X1900XT versus 7900GT

[industrian]

Next Friday (aka: payday) I will be adding the final touches to my current PC. As in: replacing my crappy motherboard with something decent. And obviously that means upgrading my graphics card to PCI-Express.

I've set my sights on the ASUS A8N-E motherboard. It has everything I need right now (enough room for a high-powered GPU and enough PCI slots for my X-Fi Elite Pro and PDI Deluxe).

As for the graphics card...

I decided on a 7900 GT. As I've used nothing but nVidia cards since 2003 (MX440, FX5950 Ultra, 6600GT, 6800GT) the ATI option never crossed my mind. I found this 7900 GT and was interested, mainly because it's the only one with 512mb.

Then I started looking at the ATI alternatives, and for around £20 more I could get this X1900XT. On paper it's better than the 7900GT.

Now here's the question: what one should I go for?

Obviously I've done my homework on this subject and have found interesting results. I'm leaning towards the ATI card right now but I'm just wondering if anyone here has any extra advice, benchmarks, or experience with the said cards. BTW: No fanboy rants.

Thanks for all input.

[Master Chief]

I remember looking at a benchmark on Tom's Hardware Guide about a high end NVIDIA vs ATI. I can't remember which cards, but the ATI ran slightly faster. The thing that killed the ATI card was Anti Aliasing and Anisotropic Filtering, while the NVIDIA card didn't break a sweat. If only I could dig up that article..

However, it looks as if the core clock on the ATI runs a bit faster. It looks like the ATI has more video memory also. Seems to give it a significant advantage. You plan on doing any overclocking?

I guess it's entirely up to you. I wish I could be of more help, but hell I'm still on Socket A!

[industrian]

From my previous experience with Tom's Hardware they seemed a bit biased towards nVidia. Thanks for the link though.

Another thing I forgot to ask: This is probably one of the most trivial factors when buying a high-tech graphics cards... but can the X1900XT run the Very High/Ultra High Internal Resolutions on Pete's OGL2 2.8 Plugin

Originally Posted by Master Chief

You plan on doing any overclocking?

My current BFG 6800 GT is O/C'd above 6800 Ultra levels. I figure i could get a X1900XT on XTX levels (or a 7900GT to 7900 GTX levels.)

Originally Posted by Master Chief

I'm still on Socket A!

If you want I can send you my current motherboard once I'm finished with it.

[Shin_Mike_God]

I wanna know this too :P, but i wanna know if the x1800xt 512mb(from sapphire), its any better than those oc 7900gt with 256mb.. can't affort a x1900xt thats why =/.

[industrian]

Originally Posted by Shin_Mike_God

I wanna know this too :P, but i wanna know if the x1800xt 512mb(from sapphire), its any better than those oc 7900gt with 256mb.. can't affort a x1900xt thats why =/.

From what I saw on my travels, the 7900GT is better than the X1800XT. The X1800XT was a bit of a joke really. It was superseded by the X1900XT almost instantly.

[Shin_Mike_God]

oh okay thanks, guess ill stick with nvidia for another year, and save some money at the same time :P

[james.miller]

i wouldnt bother with the 7900. nvidia are having a hell of a time with them and the cards are dropping like flies. Nvidia have confirmed there are serious hardware problems with the cards. Personally, i'd avoid it. as for the x1800xt being a joke....you couldnt be further from the truth. Right now its one of the best VFM cards you can buy.

[industrian]

Originally Posted by james.miller

as for the x1800xt being a joke....you couldnt be further from the truth. Right now its one of the best VFM cards you can buy.

I was making a comment about how it was replaced almost instantly by the X1900XT. A bit like nVidia's FX5900 was with the FX5950.

[james.miller]

true, but the 5900 and 5950 are were both crap. the 256mb x1800xt @ 160 is stonking value lol

[industrian]

So I take it you recommend the X1900XT.

Stupid question that I'll ask before spending £60: I take it there will be no problems with an nForce 4 Ultra mobo (A8N-E) running a X1900XT?

Originally Posted by james.miller

true, but the 5900 and 5950 are were both crap. the 256mb x1800xt @ 160 is stonking value lol

My FX5950 Ultra did it's job.

[ChankastRules]

get this X1900XT.

I would get this card, at least if you interessed in playing the new games. What's the point of having a high-end NVIDIA card that is good with AA, new games will have HDR so you can't use it anyway. The support for both AA and HDR is very strong advantage for ATI IMHO, the performance difference between the cards is relatively small and so is the price difference. To sum up an easy choice for ATI.

[Master Chief]

Originally Posted by industrian

I take it there will be no problems with an nForce 4 Ultra mobo (A8N-E) running a X1900XT?

There shouldn't be. You might want to do some research but it shouldn't have any problems. Its not like NVIDIA is going to lower performance if you use an ATI card .

[industrian]

Just covering all bases.

What about the Very High/Ultra High Internal Resolutions on Pete's OGL2 2.8 Plugin? Are they available with the X1900XT?

[Brightside]

theres also the 7950

http://www.gpureview.com/show_cards....=432&card2=378

[industrian]

If I was considering that, it would have been in the title or I would have mentioned it. Please stay ontopic.

[Brightside]

it was just a suggestion , at this point in time i would go with the x1900... i know someone who has it and it performs like a dream

[refraction]

http://www.hardinfo.com/show.asp?page=6433


i generally use that article to look at the 2, it was mainly for my card (the BLISS 7900 GTX) but it has the other cards in the benchmark list also.

There is really not a lot between the 2 cards, bus as said before AA is a killer for ATi cards.

for example in the farcry benchmarks which tend to favour ATi quite a bit, the 1900XT is only 4fps ahead of the 7900GT with 8xAA, as soon as they dropped it to 4xAA the ATi card shot about 20fps ahead, but then the 7900's frame rate doesnt change considerably like the ATi card's does.

so if you are looking for a stable high framerate with all the quality settings maxxed, including AA and AF, the nvidia is probably the better choice.

[Celine]

Yes, clearly the 7900GT is the winner.

[james.miller]

Originally Posted by industrian

So I take it you recommend the X1900XT.

no, the 256mb x1800xt because its soo cheap and still right up there with the best.

[industrian]

Thanks for that ref.

Basically I want the card to be able to run all my games and stuff maxed out with my current 1280*1024 display, but for it to be able to cope when I get a 1900*1200 display later in the year. This will be the last upgrade I make to this current PC.

Found this. - http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=2717&p=6

Out of the majority of hardware sites out there, I tend to trust Anandtech more. *reads article.*