Considering buying this card

[darkalien54]

Hey guys,

I'm considering buying the XFX 7900GS XXX card ( http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814150209 )

Is it worth it with DX10 already out? I have a strict $250 budget, and this card is the best I can find.

So, should I buy it? It's clock speeds are very good, and I don't need an ultra high-end card like a X1950XTX or a 8800GTX, this is just for casual gaming, and casual 3DS Max.

Let me know

-DA

 

[jaguarskx]

Wow, that thing is super overclocked. I'll would be kinda hesitant about it since extremely high overclocked nvidia 7900's and 7600's gets overheated and die in some cases.

I would rather get this card for $170 after a $20 rebate:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814125045

This card has the Zalman VF-700 HSF strapped to it; and it is a very good and pretty quiet fan. Of course it doesn't come with the fan voltage controller.

 

[darkalien54]

Hey,

Problem with this one is that the fan takes up another slot, and my motherboard has the PCIe slot right next to the other PCI slots, so the card can only be one slot.

However, is there such thing as a one-slot external (zalman or the likes) cooler? That way, I could add it to that card...

-DA

 

[jaguarskx]

Hey,

Problem with this one is that the fan takes up another slot, and my motherboard has the PCIe slot right next to the other PCI slots, so the card can only be one slot.

However, is there such thing as a one-slot external (zalman or the likes) cooler? That way, I could add it to that card...

-DA

Unfortunately, no.

 

[darkalien54]

Alright, well, thanks anyways.

Is there any other card, ATI or nVidia with a price and performance similar to this one?

 

[jaguarskx]

You can always get the XFX 7900GS as long as you realize you may need to lower the clock and RAM speed if your system overheats.

 

[darkalien54]

Hmm... now that's what I wanted to hear

I'll do some more searching, but it seems like this will be the one I'll buy.

Thanks again

-DA

 

[pauldh]

Is there any other card, ATI or nVidia with a price and performance similar to this one?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814102022

$169, no rebates, single slot, and faster than that XFX 7900GS in most games: http://www.firingsquad.com/hardware/ati_radeon_x1950_pro/page6.asp

 

[darkalien54]

Uhhhh...

That card's clock speeds are slower than the XFX XXX card, and it has only 12PP...

 

[jaguarskx]

Is there any other card, ATI or nVidia with a price and performance similar to this one?

The 7900GS's competitor is the Radeon X1900GT that can be found for about the same price:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814102022

This is the CrossFire Edition, but it is the cheapest X1900GT vidoe card. It works just like a regular X1900GT. However, if you stick another regular X1900GT card (i.e. not CrossFire Edition) then you will have a dual GPU setup.


Although the following article compares the X1950Pro vs. the 7900GS, benchmarks for the X1900GT are also included. Note that the 7900GS is benchmarked twice, once at stock speed (450MHz) and overclocked (580MHz).

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/video/display/x1950pro-gf7900gs.html
The overclocked 7900GS can generally beat the X1900GT. You can step up to the X1950Pro if you want, but they start at $230.

Like I said in my previous post, you can get the XFX 7900GS. If you start seeing artifacts or your PC freezes when playing games then drop the GPU clockspeed and RAM speed to something safer like 550MHz/1500MHz.

 

[pauldh]

Uhhhh...

That card's clock speeds are slower than the XFX XXX card, and it has only 12PP...

You can't compare them directly between architectures. The X1900GT is a faster card more often than not and it will absolutely spank the 7900GS in Sharder intensive games like Oblivion.

Anyway, look at that review I posted. The OC'ed XFX 7900GS wins at Quake 4 and LOMAC. They tie at Fear, and the X1900GT wins HL2:LC, BF2, Oblivion, COD2, and Farcry HDR.

 

[darkalien54]

Yeah, as far as I can see in the article you posted, the OCed 7900GS beats the 1950PRO at 1280x1024 resolutions.

This will be the resolution I'll be playing at, since my CRT cannot support 1600x1200, or beyond that. Besides, with FSAA, I won't be needing a better resolution.

The article does mention it cannot support HDR and FSAA at the same time, but I'm guessing it can support HDR with normal AA...

I'll be using it for BF2 and CSS, so I'll probably end up lowering its clock speeds to get a stable card (cooler too) while still having 60FPS at 1280 x 1024.

In the future, I'll bring its clock speeds back to default for the next-gen games.

Besides, I'm an nVidia fan...

 

[pauldh]

Yeah, as far as I can see in the article you posted, the OCed 7900GS beats the 1950PRO at 1280x1024 resolutions.

Not in the review I provided. The 7900GS OC still only wins a couple games at that setting. You will see in other reviews the 7900GS will probably take 12x10 with no FSAA (Ananvtech's favorite benchmark settings). But turning on the eye candy the X1900GT will pull ahead.

The article does mention it cannot support HDR and FSAA at the same time, but I'm guessing it can support HDR with normal AA...

All depends on the method of HDR used. In HL2 episode 1, then the 7900GS can do both. But in Oblivion and Farcry, then you need to go to the GF8800's to get an NV card that can do that. If you run HDR in those games, FSAA must be OFF altogether...so if the jaggies bother you..... Might be a small factor for many people. I myself play Oblivion with 4xaa and HDR, something you can't do on a GF7. Matter of fact, I had a eVGA 7800GT CO (oc'ed)and when I got hooked on Oblivion, I just hated the lousy performance and having to decide between 10x7 no fsaa or 10x7 no HDR. With the X1800XT, I could use both at once, up the details and still had better performance outdoors (where it counts).

