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Work Station vs. Gaming Video Card

Forum Graphic & Displays : Graphics Cards - Work Station vs. Gaming Video Card

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ISUCyclone33   06-16-2009 at 09:57:36 PM

I am just curious what the difference between a work station video card is from a gaming card? For my PC build I am going to be using CAD/CFD software and I am currently planning on getting the Radeon HD 4870 1GB 256-bit but will that do the job for rendering and such? If you have any suggestions for under $200 I would appreciate it

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jerreece   06-16-2009 at 10:16:44 PM
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Just do the 4870. It's a great card for gaming. Aside from that, you could look into the Quadro cards put out by nVidia. Just make sure you talk to your mortgage lender and see if you have any equity in your home first....

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ISUCyclone33   06-16-2009 at 10:20:29 PM
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Just to clarify there will be little to no gaming on this PC. It will be used mostly for work as well as music storage

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daedalus685   06-16-2009 at 10:34:31 PM
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Define work.. If you are into serious CAD, 3DSmax, or other 3d design programs you will almost certainly need a work station card. Keep in mind these are rediculously expensive and you'd never find one that would be any good for under 200.

Gaming cards are really quite inferior at high end 3d work. Even the most expensive gaming card would be worse than the most mainstream quadro/firepro for these applicaions.

If you make your living on this kind of work the price is a tax write off though... lol. (as it better be for $500-$2000)

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ISUCyclone33   06-16-2009 at 10:42:55 PM
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The work I will be doing is more or less a hobby of mine designing parts for the automotive and aeronautical fields. My main engineering work is completely different than this with very little CAD/CFD work even though I have a degree in Aerospace engineering

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Shadow703793   06-16-2009 at 10:54:12 PM
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If you can find (or have one already) an old 8800GTS/GTX you can softmod it in to a workstation card. YOU CAN'T do that for the newer cards (9800,4870,etc).

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