What should i do ATI or Nvidia??

[KrAkPoT]

right now i am running an old skewl Geforce Ti500...my pc is currently running
1.8Gig Intel
pc-800 512 Ram
Sound blaster audigy platnium
AlienWare Case
Antec true power 430 power supply

I am looking to upgrade my video card and i was wondering what i should go with..i am going to problaly be playing World of war craft or Everyquest 2..along with half 2 and doom 3....what card will give me the best bang for my buck..
the:
Radeon 9700 pro 128
Radeon 9800 pro 128 (Visiontek edition)
or a Geforce FX 5900 Non ultra 128

i know its a bit early for all this and i read MANY reviews but i am still ocnfused i know ati is shaky on its drivers and nvidia hasnt been doing a good job on the cards themselves...what should i do any opionions?

thanks
Kp

 

[Blastman]

Get an ATI 9100 for $69 and sit out the graphics card race this year. LOL

 

[BoomAM]

I`d go for the 9700pro, if you can afford the extra, then the 9800pro.
ATI drivers are now quite good, and imo, as good as nvidias now.

Welcome to the AnandTech Forums as well!!!

 

[dguy6789]

if i was you i would wait, your gf3 may not have the best image quality, but it can handle any game out there just fine, that card may go all the way to quake IV before it is needed to be replaced, im talkin 1024 hgihest settings

 

[nick1985]

in anandtech forums nobody will recommend nvidia for fear of being ridiculed.

 

[Mem]

in anandtech forums nobody will recommend nvidia for fear of being ridiculed.

ATI drivers are now quite good, and imo, as good as nvidias now.

I`ll recomend Nvidia if you want to have the best drivers,ATi drivers are still not up to Nvidia standard yet,they seem to fix one problem and break something else.

It really is down to when you want to buy,right now no NV35 cards are available so ATi will be the choice right now .

In the end both companies offer good products.

 

[Corporate Thug]

Originally posted by: BoomAM
I`d go for the 9700pro, if you can afford the extra, then the 9800pro.
ATI drivers are now quite good, and imo, as good as nvidias now.

Welcome to the AnandTech Forums as well!!!

 

[idNut]

Originally posted by: Blastman
Get an ATI 9100 for $69 and sit out the graphics card race this year. LOL

Dude, that's not a bad idea. This is just so absurd with ATI and nVidia that it seriously pisses me off. It's not about pleasing customers but instead whipping out a faster card faster than the other company. These cards aren't reliable, they're not of quality. 3dfx was for the people and games, they took it slow and their cards were reliable. They didn't throw four different cards out of the same chip with different clock speeds to pollute the shelves. ATI and nVidia are being childish if you ask me. Yes it's a big decision for a gamer: ATI or nVidia but I think this is getting to be simply ridiculous anymore.

 

[bozack]

Originally posted by: idNut Dude, that's not a bad idea. This is just so absurd with ATI and nVidia that it seriously pisses me off. It's not about pleasing customers but instead whipping out a faster card faster than the other company. These cards aren't reliable, they're not of quality. 3dfx was for the people and games, they took it slow and their cards were reliable. They didn't throw four different cards out of the same chip with different clock speeds to pollute the shelves. ATI and nVidia are being childish if you ask me. Yes it's a big decision for a gamer: ATI or nVidia but I think this is getting to be simply ridiculous anymore.

I always think it is very ironic when I read posts like this....I remember when praising 3dfx was right up there with blasphmey on these boards and NVIDIA was the next best thing to sliced bread..... and now that they are gone people miss the ways of 3DFX and now slam the two companies (mainly NVIDIA since they are still on top sales and price wise) who are battling it out for the top spot....too funny, I guess it is just enthusiasts nature to hate that which is popular and on top of the market at any given time....

Oh well, I am sure if ATI takes the crown then their bashers will follow and another company will become the "darling"

Personally I like both NVIDIA and ATI...I buy what is best for me...if I were looking to save money now I would go with either the 5200 as the new drivers seem to be nice and best buy still has that pny card for cheap, or an ATI 9100 off the net.

good luck.

