HD 4850 vs 9800 GTX+...

[Fox5]

I've owned several nvidia cards in my time.
Geforce 3TI200.
Geforce 4TI.
Geforce 6600GT.
And now a Geforce 9800GTX+.
And while they've generally always had some worthwhile features (some hot new game runs faster on them, some new feature is only supported on them, opengl support, working linux support, physx) etc, I've always found them to have troubles with older games that ati cards just don't have. It surprises me that despite the time difference between these cards, they've always given me problems where ATI cards haven't. I'll be avoiding nvidia for my next purchase, while ATI doesn't always have the best performance in old games (dosbox opengl support, the original counterstrike, etc) at least the games work as they should with maybe a setting or two turned off. My 9800GTX+ can barely play Dawn of War and its expansions (2004, 2006, 2008) even with all settings turned down low.

 

[Cookie Monster]

Originally posted by: Fox5
My 9800GTX+ can barely play Dawn of War and its expansions (2004, 2006, 2008) even with all settings turned down low.

Maybe its a driver issue then? Since a 6800GT was enough to play the first DoW with medium high settings.. not to mention that a 9800GTX+ is what, 10 or so times faster?

 

[Shmee]

Hmm, I suppose we can agree that they perform similarly, but back to my question: would getting a second GTX be a good idea and could my system handle it? (see my earlier post) or would I be better off with a different upgrade?

 

[thilanliyan]

If you already have the 9800GTX no point in upgrading/sidegrading. If you have an SLI motherboard then why not...you'll get pretty good performance...as long as you can get it cheap then that'd be good. Just make sure your PSU can handle it.

About the drivers...I prefer monthly updates...regardless if they're only fixes, they're at least doing them. With nV you can go several months without a new driver for your card (ie. it happened on the 8800 series) and for me I've had way more issues with nVidia drivers (ie. Splinter Cell Double Agent, Gothic 3, driver stop errors (trust me I tested this and it was DEFINITELY the driver)) than I've had with any ATI cards and my last 3 cards have been a 7900GTO, 8800GTS 640, and 8800GT. I'm not saying they're horrid but there's no way you can say as fact that nVidia drivers in general are better than ATI drivers (they're more or less equal I think).

 

[myocardia]

Originally posted by: Fox5
I've owned several nvidia cards in my time.
Geforce 3TI200.
Geforce 4TI.
Geforce 6600GT.
And now a Geforce 9800GTX+.
And while they've generally always had some worthwhile features (some hot new game runs faster on them, some new feature is only supported on them, opengl support, working linux support, physx) etc, I've always found them to have troubles with older games that ati cards just don't have. It surprises me that despite the time difference between these cards, they've always given me problems where ATI cards haven't. I'll be avoiding nvidia for my next purchase, while ATI doesn't always have the best performance in old games (dosbox opengl support, the original counterstrike, etc) at least the games work as they should with maybe a setting or two turned off. My 9800GTX+ can barely play Dawn of War and its expansions (2004, 2006, 2008) even with all settings turned down low.

That's strange. I've only ever had problems running older games with ATI cards. Not that I've had many problems running older games with either, but the few times I've had a problem, it was with an ATI card.

 

[Dadofamunky]

Originally posted by: BFG10K

Originally posted by: nemesismk2

You wouldn't notice the difference in performance between the HD 4850 and 9800 GTX+

I tend to agree; my sig has a comparison of a 8800 Ultra against the 4850 and the 4850 is about 9% slower than a 8800 Ultra which probably means it'll be about on par with a 9800 GTX+.

At that point it comes down to two things: if you want better driver support go with ATi; if you want better image quality go with nVidia.

That was a really good post, shows how the video card industry benefits by having viable competition.

Yeah, I wouldn't swap out a 9800GTX+ for a 4850 just based on the numbers, or vice versa. It comes down to other things you might want.

 

[bryanW1995]

Originally posted by: Denithor
You guys are overlooking the one real advantage of 9800GTX+ over 4850: F@H GPU performance. You can crank out ~6,000 ppd on the nV hardware but only ~2500 ppd with the ATi card.

OP: you already have the 9800GTX+ card, the 4850 would at best be a "sidegrade" -- ie no perceptable boost in 99% of applications. Just keep the nV card and wait for a real upgrade.

there are a LOT of gpus that are getting demolished by f@h right now. I ran my 4850 on it for a while but turned it off when I read the horror stories. this is true for the 4850 especially with it's craptastic single slot cooler, though there are lots of 98xx gpus getting toasted, too.

 

[Keysplayr]

Originally posted by: bryanW1995

Originally posted by: Denithor
You guys are overlooking the one real advantage of 9800GTX+ over 4850: F@H GPU performance. You can crank out ~6,000 ppd on the nV hardware but only ~2500 ppd with the ATi card.

