What are the best video cards?

[Canar]

> How big of a difference is AGP from PCI?

AGP is PCI on LSD. <img src=smilies/magbiggrin.gif>

Honestly, though, it's just a faster variant of PCI. Not very different at all, except for the fact that it's 2, 4, 8, or 16x faster than PCI. AGP 1x = PCI 2x or something.

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[Leldorion]

PCI< AGP< PCI-E, but then there isn't really anything out that uses the full extent of PCI-E yet, but you'll find that out right now. Don't confuse PCI with PCI-E (or PCI-X which is in servers mostly and completely useless to you I would think...)

<P ID="signature">http://www.spreadfirefox.com/?q=affiliates&id=5361&t=64</A></P><P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by Leldorion on 11/03/04 09:50 AM.</FONT></P>

[Leldorion]

> Just worry mostly about RAM amount.

Umm...I'm going to have to disagree with this....more ram is nice, but it hardly has anything to do with the graphical capabilities of the cards. I'd just look at what games (does it support the direct x version that you want for the games that you want to play?) and OSes your trying to use your card with (linux support etc...). Mhz can be misleading as well as has been pointed out in the amd vs intel example. As far as top of the line cards go the http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...131-289&depa=1X800 XT</a> and the http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...143-021&depa=16800 Ultra</a> are the best you can get for consumer cards. Are they worth what it would cost to build a small system though? I'd say "Fuck no!". Instead, what I'd recommend as far as price to quality ratio is concerned is the http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...122-201&depa=16600 GT</a> as it costs as much as the top of the line cards of last generation do now and provides much more kick in regards to graphical applications. Plus it's nVidia so you can be sure that it'll be more compatible with linux.

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[metbot]

> Is the Mhz the speed of the graphics processor? If so, how
> does this effect gaming and what speeds are good?
>
350-450 or more


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[metbot]

> How big of a difference is AGP from PCI?

Agp comes in various speeds 1x 2x 4x and 8x yesterdays 1 and 2x are technically physically incompatible with todays 4 and 8x.pci runs on 133mhz, but sares the same bandwith.the more cards, the slower.I believe it's either 4x or 8x that runs at 1024mhz but...

(NEW!) PCI express just released! not sure how fast...

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[JCE3000GT]

And you'd be an ATI fan obviously. Fact is, cards from nVidia/ATI are relitively the same for NORMAL SANE use. This use does NOT include the geeks who want to squeeze evey last tenth of a Mhz and Kilobyte out of thier equipment. I doubt he's planning on making a project with 3DSM, Auto CAD, or is one of the aformentioned group. RAM and CPU are important for the NORMAL user in deciding what PRICE to pay. If RAM and CPU aren't as important tell him to get a GeForce2 64MB MX400 like I had for many years that only just recently got replaced for Doom 3. You provided one side, why not provide both sides so he can make an unbaised choice?

CEpeep said it best, let him run benchmarks for the software HE will be using. Then find the card that is in his price range wether it be ATI or nVidia.

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[JCE3000GT]

> > How big of a difference is AGP from PCI?

In price not much, if any from the right places.

> AGP is quite a lot faster, probably because it was designed
> for fast graphics cards to use...hence AGP (Accelerated
> Graphics Port, if I'm not mistaken). At any rate, you
> should get better performance with an AGP card than with a
> PCI card with exactly the same specs.

Much much better to go with AGP...anyone that goes with PCI just wants to save some money.

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[Wren]

Not to mention the load of shit that ATI tries to pass off as a driver.

nVidia has always reigned when it came to driver support, stability and speed.

-Wren

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[Leldorion]

Did you fully read my post? Most of my advice was sane and rational...and at the end I recommended an nVidia card as the best value out of the lot that I thought are out now (that's the only bias I can really find that I found in my post and it's contrary to what you labeled me as)

<P ID="signature">http://www.spreadfirefox.com/?q=affiliates&id=5361&t=64</A></P><P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by Leldorion on 11/03/04 05:04 PM.</FONT></P>

[PetMetroid]

Where do I go for benchmarks?

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