Performance gains from a x1900xt 256mb over an 1800xt 256mb?

[sti007]

Hi guys, Ordering my parts for the new system tonight. Spec has gone over budget as usual lol. Both these cards are on special on ocuk at mo with the x1900xt coming in at £40 more. I'm looking for a card that will allow me to play the latest games at max settings with eye candy on at 1280x1024 until the dx10 cards come out next year. Thats when I'll invest in a top end crossfire setup. I'd be grateful if you could let me know if the x1900xt is worth the extra cash over the x1800xt, both the 256mb versions. The card is going into a good conroe based rig with 2gb of corsair xms 800mhz Ram. I also want to overclock. Thanks for your help guys

 

[Darkwave]

This is a 7950GT review, but all the benchmarks include the X1800XT 512MB and X1900XT 256MB & 512MB. The 256MB and 512MB X1800XTs perform almost identically, so don't worry about that.

You're looking at a 10-20fps increase, so unless your X1800XT is struggling I wouldn't bother.

 

[HangTime]

I think you misunderstood him, he's building a new system and doesn't have a x1800xt yet

Personally I'd go for the x1900xt 256. Looks very strong in benchmarks and only marginally slower than the 512meg version - and it beats the x1800xt quite comprehensively. At £170 I'd say it's arguably the best card for under £200.

 

[Darkwave]

I think you misunderstood him, he's building a new system and doesn't have a x1800xt yet

Personally I'd go for the x1900xt 256. Looks very strong in benchmarks and only marginally slower than the 512meg version - and it beats the x1800xt quite comprehensively. At £170 I'd say it's arguably the best card for under £200.

Oops, well in that case I say he should buy the X1800XT if he's only gaming in 1280x1024 resolution. Saves quite a bit of drinking money and the card easily copes with everything in that resolution, even Oblivion.

P.S. There's no "arguably" about it.

 

[HangTime]

According to that review, even at 1280x1024 with no AA the x1900xt-256 is a good 20% faster than the x1800xt-512 in Oblivion. In a Conroe setup that little bit of extra grunt would be worthwhile IMO. Remember he wants to play the "the latest games at max settings with eye candy on"

If I was buying a card today (which I've considered lately as my 6800gt might be starting to play up) I'd get the x1900xt-256. I'm actually quite suprised to see a card of such power come in at around that price point, in recent months it seems ATI want to try and steal back the midrange (£130-170) market from nvidia with their cheap x1800xt/x1900xt offerings. Although ATI has always been competitive in the £200+ region, NV has basically had that midrange segment sewn up for quite some time with their 6600gt/6800gs/7600gt type cards

 

[Darkwave]

According to that review, even at 1280x1024 with no AA the x1900xt-256 is a good 20% faster than the x1800xt-512 in Oblivion. In a Conroe setup that little bit of extra grunt would be worthwhile IMO. Remember he wants to play the "the latest games at max settings with eye candy on"

Yeah, but who buys any X1800/X1900 type card and plays without antialiasing? I just upgraded from an X1800XT 256MB and it handled Oblivion with antialiasing very well at 1280x960.

 

[LoadsaMoney]

1280x1024 the x1800 XT 512mb will do you, got one here and it runs everything at that res maxed out, with some AA on, plays Oblivion maxed with 2xAA/16xAF+HDR on, outdoors gets between 30-40 odd, and in doors could be in the hundreds, so if handles Oblivion at that res, then it will handle anything, got mine when they hit last November and its still doing the biz, no clue when i need to upgrade it.

 

[sti007]

Thanks for the replies guys. I think I'm gonna opt for the x1900xt. I've read the reviews and it seems worth the extra cash.