PDA

View Full Version : graphics card help for a newbie!

adren@line
03-01-2004, 09:14 AM
I just put togethor a new pc for CG.. here are the specs:

Intel 865PERLL MOBO
Intel p4 2.8 ghz with 800mhz FSB
512MB dual channel PC3200 (DDR400) Ram (going to upgrade to 1 GIG soon)...
80 GB western digital hard drive (8mb cache)...
Geforce MX440 card.

Im looking for an entry level card (im just starting CG), nothing more than $200 preferably...

I want one with DVI outputs, and I have read that I can get more bang for my buck with a gaming card that is soft-quadro'ed.

The reason I want DVI outputs is because I plan to get a 17 inch LCD flat panel in the near future.

I was looking at this card:

FX5200 V9520 Series
http://usa.asus.com/products/vga/v9520vs/overview.htm

or this:

FX 5600 V9560
http://usa.asus.com/products/vga/v9560vs/overview.htm

or am I better off just getting a Quadro FX500? ( I can get one for $209 shipped)..

I eventually plan to get a nice workstation card later on (I want to get into CG professionally)... but for now I think an entry level card would do fine (unless any of you think otherwise).

Thanks
loop29
03-01-2004, 03:16 PM
Well, for the part that you want to do CG professionally I suggest you buy a professional card like the Quadro FX 500. Softquadroing is not recommended if you do serious work. You don´t have time to fiddle with driver patching when you need to finish a project. But if you have the time for fixing problems caused by softquadro or accepting limit to early drivers it is an option. I have to admit that I don´t really know which failures that could be, but if your application calls for newer drivers you´re out of luck since softquadroing is not developed anymore for latest drivers (only for nv chips, ATI patch script seems to be updated regularly by creator of Rivatuner). So the decision is yours again. Maybe a softquadroed card will serve you well for the first steps in CG, but later on I suggest going for a professional board. http://forums.guru3d.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=18 is a good place to request informations regarding softquadro. Read http://www.nvworld.ru/docs/sq4e.html for details and what´s it all about.

regards
elvis
03-01-2004, 08:38 PM
I'll agree with loop29 on this one. For pro 3D applications a QuadroFX will serve you far better than a gaming card, and at $209 delivered that's a great price.

(Damn I wish we could get stuff that cheap here in Australia :cry: )
loop29
03-01-2004, 09:43 PM
Hey Elvis,

isn´t there a FX 5800 that you can buy cheap?

I forgot to mention that the FX 500 is based on the Geforce FX 5200 core so the fun factor in both ways is kinda low. Just for the fact that the nvidia demos won´t go smooth on that card. The FX 5800 that I have runs with sq´ed 45.20 drivers and works as a Quadro FX 2000 now (SQ4 is not needed only nvstrap and antiprotection) and I must say even on my 1800+ it serves me well.

regards
elvis
03-03-2004, 02:28 AM
As of today I can get a 5700Ultra here in Australian for US$211 not including delivery.

And that's using the 0.75 conversion rate today. Only late last year our dollar was still around the 0.65 mark which made it even worse in relative terms.

Damn our tiny population density!
adren@line
03-03-2004, 02:41 AM
Right now im just a student. I have a good 2 years before I will get my degree, and hence, get a job (hopefully)....

Should I go ahead and get a cheap quadro? or a nice gaming card and mod it?
MattClary
03-03-2004, 12:11 PM
adren@line, since you are not "yet" doing it as a pro, save yourself the money and get a good gaming card. I have the Geforce FX 5900se and am quite pleased with it.

Around ~$185 at newegg.com

When you go pro and are actuall making money with CG, THEN invest in the pro card.

There is a whole thread a few up or down from this one on pro vs. gaming cards.
CGTalk Moderation
01-17-2006, 02:00 PM
This thread has been automatically closed as it remained inactive for 12 months. If you wish to continue the discussion, please create a new thread in the appropriate forum.