Graphics Card for HL2 - Poll - NEW!

[glHalfLife]

Sorry for the error guys! I accidently clicked submit without the poll options. (I wish you could edit a post to add a poll).

As this forum seems to have much more activity than the Hardware forum, I thought I would do a quick poll here.

I am trying to make up my mind as whether to get an X800 Pro or 6800 GT. As alot of you may have already made the choice or are going to make the same choice, maybe you can cast your vote and opinions in here.

If this sort of post has been done before, then think of this one as an update to see if anymore people have made their minds up :thumbs:

 

[FierceDeityLink1]

The 6800 vs. X800 argument has been beaten to death...

16 pipelines vs. 12 pipelines (in this case)
SM3.0
16xS AA...

 

[Homer]

Ati really pulled a fast one with the 9700 and 9800, but with the new line nvidia came back and released the sort of product we expect from them. And, as a rule, when in doubt nvidia is always better just because they have better driver support.

 

[Gorgon]

Go for 6800GT,

HL2 is ATI's baby while 10s of other game coming soon are optimized for Nvidia.

Nvidia 6800GT roks,

Next month R480 AND N48 will be available, wait and see

 

[mayfer]

i looked at many benchmarks investigating x800 and 6800 cards.

my general impression is that in most of the games, the 6800 cards are slightly better than x800 cards at high resolutions (without AA or AF), but usually the differences are minor, usually a couple fps more. but when AA and AF are on, the x800 cards own the 6800 cards. and since games suck without AA and AF, i say that x800 is much better.

both cards are unnecessarily good, so don't worry, you'll be able to play every game at ultra high options with very high fps, so don't worry too much. buy whichever you like. i personnaly prefer ATi.

 

[Raidea]

I've looked at the benchmarks as well a while back, and the 6800 performed better than the X800 almost throughout.

Though HL2 is optimised for the X800 you will easily be able to run it with everything full on a 6800 (if your processor isn't slow) and on most other games the 6800 will peform better.

6800 > X800

 

[BetaMaster]

I'd say ATi. I have an All-In-Wonder 9600, and it works fine with CS:S.

 

[Asuka]

nVidia GeForce 256MB 6800 GT

 

[TinyKilbasa]

Ati really pulled a fast one with the 9700 and 9800, but with the new line nvidia came back and released the sort of product we expect from them. And, as a rule, when in doubt nvidia is always better just because they have better driver support.

What are you referring to when you say "pulling a fast one" ?

 

[bizzy420]

I have an All-In-Wonder 9600, and it works fine with CS:S.

runs fine? what settings? what resolution? AA and AF?


anyways, i had BOTH the x800pro and the 6800gt. both cards ran basically the SAME ( x800 would get 78fps, the gt would get 80fps) on my system.

2.8ghz
2gb ddr400.


i ended up returning the x800pro, since both cards had the same performance, why not keep thye 16 pipes.

 

[MrMan16]

well, i have a x800 pro and CS:S runs flawless on the highest of settings. Also, you might want to do what I did. Get the Vivo version...the vivo version have 16 pipelines (though you may have to flash the bios) . Mine came with the 16 pipelines already enabled (go figure), and you can overclock the vivo ones quite good, even some up to XT speeds.

 

[Some_God]

Everyone knows the 6800 pwns.. btw wrong forum.

 

[DrEvil]

I have an X800 PRO. I can play counterstrike with all settings maxed out(including 16x aniso) and the game is still smooth as butter.

 

[cadaveca]

x800 pro is faster, using the ATI 8.07 beta driver. It finally allows cards taht have 256mb or ram to actually use it.

 

[joule]

Definitely, the nVidia GeForce 256MB 6800 GT.

 

[blahblahblah]

Either

 

[P43.2/1Gig/X800P]

I have a x800 Pro and its excellent i mean wow

 

[bruce02]

X800 XT here.

 

[Asus]

Either card will let you play all the newest games and good settings and frame rate.
If you are thinking specificly for Half-Life 2 games then the X800 Pro might be a better choice. The 6800GT is not a bad choice for HL2 either. I have one and it does pretty well although I would perfer the X800 Pro for HL2.

