Video cards

[erilaz]

In my opinion (and I have numerous tests to back this up), is to not go with the Radeon. Get the geforce 4600 instead. The drivers for the ATI cards are plagued with issues, and the geForce card drivers have optimisations for max.

Oh, and the quadro tweaks really aren't worth it. :)

[bjparch]

What's wrong with the Quadro tweaks?

[jadedchron]

I also would not go the ATI route.. as from experience. Nvidia has never steered me wrong yet.

[Jon_Pran]

I am not sure I would jump to those conclusions...but I am no expert, so I looked at the experts:

http://discuss.extremetech.com/n/main.asp?webtag=extremetech&nav=messages&msg=26631.6

If that link doesn't work without logging in (I posted the question about new Fire GL cards), try a search for Fire GL.

This article discuses nVidia's new FX addition to the Geforce line and concludes that the Radeon 9700 Pro is still better. Read for yourself, though:

http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,3973,846730,00.asp

I have an old Geforce 3 (I think, it's been a while) with 64mb and a Quadro 700 gxl with 64mb. I use Max on both and really don't notice too much of a difference. Not for the cost, anyway.
The systems are:
Dell 933mhz
512 mb ram
Geforce 3 64mb

Dell 2.2ghz Xeon (only one chip)
768 mb rdram
Quadro 4 700 gxl

Hope that helps.

[TCP]

Humble opinion, geForce! I too have had insane problems getting ATI to work properly with MAX (all the way back to 3DS r3!). I switched about 2 years ago to nVidia and have yet to run into card/driver issues.

[jadedchron]

Benchmarks the new ATI is faster yes. The thing that should finalize your decision is the driver/support. Usually the nvidia's have been up by one par. however now they're down a knotch or two in some areas, but I'd take a quality supported card over one that doesn't offer the same material.

[Jon_Pran]

Yeah, I've read that there used to be problems, but everyone assures me that they're gone.
I'll let you know, Dell sells the workstations with Fire cards (and the new top end ones bested the Wildcat and Quadro 980 in Computer Arts and 3D World and somewhere else). I've remained loyal to nVidia, but I don't build my own machines, so I get what they come with : (

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