 

[idNut]

Originally posted by: bozack

Originally posted by: idNut Dude, that's not a bad idea. This is just so absurd with ATI and nVidia that it seriously pisses me off. It's not about pleasing customers but instead whipping out a faster card faster than the other company. These cards aren't reliable, they're not of quality. 3dfx was for the people and games, they took it slow and their cards were reliable. They didn't throw four different cards out of the same chip with different clock speeds to pollute the shelves. ATI and nVidia are being childish if you ask me. Yes it's a big decision for a gamer: ATI or nVidia but I think this is getting to be simply ridiculous anymore.

I always think it is very ironic when I read posts like this....I remember when praising 3dfx was right up there with blasphmey on these boards and NVIDIA was the next best thing to sliced bread..... and now that they are gone people miss the ways of 3DFX and now slam the two companies (mainly NVIDIA since they are still on top sales and price wise) who are battling it out for the top spot....too funny, I guess it is just enthusiasts nature to hate that which is popular and on top of the market at any given time....

Oh well, I am sure if ATI takes the crown then their bashers will follow and another company will become the "darling"

Personally I like both NVIDIA and ATI...I buy what is best for me...if I were looking to save money now I would go with either the 5200 as the new drivers seem to be nice and best buy still has that pny card for cheap, or an ATI 9100 off the net.

good luck.

I actually didn't want to bring 3dfx into it again but they were the only good graphics card company I remember. When I bought my Voodoo3 2000 PCI, it worked. No problems whatsoever. The 5500 PCI was another story since around that time 3dfx went out and I had to start using third-party drivers. But that Voodoo3 2000 still remains my favorite graphics card ever.

ATI should quit trying to damned hard to compete and just put their effort into reliability then people would follow their products more. Nvidia is more reliable as of now but their cards seem to date very quickly.

 

[CraigRT]

Originally posted by: nick1985
in anandtech forums nobody will recommend nvidia for fear of being ridiculed.

I used to recommend NVidia..

they USED to be better, 'til the 8500 came out... I always liked their drivers better, and I think I still do.. but we'll see in a short while longer!

 

[Schadenfroh]

Originally posted by: bozack

Originally posted by: idNut Dude, that's not a bad idea. This is just so absurd with ATI and nVidia that it seriously pisses me off. It's not about pleasing customers but instead whipping out a faster card faster than the other company. These cards aren't reliable, they're not of quality. 3dfx was for the people and games, they took it slow and their cards were reliable. They didn't throw four different cards out of the same chip with different clock speeds to pollute the shelves. ATI and nVidia are being childish if you ask me. Yes it's a big decision for a gamer: ATI or nVidia but I think this is getting to be simply ridiculous anymore.

I always think it is very ironic when I read posts like this....I remember when praising 3dfx was right up there with blasphmey on these boards and NVIDIA was the next best thing to sliced bread..... and now that they are gone people miss the ways of 3DFX and now slam the two companies (mainly NVIDIA since they are still on top sales and price wise) who are battling it out for the top spot....too funny, I guess it is just enthusiasts nature to hate that which is popular and on top of the market at any given time....

Oh well, I am sure if ATI takes the crown then their bashers will follow and another company will become the "darling"

Personally I like both NVIDIA and ATI...I buy what is best for me...if I were looking to save money now I would go with either the 5200 as the new drivers seem to be nice and best buy still has that pny card for cheap, or an ATI 9100 off the net.

good luck.

3dfx ownz you all! my voodoo5 was the best card i ever owned in terms of image quality/relibility.

 

[KrAkPoT]

Hmm...i heard that because of a slow computer system like mine...the graphics cards dont meet up to par on their standards...i know i need to upgrade and i was prolly going to go this year with a Soyotek FireGL platnium edition or whatever but im hardware illiterate and need to know if it will fit my case and ect..i really wish the companies would make good cards insteatd of whipping out new cards every 3 months...

