What Graphics Card Should I Upgrade To?
#1
Posted 27 December 2003 - 03:19 AM
#2
Posted 27 December 2003 - 03:54 AM
For now the 9600 SE would be good. Could you push the envelope a bit and try for a 9600 XT?? That would be a great upgrade. I've moved from nVidia and never regretted it. 3dmark 2001 se is 21,524, 2003 is 7,812. Great for gaming (gotta use all that grunt for something, right?)
#3
Posted 27 December 2003 - 05:45 AM
#4
Posted 27 December 2003 - 06:36 AM
CPU: Intel Pentium 4 2023 MHz
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce FX 5900, 300 MHz / 900 MHz
OS: Microsoft Windows XP
System Memory: 512 MB
Disp Driver: 5.3.0.3
3DMark Score: 5543
CPU: Intel Pentium 4 2993 MHz
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce FX 5900, 300 MHz / 946 MHz
OS: Microsoft Windows XP
System Memory: 1022 MB
Disp Driver: 5.2.1.6
3DMark Score: 5542
#5
Posted 27 December 2003 - 06:58 AM
#6
Posted 27 December 2003 - 07:04 AM
#7
Posted 27 December 2003 - 11:21 PM
#8
Posted 28 December 2003 - 12:47 AM
h0h0
#9
Posted 28 December 2003 - 12:57 AM
CPU: Intel Pentium 4 2023 MHz
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce FX 5900, 300 MHz / 900 MHz
OS: Microsoft Windows XP
System Memory: 512 MB
Disp Driver: 5.3.0.3
3DMark Score: 5543
CPU: Intel Pentium 4 2993 MHz
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce FX 5900, 300 MHz / 946 MHz
OS: Microsoft Windows XP
System Memory: 1022 MB
Disp Driver: 5.2.1.6
3DMark Score: 5542
Jito, I'm using the 3.10s, it's all there in my sig m8! I haven't benchmarked with these yet, the scores I quoted were using the 3.9 catalysts.
Anyway, the results you pasted are for the 3Dmarks 2003 benchmark, which is primarily a test of you DX9 vid card, and NOT the rest of your system, as opposed to 3Dmarks 2001 which is HEAVILY dependent on just about everything in your b0x3n.
Jito you are completely correct that drivers can make huge differences in these benchmarks. I am sure everyone must remember that nVidia were caught red-handed cheating with their drivers forcing lower textures (or something) and hence higher scores in the futuremark benchies. They did the same thing to improve performance in the UT2K3 and Q3 benchies too. I think that all the cheats have now been ironed out, though.
Oh, and note how absolutely crap the nVidia cards perform in the 2003 test compared with ATi. Their DX9 cards don't cut the mustard. My score is nearly 8000 they can't get near 6000.
Edited by thing, 28 December 2003 - 03:16 AM.
#10
Posted 28 December 2003 - 03:46 AM
#11
Posted 28 December 2003 - 03:02 PM
#12
Posted 28 December 2003 - 04:26 PM
#13
Posted 28 December 2003 - 07:52 PM
#14
Posted 29 December 2003 - 12:07 AM
binky go with what ever you can afford at the time. Over here the NVidia cards are generally cheaper so you can get more bang for your buck. Futureproofing your GFX card purchase is pointless as the life span of the mid to lower range cards gets shorter and shorter everytime a new game is released that requires just that extra bit more.
Doom 3 will hurt us all.
#15
Posted 29 December 2003 - 08:05 AM
#16
Posted 29 December 2003 - 04:08 PM
#17
Posted 29 December 2003 - 07:53 PM
Jito, I thought I had, never mind lol. I seem to remember that Ati have not been caught out by blatant cheating...I think they revealed that they had made some sort of optimisation before they were caught red-handed!
As for the driver issue, I read an article a month or so ago which reviewed and compared all the catalyst drivers. Performance-wise there was very little difference between them all. One good thing about the 3.10s is that Call of Duty doesn't crash anymore! The story with nVidia drivers seems to be different, every time they bring a new set of dets out they claim a 33% performance increase...
Anyway, Jito, I've got this strange compulsion to go off and play Max Payne 2 now.... I wonder why?
#18
Posted 29 December 2003 - 08:24 PM
#19
Posted 29 December 2003 - 11:53 PM
Hahaha, True however in saying that when many games come out ATI uses generally have to wait for their new drivers that fix their problems or even just make the game go. Take NFSU and NWN as a couple of examples. NVidia on the otherhand either go or theres something out by the end of the week. Depends if you like to wait too
Edited by zamiel, 29 December 2003 - 11:54 PM.
#20
Posted 30 December 2003 - 12:29 AM
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