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Graphics card woes: ATI or nVidia?

Discussion in 'General Gaming and Hardware Forum' started by chenw, Jan 10, 2008.

  1. chenw

    chenw First time out of the vault

    51
    Jan 2, 2008
    Right, I have recently purchased a new laptop from Asus, only because the specs were so good for its own price, but I have had a rather extensive search for nVidia card laptops and some of those specs were far from satisfactory.

    the specs for the Laptop is:

    T7500 CPU (2.2GHz)
    2GB DDR2 RAM
    200GB HD (I think, i will confirm after i hit home later)
    ATI HD 2600 512MB with 768MB HyperMemory on top (1280MB total)
    14.1' WXGA+ screen (1440*900 resolution)

    All totalled approx €1000, minus shipping from the country, which would total about €1200.

    My question is, the other video card I was searching hard for was the nVidia 8600m GT card with 256MB and 768MB TurboCache, for a total of 1024MB. From what I have read, the 8600m card beats the HD 2600 card, but are they really that much of a difference? or would my performance get away with it?
     
    chenw, Jan 10, 2008
    #1
  2. Wooz

    Wooz Vault Sweeper Admin Orderite

    13,785
    May 18, 2003
    It's a laptop. Laptops have tremendous overheating issues when running processor/video card heavy software. I think most of your performance problems could come not from the 8600/ATI difference, but from the simple fact it doesn't have enough cooling.
     
    Wooz, Jan 10, 2008
    #2
  3. Makagulfazel

    Makagulfazel Adept Bungler of Things Orderite

    4,997
    Jun 14, 2007
    Yeah, if you want a performance machine, I'd recommend going with a desktop. If you HAVE to have portablility at the cost of price/customization/durability/awesomeness, I'd go with the laptop that has the Nvidia card. AMD (ATI) is swirling down the toilet as far as dependability/performance goes.

    Edit: I jumped the gun. You already pruchased the sucker, so there's no point in spending extra money to buy a videocard in which you might unintentionally screw up the laptop while installing.
     
    Makagulfazel, Jan 10, 2008
    #3
  4. Mord_Sith

    Mord_Sith Mildly Dipped

    588
    Sep 21, 2007
    Meh, I'm still an ATI fan, I find nVidia has issues of it's own, just don't install the catalyst interface and ATI works like a charm.
     
    Mord_Sith, Jan 11, 2008
    #4
  5. SuAside

    SuAside Testament to the ghoul lifespan
     Admin

    10,261
    May 27, 2004
    and where did you miss the fact that AMD/ATI has just forcefully retaken the midrange?
     
    SuAside, Jan 11, 2008
    #5
  6. Maphusio

    Maphusio Sonny, I Watched the Vault Bein' Built!

    2,073
    Sep 25, 2004
    Really?!

    Also, Maximum PC's latest issue has a rather involved review on both companies and concludes that when all is said and done... There is not that much of a difference between the two.
     
    Maphusio, Jan 12, 2008
    #6
  7. Karel

    Karel Still Mildly Glowing

    258
    Jan 21, 2006
    If you don't mind the performance (it's a laptop after all), buy anything with integrated Intel graphic card. If you want to play some games, go for nVidia. Never buy ATI (=AMD now) cards, they have driver issues.
     
    Karel, Jan 12, 2008
    #7
  8. SkynetV4

    SkynetV4 Mildly Dipped

    589
    Jan 25, 2005
    SkynetV4, Jan 12, 2008
    #8
  9. SuAside

    SuAside Testament to the ghoul lifespan
     Admin

    10,261
    May 27, 2004
    Nvidia has nothing to challenge the Radeon 3870 in the midrange pricerange (no wonder, since both the Nvidia and ATI/AMD midrange SUCKED DONKEYDICK in the previous generation). shouldn't take too long for them to be available in laptops as well.
     
    SuAside, Jan 12, 2008
    #9
  10. Serge 13

    Serge 13 Cranium Cat oTO Orderite

    11,339
    Jul 20, 2006
    Doesn't the 8800 gt 512 mb offer better performance ?!
     
    Serge 13, Jan 12, 2008
    #10
  11. SuAside

    SuAside Testament to the ghoul lifespan
     Admin

    10,261
    May 27, 2004
    the average 8800GT 512mb costs 270 euros out here. the average 3870 costs 195 euros.

    besides, the 3870 beats the 8800GT on several fronts.
     
    SuAside, Jan 12, 2008
    #11
  12. Mord_Sith

    Mord_Sith Mildly Dipped

    588
    Sep 21, 2007
    Umm, I play games just fine with my ATI, in fact my machine is about 5 years old but I keep upgrading the card and it can handle just about anything todays games dish out so I dunno what kind of card you got to make you hate ATI but I find them to be the most stable cards around.
     
    Mord_Sith, Jan 12, 2008
    #12
  13. Serge 13

    Serge 13 Cranium Cat oTO Orderite

    11,339
    Jul 20, 2006
    Yes but you still can buy a 8800 gt 512 mb from PNY or MSI for 235-50 euros.

    the crappiest 3870(512) costs around 207-210 euros.


    as for the performance :

    http://www.gamespot.com/features/6182875/index.html?msg_sort=1

    I also heard that the ati 3870 had some issues with some games including Call of Duty 4 .
     
    Serge 13, Jan 12, 2008
    #13
  14. SuAside

    SuAside Testament to the ghoul lifespan
     Admin

    10,261
    May 27, 2004
    trusting gamespot now? the 3870 matches the 8800GT in many games, though looses in some others, which is no surprise since it does cost nearly 70 euros less.

    anyway, cheapest 3870 is 195 euros out here, the cheapest 8800GT 512mb (un-gimped version) is 259 euros.

    doesn't quite make it the same class. in the cheaper midrange, the 3870 rules the waves.
     
    SuAside, Jan 12, 2008
    #14
  15. Serge 13

    Serge 13 Cranium Cat oTO Orderite

    11,339
    Jul 20, 2006
    you are right about the radeon price ,as for the 8800 gt :

    http://geizhals.at/?fs=8800+gt&in=

    about gamespot ,i dont know why they should lie about the performances ,unless nvidia payes them money to do so :D !
     
    Serge 13, Jan 12, 2008
    #15
  16. SuAside

    SuAside Testament to the ghoul lifespan
     Admin

    10,261
    May 27, 2004
    hmz, seems your country is blessed with cheap 8800GT cards for some reason...
    but that's not true on average.
    just saying you shouldn't put all your eggs in one basket. read more reviews before making up an opinion. personal bias (or even professional bias) is often a factor.
     
    SuAside, Jan 13, 2008
    #16