SM3.0 questions..

[ScreamingJesus]

Well I'm going to be getting a new comp soon, x800xl and have a few quesionts concerning SM3.0....I hear all these people saying "go nvidia for SM3.0 trust me" and I know you all hate that, and I don't actually listen to it but I do still have a few questions

1)When, if ever, will SM3.0 actually be used? I'll *hopefully* be getting the comp this month and don't want to get a card without it then realize all these "prophocies" may actually come true.
And the main question:
2)When it is used, will cards with 2.0(like x800xl) perform badly, or will their graphics just be limited? I don't actually care about graphics, but I do want the x800xl to last me a year or two and be able to play games smoothly.
Actually that leads me into a 3rd question lol....
3) Based on your experience with older cards, will the x800xl last me a year or two? I have no problem bumping down resolutions to 1024x768(although that's probably lowest)...would it run at lower resolutions with smooth framrates on future games?

EDIT:No test first time

 

[Matthias99]

Please read the other bazillion threads on SM3.0. We don't need another one.

 

[ScreamingJesus]

I know there's another bazillion, but I haven't seen these questions anywhere so I figuered I'd start a new thread.

 

[Matthias99]

Originally posted by: ScreamingJesus
I know there's another bazillion, but I haven't seen these questions anywhere so I figuered I'd start a new thread.

You're asking vague questions about future video card performance. Nobody can answer them definitively.

Personally, I find it unlikely that SM3.0 will set the world on fire, or that if it does, this generation of video cards will see enormous benefits from it. For much more on this, read the last bazillion threads on SM3.0, where people have debated this over and over and over.

I find it unlikely a 16-pipe GPU will become obsolete in the next year or two, but it to some extent depends on how the next-gen parts stack up and what kind of price they come in at. I wouldn't worry too much about it.

 

[ScreamingJesus]

Hmm I never meant to make really vague questions..and I don't really feel like reading through pages of flames wars to find a few answers, so I'll just take your word on not worrying too much about it.
Thanks.

 

[legcramp]

well, is this a pci-e card or not, if it is pci-e, I would just stick to the x800XL b/c of prices..the 6800gt on pci-e is somehow more expensive than agp...if this is an agp system grab the 6800gt b/c it can be had for the same price as the x800XL.

so in conclusion, 6800gt=agp (prices)

x800XL=pci-e (cheaper)

 

[ddogg]

Originally posted by: Matthias99
Please read the other bazillion threads on SM3.0. We don't need another one.

my point exactly....just read other threads and make ur own decision....