Looking for a gaming/video editing graphics card.

[rumpleteazer]

I am looking for a card that can function well in both gaming and video editing applications. I have been reading through so many different opinions about gaming vs. workstation cards, but I still can't seem to find a clear answer on what the big differences are. Is there a card that will run applications like After Effects, Photoshop and Avid decently as well as perform well for gaming? I keep running into suggestions for either a gaming or an editing system, but there has to be some sort of middle ground (I hope)!
I am also a student so I am working from a fairly tight budget.
I have a fairly decent system right now that I recently built. It looks like everything will work well, but I am stuck trying to find the right graphics card for me. Help!

<3

 

[Techno-boy]

Radeon HD 5770, Radeon HD 5850 and Radeon HD 5870 are the best choices for gaming and also definitely for video editing. You should not go below Radeon HD 5770 or Radeon HD 4770, otherwise you would not get the best performance for PC games especially games like Crysis, Bioshock and Dead Space. Also, for the moment, ATI is the only video card maker that has next generation DirectX 11, 40nm GPU video cards (Radeon HD 5000 series) which will also support OpenCL which could be future standard Game's Physics engine library. DX 11 will improve your game graphics better than DX 10.1/10 and it will boost the game's speed higher because of tessellation.

But if you are on a budget, then even Geforce GTX 275 (DX 10) or Radeon HD 4770/4850/4870 (DX 10.1) would offer good performance too but you will miss DirectX 11 features and OpenCL for your 3D game graphics.

 

[rumpleteazer]

I have a Radeon HD 4870 in my system right now, but everything I read from Adobe and Avid keeps talking about Nvidia cards being the only ones supported.

 

[Bluescreendeath]

A 4870 is equal to a 5770. You should be fine, it's a powerful GPU.

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

I am looking for a card that can function well in both gaming and video editing applications. I have been reading through so many different opinions about gaming vs. workstation cards, but I still can't seem to find a clear answer on what the big differences are. Is there a card that will run applications like After Effects, Photoshop and Avid decently as well as perform well for gaming?

Get a solid modern graphics card from either company and it'll do fine in After Effects & Photoshop since they simply use OpenGL acceleration, not even OpenCL yet, and they don't have a preference although some plug-ins are limited to one or the other company or even cards, but BOTH have plug-ins.

As for AVID is depends on the tool you're using, if you're planning on using Liquid, then once again it's fine with either although ATi has a longer history with Liquid, nV has pulled even, and it's really all about the power of the cards for both, and any good high end or even up mid range card would be fine. Also remember the effect on editing is limited, it's still primarily CPU with GPU assist, and it's primarily for previews and transitions as well as plug-ins and encoding.

I wouldn't bother wasting the money on a cheap workstation card (either FireGL/Pro or Quadro) since for much less money you can get a better 'gaming' card that would do a better job at both.

I have a Radeon HD 4870 in my system right now, but everything I read from Adobe and Avid keeps talking about Nvidia cards being the only ones supported.

Care to post links to that which you have 'read' on the subject? Cause it's wrong in the Extreme and FUD at best. I have a feeling the people writing that are pushing their favourite flavour.

If your already have an HD4870, you're MORE than fine, and really, only power consumption would be the thing to change with a different card. Have you tried using it, is there a specific issue you're encountering?