Graphics card help needed

[ozrock]

Hi,

I posted elsewhere on the forum amd for over a week have no replies so maybe I cvan get some help here..

I am looking at an Asus 2 Core Quad P5Q3 mobo and a Intel Q9400 CPU as they come recommended for video editing.

It will be for editing video but I am a little spooked about the graphics card choice.

I import DV via Firewire and analog via a convert box then firewire. I am not into HDV yet but could be in the life of this card.

I was looking at either the

1GB Radeon 4850 Gigabyte
1GB 9800GT ECS Gigabyte

Only spec I need is 2 VGA monitors and the better card for the board and for editing.

It has been suggested I do not need 1GB and that there are even cheaper cards to do the job..

But what cards is my question?

Can anyone offer an advice please.

Even a cheaper card if possible as I am on a meager budget during these leaner than normally lean times!!

oz

 

[belial2k]

I have a cheapo audio/video editing system using a lowly 9500gt (don't get this card, but this is an example of how little you need)....take a look at this link http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/radeon-geforce-gtx,2270-2.html
and get an idea of the best cards for the money. Concentrate on processor, memory, and cooling to get a good overclock. Then whatever is left over in your budget buy the best card for that amount.

 

[ozrock]

Hey thanks.

That's good news as I am on a limited budget like most of us and the card was going to throw me for a loop!

I will look around..

oz

 

[binwhui]

will you be gaming?
what resolution will you be using?
i believe you'll need the 1gb memory if you use two monitors

and yeah that's a nice cpu..

 

[ozrock]

Hi binwhui,

No I will mostly be editinf video (NLE) so need something that will be fine for this. Both those cards I mentioned are recommended for NLE as many others are, however I need to get one of the cheaper ones rather than the exy ones.

I am told these will be fine with 2 monitors as well.

You may be right about the 1GB ones but NLE is not anything like the drain on graphics as games are.

That's why I hope I get someone who knows NLE who can give some advice.

belial2k is on the money I'm sure.

Thanks again for the info..

oz

 

[goonting]

why can't you get the GTX 260? its pretty affordable now

 

[ozrock]

Yes it looks like it's between the GTX250 or 260 or the 512 or 1GB 4850 or the 1GB 4870. Are they all much of a muchness for what I need in NLE? What about the brand differences as shown below?

Here is a list of all cards at what is supposed to be the cheapest place in Oz for computer parts..

PCI-Express Slot – Nvidia Chipset

512M 8400GS Gainward / Gigabyte / ASUS - 45 / 52 / 52
512M 9400GT ECS /Inno3D /Gigabyte /ASUS - 59/59/69/70
1GB 9400GT ECS /Inno3D /Gainward /Gigabyte /XFX /ASUS -69/69/69/89/89/84
512M 9500GT ECS /Inno3D /Gigabyte /ASUS - 68/68/84/84
1GB 9500GT ECS /Inno3D /Gainward /Gigabyte /XFX /ASUS - 84/84/84/99/106/109
512M 9600GT Inno3D /Gigabyte /XFX /ASUS - 124/149/151/151
1GB 9600GT ECS / Gainward - 131 / 131
512M 9800GT Inno3D /ECS /Gigabyte /ASUS - 149/149/182/182
1GB 9800GT ECS / Inno3D / Gigabyte - 172 / 172 / 229
1GB 9800GTX+ Gigabyte - 292
512MB GTS 250 Inno3D / EVGA / XFX - 190 / 199 / 199
1GB GTS 250 Inno3D /Gainward /EVGA /Gigabyte - 224 /224 /242 /242
896M GTX 260 Inno3D /Gigabyte /ASUS - 275/299/343
1GB GTX 285 Inno3D /Gainward /Gigabyte /ASUS - 515/515/559/559
1792MB GTX 295 Inno3D / Gainward - 719 / 719
-------------
PCI-Express Slot – ATI Radeon Chipset

512M 4350 Gigabyte - 51
512M 4550 Gigabyte / ASUS - 65 / 65
512MB 4650 XFX / ASUS - 89 / 89
1GB 4650 Powercolor / Gigabyte / ASUS - 95 / 106 /106
512M 4670 Gigabyte / ASUS - 107 / 107
1GB 4670 Powercolor / Gigabyte - 127 / 132
512M 4850 Gigabyte / ASUS / XFX - 225 / 225 / 225
1GB 4850 Gigabyte / XFX - 272 / 272
1GB 4870 Powercolor / Gigabyte / ASUS - 295 / 319 / 319
2GB 4870x2 Gigabayte / ASUS - 721 / 721
1GB 4890 Powercolor /Gigabyte /XFX - 375 / 409 / 409

 

[belial2k]

Some of the cards you are looking at are overkill, but as I said before, get the best card you can for what you have left in your budget. Nobody ever kicked themselves for buying a card that was too good if they had the money for it, and it will make your system more flexible if you decide to do something else with it. Just make sure the budget money is first spent on getting a good cooler for the cpu so you can do some overclocking, and then on getting lots of good memory (you'll need it for moving around several big files at a time), and then video card. Really, any card that can handle blu ray or hd playback would work for what you are doing, but if you get a wild hair one night and decide to game it would be nice to have a card that will let you do it. The 512 gtx 250 is the price/performance leader in Nvidias lineup right now, and the 512gb 4850 is the leader on the other side. But if you have it in the budget, the gtx 260 offers a pretty good gain in gaming performance.
Don't worry about who makes it other than warranty and software bundle...they are all probably built exactly the same off the reference model provided by Nvidia and ATI.

 

[ozrock]

Ah ha.. thems' the words I wanted to hear!! That there's much of a muchness between the brands. I guess it's a subjective thing.. like beauty.. Some like the Nvidea's and others the Radeon. The Videoguys DIY guide do suggest the Radeon altho say the 48xx are good to. I have alwasy had Nvidia and in one box here I have a 7600 which has been great for my web creation stuff.

At my age the gaming is not on the cards so I guess I'll check the today prices of both GTX 250 and 4850. I'll check warranties as well. I buy next Tuesday!!.

I am starting with 4GB of RAM (DDR3) and still have to look at a cooler for the Q9400. Have never done the cooler stuff before.

I spent yesterday in an edit suite with Final cut Pro on a Mac and at times to hear that Dual Core Mac grunting away sounded more like a Mac truck! Still it was able to have 4 cams up on screen as we made the cuts and transitions. That's about what I hope I get happening.

Anyway thanks all for the help. I'll keep you posted as to how do!!

Good luck in all you do.

oz

 

[belial2k]

Good luck, and remember buy the card last with whatever is left over. All you need is something that can handle HD playback...even the cards in your list under 100 could work if you need the money elsewhere.

 

[Guest]

Hi guys quick question, with the asus gtx 260 896m gfx card what sort of power supply needed? I currently bought m9 case that comes with a 500w supply? Is that good enough? Thankkss