your rig this week then you will have an empty PCIe GFX slot for about 4 months if you wait for DX10 cards.
[edit . . . the x1600 doesn't 'count' . . . for a 'gamer']

NO reason to wait whatsoever. We won't see DX10 games for another 2-3 years.

 

[Dethfrumbelo]

We'll probably see a few DX10 games within a year or so... the issue is not really DX10 anyway. If the new generation is significantly more powerful overall (50-100% faster) then they may be worth the price when they start showing up. If you need something now though, obviously you can't wait, ceratinly not another 2 months or more.

I agree with Jiffy - get something for a modest price now, like a 1900XT 256MB and then in December/January pick up a G80/R600. Overspending on a 1950XTX/7950GX2 is a waste right now considering the next gen is likely to be much faster.

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: Dethfrumbelo
We'll probably see a few DX10 games within a year or so... the issue is not really DX10 anyway. If the new generation is significantly more powerful overall (50-100% faster) then they may be worth the price when they start showing up. If you need something now though, obviously you can't wait, ceratinly not another 2 months or more.

I agree with Jiffy - get something for a modest price now, like a 1900XT 256MB and then in December/January pick up a G80/R600. Overspending on a 1950XTX/7950GX2 is a waste right now considering the next gen is likely to be much faster.

a year?!! . . . impossible as Game Devs currently only have Alpha/beta DX10 HW plus software emulation as the DX10 spec has not been quite finalized.

letsee, Vista is due in Dec/January and r600/g80 the month or so thereafter. . . that's FOUR months minimum wait for a DX10 card.

The ONLY advantage that a DX10 card will have over our current cards is that it is a NEW generation and should run DX9 faster. . . . every generation does that to the previous one.

my general rule is to SKIP the 1st gen of DX10 cards in favour of the 2nd generation . . . . let the early adopters pay the price and work out the bugs.

edited . . . again

 

[Polish3d]

Agree with the post above

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: Frackal
Agree with the post above

thank-you!

can you tell 'when' i am planning to build my new rig?

although i am DYING to do the complete makeover right now . . . my aging P4@3.31 and AGP x850xt will have to suffice 'till this Summer when r660 and g88 are released.
:Q

IF i had the OP's rig, i would upgrade NOW and pick a x1900xt . . . that would certainly "last" around 3 years [depending on games and gaming resolution] until a DX10 card is really "needed". . . . or just upgrade the video card as needed.

i am basing this on how long it took him to upgrade his ti4400 and the rest of his system.

 

[Nightmare225]

Originally posted by: apoppin

Originally posted by: Dethfrumbelo
We'll probably see a few DX10 games within a year or so... the issue is not really DX10 anyway. If the new generation is significantly more powerful overall (50-100% faster) then they may be worth the price when they start showing up. If you need something now though, obviously you can't wait, ceratinly not another 2 months or more.

I agree with Jiffy - get something for a modest price now, like a 1900XT 256MB and then in December/January pick up a G80/R600. Overspending on a 1950XTX/7950GX2 is a waste right now considering the next gen is likely to be much faster.

a year?!! . . . impossible as Game Devs currently only have Alpha/beta DX10 HW plus software emulation as the DX10 spec has not been quite finalized.

letsee, Vista is due in Dec/January and r600/g80 the month or so thereafter. . . that's FOUR months minimum wait for a DX10 card.

The ONLY advantage that a DX10 card will have over our current cards is that it is a NEW generation and should run DX9 faster. . . . every generation does that to the previous one.

my general rule is to SKIP the 1st gen of DX10 cards in favour of the 2nd generation . . . . let the early adopters pay the price and work out the bugs.

edited . . . again

G80 will be out a month or two BEFORE Vista. Remember, these cards are supposed to be amazing under DX 9.

 

[Twitch22]

Hey guys!!

Thanks for all the great suggestions...think I'll be looking for a 1900X/XT Crossfire set-up in the next few weeks. It looks like the general opinion is that the X1600 Pro just won't cut it now let alone 4-8 months from now!

Originally posted by: apoppin

thank-you!

can you tell 'when' i am planning to build my new rig?

although i am DYING to do the complete makeover right now . . . my aging P4@3.31 and AGP x850xt will have to suffice 'till this Summer when r660 and g88 are released.
:Q

IF i had the OP's rig, i would upgrade NOW and pick a x1900xt . . . that would certainly "last" around 3 years [depending on games and gaming resolution] until a DX10 card is really "needed". . . . or just upgrade the video card as needed.

i am basing this on how long it took him to upgrade his ti4400 and the rest of his system.

Apoppin: Yeah...took me a while to get a new rig, eh?