Aside from that what mobo would u recomend for a new computer looking to put Corsair XMS 2700/3200 memeory a intel 2.8 or 2.5 gigz with a 8x pipline and more..i thikn soyo tek is the way to go but will it fit in my alienware case???

thanks
kP
**EDIT** This is the Exact Mobo....SY-P4X400 DRAGON Ultra Platinum Edition

 

[cmdrdredd]

If you need to buy now then the 9700Pro or 9800 if you can afford it is the way to go. If you can wait for a bit the 5900 will be faster. I'd go for the 9700Pro and save a few bucks.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Doom 3 you say? FX 5900 I say.

Just read the reviews over at www.anandtech.com www.hardocp.com www.tomshardware.com

 

[cmdrdredd]

Originally posted by: AgaBooga
Doom 3 you say? FX 5900 I say.

Just read the reviews over at www.anandtech.com www.hardocp.com www.tomshardware.com

as has been said before...the ATi card had crippled drivers. Not to mention the demo has a specific Nvidia path which gives a boost where the ATi cards ran the generic API.

 

[BoomAM]

Originally posted by: cmdrdreddas has been said before...the ATi card had crippled drivers. Not to mention the demo has a specific Nvidia path which gives a boost where the ATi cards ran the generic API.

Good Point.
If the R300/R350 had their own driver path, im sure that the 9700/9800 would perform just as well as the 5800/5900 in doom3.

 

[nick1985]

Originally posted by: cmdrdredd

Originally posted by: AgaBooga
Doom 3 you say? FX 5900 I say.

Just read the reviews over at www.anandtech.com www.hardocp.com www.tomshardware.com

as has been said before...the ATi card had crippled drivers. Not to mention the demo has a specific Nvidia path which gives a boost where the ATi cards ran the generic API.

what about all the other games where the 5900 trounced the 9800???

 

[BenSkywalker]

If the R300/R350 had their own driver path, im sure that the 9700/9800 would perform just as well as the 5800/5900 in doom3.

No it wouldn't. There really isn't anything to exploit with a custom path on R3X0 boards.

 

[WaTaGuMp]

The new Nvidia 5900 Ultra will be the fastest card on the market just like the Radeon 9700 Pro was when it came out. I have the Radeon 9700 Pro and it works well so I doubt I will be getting the new Nvidia card, I agree they both make good cards and wont say one is better then the other cause nothing n this world is perfect. This might taint you from buying the new Nvidia....................> $500.00 price tag.

 

[KrAkPoT]

Any one reading these forums have a Radeon 9800 pro?? any comments form you?

 

[KrAkPoT]

I am leaning more towards the 9800 pro and am pretty sure i am going to get it but im going to wait for the 5900 ultra to come out..but are you sure my processor and memory doesnt attirreubte to the card itself?
and if igo with 9800 pro
Should i go with the ATI version or VisionTek??

 

[gimpyd00]

I upgraded from a GF3 to a 9800 Pro and HATE it. Selling this thing and going back to Nvidia as soon as I can. All my q3 engine games stutter and I still play sof2 online all the time so this thing is basically worthless to me. Sure, it's fast and very pretty but if you can't play your games, especially after shelling out this much cash, it's damn frustrating. I listened to everyone say that ATI has fixed their driver issues and wonder what they're smoking.

 

[Wurrmm]

Geforce FX 5900 Non ultra 128 is a good choice. From what I have seen the ATI cards do have a slight AA advantage at 4x and 6x vs Nvidia's 4x and 8x, the other AA modes that Nvidia are alos very nice. Other than that, Nvidia has the nicer overall card. I have a friend with a 9800 pro and he loves it. Either way, you can't go wrong with either. The 5900 will generally get better FPS especially in openGL based games. UT based games are pretty close though it seems ATI gets better IQ in UT and is much much closer in FPS to the Nvidia. Both are gona be pretty much the same price and the 5900 should be out in a few weeks.

 

[Jeff7181]

Keep your Ti500 and wait for DX9 to be more widely used. You could end up paying $300 now for a card that blows at real DX9 games. Wait till Doom3 and Half Life 2 actually come out, and see how the current DX9 cards run them.