(ask) Most efficient video card for lcd 19"wide

[fransind]

What is the most price/performance video card (3850/3870/8800gt) for lcd 19"wide (1440x900)? Mostly will be used for gaming such as gears of war, coh, cod4, etc. Thanks

 

[rgeist554]

If you're a hardcore gamer - go with the GT or the 3870HD. I don't think you'll notice much of a difference between the two, besides the GT probably being harder to find and a little more expensive.

 

[Onus]

Faced with that choice recently, I chose the HD3870. Since I was already getting 60fps (pegged at refresh rate) on my primary game (Guild Wars) on a 7900GS at 14x9, the better performance of the 8800GT was a non-factor. What helped me decide was that the dual-slot HD3870 exhausts its heat out of the case. The other two don't.

 

[TurdBurglar]

Pricing has been so wild on the 8800gt and hd3870, it is difficult to say. In my opinion, the hd3870 needs to be a fair amount cheaper than the 8800gt to warrant its purchase. The exhausting of heat out the back of the case makes very little difference in a case with good airflow and should not cause you to choose a lesser performing card for that reason alone. I think the extra horsepower of the 8800gt is worth it even at 1280 x 1024 resolution. Now the 256mb vs 512mb version of the 8800gt seems like more of a pickle, considering the reviews are few and far between at this point.

 

[Onus]

...The exhausting of heat out the back of the case makes very little difference in a case with good airflow and should not cause you to choose a lesser performing card for that reason alone. I think the extra horsepower of the 8800gt is worth it even at 1280 x 1024 resolution...

Are you the guy who has been breaking into my septic tank? I do not disagree with this. In my case, however, the added performance of the 8800GT would not have been visible, since I'm already pegged at the refresh rate. $220 vs. $290 was also a fairly big difference, but like you say prices have not been stable, so especially depending on what games you want to play, ymmv.

 

[fransind]

So the 3850 is a big no no? Was considering 3850 for my gaming rig

 

[rgeist554]

The 3850HD is still a good card... It performs pretty close the $300-400 8800GTS 320MB at a fraction of the price... The 3870HD and the 8800GT still perform better.

In order of performance you have:
1. 8800GT (~$270+)
2. 3870HD (~$250+)
3. 3850HD (~$160+)

All of them are appropriately priced at the moment except the 3870 imo. It's not as limited in quantity as the 8800GT and doesn't perform as well... so, it should be going for the MSRP of about $220-230.

 

[F34R1355]

If you have the money 8800GT.
Has anybody notice ATI can't keep up with nVidia since AMD bought them? Even amongst all the argument, I think people knew there was a good competition between nVidia and ATI. Now it just seems ATI can't fight with the 8800.

 

[rgeist554]

If you have the money 8800GT.
Has anybody notice ATI can't keep up with nVidia since AMD bought them? Even amongst all the argument, I think people knew there was a good competition between nVidia and ATI. Now it just seems ATI can't fight with the 8800.

To me, the gap between the two really doesn't seem to large. I also doubt most people would be able to tell the difference in a side-by-side comparison between the two. The 3870HD is slower than the 8800GT, but the MSRP is also lower, so they knew it didn't perform quite as well... but I still consider it a valid contender vs. GT. In crossfire the 3870's sometimes beat the 8800GT in SLI, and across the board show a larger % of improvement between one and two card setups. We'll have to wait and see what the two companies release next though. (I'd really like to see a 9xxx series card and another "8800GTS rv2.0 w/ 1 more shader unit and 30Mhz higher core clock!" though ) I'm not trying to take sides either, hell, I use nvidia my self. I just like to be the voice of neutrality around here.

 

[cleeve]

1440 x 900, the price differential between the 3870 and 8800 GT would be wasted.

If you plan to upgrade to a bigger monitor later, the 8800 GT might be a good idea. Otherwise, the 3870 will be fine... hell, at 1440 x 900, the cheaper Radeon 3850 would easily do the job.

 

[bberson]

The exhausting of heat out the back of the case makes very little difference in a case with good airflow and should not cause you to choose a lesser performing card for that reason alone.

My 2c on that comment, is that even in a case with good airflow, not venting the GPU heat directly out of the case will make the CPU cooler work harder, make all the system's fans spin a bit faster, and may cause more noise as a result. Just a point of view from someone who's trying to keep the noise down...

-B

 

[mGuyA]

How about the HD3850 512MB? There are even some factory OC'd HD3850s being made.

Not to hijack the thread - what about 1680 x 1050 ? Are the HD38XX enough?

 

[cleeve]

1680x1050 the 3870 is still awesome, and the 3850 is just fine.

 

[decripple]

there's an XFX 8800GT 256MB on newegg for $209.99 w/$6.33 shipping. It's IN STOCK. Has stock clocks which as far as I know are 600/1500/1400(DDR) vs 600/1500/1800 (DDR)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150264
there is also a Alpha Dog edition from XFX for $230 before $10 mail in rebate. CLocks: 650/1500?/1600(DDR). Also instock: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150263