 

[Aceallways]

Personnaly I like ATI card but you can go either way. Take note that it is possible to unloack the extra pipelines on a X800 Pro, this + overclocking makes it a X800 XT.

Whatever you do, make sure to use OMEGA drivers.

 

[johngloid]

Do they both still differ in image quality? AFAIK Valve is developing on ATI cards primarily, so the way it looks on an ATI is the way they want it to look.

http://www.pcper.com/article.php?aid=67&type=expert&pid=4

 

[Flax]

well, i have a x800 pro and CS:S runs flawless on the highest of settings. Also, you might want to do what I did. Get the Vivo version...the vivo version have 16 pipelines (though you may have to flash the bios) . Mine came with the 16 pipelines already enabled (go figure), and you can overclock the vivo ones quite good, even some up to XT speeds.

(x800 pro)
What does it mean that you "you may have to flash the bios"
Do you have to unlock the 4 other pipes??
Can the card come whit 4 pipes disabeld??
(kind of new to "hard ware")
Stupid questions fore some, not for me,
plz explain =P :thumbs:

 

[Alientank]

6800 GT's also OC to Ultra speeds easily, I have one. Believe me, the extra 4 pipes will come in handy when new games come out and really stress the hardware fully.

Edit: Saw the results, a lot of people are picking the Pro, don't know why, the GT is the better card here, and yes I've owned ATI cards, but the GT is the best for price/performance. People probably said ATI because this is and HL2 forum and HL2 is DX which ATI usually performs better in.

 

[antimatter]

I'd say the 6800 GT. Overall, it has the best bang for the buck from all the reviews I've read.

 

[Diablo2k]

Judging by the poll results there seem to be alot of ATI lovers on this forum.

 

[RacingGun]

Not necessarily ATi lovers... just not swayed as easily by nVidia advertising and propaganda as others.

Also, the argument about ATI's drivers being crap compared to nVidia's drivers was valid maybe 3-4 years ago, with the 8500 and earlier. Catalyst is amazing now and as another person just said, ATi has released a patch so that all 256MB x800 cards now properly use their memory, so maybe some new benchmarks are in order. ATi has also recently changed there policy on application specific optimizing to closer match nVidia's long time stance which allowed application specific optimization, so you'll likely see ATi improvements in many of the more popular games.

Anyways, you can't go wrong with either card, as they are both amazing!

 

[She]

the 6800 GT is so damn BIG!!

thats why i chose the x800XT

 

[Cyber$nake]

6800GT is better than the X800pro, but the 6800 ultra is just below the X800 XT (pci at least), but really it wont make a diff. They're both good. But if you choosing between the 68000gt and x800 pro then go 6800 gt. Isnt it a little bit cheaper too? Plus you can OC it well.

 

[dillingerx]

This thread is full of idiot fanobys.

Whoever recomended the x800 over the 6800 GT is a f***ing moron

 

[7hoR]

using the ATI 8.07 beta driver. It finally allows cards taht have 256mb or ram to actually use it.

Interesting...I'll have to try those out.

I have a ATI X800 Pro Modded to an ATI X800 XT PE because I got the card with Vivo and I'm very happy with it. Either video card you get, their isn't too much of a difference...you will be happy either way.

 

[Alientank]

This thread is full of idiot fanobys.

Whoever recomended the x800 over the 6800 GT is a f***ing moron

Yep. If it was x800xt then it'd be a different story, they are very close cards, but the x800 pro is not on par with the GT, facts are just there.

 

[johngloid]

Does anyone mind commenting on this? I think it's a pretty big deal. Black wood (Nvidia) vs "correct" wood textures (ATI)?

Do they both still differ in image quality? AFAIK Valve is developing on ATI cards primarily, so the way it looks on an ATI is the way they want it to look.

http://www.pcper.com/article.php?aid=67&type=expert&pid=4

 

[GoDGuY]

This is a poll for HL2 tho , you'd think the x800pro would > the 6800gt in half life 2?!

