Ok tried a 7900 GTX

[falcon26]

Picked up an EVGA 7900 GTX from Frys to compare the 1900xtx and the 7900 gtx. In 3dmark 06 the 7900 GTX gets about 6100 stock, the Ati 1900xtx gets 5800 stock. In 3dmark 05 the 7900 gtx gets 10800, while the 1900xtx get 11300. So just like the reviews say the 7900 gtx does better in 06 and the 1900xtx does better in 05. Now at idle the 7900 gtx is like 38C and load was like 55C. The 1900xtx was idle at about 50C and load about 75C. The stock fan on the 7900 GTX is dead slient you can't hear it, even on load. The 1900xtx has an artic cooling x2 on it, so that one is also dead silent. Now for BF2. With 4X AA and supersampling and 16X AF I averaged about 80 frames a second with the 7900 GTX. With the 1900xtx I was using 6X AA with adaptive turned on and 8X AF HQ I was getting about 60 frames a second. For the life of me I couldn't really tell a difference in image quality. These cards are so dam close in performance it really comes down to personal prefence. Its a really tough choice..........

[badboy]

Picked up an EVGA 7900 GTX from Frys to compare the 1900xtx and the 7900 gtx. In 3dmark 06 the 7900 GTX gets about 6100 stock, the Ati 1900xtx gets 5800 stock. In 3dmark 05 the 7900 gtx gets 10800, while the 1900xtx get 11300. So just like the reviews say the 7900 gtx does better in 06 and the 1900xtx does better in 05. Now at idle the 7900 gtx is like 38C and load was like 55C. The 1900xtx was idle at about 50C and load about 75C. The stock fan on the 7900 GTX is dead slient you can't hear it, even on load. The 1900xtx has an artic cooling x2 on it, so that one is also dead silent. Now for BF2. With 4X AA and supersampling and 16X AF I averaged about 80 frames a second with the 7900 GTX. With the 1900xtx I was using 6X AA with adaptive turned on and 8X AF HQ I was getting about 60 frames a second. For the life of me I couldn't really tell a difference in image quality. These cards are so dam close in performance it really comes down to personal prefence. Its a really tough choice..........

I feel the same way as I too have both cards too. [thumbup]

[falcon26]

I'm not keeping both, one is going back for sure. I just don't know which one. I don't play at anything above 1280x1024 so at this level both cards are completely on par with each other. So its either use 4X AA with 16X AF with the nvidia card or 6X AA with 8X AF on the Ati card....

[serbsoldier]

I'm not keeping both, one is going back for sure. I just don't know which one. I don't play at anything above 1280x1024 so at this level both cards are completely on par with each other. So its either use 4X AA with 16X AF with the nvidia card or 6X AA with 8X AF on the Ati card....

why dont you try BF2 with 8XAA 16xAF on the nvidia card? i know that bf2 only has 4x aa, but i used to play it at 8x aa on my geforce 6800GT even, althought playable, not for 24/7 usage, just to demonstrate that the card has more than enough horsepower, but for a 7900gtx, im sure its even playable 24/7 with 8xaa

[falcon26]

I tried that. I was getting like 40 to 50 frames on average with 8X AA. WIth 4X AA and 16X AF I get about 80 fames on average...

[falcon26]

After much thought and testing I think I'm going to keep the 7900 GTX and return the 1900XTX. I slighty o/ced the 7900 and ran 3dmark 05 again now my score is like 11.4K which is higher than the 1900 xtx. And on 3d mark 06 its about 6.5K which is also better than the 1900XTX. In BF2 I can run at 1280x1024 with 4xAA supersampling and 16xAF and still get about 80 frames on average. And the 7900 idles about 38-40C and even at load while o/ced its only about 55C. And its dead silent on stock cooling. Not to mention it only uses like 90 watts on full load where as the 1900XTX is like 150 watts. And the 1900XTX would idle at about 50C and get upto about 75-80C load. So maybe the 1900XTX is slightyly faster than the 7900GTX, and I mean slighty but the overall package I think is much better on the 7900 GTX. I like Nvidia's drivers better and their control panel as well. As far as image quality goes I couldn't tell the difference between the two.....their that's my 2 cents worth :-)

[Shock_Hunter]

I agree performance wise the cards are very simalar but the IQ at default on the 7800/7900 is not good enough imo, of course you can correct that by increasing to HQ but then the performance drops so you might as well just use a X1900

[Kaotika]

I agree performance wise the cards are very simalar but the IQ at default on the 7800/7900 is not good enough imo, of course you can correct that by increasing to HQ but then the performance drops so you might as well just use a X1900

not to mention that X1900 IQ is still superior after that "correction"

[Federelli]

I'd wait for 6.5 drivers before making the choice.

[FatherSpoon]

From comparison shots I've noticed ATis IQ quite a bit higher when AF is enabled. Looks much nicer with an ATi card.

But then I prefer nVidia Drivers and their control panel.

And then the nVidia card does use up less power and heat.

I would overclock both cards and see which is better in speed overall in games, then keep the fastest, I think the 1900xtx will come out on top.