OP: you already have the 9800GTX+ card, the 4850 would at best be a "sidegrade" -- ie no perceptable boost in 99% of applications. Just keep the nV card and wait for a real upgrade.

there are a LOT of gpus that are getting demolished by f@h right now. I ran my 4850 on it for a while but turned it off when I read the horror stories. this is true for the 4850 especially with it's craptastic single slot cooler, though there are lots of 98xx gpus getting toasted, too.

Dying from what? Heat? Got any links to the horror?

 

[dguy6789]

Originally posted by: keysplayr2003

Originally posted by: bryanW1995

Originally posted by: Denithor
You guys are overlooking the one real advantage of 9800GTX+ over 4850: F@H GPU performance. You can crank out ~6,000 ppd on the nV hardware but only ~2500 ppd with the ATi card.

OP: you already have the 9800GTX+ card, the 4850 would at best be a "sidegrade" -- ie no perceptable boost in 99% of applications. Just keep the nV card and wait for a real upgrade.

there are a LOT of gpus that are getting demolished by f@h right now. I ran my 4850 on it for a while but turned it off when I read the horror stories. this is true for the 4850 especially with it's craptastic single slot cooler, though there are lots of 98xx gpus getting toasted, too.

Dying from what? Heat? Got any links to the horror?

I'm curious too.

 

[Keysplayr]

So far, I have 3 GPU's running F@H GPU2 client 24/7.

8800GTS512 which produces about 5300ppd and runs a steady 65C with stock fan speed.
9800GTX+ which produces about 5800ppd and runs a steady 67C with stock fan speed.
GTX280 which produces about 7400ppd and runs a steady 63C with fan at 55% with eVGA tool. Without it, and the fan set to auto, it holds around 78-80C with ambient temps in my house anywhere from 70-75 F.

No crashes, no lockups. In the 9800GTX+ and GTX 280 rigs, I am also running the SMP 6.22 client on each quad core. (Q6600 & Phenom 9550 respectively).

So, I would appreciate any links you have to these cards you mentioned, failing, and I'd like to determine why. Whether it be from overheating (most likely), or other.

 

[solofly]

Originally posted by: dguy6789
HD 4850 > 9800GTX+. Cheaper, faster. You also get driver updates more often by going with AMD.

I would get the hd4850 over 9800gtx/+ just for the fact that it uses single external power connector...

 

[solofly]

Originally posted by: nemesismk2
I think ATI's driver support has been excellent because I've had no problems with my 4850 at all!

If it wasn't I would be in a process of getting rid of my Ati gear as we speak... (they have come a long way - FINALLY!)

 

[SunnyD]

Originally posted by: solofly

Originally posted by: nemesismk2
I think ATI's driver support has been excellent because I've had no problems with my 4850 at all!

If it wasn't I would be in a process of getting rid of my Ati gear as we speak... (they have come a long way - FINALLY!)

Hmm, selling off your ATI stuff? How much for the 4670 and 3650? (Feel free to PM me)

 

[solofly]

No no I said IF Ati drivers still sucked (as they had for many many years) I would be selling them off. I gave Ati another chance and I'm glad I did, by purchasing their stuff once again...

 

[Keysplayr]

I'll keep an eye on it for ya.

 

[suklee]

Originally posted by: solofly

Originally posted by: dguy6789
HD 4850 > 9800GTX+. Cheaper, faster. You also get driver updates more often by going with AMD.

I would get the hd4850 over 9800gtx/+ just for the fact that it uses single external power connector...

Thanks for this, I had been considering 9800GTX+ but did not know it needed 2 external power connectors.

I have the Corsair VX550W - will it be able to handle the 9800GTX+? This PSU has one PCI-E 6 pin and one PCI-E 6+2 pin.

 

[wbynum]

Back at the beginning of Sept I was trying to decide between the 4850 and the 9800gtx+. The things that made me go with the 9800gtx+:

1. The dual slot cooler of the GTX.

2. I got an eVGA 9800gtx+ for ~$155 from TigerDirect after rebate and 12.5% MS cash back.

3. The eVGA step-up program. I am hoping towards the end of November that I can upgrade my card with little to no cash outlay except for shipping.

With all that said, I wouldn't pay any more than ~$150 for a GTX+ considering we have seen 4850's for $140 AR.

 

[GaiaHunter]

Originally posted by: wbynum
Back at the beginning of Sept I was trying to decide between the 4850 and the 9800gtx+. The things that made me go with the 9800gtx+:

1. The dual slot cooler of the GTX.

That thing is less of a point atm. I've bought a beautiful POWERCOLOR HD4850 PCS+ and I'm extremely satisfied. Very quiet, cooler and excellent performance.

While both are great cards for the price, the fact the 4850 handles aa better makes it the winner imo.

 

[nemesismk2]

Originally posted by: keysplayr2003

Originally posted by: nemesismk2
You wouldn't notice the difference in performance between the HD 4850 and 9800 GTX+

:music: WINNER :music:

Do I win anything nice?

