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ATi or Nvidia?
- Thread starter Malk101
- Start date
The general forum feel: Nvidia if you want slightly more reliable software, ATI if you want slightly more reliable hardware
Never had a hardware problem with Nvidia, the only problems i see ever posted was the 480 being to hot/noisy. My 580 is a little warm sometimes but it's been a rock solid card
Not that nVidia dosn't have good comments with regard to IQ (image quality), however I feel that this is one thing that ATI/AMD has delivered particularly well on. I have heard / read more people commenting on the great IQ of ATI over the years than any other gpu firm. I recently changed from an ATI 4870X2 over to a 480. While both of them deliver excellent in game graphical quality, I do find the IQ on desktop / text a bit better with the X2.
I am not someone that has much of an interest in some of the technologies nVidia currently have at their disposal, though I do think the performance of their gpu's is smoother and, in particular, has better AA implementation (bottom line with a gpu = how it performs). When I apply x4 AA there isn't a noticeable frame rate hit like there was with previous ATI cards.
If AMD sorted that main point (AA) out I'd be happy to try out one of their latest and greatest cards again.
I am not someone that has much of an interest in some of the technologies nVidia currently have at their disposal, though I do think the performance of their gpu's is smoother and, in particular, has better AA implementation (bottom line with a gpu = how it performs). When I apply x4 AA there isn't a noticeable frame rate hit like there was with previous ATI cards.
If AMD sorted that main point (AA) out I'd be happy to try out one of their latest and greatest cards again.
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Your comparing brand smoothness from a multi GPU to a single GPU which may have nothing to do with brand, you may of noticed the same thing coming from a 295 to the 480.
Second point, allot of cards & drivers have past under the bridge since the 4xxx & the 6xxx today maybe nothing like what you had experienced back then.
Just a few things that should be taken into consideration.
You only need the 2nd card for the 3rd monitor output, not SLI, as nVidia cards only have 2 display output stages in hardware, IMO you need more than one GPU for 3 screen gaming anyhow so its not really an issue.
That really depends on the res of the screens.
Same. Especially as I have only had single gpu setups, both sets of drivers I found to be pretty solid.
Before when the custom 480s were on offer at £200 that would have been your best bet but now with the stock one at £220, which I found run way too hot and loud for me, the 6950 is a solid choice.
Yes, good point about the dual v single gpu, silly of me not mention it myself really.
I did notice the AA frame rate hit with other single gpu ATI cards, though as you say, these were older, in some cases very old cards.
I suppose if I were to try out a more recent one my findings may be quite different. Tempted to get a 6950 and return it under DSR now!
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True, but I'd imagine most people will be going for 1680x1050 or higher resolution panels and trust me even 3x 1680x1050 panels can quite easily tax the fastest single GPUs we have available atm if you like to play with decent quality settings.
Ive had a ATi X1900, 3870 and now a 6950 over the past 5yrs or so and Ive had very little trouble with drivers, and Ive havent had any trouble with my 6950 so far. Multiple gpu's are always a arse with games, ATi or Nvidia. So that's the reason I stick to 1 gpu as you get a lot less headaches and gray hair
The 6950 2GB is by far the best card at this price point- it blows the 560Ti out of the water, especially when flashed to a 6970.
NVidia being somehow better in driver terms is a fallacy that hasn't been true for at least 5 years. For more information, see my signature.
NVidia being somehow better in driver terms is a fallacy that hasn't been true for at least 5 years. For more information, see my signature.
Not really true. nVidia's drivers have their fair share of problems but a good AMD/ATI WHQL release is about on par with a good nVidias beta release they've never had a driver as good as a good nVidia release (both companies have had some pretty shocking bad releases too).
Way too many long standing issues in ATI/AMD drivers - some even exist today that first showed up in the late 90s. What I find strange, back in Q2/Q3 2009 AMD pumped out some pretty good drivers with many long standing issues solved, but many of them seem to be creeping back in with the 11 series drivers.
Had a 5770 and now a 6950 and not had a problem with drivers. Except I get green rain in GTA4. Yes, the rain is green. Apart from that, the 6950 is an excellent card. 2gb VRAM and great xfire scaling so should have a decent lifespan too.
The ony nvidia card I've owned was a GT 230 and that was plagued with issues. Display driver has stopped working was a daily occurrence. Not typical I'm sure, but amd will be investing in the drivers for the 6950 as it's such a popular card right now.
Lets just forget it because there is no way a good AMD/ATI WHQL is not better than NV card killers.
To try to claim that AMD drivers are only as good as NV beta's is living in a dream world as you just don't have both NV & AMD cards running side by side generation after generation, driver after driver to concluded that with any merit.
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Oh yeah there was the odd crappy beta driver... a bit aside from my point tho.
Your points are not valid for the reasons i stated as you have not had enough recent cards & drivers from both brands long enough to make such a statement.
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