New graphic card Nvidia or ATI

[Thetargos]

For me currently there is not much of an option... I have to go NV or get crying back to Windows after about 5 years of not even touching the thing (on my main rig, at least). I do much 3D, not only gaming, but also visualization, and ATi is not there yet. Add to that the whole "entertainment" angle (as the Visualization stuff is for work which I seldom do at home), and I really wouldn't want to crawl back to Windows to be able to do the stuff I currently do, even with such outdated hardware.

However, I'll keep my eyes on ATi, who knows? Maybe by the time the R700 and G90 come by, ATi will pose some real competition to NV (which has been lacking as of late)

[Spitfire]

I understand your point of few, I really would like to kick Windows from my hard drive too. But I'm forced to use Windows as many games or other requirements for gaming are not working (well) through Wine. (e.g. Punkbuster, Aequitas (Anti-cheat) and lots of new games)

But I'm full of confidence: This will change!

Cheers,
Daniel

[psycho_driver]

I recently pulled my FX 5900 to check out the new ATi drivers with my (just given away) X1600 Pro 512MB.

I have to say, if you've been using Nvidia for years, you're in for a real shock when you try to use an ATi card. They're no where near the same level yet.

[Svartalf]

I keep chuckling at the people that keep insisting on getting a G80 or comparing the G80 to the R600... The reality is, you should also compare side by side to the previous generation.

You're going to find that most of the GPUs of the current new generation are not "faster", per se, unless the applications you're using end up using the new features that the next generation is offering in silicon as opposed to hardware.

Unless you're going to be dabbling in geometry shaders, or CUDA, you're NOT going to see much performance edge over the G70 when considering G80 parts (though the performance problems seem to be getting resolved...)- even when they get them resolved, there's not going to be a big performance jump over the G70's in comparison to the G80's...

The story's a little different with AMD's R500 vs. the R600, but the drivers aren't as stable as they ought to be, are missing quite a bit of the features that they at least got right, if not slowly, on the old drivers and there's still questions of the quality, in light of things like memory leaks from hell showing up with other chipsets. If I had cash budget to reward what they're working on making happen right now, I'd be buying an R600 based card right now. I don't have that kind of budget...

Say what you like folks, it all depends on what you're needing. If you need real 3D now as opposed to theoretical (keep in mind people seeing half as much performance from AMD to NVidia need to consider that this is liable to be a DRIVER issue- all the drivers on the Windows side of things for both companies under Vista and XP for the new generation have...issues... ) possibilities, you're better off, much better so, with NVidia and NOT going with the latest and greatest. (Something I still never quite get...if it doesn't give you any speed advanatages, won't bring anything new to the table for you for at least 6-12 months, why do you go and buy it? G80's are that sort of thing- and you can get more muscle in a G70 that will work just fine for quite some time to come for less money...)

If you're willing to risk waiting another 6-12 months or more to get your investment fully going, then by all means, get an AMD GPU.

[Moustacha]

Unless you're going to be dabbling in geometry shaders, or CUDA, you're NOT going to see much performance edge over the G70 when considering G80 parts (though the performance problems seem to be getting resolved...)- even when they get them resolved, there's not going to be a big performance jump over the G70's in comparison to the G80's...

Bit like getting an Aston Martin DB9 to commute to work when you could do it in some sh*t box. You still gotta abide by the speed limit.
Performance - not much to be gained really from nv 7-> nv 8 series. 7600gt vs 8600gt, 8600 is about 5% faster and heavier on the hip pocket. Though the "comfort" of it could be better, i.e. lower power usage, better quality.
If you can afford a G8* card, you may as well as the drivers will mature and performance will get better. G7* cards are pretty close to their top, with the top end cards discontinued or to that effect.

[Svartalf]

Bit like getting an Aston Martin DB9 to commute to work when you could do it in some sh*t box. You still gotta abide by the speed limit.
Performance - not much to be gained really from nv 7-> nv 8 series. 7600gt vs 8600gt, 8600 is about 5% faster and heavier on the hip pocket. Though the "comfort" of it could be better, i.e. lower power usage, better quality.

