ATI Radeon "optimized" for HL2

[ShinRa]

OK, now its debate time. I really need to know soon. Do I buy the 128 or the 256, there's 2 different stories. Snipers, and A.A's. Can we get more feedback on the 256 and 128 variants and which is actually better?

 

[$niper]

If you want to save $100, buy the 128mb version. By the time games start to use a full 256mb of video memory (Not even the next generation games can do that yet.), your card will already be out of date.

The 256mb card has almost no advantage over the 128mb version to warrant the extra $100.

You should just read the review on the card comparing the 128mb and 256mb versions to determine which is actually "better."

 

[ShinRa]

i tend not to trust toms hardware...which is why im opting a second opinion

 

[$niper]

They're quite possibly the most trust worthy hardware (p)reviewers out there.

 

[djkanuk]

As I read it, both Sniper and AA agree (and me, and Tom's Hardware). The 256mb card is very nice, but by the time you'll be able to play games that can take advantage of it, the same card will cost half the price. So you're probably better off waiting, or getting the 128mb version. It's only a cost-v-performance question, really

 

[ShinRa]

128mb it is then....

 

[A.A]

Originally posted by guinny
i tend not to trust toms hardware...which is why im opting a second opinion

That's good. He's not to be trusted.

 

[A.A]

Originally posted by guinny
128mb it is then....

Yes!
Save some money for the R420

 

[ShinRa]

R420...god seriously when is it ever going to be enough. Things can't get much better than the cards out there now. WTF is double the speed gonna do? Seriously?

 

[A.A]

Originally posted by $niper
They're quite possibly the most trust worthy hardware (p)reviewers out there.

Funny.

 

[ShinRa]

Yea Sniper, seriously, Tom's Hardware has been wrong more times then I could count. Especially how bias they are against ATI.

 

[A.A]

Originally posted by guinny
R420...god seriously when is it ever going to be enough. Things can't get much better than the cards out there now. WTF is double the speed gonna do? Seriously?

That's what people might have thought of Riva TNT.
It can allways get better. It will run all games in so high framerates that the human eye can't see more
Let's wait and see before we judge.

 

[A.A]

Originally posted by guinny
Yea Sniper, seriously, Tom's Hardware has been wrong more times then I could count. Especially how bias they are against ATI.

And AMD.

I like Nordichardware and Extremetech more.

 

[$niper]

I read other hardware review places on the net out there, but I have to say Toms Hardware Guide is the most unbiased and trust worthy. I don't understand where you're coming from with all these accusations about them being biased for one company or another. Perhaps you should read into their reviews a bit more.

 

[$pazmatazz]

AnandTech is a really good site as well.

 

[ShinRa]

Originally posted by A.A
Yes.
Are they 80mm or 120mm?

Doesn't say on the description. But let's say they're 80mm? Is that going to do it?

 

[ShinRa]

BTW, the case says Tooless ATX or whatever. What's tooless??

 

[xXSMGXx]

Saying "Optimized" is just another market move not more not less ;(

 

[Grimsrud]

"They're [Toms Hardware] quite possibly the most trust worthy hardware (p)reviewers out there."

Hehe... someone has been sleeping the latest years I see. That is not simply true... but lets dont take that discussion in these forums.

 

[Pr()ZaC]

Toms Hardware:unbiased and trustworthy=nVidia:best,non-cheating drivers
Time to wake up, people

 

[jhero]

Toms-Hardware....thats bad..they actually got me going that my p4 beat an athlon... psssssshhhhhhh

 

[ShinRa]

Your p4 does beat an athlon. P4's are faster, more reliable, and are better built than athlons.

 

[$niper]

Oh well. I'm still going to Tom's Hardware. I trust them. If you don't, then that's your loss.

Benchmarks don't lie, unless a company is cheating.

 

[ShinRa]

Nvidia was caught cheating severely. So was ATI, but Nvidia was worse.

 

[$niper]

Right exactly, and Tom's Hardware wasn't there trying to defend nVidia.

Case in point: Please tell me where Tom's Hardware is "biased" in their reviews.

 

[ShinRa]

I will if you send me that grunt map you made.

 

[Miasma]

Toms-Hardware....thats bad..they actually got me going that my p4 beat an athlon... psssssshhhhhhh

From all that I can gather from the 3+ "unbiased" review sites I visited, the AMD Athlon 3200+ is roughly equal to the Intel Pentium 4 3.0ghz, but the Pentium 4 3.2 ghz takes the cake.

 

[A.A]

Originally posted by guinny
Nvidia was caught cheating severely. So was ATI, but Nvidia was worse.

ATI admited their cheating, but it could barrely be called cheating and removed it as soon as the new drivers where out.
Nvidia on the other hand, never admited the cheating and made another lie that it would be "optimisation", even though their cheating was far greater then ATI's.

 

[A.A]

A tip to you all, dont just read on ONE site. And don't just listen to what ONE side has to say about things.
You should always be sceptical.

 

[reever2]

Neither of the cards could be "optimized' more than the other for Hl2. But HL2 makes extensive use of pixel shaders which is much faster on the high-end and even middle Ati cards than on any Nvidia cards, especially DX9 shaders where the high-end ati is sometimes more than 3 times faster than the high-end nvidia, so i guess Ati in theory could say they are optimized for Hl2