Twitch

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: Twitch22
Hey guys!!

Thanks for all the great suggestions...think I'll be looking for a 1900X/XT Crossfire set-up in the next few weeks. It looks like the general opinion is that the X1600 Pro just won't cut it now let alone 4-8 months from now!

Originally posted by: apoppin

thank-you!

can you tell 'when' i am planning to build my new rig?

although i am DYING to do the complete makeover right now . . . my aging P4@3.31 and AGP x850xt will have to suffice 'till this Summer when r660 and g88 are released.
:Q

IF i had the OP's rig, i would upgrade NOW and pick a x1900xt . . . that would certainly "last" around 3 years [depending on games and gaming resolution] until a DX10 card is really "needed". . . . or just upgrade the video card as needed.

i am basing this on how long it took him to upgrade his ti4400 and the rest of his system.

Apoppin: Yeah...took me a while to get a new rig, eh?

Twitch

no need for the '' whatsoever.

and you are picking an excellent time to upgrade and very good parts!
:thumbsup:

you are going to be 'blown away' by the newer games' gfx. . . . your giant leap from the ti4400 is close to amazing.

edit . . . just make damn sure your PS is up to the task.

 

[tuteja1986]

yeah , they go in production mid next month and on store by early November. Thats for G80 , R600 come out late december or early jan.

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: tuteja1986
yeah , they go in production mid next month and on store by early November. Thats for G80 , R600 come out late december or early jan.

i understand g80 has been delayed

. . . looks like Feb
[for both, realistically . . . (oops! edit nvidia may be a little earlier]

 

[Nightmare225]

Originally posted by: apoppin

Originally posted by: tuteja1986
yeah , they go in production mid next month and on store by early November. Thats for G80 , R600 come out late december or early jan.

i understand g80 has been delayed

. . . looks like Feb
[for both, realistically . . . (oops! edit nvidia may be a little earlier]

Link?

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: Nightmare225

Originally posted by: apoppin

Originally posted by: tuteja1986
yeah , they go in production mid next month and on store by early November. Thats for G80 , R600 come out late december or early jan.

i understand g80 has been delayed

. . . looks like Feb
[for both, realistically . . . (oops! edit nvidia may be a little earlier]

Link?

no . . . i can't say



i really mean i can't say 'for sure' . . . i lost my history yesterday and can't find my source.

ANYWAY, we don't know ANYthing 'for sure' about g80 . . . just bits of speculation and fantasy that are seized upon here and posted as fact.

edit: it was NOT this one which indicates X-mas.
G80 late because of a respin

 

[Nightmare225]

Originally posted by: apoppin

Originally posted by: Nightmare225

Originally posted by: apoppin

Originally posted by: tuteja1986
yeah , they go in production mid next month and on store by early November. Thats for G80 , R600 come out late december or early jan.

i understand g80 has been delayed

. . . looks like Feb
[for both, realistically . . . (oops! edit nvidia may be a little earlier]

Link?

no . . . i can't say



i really mean i can't say 'for sure' . . . i lost my history yesterday and can't find my source.

ANYWAY, we don't know ANYthing 'for sure' about g80 . . . just bits of speculation and fantasy that are seized upon here and posted as fact.

edit: it was NOT this one which indicates X-mas.
G80 late because of a respin

Damn, looks like my step-up plan isn't going to work as well as I thought it would. Any ideas on much I'd be able to sell a 7950GX2 for after G80 is released? I'm estimating $375-$425?

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: Nightmare225

Originally posted by: apoppin

Originally posted by: Nightmare225

Originally posted by: apoppin

Originally posted by: tuteja1986
yeah , they go in production mid next month and on store by early November. Thats for G80 , R600 come out late december or early jan.

i understand g80 has been delayed

. . . looks like Feb
[for both, realistically . . . (oops! edit nvidia may be a little earlier]

Link?

no . . . i can't say



i really mean i can't say 'for sure' . . . i lost my history yesterday and can't find my source.

ANYWAY, we don't know ANYthing 'for sure' about g80 . . . just bits of speculation and fantasy that are seized upon here and posted as fact.

edit: it was NOT this one which indicates X-mas.
G80 late because of a respin

Damn, looks like my step-up plan isn't going to work as well as I thought it would. Any ideas on much I'd be able to sell a 7950GX2 for after G80 is released? I'm estimating $375-$425?

better to know now, huh?

IF i were nvidia, i'd wait till after Vista and before Ati - and make damn sure i had a 'supply' before launching. . . .

imo, there isn't much point in launching a DX10 card before Vista. . . . looks like just before x-mas at the earliest which translates to Jan '07 for most of us.