ATI --> nVidia

Mr. Brightside

Mr. Brightside

Mr. Brightside

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Joined
27 Apr 2004
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2,377
I use Ubuntu 10.10 as my only operating system and have no intention of dual booting.

I have an HD 5850 card (bought before I moved away from Windows) but get a little annoyed with graphics drivers at times (things like having to reboot to change between single and dual monitor modes for example).

As I understand it, nVidia drivers for Linux are meant to be a lot better than ATI drivers and so for this reason I'm on the edge of selling the 5850 and getting an equivalent nVidia card. So I have two questions really:

a) Am I correct in expecting better drivers if I get a nVidia card?
i) Is functionality better, e.g. changing resolutions and monitor modes etc.?
ii) Do they make more efficient use of hardware resulting in better overall performance or are they about the same as ATI?
b) Is the GTX 470 approximately equivalent to the HD 5850?

Cheers,
Mr. Brightside
 
nVidia are way better under Linux than ATI, my e3300 and puny GF9300 plays WoW through Wine better than a Q6600 and 4850, so yeah...

Regarding the functionality, I'd say good - I run 10.10 at work with a dual monitor setup from a GF8800GTS and it's rather smooth, no issues thus far.

With regards to what matches what in the ATI\Nvidia world, I can't answer that question as I'm too far out of the loop :)
 
Mr. Brightside said:
I use Ubuntu 10.10 as my only operating system and have no intention of dual booting.

I have an HD 5850 card (bought before I moved away from Windows) but get a little annoyed with graphics drivers at times (things like having to reboot to change between single and dual monitor modes for example).

As I understand it, nVidia drivers for Linux are meant to be a lot better than ATI drivers and so for this reason I'm on the edge of selling the 5850 and getting an equivalent nVidia card. So I have two questions really:

a) Am I correct in expecting better drivers if I get a nVidia card?
i) Is functionality better, e.g. changing resolutions and monitor modes etc.?
ii) Do they make more efficient use of hardware resulting in better overall performance or are they about the same as ATI?
b) Is the GTX 470 approximately equivalent to the HD 5850?

Cheers,
Mr. Brightside
Click to expand...

yes yes yes yes yes... yes to all...

I still game so I dual boot with windows, so I use the opensource drive for my 5870, yet I doubt it would still be any good for dual monitors...

The linux nvidia driver is as good as it's windows counterpart, it is brilliant compared to ATI's abomination.

Why on earth do you need a GTX470 in linux if your not dual booting to game?

Why not get a £50 nvidia card?
 
I miss read the title and was half expecting an uber ati update...

Anyway is been a long standing problem of ati cards having pretty terrible linux drivers (the propitiatory ones arnt terrible 3D, but the 2D performance was embarrassing on them) and the only sensible option (for years now) has been to get an nvidia card (been from an x800 to a 7800gt and a 4850 to a 280gtx for this reason)
 
Oxy said:
Why on earth do you need a GTX470 in linux if your not dual booting to game?

Why not get a £50 nvidia card?
Click to expand...

I may not dual boot but that doesn't rule out a) gaming under Wine and b) the possibility of switching back to Windows (I don't currently plan to, but I also can't predict the future). Plus I wouldn't want to downgrade!

I went ahead and ordered an Asus GTX 470 yesterday - it arrived today. I've set it all up and having had a quick play around have come to the conclusion that yes, nVidia drivers are superior. The HD 5850 is set to begin auctioning at 9pm tonight; hopefully I'll complete this transition without significant net expense.

Thanks for the advice all :)
 
Mr. Brightside said:
I may not dual boot but that doesn't rule out a) gaming under Wine and b) the possibility of switching back to Windows (I don't currently plan to, but I also can't predict the future). Plus I wouldn't want to downgrade!

I went ahead and ordered an Asus GTX 470 yesterday - it arrived today. I've set it all up and having had a quick play around have come to the conclusion that yes, nVidia drivers are superior. The HD 5850 is set to begin auctioning at 9pm tonight; hopefully I'll complete this transition without significant net expense.

Thanks for the advice all :)
Click to expand...

Well fair enough, you just never stated that your going to dual boot in your first post :P

Just wanted to make sure that you understood that you don't need a £200 graphics card to enjoy linux :)
 
I have a 8800GTS 512 and it munches through anything I throw at it. Haven't upgraded purely because it hasn't let me down yet. Are the newer gen cards that much better?
I am glad I am nVidia oriented because not having the support for drivers under linux would drive me mad!
 
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