Forums » Windows
Graphics cards for my new workstation
Hi all
I'm looking at getting a windows based computer so I can bring some of my work home, plus work on more freelance stuff. I will defiantly be getting:
HP xw4200 workstation, 3.2, 2Gb DDR2 533 ram, 160 Gb SATA HDD, Windows XP Pro Firewire etc, with an HPL2035 20'' LCD. It has PCI-E slots so I'll need a PCI-Express card for it.
I am, however, not sure about which graphics card to get. I mainly use two 3D design programs, Solidworks and Alias Studio Tools. Both use OpenGL for display, so I need a card with good stats in this department. I would also like to use the machine for some gaming.
At work, I use a similar setup (xw6200 with dual Xeon's) but it has a card which is way out of my price range.
I'll probably get either a NVidia Quadro FX 1300 128mb, or an ATI Radeon X800 XT 256mb.
The NVidia card is a purpose built 3D card, so would be perfect for my work stuff, but how good would it be for gaming? The ATI card would be good for games, but how would it do for my work stuff?
Any suggestions?
I'm looking at getting a windows based computer so I can bring some of my work home, plus work on more freelance stuff. I will defiantly be getting:
HP xw4200 workstation, 3.2, 2Gb DDR2 533 ram, 160 Gb SATA HDD, Windows XP Pro Firewire etc, with an HPL2035 20'' LCD. It has PCI-E slots so I'll need a PCI-Express card for it.
I am, however, not sure about which graphics card to get. I mainly use two 3D design programs, Solidworks and Alias Studio Tools. Both use OpenGL for display, so I need a card with good stats in this department. I would also like to use the machine for some gaming.
At work, I use a similar setup (xw6200 with dual Xeon's) but it has a card which is way out of my price range.
I'll probably get either a NVidia Quadro FX 1300 128mb, or an ATI Radeon X800 XT 256mb.
The NVidia card is a purpose built 3D card, so would be perfect for my work stuff, but how good would it be for gaming? The ATI card would be good for games, but how would it do for my work stuff?
Any suggestions?
I think that the nVidia card will handle your gaming needs and then some.
nVidia is better for OGL. If it was just gaming, the ATI would be better. Money clearly isnt a limit with you, I'd get a pair of Quadro's and the SLI connector. Kickass setup.
Too bad he doesn't have a dual PCIe Graphics slots. If you can obtain a (PCIe) 6800 Ultra, id get that.
?! Recommending the nVidia ?!
LOL. In this case of course nVidia is better in OpenGL, and that's an OpenGL-optimized card... but it sucks horribly. I think its like an FX5200... at least 8 times slower than the XT. Definitely the ATI in this case, but if you can, get a 6800 Ultra, it'll blow both away.
LOL. In this case of course nVidia is better in OpenGL, and that's an OpenGL-optimized card... but it sucks horribly. I think its like an FX5200... at least 8 times slower than the XT. Definitely the ATI in this case, but if you can, get a 6800 Ultra, it'll blow both away.
I still don't get why he's comparing a consumer ATI card to a Workstation-level NVIDIA card. Shouldn't he be comparing a NVidia Quadro FX to an ATI FireGL? I reccommend that you look at these two pages:
http://ati.com/products/fireglvseries/ATI_FireGL_Family_Brochure.pdf
http://nvidia.com/object/IO_11761.html
Mmm. 512MB DDR3 RAM on a Video Card. 1337.
http://ati.com/products/fireglvseries/ATI_FireGL_Family_Brochure.pdf
http://nvidia.com/object/IO_11761.html
Mmm. 512MB DDR3 RAM on a Video Card. 1337.
Yeah rogue, that makes perfect sense.
SG1 is correct, the only real difference is there's an extra DVI connector on it. Not any major core/clock/mem difference whatsoever.
SG1 is correct, the only real difference is there's an extra DVI connector on it. Not any major core/clock/mem difference whatsoever.
LOL there's a big difference between a GeForce and a Quadro.. BIG difference.
If you believe in the nVidia marketing bullshit, there sure is :]
(psst, take a look at the cores, only ONE quadro has had a quadro-specific core)
(psst, take a look at the cores, only ONE quadro has had a quadro-specific core)
Thanks for the feedback.
Regarding the difference between the different NVidia cards, its mainly some hardware optimisations, but more importantly, the drivers are stable and certified by the makers of the CAID software I use. They make specific drivers for the cards.
I was comparing a workstation card with a gaming card because they are of similar price, give or take a little. I was speaking to one of my clients about this the other day. They are using high end Redeons in their engineering boxes for cost reasons. They find that many of their CAID apps run fine, but are a little glitchy, mainly when running curvature analysis shaders. Everything else runs fine.
So, I've decided to go for the X800 instead of the Quadro. I can put up with a little glitching here and there, and I'm not planning to do anything too intensive from home anyway. If I do, then I would be able to afford a high-end workstation card ;) I figure I'll loose a little CAID performance, but gain a lot of gaming performance.
Anyway, I have ordered the machine, arrives in a couple of days :D but I since I've decided to go for the X800, I ordered the machine with the entry-level 3d card (its shite) so I can replace it with the radeon as soon as I can buy one. Anyone want to buy a crap workstation card?
I could always swap the card from one my underlings' workstations at work when no-one is looking ;)
Regarding the difference between the different NVidia cards, its mainly some hardware optimisations, but more importantly, the drivers are stable and certified by the makers of the CAID software I use. They make specific drivers for the cards.
I was comparing a workstation card with a gaming card because they are of similar price, give or take a little. I was speaking to one of my clients about this the other day. They are using high end Redeons in their engineering boxes for cost reasons. They find that many of their CAID apps run fine, but are a little glitchy, mainly when running curvature analysis shaders. Everything else runs fine.
So, I've decided to go for the X800 instead of the Quadro. I can put up with a little glitching here and there, and I'm not planning to do anything too intensive from home anyway. If I do, then I would be able to afford a high-end workstation card ;) I figure I'll loose a little CAID performance, but gain a lot of gaming performance.
Anyway, I have ordered the machine, arrives in a couple of days :D but I since I've decided to go for the X800, I ordered the machine with the entry-level 3d card (its shite) so I can replace it with the radeon as soon as I can buy one. Anyone want to buy a crap workstation card?
I could always swap the card from one my underlings' workstations at work when no-one is looking ;)
What's the card?
$30 ;p
My vote...if it matters....is the nVidia PCIe 6800 FX with 256 MB. Would cover all your needs and the drivers are still supported by CAID. ATI doesn't have anything that can touch this yet.