Nvidia or ATI....desicions desicions......

[Digikid]

I cannot make up my mind what to get for my new I7 build. I would like a powerful enough video card but there are pros ands cons to each.

NVIDIA:
1.) PRICEY.
2.) Somewhat lacking in Technology ( GDDR3 ve GDDR5 )

ATI:
1.) Use more power
2.) Run very hot compared to Nvidia cards
3.) Noisier

Oh BTW those are the cons. Here are the Pros.

Nvidia:
1.) Better looking graphics IMHO
2.) Quieter ( Depending on the brand )
3.) SLI is better than Crossfire
4.) Better PhysX then HAVOK

ATI:
1.) Better Price/Performance Ratio
2.) RED ( I LOVE RED! )
3.) Better Linux Driver Support ( for my Linux Partition )

I will be gaming ( UT3, Quake Wars Trackmania, Battlefield Series, NO CRYSIS ) and general PC use.

I want it as quiet as possible and I cannot spend a lot of money for this card. Plan to get ONE card for now...then double up later in the year.

Thank You for your time.

[frontier204]

Originally Posted by Digikid

3.) Better Linux Driver Support ( for my Linux Partition )

Are you sure about better Linux support with ATI? I always heard the opposite way around. I know ATI opened up a little to the Linux community and (open source?) Radeon HD drivers are under development, but I always had the impression that as it is right now, nVidia drivers run better under Linux.
I just had an experience back in the ATI X_ _ _ vs. nVidia 6_ _ _ _ days, for gaming, nVidia cards produced almost the same FPS in Linux and Windows, while ATI cards produced much lower FPS. (my experience was Windows XP FPS divided by 2 or so, similar to Vista drivers in early 2006) I also remember many attempts at compiling drivers to get AIGLX (for Compiz) to work properly.
This was with UT2004 (native Windows XP vs native Linux, no wine), so I won't be able to give a straight comparison because my current Radeon 4850 would easily max UT2004, bad drivers or not.

Right now my laptop (8400M GS) is happily running Ubuntu 8.04 with the proprietary nVidia driver downloaded from the "Hardware Drivers" app. I can't test my 4850 because my HDD is currently dead

[Chilly]

Before I go further, how much are you looking to spend on the GPU, this make a BIG difference in what we will suggest. Frankly you can't say "oh get nVidia" or "oh get ATi" because the end result will be the same with both brands in *MOST* cases. Only after sales support, performance per dollar, and warranties really matter now a days.

Originally Posted by Digikid

Nvidia:
1.) Better looking graphics IMHO

Nice one covering yourself with the IMHO, because I hate to break it to you, in a double blind test, you'll NEVER be able to tell the difference. The image quality in most cases has been exactly the same between both brands for years now.

This isn't like comparing Pepsi to Coke-Cola, its like comparing Canadian Coke/Pepsi, to Mexican Coke/Pepsi, sure the ingredients used to make them might be slightly different but the resulting flavour will be the same.

Originally Posted by Digikid

4.) Better PhysX then HAVOK

Perhaps, but how many games can you list that currently use PhysX hardware acceleration? I can count it on one hand, most other games that currently use PhysX run the same regardless of weither its done on the CPU or GPU.

As for Linux, ATi's drivers have really improved in that field the last few years, very few issues with them now a days. I can't say which is better in Linux as I have not really done any intensive testing, suffice it to say I've never had any issues in recent times with either nVidia or ATi drivers in Linux.

[Jake_HT]

I always thought crossfire offered better results than SLI?

I won't be much help here... but I'd probably choose nvidia been using them for a few years now and like most people, why change when it's been good to you. Plus, I really like EVGA.

[DarKStar]

...you forgot to mention how NVIDIA releases driver updates on a more frequent basis than ATI. :)

[3.0charlie]

Which board do you have / plan to have? Since not all X58 boards are SLI / Crossfire capable.

[Digikid]

My bad. I forgot to mention those.

Monitor ( Currently ): Samsung 2243wm 1680 x 1050
Monitor ( wanting to get ) Acer 21.5 H series 1900 x 1080p

Motherboard is a EVGA X58.

I know that not a lot of games support PhysX but the one that I play the most, UT3, DOES support it. Plus I want to be ready if more good games that I buy do support it or not. Chilly believe it or not I CAN tell the difference. The nvidia card in UT3 has better specular and color balance....it COULD be my glasses yes but that is not the point really.

[ddrmanxbxfr]

Well my experience with the new ati drivers for linux is that their good but in terms in performance in linux Nvidia ( kinda like +25 % in perfs on linux ) is well ahead for the others points ati or nvidia wouldn't really matter i think...

was my 2 cents..

[Digikid]

okay then so far the marble is leaning towards the Nvidia.

ANY feedback is appreciated guys.

[Chilly]

Originally Posted by Digikid

I know that not a lot of games support PhysX but the one that I play the most, UT3, DOES support it.

Ahh, UT3, a game I know a lot about and play myself. The key word is that it SUPPORTS it, but except for a few tech demo levels, it doesn't implement(use) it. Except for a few user made levels(pretty much none), the game does not use it(PhysX) beyond the level where hardware rendering is a requirement.

That being said, its not to say that nVidia's support of CUDA, and its various apps(such as PhysX) doesn't have its advanatges. I would definity list CUDA in general, as a PRO aganst ATi, but I don't belive at this point and time that PhysX in its self is Pro or Con aganst ATi.

Originally Posted by Digikid

Plus I want to be ready if more good games that I buy do support it or not. Chilly believe it or not I CAN tell the difference. The nvidia card in UT3 has better specular and color balance....it COULD be my glasses yes but that is not the point really.

I'm sorry, but your going to lose here. Since the X1xxx/6xxx days both vendors have pretty much had the exact same render/image quality(with a few execptions). In a double blind test, you, nor anyone else in this WORLD would be able to tell the diffrence in image quality alone between a GTX 260/280 and a 4850/4870 when set to the same settings.

I'm not going to argue this fact any further, but if your in the GTA area I will allow you to come down and see for your self using my systems. If not, I can look up proof and resources once I'm back from the bar. Take me at my word, there will be no diffrence.

Also, you still haven't given us your budget, I won't be able to give a solid recommendation without it. Hope that helped