 

[altopryde656]

In HL2, I really have no idea whats better. But I can tell you what I know. 6800 GT is better than the x800 pro, but 6800 Ultra is a little behind the x800 PE. PLus, the 6800 has pixel shader 3.0, so I'd say the 6800 GT over the x800 pro.

 

[SLaY3r07]

Well I bought my ATi X800 XT PE for HL2/CS:S and I can't wait to get a new 19" Samsung CRT Syncmaster and go 1792X1344 w/ AA and AF on...

 

[FierceDeityLink1]

I don't get black wood in the VST with my 6800 Ultra. It's probably a driver issue (I've tried it with no AA, 4x, 8xS, and 16xS).

If you want to compare screenshots side to side, you'll see that both aren't perfect (but are damn fast).

BTW: Visiontek says:

"Yes, this is correct, there is a XT that's slower, but I would keep your order since we are expecting 60 pieces of the PE part, and are NOT going to be recieving any more PE parts after that, so it's going to be impossible to get it anymore, and impossible anywhere else for that matter"

 

[ATI4EVER!]

look, generally i like ATI better, it's just a thing that i have. But both cards will be awesome. Hell, 9600s will run any game awesome. Just keep this in mind. (looking at your sig, go for ATI....)


this is copied from a thread that i posted in (it's my post tho )

I am the master at explaining how this stuff works. At least i think so. Peple normally write to me asking. So here: (I am so sick of posting this on so many threads)

Videocards opperate by Pipelines, much like your CPU. Videocard pipelines are very very deep and wide. The 9600xt features 4 of these pipelines, the 9800 features 8, the x800 12 and the 6800 16. Holy crap. That is a lot. Now you ask "so what?". Well when your videocard draws out something, it has to pass through the pipelines (the rule of thumb is more pipelines usually is faster) so if you have say 16 pipelines, it will do the work faster than if you have 4 pipelines. Now, these pipelines are beeing feeded by the CPU (your 1.2ghz athlon). If you have an 8 pipeline videocard with a crappy cpu, the cpu won't be able to issue enough instructions to the videocard. Pipelines are REQUIRED to be full at all costs, if they are not, all work that is currently in the pipeline will be tossed out and it has to start all over again, this results in lost clock cycles, you prbably loose some 40fps for 2 seconds. This could happen with the fastest CPU on the planet, and a 4 pipeline videocard, if the cpu messes up or something, it is very rare and it would only last 2 seconds. BUT.. if you have a 8 pipeline vodeocard with your cpu it will happen very very often.

Here is a little thing i made up myself to guide you.

4 pipeline: 1.8ghz P4 or AMD equivelent
8 pipeline: 2.4ghz P4 (w/HT) or AMD equivalent
12 pipeline: 3.0ghz P4 (w/HT) or an athlon 64 (any speed)
16 pipeline: 3.0ghz P4 (w/ HT Preferably extreme edition) or Athlon 64FX 51

Ram also matters, when i bought my 9600XT i had 256mb ram, it SUCKED. I upgraded and bought a stick of 512 mb, that helped alot.

generally you should always have at least 512 mb.

I hoped this helped.


SO really acording to that chart that i made, yopu aren't really supposed to go above a 9800XT, but if you must...than 12, but it can be risky. I myself would go with the 9800XT, so that i know that bad things wont happen, and anyways, it still rox big time!

 

[skumbuzzul]

Personal best bet is a 256mb 9800 pro. Dated. But damn, you sure get your monies worth. A decent 400mhz mobo and a gig of ram doesnt hurt either. The only bottleneck is your proc.

 

[Danimal]

Since we are talking about Hardware...

How much will it cost for a good proccessor that has 2GHz - 2.8GHz?
I need to upgrade my processor and RAM for HL2 so I dont have to have everything on the lowest settings...

 

[TheHitman5]

I would go with ( and I did.. ) with the 6800 GT simply because I plan on playing other games besides HL2. You people are acting as though the 6800 GT does bad in HL2...the x800 series barely beats it, and if it does, its no more than a 5% lead. What do you expect? ATi is basicly licking ATi's balls, just like NV was doing so with D3. But I know i'll be having fun playing Battlefeild 2 on release with my GT ( which looks 100x better than HL2 )