video card or cpu

[sleeeper]

I am building a budget PC for a friend that wants to do 3D graphics. Is it better to have a faster CPU or Graphics Card?

 

[Matt_2000_17]

What kind of 3D Graphics?

Is it CAD?
Desktop Publishing?
Photography?
Website design?
etc, etc, etc

 

[Matt_2000_17]

High-End graphics Cards such as GeforceFX 5600 or above and Radeon 9600 above are more designed towards gaming. If its for 3D graphics, then a entry level graphics card should suffice.

AS for the CPU then a 2GHz is probably a good starting point.

 

[blackphoenix77]

I think its better to have a better Graphics Card because the better the card, the more powerful the GPU is and usually the higher end cards take on the work load instead of the CPU..merr, nevermind don't know what i'm talking about. I think its better to have a better graphics card if you're a gamer, and to have a faster processor if you're using graphics programs.

My Rig:
AthlonXP 2000+ 1.677ghz
GeForce Verto FX5200 128mb DDR
Maxtor 7200RPM 80GB, Stock 40gb
Kingston 384MB DDR
Cendyne 52x24x52 CD-RW
Lite-On 4x DVD-RW
Go EMachines...

 

[sirak]

For games: faster gfx card
For image design: faster cpu

----------------------
PIV 2.4c @ 2.89ghz
1gig PC3200 (512mbx2)
ASUS P4P800
GF3 Ti200 64mb (soon to be replaced)
WinXP Pro
3DMark2001SE: 6309
3DMark2003: 729

 

[timberwolf1]

My recommendation is to go for a good CPU and graphics card.
Both these items are important when doing 3D graphics.
But you don't have to shell out cash for the latest and greatest, get something decent but not top of the line - that will be sufficient.



Gary Hendricks
<A HREF="http://www.digital-music-guide.com" target="_new">www.digital-music-guide.com</A>

 

[cleeve]

For a gaming Rig:

a Good CPU + Great graphics card

will get much higher framerates than:

a Great CPU + Good graphics card

And

The Top of the Line CPU + bottom line graphics card

Will get horrible framerates.



So if gaming is your thing, a 2.4 Ghz P4 or 2400+ AthlonXP and a midhigh-end card like a 5900XT or 9800 will offer excellent gaming performance.

For most games you can even get away with a 2 Ghz or 2000+. However upcoming games like Doom3 and HL2 are very CPU intensive though, so if you want the rig to last, anytyhinbg higher than a 2.8 Ghz/2800+ should be good.



________________
<b>Radeon <font color=red>9500 PRO</b></font color=red> <i>(hardmodded 9500, o/c 322/322)</i>
<b>AthlonXP <font color=red>2600+</b></font color=red> <i>(o/c 2400+ w/143Mhz fsb)</i>
<b>3dMark03: <font color=red>4,055</b></font color=red>