Then WHY rag on them?

And the analogy is more akin to driving the Aston versus a Lotus or Porche...

[Moustacha]

Man...NYE celebration + lack of sleep, i've confused myself.

G70 = performance now
G80 = performance tomorrow
any AMD = performance tomorrow

G80 and AMD have room to increase. G70 is as far as it can go with drivers.
I agree the 7 series card is better FOR NOW. It's just one of those waiting games. Then they release the 9 series and you wonder, do I upgrade to a 9 series card and *hope* the performance improves? Unfortunately that seems to be the way on Linux atm. Windows you see how the actual cards perform not the drivers, since they're pretty well on par with each other.

[Svartalf]

Windows you see how the actual cards perform not the drivers, since they're pretty well on par with each other.

Nope. There's quite a bit of headroom in the Windows drivers, according to the specs of both the G80 and R600. On paper, they're really, really a better deal than the past generation- run cooler for the levels of performance gained, run at least 10-40% faster with the stuff the prior generation provides. The reality, however, even under Windows, is another thing altogether.

It's why I'm so damn frustrated with AMD's progress on their binary drivers and the documentation efforts.

They have the better silicon in many cases. The damn problem is, even under Windows, is that their driver efforts hamper the performance and stability of the chips. That's so frustrating, to not be able to obtain the better deal (they typically are cheaper AND faster...) because the damn drivers are simply not there and haven't been for some time.

And your comment about things... People are thinking that the stuff's gelled on the G80 and it's just not there. And G70 stuff? I am still able to find all ranges of that stuff on the shelves and it'll be there for at least another 4-6 or possibly more months. The AGP stuff may not be there much longer, but th G70 series of parts makes for a value lineup for retailers much like the G60 and GeForce FX series did (Hell, I am still seeing GeForce 5XXX cards on the shelves...)

[Thetargos]

I understand your point of few, I really would like to kick Windows from my hard drive too. But I'm forced to use Windows as many games or other requirements for gaming are not working (well) through Wine. (e.g. Punkbuster, Aequitas (Anti-cheat) and lots of new games)

But I'm full of confidence: This will change!

Cheers,
Daniel

Just to be clear...

When I decided to go 100% Linux, I knew I was giving up some stuff I really enjoyed, like [some] gaming. I knew I was in for a hell of ride in that particular regard, as:

1. There were but a few commercial titles.
2. Wine was (and still is) not the right kind of solution.
3. I'd be missing a LOT of games.

One thing is knowing the situation and another completely different thing is coping with it. It has been difficult, very difficult at times. Even at work where I work with 3D visualization, and even though I could keep 100% Windows-Free, there are just simply some apps that require the thing. At home, for my private use, I knew what I was giving up, and it's been hard, though worth it too. But I guess the degree of worth is simply too personal to mean anything. I ended up simply giving away all that I couldn't run in Linux or required Windows, turned to Console gaming instead of PC gaming (not as pretty, but surely very fun!), and contrary to what I thought, I ended having more multimedia capabilities than in Windows.

Like I said, for me it's been worth it, but for others it is not worth it giving up on something, anything (gaming mainly in my case). I'm very enthusiastic about Linux and the recent advancements there's been towards a broader games library, better hardware support from IHVs (that of course includes video cards hardware), and even rising OEM support (which can only speak of how lousy the situation is on the Microsoft camp).

I'm happy with what I can do and have now. I can only expect more interesting things to happen in 2008.

[Osado]

Hello

As I said in another thread, carpe diem.

If you want a good GNU/linux experience NOW, you have three choices:
Intel: If you do not have need for powerful graphics performance. It enjoys a good free driver.
Nvidia: The propietary driver works fine. Powerful performance. I doubt that the situation will go worse. but if FOSS driver is a matter for you, then should not be your choice.
AMD/ATI: There are a lot of expectations, either with the propietary or the free driver, but nowadays is like having a Ferrari on bicycle tires...

You have now the choice...
Happy New Year!