I'll be using it for BF2 and CSS, so I'll probably end up lowering its clock speeds to get a stable card (cooler too) while still having 60FPS at 1280 x 1024.

Ah, either card will kick butt at those two games at 12x10 resolution. But the X1900GT will perform higher in BF2, especially if you were to up the res. The better IQ will come from the X1900GT as you can run HQAF which looks great in BF2.

In the future, I'll bring its clock speeds back to default for the next-gen games.

I'm not understanding buying an OC'ed card and down clocking it. I'd buy a cheaper reference clocked 7900GS and later OC it if you need to. I bought a PNY 7900GS for $150 no rebates at bestbuy a few weeks back. Anyway, speaking of future, the extra shader power of the X1900GT may just help that card stretch it's lead down the road. Look at Oblivion. Shoot, look at NFS:Carbon where the extra shader power helps the X1950 pro that is often behind the X1800XT, actually pummle the X1800XT. http://www.elitebastards.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=193&Itemid=29&limit=1&limitstart=3

Besides, I'm an nVidia fan...

And to you that may be worth something and will probably sway you more than any proof I can provide that the X1900GT is really the better card( by a small amount) in most games. You should be happy with either one as long as you don't want to run HDR and FSAA at once in games like Oblivion and don't mind turning off NV's optimizations if their texture shimmering annoys you. In the end both are good cards, I just think the X1900GT is a both a bit better and a bit cheaper.

 

[GeneticWeapon]

Uhhhh...

That card's clock speeds are slower than the XFX XXX card, and it has only 12PP...

:lol:

I'm trying hard to not say anything.

 

[4745454b]

LOL, I was thinking the same thing. I wonder if he'd rather run a 2.66GHz Celeron istead of a 2.6GHz P4 because the Celeron is clocked faster.... I guess the megahertz myth has only been busted for CPUs.

 

[darkalien54]

Or you guys could have some manners and address whatever you have to say directly to me, and not to "he" or "him".

This isn't a thread where I'm left out, so go somewhere else if you're not going to help.

Anyways, to the other guys, I placed the order for the 7900GS, we'll see how it turns out. Besides, even though the 1950Pro beats the 7900GS is some cases, I'll always be a nVidia fan, and that 4950Pro doesn't seem to grab my attention enough...

 

[dean7]

The 1950Pro IS a great card for the $ (I'm nV/ATI fan... had both and love both). For my latest budget card I went with nVidia because ATI has been producing some hot cards these days, and I don't have a massively cooled case. I think you'll do well with the 7900GS.

 

[darkalien54]

The 1950Pro IS a great card for the $ (I'm nV/ATI fan... had both and love both). For my latest budget card I went with nVidia because ATI has been producing some hot cards these days, and I don't have a massively cooled case. I think you'll do well with the 7900GS.

Hmm. Now there's the answer I was looking for!

We'll see how it turns out, but on the heating issue, I am a bit worried that I might have to ask for a liquid cooling for xmas... If it overheats constantly of course.. Even if it doesn't It's Xmas!!

 

[dean7]

Hopefully you'll be OK on heating with the stock cooler. If you look at that fan it's a "hamster-cage" type fan (I believe that's what they are called) so it basically sucks air in from the top, then forces it out the sides of the heatsink. As long as you have enough clearance to provide cool air to the top of the fan, I think you'll be OK.

Anyway, good luck .

 

[darkalien54]

Thanks, I'll report back here on the forums to let you guys know how the card handles on performance and heating issues.

Thanks again guys
-DarkAlien

 

[4745454b]

Or you guys could have some manners and address whatever you have to say directly to me, and not to "he" or "him".

This isn't a thread where I'm left out, so go somewhere else if you're not going to help.

If it matters that much to you...

Sorry be being so frank about this, but your an idiot of your getting one card over another simply because one is clocked higher. Clock speed is useful ONLY when comparing chips from identical families. For the same reasons as you can't say the Celeron is faster then the P4, you can't say the Nvidia card is faster then the ATI. As you've pointed out however, your an Nvidia fan, so I might as well be talking to a wall. Good day.

 

[darkalien54]

I just don't see why you have to act in this rude way.

You could just tell me the 1950Pro is better than the 7900GS because of:

-asdf
-asdf
-asdf

And not act as a child by telling me I'm an idiot and explaining why the 1950Pro is better with a lame CPU example. The P4 or the Celeron are chips I'd never get ( lol I'm an AMD fan )

Oh and FYI, I am not choosing the 7900GS over the 1950Pro because of clock speeds, but because you cannot find them where I live (Spain). The only way you can is by buying them internationally, for a $50 shipping fee.

 

[4745454b]

I was replying to post number 9. Before you go edit it, let me quote it.

Uhhhh...

That card's clock speeds are slower than the XFX XXX card, and it has only 12PP...

I don't know about anyone else, but that sounds like to me your ruling out the ATI/AMD chip becuase the clock speeds are lower.

You could just tell me the 1950Pro is better than the 7900GS because of:

Reasons? I'll give you reasons. Because of the reasons that have already been shown to you. Due to your Nvidia bias however, you ignore them. Relax, don't worry. If you want to spend your money on the worse card, be my guess. Its your money, and people here have already shown you "the light". If you want to ignore it, ignore it.

 

[dean7]

Dude, don't be so aggro. darkalien54's point is just that you are being a jerk to him instead of being helpful. If you wanted to help him out, you could have politely pointed that out instead of making wise-cracks w/ GW.

 

[dean7]

If you want to spend your money on the worse card, be my guess. Its your money, and people here have already shown you "the light". If you want to ignore it, ignore it.

You're so smart! I'm sure anybody would want to "be your guess". :twisted: