9800XT vs FX5950

[Caimbeul]

have come into some cash and am going to take the plunge with one of the big boys (if you excuse the expression!) I was all geard up to go ATI when I read the "Nvidia puts ins new cards on the table" article on Toms. As far as I can see, they dont look that far off each other (even on TR:AOD) does the 9800XT have better DX9 prowess or has Nvidia sorted their drivers? I am only a loyal folloer of the company that provides the faster card in games ATI or Nvidia, I dont really care as long as its a good card which will last 2yrs and perform well in future games.

as always any serious answers/insughs welcome. thanks

<i>Mmmm Dawn AND Eve at the same time...Drroooooll
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<b>XP2800 Barton, 2x512Mb PC2700, ASUS A7N8X, PNY 64Mb Ti4200. 😎

 

[TKS]

I'd go with ATI for now...performance/money is a better deal right now...especially when cranking up the AA/AF on most games.

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<b>It is always brave to say what everyone thinks. </b> <i>Georges Duhamel</i>

TKS

 

[FunkySmile]

I cannot believe that you are even considering GFX5950 its such a waste of money. Not even going into the noise issues with GFX and totaly crap DX9 performance (just look at the TGH buyers guide -1st post in forum) in fact they are so bad that TGH doent even recommend it anymore (and they know what they are talking about)

Dont believe that nvidia will roll out some magic driver that will get them 30-50% performance increase in DX9 they lack compared to 9800. As it stands now (even with newest 52 series driver) 5950 loses out in HL2 even to 9600pro (which is a 1/4 of the price).

if you are buying now go for 9800not pro and flash and OC it to pro (or even XT) speeds. if you dont wanna mess around get the 9800pro if you can or R9700pro (like me)

 

[HardWareBoss]

You have the $500 to spend buy the 9800XT. Unless you want to wait till Mar or Apr for the new cards.

 

[gothitbycar]

Whoa funky, calm down there...
I know I may get some flamage here about defending Nvidia but I feel like I have to because they aren't that bad and funky's post just seemed like it struck a nerve in me...

in fact they are so bad that TGH doent even recommend it anymore (and they know what they are talking about)

Forums, like these, are made so people can get the opinions of experienced people, one opinion isn't always enough. Not everyone likes forming opinions from just one source and a forum is the perfect cure.

I cannot believe that you are even considering GFX5950 its such a waste of money.

I would not say the FX 5950 is totally crap, the new 52.16 drivers somehow pulled Nvidia up to competetive levels with ATI again.

Benchmarks with HL2 at this point are irrelevant, there are some issues with Nvidia but we have to see until the final product is released.
Finally, you wouldn't flash a 9800np, the only difference is the clock speed (god i hope im right on this, someone verify this, i dont need any backlash from funky.) Oh yea, its non pro, not "not pro"!

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[scottchen]

Image Quality, Image Quality, nVidia's new products are crap, even there own employees knows it, that's the sad part, i can't say 5950's crap but i can say it doesn't justify its cost. now about bios flash on 9800np if you flash the bios to pro you'll get more voltage on the VPU and the memory. VPU raised from 1.5 to 1.65, and memory raised from 2.8 to 2.9, those could be inaccurate though.

-Intel PIV 2.6C @ 3.575G -Asus P4P800 -OCZ Copper 2x256 4000EL memory @ 275mhz 3-4-4-8 -Sapphire 9800np @ 432/760 -SB audigy -120G Maxtor Diamond Plus9 S-ATA150 hdd -450 Enermax PSU

 

[gothitbycar]

Oh crap, oh well
IQ isn't as horrible as one would believe though its not always up to ATI standards and i know it's perfomance doesnt justify its cost. I'm just trying to defend anyone who bought one, I'm sure they'll agree its not complete crap. If you have any of those top of the line cards you won't be disappointed by any of them but i cant say the same thing about your wallets.

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[daddywags214]

If you spend $500 on a 5950 you're nuts... that's what I think.

<b>nVidia cheated on me so I left her for ATi. ATi's hotter anyway...</b>

 

[shadus]

You want the XT. The nvidia stuff is just to shakey right now... alternately wait a few months and buy the next gen card from one or the other (probally feb/march)

Shadus

 

[gothitbycar]

nuts and rich

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[scottchen]

I still think 9800pro 128meg is the best deal right now.

-Intel PIV 2.6C @ 3.575G -Asus P4P800 -OCZ Copper 2x256 4000EL memory @ 275mhz 3-4-4-8 -Sapphire 9800np @ 432/760 -SB audigy -120G Maxtor Diamond Plus9 S-ATA150 hdd -450 Enermax PSU

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

Not even going into the noise issues with GFX

I'm not a fan of nV, but... WTF are you talking about?

