Plz Help, Video Card for non gamer

[Nellynirbf]

I am looking for a video card but am really confused about what to buy, DX9 or DX10? I don't ever play any games, I just need one for basic computing and some video editing. I want a card that will be good for about 4-5 yrs but at the same time, I don't want obselete technology. So, should i get a DX10 (eg. 8500 or 8600) card now or just get a cheap dx9 card now and wait until prices drop or better cards come out at cheaper prices? I have a thing with having the latest stuff even though i wont use it. so, please help and thanks in advance.

e6600
Intel dg965wh board
Zalman 9500 cooler
2gb corsair ram
600psu
19" lcd

 

[lunyone]

I am looking for a video card but am really confused about what to buy, DX9 or DX10? I don't ever play any games, I just need one for basic computing and some video editing. I want a card that will be good for about 4-5 yrs but at the same time, I don't want obselete technology. So, should i get a DX10 (eg. 8500 or 8600) card now or just get a cheap dx9 card now and wait until prices drop or better cards come out at cheaper prices? I have a thing with having the latest stuff even though i wont use it. so, please help and thanks in advance.

e6600
Intel dg965wh board
Zalman 9500 cooler
2gb corsair ram
600psu
19" lcd

I would go for a 7600gt if you can afford it. It's about $110 on newegg with $20 MIR. Don't know what kind of budget you have, but that is a nice card.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130062

It doesn't require much power and can let you play some decent games without any problems, assuming your not putting this on a really bid screen.

My 2cp

 

[mactronix]

In your situation i would get a decent mid to high end dx9 card as you say you dont do much gaming so dx10 shouldnt be a prob any way.
There is talk about dx10 getting replaced again soon any way which could mean another hardware upgrade so it seems pretty impossable at the min to get a card that would not be obsolete in 4-5 years anyway.

You could spend lots and put one of the high end 8800 cards in your system as they seem to be the daddys at the min but for what you say you will be doing you only really need something like 7600gt or x1650xt (min i would say)up to 7950or x1950xt(mid to high end at the min)

Mactronix

 

[Gh0stDrag0n]

I have a thing with having the latest stuff even though i wont use it. so, please help and thanks in advance.

So...you like to waste money? :?
Just use the onboard video and spend your cash on something you could really use.



If you insist on burning your coin, go with the 8800GTX it is the best available at the moment.

 

[lunyone]

I have a thing with having the latest stuff even though i wont use it. so, please help and thanks in advance.

So it's like having a corvette, but using the valet key when you drive your car. So you have all of this potential, but only use about 10% of it. Hmmmm

 

[blade85]

I don't ever play any games, I just need one for basic computing and some video editing.

if you dont game, then why waste money on latest cards?

even a x1300 will do you fine. It works great for normal use and video editing stuff.

DX10 would only be usefull for dx10 games...so why get a dx10 card if all you need is to do video editing?

 

[BustedSony]

I am looking for a video card but am really confused about what to buy, DX9 or DX10? I don't ever play any games, I just need one for basic computing and some video editing. I want a card that will be good for about 4-5 yrs but at the same time, I don't want obselete technology.

The key point is "Video Editing." For that it would be preferable to have a card that will output overlay as full screen on the second monitor. That is, run the editor or media player on the main monitor, and have the movie playback image full screen on the second. ATI cards are better at this than Nvidia, and in fact the Nvidia 8800 series as yet doesn't do overlay at all, much to my disgust. The best VGA card I've ever used in an editing system is an old ATI Radeon X800, it's fast enough for any multimedia, runs cool, and outputs overlay with perfect aspect ratio. Even the 1900XT doesn't do as well regardless of driver version. If you want a good combination of multimedia capability and some gaming I'd go for the 1950 Pro (despite its flattened fullscreen image on the second monitor,) or a more cost-effective 1600, 1800 etc. An Nvidia Geforce 6600 is also a very good balance between multimedia, with decent overlay, and cost. As yet I haven't encountered a card that gives both HDMI out and perfect overlay playback.

The new ATI 2X00's also have good overlay, and the upcoming 2600 would seem a good choice with Hi-def decoding in hardware and DX10 support, but I can't speak from experience.

