The Official Graphics Card and PC gaming Thread

Remember when I said I had trouble playing a particular X264 720P stand up comedy file? Well...now streaming netflix video seems to have trouble. What do you think? Think the video card is failing? Gforce 210. Apparently streaming netflix will freeze the system. Its an Nforce board as well. Could be the board, could be the card. I love it LOL!!!

 

Could indeed. Fresh reformat might be a good idea just in case it isn't hardware.

 

I gotta see this for myself for sure. What's funny is, they've complained about problems in the past. When I go to look at it, the problem disappears. Story of my life LOL! Machines, hardware...they don't like to be looked at sometimes. Though it did freeze up on me that one time. since its simply an internet browsing media center, reformatting would simply be a quick answer. Though I'd have to transfer files to their primary. Gotta love the Ethernet switch!

Somebody on newegg compares the card to the X850. Good lord. I had no idea I was buying such a weak card. I know you and others in the thread tried to warn about it though...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125307

 

X850? you're having a laugh, the X850 absolutely steamrolls the G210. The 9800 Pro does the same. The G210 is more competition for the old Radeon 9200 / Geforce FX5200 budget cards from 2003.

 

As I face palm myself once again...

 

Then don't keep bringing it up

 

At least if the card is the problem, I can replace it, and leave it in the past

 

if your interested i have a perfectly good 3870 just collecting dust in a box, ill take 30 bucks plus shipping for it. if you live in the US that is. Ive already pencil modded it so it can be cranked up to about 830MHz which is where i normally left it.

 

I try to stick with new parts when I can. Is that card low profile?

 

3870s were never low profile. Very few powerful cards are.

 

I figured. As soon as I can get over there, I plan to stress the card, and intentionally crash the system

 

try furmark.

 

I was thinking something basic like passmark performance test 6.1, but if furmark is free and powerful, I could be into that

Ok, just checked it out. Definitely gonna try it.

I should probably stress my 8600GT as well. It's been acting strange on my secondary too...

 

Medal of Honor
Unreal Engine used - frame rate limited to 62fps
Max detail, no AA

1024x768 M10: Radeon X1900XT/HD2900GT/3690/4670/5570, Geforce 8800GS/9600 series/GT220/430
1024x768 M20: Radeon HD3870/4730/5750, Geforce 8800GT/9600GT/GT240/430
1024x768 M30: Radeon HD3870X2/4770/5750, Geforce 8800GTS 512/9800GTX/GTS250/450. GT430 likely
1024x768 M40: Radeon HD3870X2/4870/5770, Geforce 9800GX2/GTX260/GTS450
1024x768 M50: Radeon HD4890/5830, Geforce 9800GX2/GTX260-216/GTS450. GT440 possible
1024x768 M60: Radeon HD4850X2/5830, Geforce GTX275/460

1280x1024 M10: Radeon X1950XT-X/HD2900Pro/3850/4670/5570, Geforce 8800GS/9600 series/GT220/430
1280x1024 M20: Radeon HD3870X2/4830/5750, Geforce 8800GT/9800GT/GT240/GT440. GT430 possible
1280x1024 M30: Radeon HD3870X2/4770/5770, Geforce 8800 Ultra/9800GTX/GTS250/450. GT440 likely
1280x1024 M40: Radeon HD4890/5830, Geforce 9800GX2/GTX260-216/GTS450
1280x1024 M50: Radeon HD4850X2/5830, Geforce GTX275/460
1280x1024 M60: Radeon HD4870X2/5850, Geforce GTX295/460 1GB/465

1680x1050 M10: Radeon HD2900Pro/3850/4670/5570, Geforce 8800GS/9600GSO/GT240/430
1680x1050 M20: Radeon HD3870X2/4830/5750, Geforce 8800GT/9800GT/GTS250/450. GT430 likely
1680x1050 M30: Radeon HD4870/5830, Geforce 9800GX2/GTX260/GTS450. GT440 possible
1680x1050 M40: Radeon HD4850X2/5830, Geforce GTX280/460
1680x1050 M50: Radeon HD4870X2/5850, Geforce GTX295/460
1680x1050 M60: 2xRadeon HD5830/4890, Geforce GTX295/470

