- Oct 22, 2000
- 24,514
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Finally getting around to contemplating a new computer. The main performance-intensive task will be photography, so as long as 3D doesn't embarrass itself to the point that there's lag in the occasional game of Neverwinter Nights or Combat Flight Sim, my main focus is 2D image quality.
Current machine main stats:
Athlon XP 64, 3400+ (Newcastle)
2GB DDR 400
Hitachi 160GB SATA 150 7200 RPM HDD
ATI AIW 9600XT, 128 MB
MSI K8T NEO-FSR mainboard
It wasn't bad when I built it in January of '05, but almost 4 years later it's coming time to upgrade again, especially now that I've gotten into working with RAW files from my camera.
Basic stats for the new computer are tentatively set at:
Intel Q9550 (Yorkfield)
MSI P45-8D mainboard
4GB DDR3 1333
Some form of SATA 300 7200 RPM drive (likely Seagate)
???? Video card
I've historically been biased towards ATI because I used to think that they held a slight edge in 2D quality despite a slight 3D performance gap when compared with nVidia, but I've been out of the market for so long that I know that my impressions 4 years ago just aren't applicable now. I hope to keep whatever I build now for at least another 4 years without updating, so even though I don't run any games more demanding than Morrowind or Neverwinter Nights (I would, however, like to be able to run Neverwinter Nights 2 at non-hobbled settings).
So, for these basic uses, bearing in mind that I plan to keep the system around for several years without upgrading, what do you all recommend as a decent video card choice?
ZV
Current machine main stats:
Athlon XP 64, 3400+ (Newcastle)
2GB DDR 400
Hitachi 160GB SATA 150 7200 RPM HDD
ATI AIW 9600XT, 128 MB
MSI K8T NEO-FSR mainboard
It wasn't bad when I built it in January of '05, but almost 4 years later it's coming time to upgrade again, especially now that I've gotten into working with RAW files from my camera.
Basic stats for the new computer are tentatively set at:
Intel Q9550 (Yorkfield)
MSI P45-8D mainboard
4GB DDR3 1333
Some form of SATA 300 7200 RPM drive (likely Seagate)
???? Video card
I've historically been biased towards ATI because I used to think that they held a slight edge in 2D quality despite a slight 3D performance gap when compared with nVidia, but I've been out of the market for so long that I know that my impressions 4 years ago just aren't applicable now. I hope to keep whatever I build now for at least another 4 years without updating, so even though I don't run any games more demanding than Morrowind or Neverwinter Nights (I would, however, like to be able to run Neverwinter Nights 2 at non-hobbled settings).
So, for these basic uses, bearing in mind that I plan to keep the system around for several years without upgrading, what do you all recommend as a decent video card choice?
ZV
I don't have any specific plans, but I can see myself buying Oblivion in the next year possibly. I'll probably continue my trend of buying games that are older, but not obsolete.
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