Upgrading graphics card on old CPU - makes sense or not?

[blazorthon]

Tons of people have reference cards. IDK why you're saying it's so rare. I've used several of them and I've known dozens of people with them.

Furthermore, if we're going back to that, then I ask again, why was it just the one driver that was a problem if what you said was true? If reference cards are so rare, then what's the point of even putting up Nvidia's and AMD's generic drivers for public use?

Heck, I could also point out that reference cards are even more common for AMD than for Nvidia. AMD even lets you download new BIOS versions when they make them such as with the 7950 and the 7970, not just driver updates.

 

[JefferyD90]

Tons of people have reference cards. IDK why you're saying it's so rare. I've used several of them and I've known dozens of people with them.

Furthermore, if we're going back to that, then I ask again, why was it just the one driver that was a problem if what you said was true? If reference cards are so rare, then what's the point of even putting up Nvidia's and AMD's generic drivers for public use?

Heck, I could also point out that reference cards are even more common for AMD than for Nvidia. AMD even lets you download new BIOS versions when they make them such as with the 7950 and the 7970, not just driver updates.

Obviously, you are ignorant to what a "reference" means.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/reference?s=t

In case you still don't understand, the reason it is call REFERENCE is because it is not a product meant to be used, it is meant to be for REFERENCE only. If actual end users have a REFERENCE card, it is less than 1% of the population.

 

[smeezekitty]

I think what he is referring to is "reference card clones" that are nearly the same as reference cards but put out by other manufacturers.

 

[blazorthon]

There are many cards that are literally just the reference cards. They're sometimes used to make the bottom tier models for a given type of card by companies that make more than one model of each card (IE a company with multiple 7950s will often have a reference card as their weakest and cheapest 7950). It is more than just 1% of the population. Some companies sell reference models. More often than not, companies will instead sell a card that is just a reference card but have the cooler have their logo on it (basically just painted their logo somewhere on the cooler), but there are still some that are just reference cards with an AMD or Nvidia logo, if any logos at all. For example, my GTX 295s. Those may be only a very small part of the population, but it's still very common to have cards that are just reference cards with a different logo. They use the generic PCB and drivers most of the time, just FYI.

For example, especially up until recently, Powercolor had a lot of cards that were purely reference cards except for a small Powercolor logo on the fan shroud. There are several other companies that do this often such as Diamond, HIS (only for some of their bottom cards), and more. These cards use generic drivers and reference BIOS in addition to just the reference PCB and such.

 

[JefferyD90]

There are many cards that are literally just the reference cards. They're sometimes used to make the bottom tier models for a given type of card by companies that make more than one model of each card (IE a company with multiple 7950s will often have a reference card as their weakest and cheapest 7950). It is more than just 1% of the population. Some companies sell reference models. More often than not, companies will instead sell a card that is just a reference card but have the cooler have their logo on it (basically just painted their logo somewhere on the cooler), but there are still some that are just reference cards with an AMD or Nvidia logo, if any logos at all. For example, my GTX 295s. Those may be only a very small part of the population, but it's still very common to have cards that are just reference cards with a different logo. They use the generic PCB and drivers most of the time, just FYI.

For example, especially up until recently, Powercolor had a lot of cards that were purely reference cards except for a small Powercolor logo on the fan shroud. There are several other companies that do this often such as Diamond, HIS (only for some of their bottom cards), and more. These cards use generic drivers and reference BIOS in addition to just the reference PCB and such.

If it does not have the NVidia logo on it, and if it has ANY other logo on it, it is NOT a reference card.

 

[blazorthon]

My GTX 295s have only Nvidia logos. They are reference cards. Furthermore, having other logos painted onto the cooler doesn't mean that they can't be a reference clone.

 

[Vettedude]

That CPU should be able to handle most any of the Nvidia cards up until the 400 series. The 500 or 600 series would be too much, unless you plan on a new build eventually anyways. On the AMD side it should handle a low end 6000 series or a high end 5000

Wrong. I have a 6850 attached to my Q8300 (higher clock but less cache than his) and they are perfect for each other.

 

[smeezekitty]

The way I look at it, if you buy a better card, you can always reuse it if you get a new computer or CPU.

 

[iceclock]

whats the difference between referrence and non reference cards, i know hardware well but im confused on this lol

 

[JefferyD90]

Wrong. I have a 6850 attached to my Q8300 (higher clock but less cache than his) and they are perfect for each other.

The only 6000 series card lower than yours is a 6770... So yours is fairly low-end...

 

[JefferyD90]

whats the difference between referrence and non reference cards, i know hardware well but im confused on this lol

You can not get a reference card, so don't worry about it. They are given to manufacturers, reporters, and system builders. end users should not have them.

 

[iceclock]

ya thats what i talt mostly for companies, not public consumption 😀

 

[JefferyD90]

ya thats what i talt mostly for companies, not public consumption 😀

Correct

 

[iceclock]

ditto.

 

[danci1973]

I was referring to a actual benchmark... like if you went to 3dmarks website and looked at top results. Im trying to say, no normal person has one. So NO normal person should be downloading drivers from the Nvidia website, they should get them from their manufacture, which is why this whole thing started.

I have never used anything BUT NVidia's drivers from their website and never had any problems.

If what you're saying is true for ATI cards, I'll stay well clear of them.

If it does not have the NVidia logo on it, and if it has ANY other logo on it, it is NOT a reference card.

That's semantics - I am pretty sure we're talking about 'reference design' cards - where 'design' means the actual electronics design (schematics) and not logos and appearance.

D.

 

[iceclock]

ati cards are fine. also its called amd now.

narp