1920x1080 M10: Radeon HD3850/4670/5570, Geforce 8800GS/9600GSO/GT240/430
1920x1080 M20: Radeon HD3870X2/4770/5750, Geforce 8800GTS 512/9800GTX/GTS250/450. GT430 possible
1920x1080 M30: Radeon HD4890/5830, Geforce 9800GX2/GTX260-216/GTS450
1920x1080 M40: Radeon HD4850X2/5850, Geforce GTX285/460
1920x1080 M50: Radeon HD4870X2/5870, Geforce GTX295/470
1920x1080 M60: Radeon HD6850(spec)/2x5830, Geforce GTX295/480

1920x1200 M10: Radeon HD3850/4670/5570, Geforce 8800GS/9600GSO/GT240/430
1920x1200 M20: Radeon HD3870X2/4770/5770, Geforce 8800 Ultra/9800GTX/GTS250/450. GT430 possible
1920x1200 M30: Radeon HD4850X2/5830, Geforce GTX280/460
1920x1200 M40: Radeon HD4870X2/5850, Geforce GTX295/465
1920x1200 M50: Radeon HD6850(spec)/2x5830/4890, Geforce GTX295/470
1920x1200 M60: Radeon HD6870(spec)/2x5830, Geforce GTX480(est)

2560x1600 M10: Radeon HD3870X2/4770/5750, Geforce 8800GT/9800GT/GTS250/450. GT430 possible
2560x1600 M20: Radeon HD4850X2/5850, Geforce GTX275/460
2560x1600 M30: Radeon HD6850(spec)/2x5830/4890, Geforce GTX295/470
2560x1600 M40: Radeon HD5970/HD6970(spec), 2xGeforce GTX460
2560x1600 M50: 2xRadeon HD6850(spec)/3x5850, 2xGeforce GTX470
2560x1600 M60: 2xRadeon HD6870(spec)/3x5870, 2xGeforce GTX480


Considerable nvidia bias, but unsurprising given the use of the Unreal engine.
Overall, not a horrendous game for demand, however these results won't tell the whole story.
The unreal engine (despite it nearly being 2011 and it still being used) does not support anti-aliasing at all, so it can't be added to the single player title.
However, the multiplayer game uses the frostbite engine which does support AA. It's conceivable therefore that the multiplayer game will actually be more demanding than the single player game here, given the devastating impact that AA has on its predecessor, Bad Company 2, especially on ATI cards, worse still on the HD4 series.
While the game therefore fits into the club of games that will max on a 30" monitor with two 6870s, I'm anticipating that only holding true in multiplayer with AA left disabled.

 

Ha ha! I just realized that the stuck pixel is normal. Remember jeff, when you were suggesting that I take a pencil, and give it a tap on the stuck/dead pixel? Well...apparently leaving it alone works too Actually, I cleaned my screen a few weeks ago, its possible in the wiping of the screen, the pressure corrected the problem which was causing a stuck pixel. Very cool! I've been working on a picture with a lot of white, and realized that the constant dark speck was gone. I'm friggin happier than a fly in doo doo LOL!

 

A few amendments need to be made to the charts I've posted in the last few weeks.

Assumptions made in prior charts:

HD6850 = 1.2xHD5870
HD6870 = 1.45xHD5870
GT430 = 0.67xGTS450

Corrections to these assumptions:

HD6850 = 0.95xHD5850
HD6870 = 0.95xHD5870
GT430 = 1.25xGT220
HD6950 = 1.2xHD5870 (remains speculative)
HD6970 = 1.45xHD5870 (remains speculative)
HD6990 = 1.70xHD5870 (assumes 80% scaling) (remains speculative) -> current assumption is that the HD6990 will be an HD6870X2. Unlikely to be totally accurate. Keep your eyes peeled.