Do you even know?

The reference R9800XT is actually LOUDER (and it's a higher pitch whine) than the FX5950. You are obviously still going on old information.

Also your HL2 example is old, we have no idea how the run-time compiler will work with it. And that's been without much loss in IQ so far. But there are still issues (just like with the Catalyst drivers).

And from that I wouldn't value the rest of your post either. BTW, who is TGH?


Want a perfect example, well then check <A HREF="http://www.tecnation.co.uk/article.php?id=51&page=7" target="_new">these videos of the cards</A> actually running.

<A HREF="http://www.tecnation.co.uk/article.php?id=51&page=7" target="_new">http://www.tecnation.co.uk/article.php?id=51&page=7</A>


<b>Caimbeul</b>,I say go with the R9800XT or even smarter go for an R9800PRO-128mb and save the difference for other improvements elsewhere in your system, or buy a few games or DVDs with the difference.The main advanatge to me is price, and the more standardized approach to games and applications by the ATI cards. nV is able to make thei FX line perform better than before, but it does rely on driver optimizations, which means you may have to wait one driver generation before you get equal performance to the Radeons. Look at Max Payne 2 as a good example/test for this, how fast can nV make the FXs competitive?

But that's just my two frames worth as usual.


- You need a licence to buy a gun, but they'll sell anyone a stamp <i>(or internet account)</i> ! <A HREF="http://www.redgreen.com" target="_new"><font color=green>RED</font color=green> <font color=red>GREEN</font color=red></A> GA to SK

 

[coolsquirtle]

when the last time u looked for Hardware review? 1 or 2 years ago? What noise problem? Ohh so the problem is not that ur info is outdated it's that u're mental insane! you're definatly hearing things, and it's really sad that the things u hear are the fan noise coming from a videocard.
THG buyers guide? oh we just haven't updated that for QUITE A WHILE, INFACT, SPITFIRE WHERE ARE YOU!
Also no matter what that little voice in ur head tells u, nVidia DID roll out Magic drivers that increase their performance greatly. If u consider the FX5950Ultra losing to 9800 by 10-15 FPS in a DX9 getting its ass whooped, then u realllly need help! HL2? oh come on, my ass even knows that Valve will optimize HL2 for ATi for sure -_-"
Also have u seen a realistic publicly available HL2 benchmarks? Those benchmarks that Valve release could be as real as the ones Steve Jobs pulled out.


pssssssss

To the thread starter: WANNA BUY A GIGACUBE? 😀


RIP Block Heater....HELLO P4~~~~~
120% nVidia Fanboy
bring it fanATics~~ nVidia PWNS all!
SCREW aBOX! LONG LIVE nBOX!!

 

[scottchen]

Coolsquirtle in the end you mean lamecube? or gigapuke?

-Intel PIV 2.6C @ 3.575G -Asus P4P800 -OCZ Copper 2x256 4000EL memory @ 275mhz 3-4-4-8 -Sapphire 9800np @ 432/760 -SB audigy -120G Maxtor Diamond Plus9 S-ATA150 hdd -450 Enermax PSU

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

Also have u seen a realistic publicly available HL2 benchmarks?

I'll agree with you for most things in this thread, but I highly doubt Gabe fixed those Benchies. There WERE serious problems with the FX way of doing things. That may have changed for the most part, but let's not go overboard here. The Forceware drivers are good, but not a magic bullet.

BTW, here's that benchmark you were looking for, attached to one of the best FX5950 reviews out there IMO.

<A HREF="http://www.digit-life.com/articles2/gffx/nv38-36.html/nv38-36.html" target="_new">http://www.digit-life.com/articles2/gffx/nv38-36.html/nv38-36.html</A>

Now granted that's still the HL2 stolen BETA, and it hasn't had the chance for Forceware optimization (which may improve things once it's been preped for the run-time compiler), and like I said most FX users will have to wait for their cards to get the 'true' optimizations that we've seen recently. Waiting for each release is a drawback, but not as bad as floptimizations which was the previous strategy.

I think the main thing is to get as much info as one can, learn the most about the cards and then decide what fits your needs.

ME, I like Fullstream video smoothing for PRON, err... Independant Internet Film Entrepreneurs.
So I will probably stay with ATI.


- You need a licence to buy a gun, but they'll sell anyone a stamp <i>(or internet account)</i> ! <A HREF="http://www.redgreen.com" target="_new"><font color=green>RED</font color=green> <font color=red>GREEN</font color=red></A> GA to SK