 

[slashzapper]

bUY A RADEON 2900 xt

nah just kidding get anything

 

[Nellynirbf]

would i be better off buying a 7600 or say like 8500 or 8600??? Looking at the replies, i wouldnt want to spend any more then like $150. What would be the best choice for that range???

 

[BustedSony]

would i be better off buying a 7600 or say like 8500 or 8600??? Looking at the replies, i wouldnt want to spend any more then like $150. What would be the best choice for that range???

As I have said, Video overlay does not work on the 8X00 series or apparently the 7600 Desperate Plea For full editing support an ATI card or an older Nvidia 6X00 series is preferable. I bought an 8800GTX for the C2D multimedia system, but had to put it in my older Athlon and reinstall the 1950Pro in the C2D. Try for an ATI 2X00 series, especially the ones BELOW the 2900 if you want full Hi-def UVD support, which the 2900 does NOT have. These cards will be the latest thing on the market and will do everything you want.

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

IMO get a cheap X1300 or X1550, look for a passive one if you can find it.

It'll offer you most of the bells an whistles for what you want with regards to editing, etc.

IF you are interested in HD playback help then a cheap GF8500 would be OK, but keep in mind other possible trade-offs like Busted Sony mentioned, the overlay is a current driver issue for some models.

For the strictness of what you were looking to do, a cheap passive X1300/1550 will do, but for some nice additional features and maybe some growing pains in return, look at the GF8500 or the upcoming HD2400, which isn't an option if you're looking to buy right now.

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

Try for an ATI 2X00 series, especially the ones BELOW the 2900 if you want full Hi-def UVD support, which the 2900 does NOT have.

Just a minor note of consideration, not a correctio persay, the HD2900 does have full AVIVO HD support, (which is the feature set supported by UVD) it just does it through the shaders instead of dedicated UVD hardware. It's kinda irrelevant how it accomplishes it, since even at idle the HD2900 will draw more power than an HD2400/2600 at full tilt so the vpu workload seems irrelevant overall, as I don't think any of us would ever recommend an HD2900 (or GF8800) to anyone not gaming, regardless of how they accomplish similar features.

Just wanted to avoid confusion of others reading the thread, a litle nit picking for sure, jsut there's been alot of talk of the missing UVD and such, and I'm beginning to see even reviewers messing it up, and I want to avoid adding to the confusion.

 

[BustedSony]

IMO get a cheap X1300 or X1550, look for a passive one if you can find it.

It'll offer you most of the bells an whistles for what you want with regards to editing, etc.

IF you are interested in HD playback help then a cheap GF8500 would be OK, but keep in mind other possible trade-offs like Busted Sony mentioned, the overlay is a current driver issue for some models.

For the strictness of what you were looking to do, a cheap passive X1300/1550 will do, but for some nice additional features and maybe some growing pains in return, look at the GF8500 or the upcoming HD2400, which isn't an option if you're looking to buy right now.

I agree with everything TheGreatGrapeApe said. The HD2400 is passive, and also an HD2600 is going to be offered with a water cooling block for integration into a water-cooled HPTC. That would be PERFECT for my plans!

 

[BustedSony]

Try for an ATI 2X00 series, especially the ones BELOW the 2900 if you want full Hi-def UVD support, which the 2900 does NOT have.

Just a minor note of consideration, not a correctio persay, the HD2900 does have full AVIVO HD support, (which is the feature set supported by UVD) it just does it through the shaders instead of dedicated UVD hardware. It's kinda irrelevant how it accomplishes it, since even at idle the HD2900 will draw more power than an HD2400/2600 at full tilt so the vpu workload seems irrelevant overall, as I don't think any of us would ever recommend an HD2900 (or GF8800) to anyone not gaming, regardless of how they accomplish similar features.
J
Ironically I had made exactly the same correction concerning using shaders for Hi-def decoding on the 2900 in another thread, but didn't want to get into it here. It must be added that that ATI HD 2900 WOULD have had separate UVD but they wanted to get the 2900 out the door and had had many hardware fabrication delays, that's why the later slower cards will have it, and why the drivers weren't ready to enable Shader hardware as virtual UVD on the 2900 (They didn't think it would be needed). And no, I don't see the 2900 as first choice for a multimedia system, for the reasons you describe.