ATi or Nvidia?

[Phil2008]

The problem with many enthusiasts they they mess around too much with the hardware with unofficial 3rd party hacks & the OS & make problems for themselves & have more problem gaming than many PC illiterate users who i make Gaming rigs for but yet i don't hear any issues from them when they update the drivers & play the latest games.

Thats sooooooo true, If ppl didnt mess about with settings and didnt update their drivers so often, their would be a lot less problems.

I tend to update my drivers every 3-4 months unless I have a game issue, but I very rarely have had game issues with my ATi cards over the years. (X1900, 3870,6950)

 

[Xelene]

Thats sooooooo true, If ppl didnt mess about with settings and didnt update their drivers so often, their would be a lot less problems.

I tend to update my drivers every 3-4 months unless I have a game issue, but I very rarely have had game issues with my ATi cards over the years. (X1900, 3870,6950)

I only upgrade drivers if they fix a specific issue with a game i'm having or unlock some performance. Otherwise why bother? It's not a security patch.

 

[Phil2008]

So have i & your brothers PC does not represent everyone else's which can have its own unique problems.
And its your statement that was absolute because im not trying to claim anything of which have better drivers unlike you.

And this is also true as some cards dont play nice with your hardware, so the first thing that gets blamed is the drivers

 

[Malk101]

What card should I buy, ati or nvidia.
I've not been here that long, but even I know its been asked a quadrillion times. Does search not work anymore ?

With respect, i have searched the wonderful web, but wanted the advice from the good folk of these forums who will have had a more hands on experience than say a quick review from some offbeat website.

Another question going round my limited brain cells is this flashing a 6950 to 6970, does this void the warranty and what are the chances of a novice (me ) bricking the card?

 

[Phil2008]

ok so take it from a guy who currently owns two 5870s and before that has only ever bought Nvidia.

Well theirs the prob staring you straight in the face,,, "2 5870s"... ppl need to use some brain cells me thinking

Basically If you dont want bugs or hardly any, stick with 1 gpu, and dont mess about with the drivers every 5mins.

If you want bugs and want to go gray quicker, go for multi gpu's.

 

[Blue160]

Another question going round my limited brain cells is this flashing a 6950 to 6970, does this void the warranty and what are the chances of a novice (me ) bricking the card?

Strictly it does void the warranty. If you find one with the dual bios it's pretty foolproof though. See the sticky at the top of the forum.

 

[hyperst]

I would go NV again next time, I have installed 3 NV drivers no problem, granted I was using crossfire and while it is very good for the money it does not perform all the time which is it's downfall, obviously I got a single NV card that was more powerful than my previous and am happy to say I do not regret it one bit

 

[Final8y]

I would go NV again next time, I have installed 3 NV drivers no problem, granted I was using crossfire and while it is very good for the money it does not perform all the time which is it's downfall, obviously I got a single NV card that was more powerful than my previous and am happy to say I do not regret it one bit

A single GPU that is more powerful than multi GPU options will always be the better option no matter what brand.

In my case i have nothing to lose & only gain as even if a game only works on a single GPU that Single GPU is still the most powerful of the generation.

 

[metalmackey]

I'd goPowerVR LOL.

Seriously, why the arguments? Both have had good and bad drivers. I've had no issues with my 6990 apart from Witcher 2 not in crossfire yet.

 

[Phil2008]

A single GPU that is more powerful than multi GPU options will always be the better option no matter what brand.

In my case i have nothing to lose & only gain as even if a game only works on a single GPU that Single GPU is still the most powerful of the generation.

Eye eye..... Single GPU eveytime for me aswel, Less trouble, Less power and less money

 

[robgmun]

Most of the probs are with multiple gpu's, if you cancel that out ATi and nVidia drivers are roughly the same

I'm done with multiple card setups, from now on i'm sticking to the most powerful single cards i can find, for now my 580GTX will do me

 

[Phil2008]

Most of the probs are with multiple gpu's, if you cancel that out ATi and nVidia drivers are roughly the same

But saying that, If you buy a single gpu card thats just been released,, drivers can be buggy for a few months untill ATi/nVidia has fixed the teething probs

 

[antran]

I'm also sticking with single gpu. I had problems like cold boot or xfire wouldn't load with xfire 5850 and 5970.

Since moving to a gtx 580 my system is running flawlessly.

 

[Phil2008]

I'm also sticking with single gpu. I had problems like cold boot or xfire wouldn't load with xfire 5850 and 5970.

Since moving to a gtx 580 my system is running flawlessly.

Thats prob is more todo with your current hardware fighting with the 2 cards, as those cards wouldnt have the cold boot prob with a diff system..

But as Ive said when you add more then 1 gpu, your adding more problems.

 

[fleming222]

Eye eye..... Single GPU eveytime for me aswel, Less trouble, Less power and less money

Couldn't agree more.

 

[metalmackey]

Granted, there are a few games that don't play ball with SLI/Crossfire but most do and I say, if you can afford it why not have 2? High end gamers are not too bothered about power and the performance can be doubled (or close to) in a lot of games.

 

[Confused Stu]

I went from crossfired 4870's to a single 5870 to save power, noise and PSU stress. Performance was better (just) with the 5870 in place but the poor little bugger looked so lonely through the side window on his own that I pretty quickly found an excuse to buy another!

Kids, multi-GPU can be addictive to geeks - don't start it and you'll never have to give it up!

Back on topic, I've only once had an issue with a driver and that was when I tried to update without disabling the Eyefinity group first. Apart from that, I've never had an issue with ATI/AMD's drivers. Can't speak for nVidia ones as the last NV cards I had were a 6200 followed by a 6600GT when they were current.

 

[Klo]

I've never had an issue with an AMD driver since my 9800 pro.

 

[Randomface74]

Just want to clarify about the whole "messing with drivers" thing.

ATI owners HAVE TO install the latest drivers, or their games DO NOT WORK.

It's not out of choice

 

[sarge78]

I'd go PowerVR LOL.

Pottsey to thread!

Dust off your old Oxygen/GLINT cards, 3DLabs are back in the mix now too! (under a new name)