Current stats about the HD6 series (performance is above)

HD6350: Caicos, October 19th 2010. 512MB/1GB bus-powered card. 31W TDP with 5W idle.
HD6750/6770: As yet unknown specs/release. AMD press release on 18th October will disclose most of this information.
Expect that the cards will be very similar (read: almost identical) to the HD5750/5770, but potentially with different output ports.
HD6850: Barts Pro, October/November 2010. 1GB/2GB card. c. 140W TDP with 20W idle. Possibly a single 6-pin card. MSRP between $225/£165 and $250/£180
HD6870: Barts XT, October 19th 2010. 1GB/2GB card. c. 160W TDP with 23W idle. Twin 6-pin card. MSRP between $300/£220 and $350/£250
HD6950: Cayman Pro, November 2010. 1.5GB card. 225W rated TDP (likely to be 200) with 35W idle. MSRP best estimate $430/£320
HD6970: Cayman XT, November 2010. 1.5GB card. 300W rated TDP (likely to be 225-250) with 35W idle. MSRP best estimate $500/£370
HD6990: Antilles. January 2011. 2x1GB or 2x2GB card. 290W rated TDP with 50W idle. MSRP best estimate $600/£440. Eyefinity-8 card.

So how does this stack up against nvidia's offerings?

It's not immediately obvious what (if anything) ATI will be EOL'ing from the HD5 series (but I suspect it will be all HD5700, 5800 and 5900 series cards, with the possible exception of the HD5830) therefore I'll include everything

G210: 005%. 512MB 31W £30
HD5450: 015%. 512MB/1GB 19W £30-£50
GT220: 030%. 512MB/1GB 58W £40-£55
HD5550: 035%. 1GB 39W £55-£60
GT430: 035%. 1GB 49W £60
HD5570: 040%. 1GB 39W £60-£65
HD5670: 050%. 512MB/1GB 64W £65-£85
GT240: 055%. 512MB/1GB 69W £50-£65
HD5750: 075%. 512MB/1GB 86W £75-£100
HD5770: 095%. 1GB 108W £110-£115
GTS450: 100%. 1GB 106W £95-£100
GTX460: 125%. 768MB 150W £115-£120
GTX465: 130%. 1GB 200W £165-£190
HD5830: 130%. 1GB 165W £150-£165
GTX460: 140%. 1GB 160W £165-£170
HD6850: 150%. 1GB 140W £165-£180
HD5850: 155%. 1GB 150W £195-£205
GTX470: 155%. 1.25GB 215W(240*) £220-£225
HD6870: 175%. 1GB 160W £220-£250
HD5870: 180%. 1GB 188W £280-£300
GTX480: 190%. 1.5GB 250W(295*) £335-£340
HD6950: 215%. 1.5GB 225W(200*) £320
HD6970: 260%. 1.5GB 300W(250*) £370
HD5970: 155-310% (typ280) 2x1GB 294W £435
HD6990E8: 175-350% (typ315) 2x1GB/2x2GB 290W £440 (not sure which version this price is for, if it's the 2GB, the 4GB may well be £500+)


Spot the difference between the HD5970 and the HD6990. Not easy is it? I don't have high hopes for the 6990 at all. You can't keep the same TDP, same transistos process and same price and call it an improvement.
In the meantime however, it seems pretty likely that people will call the GTX480 superior to the HD6950 because of the bias in modern games. Luckily I don't see there being any argument with the HD6970, especially if its ludicrous rated TDP is anywhere near close to being accurate (I highly doubt it will be).
The midrange matchup is somewhat interesting. Notice how everybody hates the GTS450 for being a poor comparison to the GTX460, yet in terms of value the 450 still pancakes the 5770.
Also, I can't really help myself. Compare the G210 to the HD5450 and laugh.

 

So if I'm reading that correctly the HD68xx cards are going to be just under the performance of their HD5 counterparts. To be honest I was expecting slight gains and not slight losses, I wonder if there's something we're missing.

 

Not really, it's the same process and these are midrange cards now not the top-end, so they're priced lower. Slight losses are about what I'd expect.

 

So at present, given the nvidia bias, would you recommend powerful Nvidia cards? The same thing happened around the time I bought the GTX 260. GTA IV is nvidia biased, so I bought the 260.

 

Depends really, on whether the HD6900 cards live up to expectations. If they do, and they're reasonably priced, there's almost no place for nvidia in the market all, but who knows.