 

[Genx87]

Well my 8800GTS640 may have kicked the bucket. Ill find out tonight when I get to investigate it a bit further. I am interested in the 4850 because the resolution I play at (1600x1200) I dont see that great of a benefit in the high end cards. Plus I am trying to keep it cheap. The 9800GT at 150 or the 4850 at 170 fits fine for me.

 

[apoppin]

flip a coin

Look for a hot deal the day you are ready to buy

What there is a lot of on a video forum is *anecdotal* ... i.e. PERSONAL TESTIMONY
- and sometimes it borders on the religious - especially if one person has been "burned" by a certain HW manufacturer's product [often SO many times in a row it appears "metaphysical"]
:Q

Now i have been with both Manufacturer's GPUs so much the last 2 years - and dearly love BOTH of their products - i have coined a new name for myself
- Nvidiatic



.. confused, broke

. . . and yet strangely happy

HW zen

 

[krnmastersgt]

Originally posted by: GaiaHunter

Originally posted by: wbynum
Back at the beginning of Sept I was trying to decide between the 4850 and the 9800gtx+. The things that made me go with the 9800gtx+:

1. The dual slot cooler of the GTX.

That thing is less of a point atm. I've bought a beautiful POWERCOLOR HD4850 PCS+ and I'm extremely satisfied. Very quiet, cooler and excellent performance.

While both are great cards for the price, the fact the 4850 handles aa better makes it the winner imo.

True, aftermarket coolers for either card make them quieter/run cooler, however a lot of people don't want to have to change something on the card right out of the box. So stock coolers do make a difference to a lot of people, in that sense the dual slot is much more attractive. Assuming the card you're buying isn't already fitted with a new cooler.

 

[Spike]

Originally posted by: krnmastersgt

Originally posted by: GaiaHunter

Originally posted by: wbynum
Back at the beginning of Sept I was trying to decide between the 4850 and the 9800gtx+. The things that made me go with the 9800gtx+:

1. The dual slot cooler of the GTX.

That thing is less of a point atm. I've bought a beautiful POWERCOLOR HD4850 PCS+ and I'm extremely satisfied. Very quiet, cooler and excellent performance.

While both are great cards for the price, the fact the 4850 handles aa better makes it the winner imo.

True, aftermarket coolers for either card make them quieter/run cooler, however a lot of people don't want to have to change something on the card right out of the box. So stock coolers do make a difference to a lot of people, in that sense the dual slot is much more attractive. Assuming the card you're buying isn't already fitted with a new cooler.

Um, thats why he mentioned the card he bought which does indeed have a stock cooler thats better than the reference design

Powercolor HD4850 PCS+

 

[GaiaHunter]

Originally posted by: Spike

Originally posted by: krnmastersgt

Originally posted by: GaiaHunter

Originally posted by: wbynum
Back at the beginning of Sept I was trying to decide between the 4850 and the 9800gtx+. The things that made me go with the 9800gtx+:

1. The dual slot cooler of the GTX.

That thing is less of a point atm. I've bought a beautiful POWERCOLOR HD4850 PCS+ and I'm extremely satisfied. Very quiet, cooler and excellent performance.

While both are great cards for the price, the fact the 4850 handles aa better makes it the winner imo.

True, aftermarket coolers for either card make them quieter/run cooler, however a lot of people don't want to have to change something on the card right out of the box. So stock coolers do make a difference to a lot of people, in that sense the dual slot is much more attractive. Assuming the card you're buying isn't already fitted with a new cooler.

Um, thats why he mentioned the card he bought which does indeed have a stock cooler thats better than the reference design

Powercolor HD4850 PCS+

I've still hadn't much time to toy much with overclocks and fan speeds (and really hadn't the need to) but seems promising.

The fan of the Powercolor HD4850 PCS+ seems to come at 50% speed and its SILENT,ie you wont hear it. I don't recall the temperatures now.

What I know is that at 75% fan speed it's still SILENT and the idles at 47-48ºC and at full load goes into the 75ºC range (my bedroom is hot).

At 100% is AUDIBLE, and not really comfortable if you just surfing the web, but not that bad if you are playing.

Anyway at the 75% settings, this thing clocks from 665 to 740 core (remember standard 4850 core is 625) and from 993 to 1188 on the memory.

Seems stable and not too hot. When I've time I'll do more testing.

Closer and closer to replace the Ti4200 has my favorite card ever.

Considering it cost me 9 euros more than a regular 4850, I'm extremely happy with this buy.

 

[Genx87]

Sure enough my 8800GTS640 has went to card heaven *sniff*.

So is there a big difference between the brands of ATI cards? I found an ASUS 4850 for 179.99 with a 30 dollar mail in rebate. Yes\no? I am pretty set on this model due to the better performance for the money.