graphics card

[Isuxdix]

ATI 4850 outperforms GTX 250 for around the same price/cheaper.

ATI 4870 outperforms GTX 260 for around the same price/cheaper.

I hear ATI is the way to go right now price/performance but I also hear their drivers are shittier.

[OmegaZero_Alpha]

ATI 4850 outperforms GTX 250 for around the same price/cheaper.

ATI 4870 outperforms GTX 260 for around the same price/cheaper.

I hear ATI is the way to go right now price/performance but I also hear their drivers are shittier.

4850 is practically a volcano and idles at about 50 degrees.

4870 barely outperforms the GTX260 and does the same thing.

Oh and the drivers are a good point, too. the 8800 GT currently outperforms the 5870 in Unreal engine games (I get to talk mad shit about borderlands)

[Isuxdix]

ATI 4850 outperforms GTX 250 for around the same price/cheaper.

ATI 4870 outperforms GTX 260 for around the same price/cheaper.

I hear ATI is the way to go right now price/performance but I also hear their drivers are shittier.

4850 is practically a volcano and idles at about 50 degrees.

4870 barely outperforms the GTX260 and does the same thing.

Oh and the drivers are a good point, too. the 8800 GT currently outperforms the 5870 in Unreal engine games (I get to talk mad shit about borderlands)

I have heard that spending a little more money for the 4870 is much better than the 4850, but if it performs better and is cheaper than the 260 why not get that?

[OmegaZero_Alpha]

I have heard that spending a little more money for the 4870 is much better than the 4850, but if it performs better and is cheaper than the 260 why not get that?

The performance is neck and neck for the Radeon 4870 and Core 216 (most reviewers it hits about 4 out of 6 close wins for NVIDIA), but ati likes to do this thing where certain games are unplayable. (see borderlands)

http://www.pcgameshardware.com/aid,6...head/Practice/

[Isuxdix]

That article benches with a 4870? I'm missing where it says its unplayable.

Serious question though, I'm about to get a 4870 or 4890 since most forum's are saying it's the way to go but I definitely want to play borderlands.

If you're saying the 260 outperforms it at one game I'm fine with that.

[OmegaZero_Alpha]

That article benches with a 4870? I'm missing where it says its unplayable.

Serious question though, I'm about to get a 4870 or 4890 since most forum's are saying it's the way to go but I definitely want to play borderlands.

If you're saying the 260 outperforms it at one game I'm fine with that.

it actually does better in two thirds of all games from the benchmarks I saw.

http://www.bjorn3d.com/read.php?cID=1414&pageID=5839
http://www.guru3d.com/article/top-10...ore-216-test/5
http://techgage.com/article/ati_hd_4..._260216_896mb/

[Isuxdix]

Oh alright, now I see where everyone is getting price/performance

You were right about them performing identical as most people look at Tom's Hardware:

http://www.tomshardware.com/charts/g...tals,1534.html

All around 1300-1400 comparing a bunch of games and benchmarks.
But the 4870 ends up being 20-40 bucks cheaper in general.

Edit: Argh, now when i look up google 260 vs 4870 I get a bunch of sites that say 260 is better, a bunch of sites that 4870 is better, and a bunch that say they're the same.
I always just used Tom's Hardware, but now I gotta figure out who's biased and who's not.

[OmegaZero_Alpha]

but then you take into account the issues that ATI cards are having in general. (they are having severe driver issues with Unreal Engine games, including borderlands)

I'm not saying these won't be fixed, but it is up to you to decide if you want something that will have slightly better performance down the road, or something that is guaranteed to work immediately for 20-40 more bucks.

in general the cards are about equal in terms of price-to-performance, power consumption, and heat (if you get the Sapphire VaporX for the 4870), so you are really just making a brand decision at this point.

Edit: actually, what is your resolution that you use?

[Isuxdix]

1920 x 1080.

I was thinking of just upping to 5850 for that but they've been sold out for a while now and I need a new video card now.

[OmegaZero_Alpha]

at that res you are better off with the 4870, also I hear the fermi's (gtx300s) are taped out for no later than quarter two of 2010, so I wouldn't be spending more than about 160$ on a video card right now, because the prices are all gonna drop fast when this shit comes out.