Need Graphics Card Advice

[shywho]

I am a graphics hobbyist and want to get myself a new Graphics Card. I have an Intel IGP G33 and need something better than that. I have a Core2 Duo based desktop, which runs XP and cannot afford to upgrade to either Vista or XP. I will mostly be using Linux for my development.

I have narrowed down my options based on my extremely constrained budget to ATI Radeon 4350, nVidia GeForce 9400 and nVidia GeForce 8400. I had almost decided to go with ATI Radeon 4350 as I find it gives me the greatest bang for the buck.

However, I recently read here and in other forums that ATI's Linux Drivers are not that great and nVidia's Drivers are better. Should I move my development activity to XP or should I get nV?

 

[bossqueen]

http://www.amd.com/uk/Pages/AMDHomePage.aspx
You can find the ATI driver in this website, included your first choice, 4350. You can set some condition to find out which drivers is the best for you. I just found the driver of 4350.
http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownlo...px?type=2.4.1&product=2.4.1.3.36&lang=English

Comparing ATI's driver with NV's, we cant deny that the drivers of NV is better than ATI, it's a fact. Therefore, choosing low-end card, I prefer NV.

 

[Vdubchaos]

Those cards are as good as onboard video....

 

[NoQuarter]

http://www.amd.com/uk/Pages/AMDHomePage.aspx
You can find the ATI driver in this website, included your first choice, 4350. You can set some condition to find out which drivers is the best for you. I just found the driver of 4350.
http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownlo...px?type=2.4.1&product=2.4.1.3.36&lang=English

Comparing ATI's driver with NV's, we cant deny that the drivers of NV is better than ATI, it's a fact. Therefore, choosing low-end card, I prefer NV.

I'd heard ATI had made a lot of progress on their Linux driver the last year, to the point of being preferable, is that true at all? I don't use Linux

 

[yh125d]

Why do you need something better than your integrated? Is your work GPU accelerated or are you playing games? I think you'll find yourself disappointed with all those cards if you try to game with them.

 

[shywho]

I am unable understand how my G33 based IGP is as capable as these cards.

AFAIK, the G33 uses the GMA 3100, which is DX9 and OpenGl 2.0 compatible. It has pixel and vertex shaders which only support shader model 2.0 features and the vertex shaders are still provided only in software and no Geometry shaders.

OTH, the specs for the 4350, 9400 and 8400 mention
Radeon 4350 - DirectX 10.1 - OpenGl 3.2
GeForce 9400 - DirectX 10.0 - OpenGl 3.2
GeForce 8400 - DirectX 10.0 - OpenGl 3.2

I am also interested in OpenCL/DirectCompute which the IGP is not capable of. I am not into gaming, but would like to take up 3D rendering as a hobby.

The specs for these cards mention that the config core is
Readeon 4350 - 80/8/4
GeForce 8400/9400 - 16/8/4.

Does this mean that there are only 4 pixel shaders.