Tom's Hardware > Forum > Graphic & Displays > Nvidia > Nvidia quadro fx 4600 (for workstation)..can it game!

Nvidia quadro fx 4600 (for workstation)..can it game!

Forum Graphic & Displays : Nvidia - Nvidia quadro fx 4600 (for workstation)..can it game!

Tom's Hardware: Over 1.4 million members in 6 different countries available to answer all your high-tech questions. Sign up now! Its free!
Ask the community Add a reply
Word :    Username :           
 
glimrman1   10-24-2009 at 05:34:32 AM

i have been given the above workstation graphics card by the IT guy at my work. (replaced thru planned upgrades) my question: is this card capable of decent gaming? specifically, should i use it instead of my sapphire 4830? my rig:gigabyte mobo p43 chipset-single pcie slot, 4 gig ram, win 7 32 bit. many thx for your imput! salute!


Message edited by glimrman1 on 10-24-2009 at 11:51:30 PM
Add a reply
Sponsored Links
Register or log in to remove.
Bronze Graphics badge EXT64   10-24-2009 at 06:50:16 AM
- 0 +

I tried to fine gaming benchmarks of the card, but I could not really find any. The most I got was that it will game, but slightly less than its Geforce counterpart. I think the 4600 would be at or below a 8800GT, so unless you do CAD work, it wouldn't really be worth it for gaming imo. I don't think it would add much performance, and it might actually cause more problems/glitches too since the drivers are meant for workstation apps. Do you only plan to use the computer for gaming, or do you do CAD work as well? It won't hurt anything though, so if you want to try it that's fine. It would be nice to know how it performs. I know gaming cards are very poor at CAD apps, but I have seen very little of CAD cards at gaming apps.

------------------------------ Phenom II X4 940 BE 3.0GHz - 1.25V > GA-MA790GP-DS4H > XFX ATI 4850 1GB > 4GB OCZ Platinum 1066MHz 5-5-5-15-2T > PCP&C 610W
Athlon II X2 250 3.0GHz > GA-MA770T-UD3P > Sapphire ATI 4650 512MB DDR3 > 4GB OCZ Platinum 1600MHz@1066MHz > XP/Win7 Enter 64
 Reply to EXT64
SamuelL421   10-24-2009 at 06:57:07 AM
- 0 +

That card is basically a 8800GTX with firmware optimized for workstation apps. The two cards you have are basically equivalent with 4830 better in most aspects, keep in mind the 8800 gtx is 3 years old now.

Although I'm not positive having never tried a workstation card for gaming, I imagine it would give fairly bad framerates unless you flashed the cards bios to that of a standard 8800GTX. The firmware on that card should tell it to render everything it "sees" once. Standard desktop video cards have drivers that tell them to render various parts in a certain order based on settings, the workstation card *should* try to brute force through everything simultaneously.

Again that's all just based on what I know and have heard, not personal experience. If you've got both cards and some downtime, test them and benchmark it. If nothing else, sell it to someone who's into CAD.


Message edited by SamuelL421 on 10-24-2009 at 06:57:53 AM
Reply to SamuelL421
glimrman1   10-24-2009 at 07:11:31 AM
- 0 +

thank you for the great input!!! kinda mirrors my impressions from reading up on the card.

actually i was thinking of ebay as an alternative....i see like cards going for 6 bills and more...

again...many thanks!!! : )

Reply to glimrman1
glimrman1   10-24-2009 at 07:51:23 AM
- 0 +

btw....any other ideas/comments/etc are always welcome
always nice to getgood advice!


: )


Message edited by glimrman1 on 10-24-2009 at 11:47:57 PM
Reply to glimrman1
glimrman1   10-24-2009 at 11:52:18 PM
- 0 +

shameless bump...thx for reading/replying

Reply to glimrman1
glimrman1   10-26-2009 at 05:47:43 AM
- 0 +

another shameless bump...last one, i promise.

that means last chance to get in your 2 cents worth!

thx!

Reply to glimrman1
Silver Graphics badge TheGreatGrapeApe   10-26-2009 at 06:26:22 AM
- 0 +

Stop bumping :P , because the best solution is keep your current card and e-bay the Quadro (it's a bazillion dollar premium to people looking for workstation apps) as you've already concluded, either take that money and buy beer, or else buy a new HD5870 or nV G300 derivative or HD5K refresh in the new year.

 

Here are a few workstation gaming benchmarks, not for the 4600, but for the more powerful 4800,to give you (and others reading this in the future) the idea that it would game OK, but you're still better off selling it if you're not going to use it for professional apps.

 

http://hothardware.com/Articles/Nv [...] d/?page=10
http://hothardware.com/Articles/Nv [...] d/?page=10


Message edited by TheGreatGrapeApe on 10-26-2009 at 06:34:40 AM
Reply to TheGreatGrapeApe
glimrman1   10-31-2009 at 01:26:19 AM
- 0 +

thx for the post Ape! i especially appreciated the links to the reviews.

no more bumps...the card goes on ebay this weekend.

Reply to glimrman1
Ask the community Add a reply
Tom's Hardware > Forum > Graphic & Displays > Nvidia > Nvidia quadro fx 4600 (for workstation)..can it game!
Go to:

There are 767 identified and unidentified users. To see the list of identified users, Click here.

Forum map
Bestofmedia Forum ©
2000-2009 Bestofmedia Group
Page generated in 0.349 seconds
Sponsored links
  • Ask the community now
  • Publish
Ad
Related Topics
See all relatives topics
They won a badge
Join us in greeting them
  • 01:00 raulkm won the Uniformed badge
  • 01:00 letus won the Uniformed badge
  • 01:00 pmiddy won the Uniformed badge
  • 01:00 MarcieMark won the Uniformed badge
  • 01:00 kaypeezee won the Uniformed badge
  • 04:06 xyz001 won the Sophmore badge
  • 01:00 scione won the Freshman badge
  • 01:32 aford10 won the Home Brew badge
  • 01:00 Kevinator won the Uniformed badge
  • 01:00 adis won the Uniformed badge