Graphics Buy x1950 now or wait for DX10 cards?

I really need a new graphics card. I'd love an 8800 but I can't justify the extra cost when I'm only running a 1280x1024 resolution. An x1950 pro comes in at around £125 inc. VAT, but isn't DX10 compatible. Is it that important? Should I wait and get something else?

 

i wouldnt wait, 8Series of cards are good but u need a good monitor to throw those pictures onto, personally the X1950pro is a xcelent card and comes at a lovely cost.

Dx10 still has plenty of time to grow as with vista, and im sure ur not getting Vista any time soon.

 

If the price is right now buy the card, and uppgrade later when new cards and DX10 is well in the market. Unless u can't wait.

At that resolution I think that card will be almost perfect. Even a 8800 GTS is way overkill.

 

Cool. Now to decide which one:

• Connect3D ATI Radeon X1950 Pro - £117
• Sapphire ATI Radeon X1950 Pro - £125
• PowerColor ATI Radeon X1950 Pro Extreme SILENT Heatpipe - £129
• HIS ATI Radeon X1950 Pro ICEQ 3 TURBO SILENT Heatpipe - £132
• Sapphire ATI Radeon X1950 Pro ULTIMATE SILENT 256MB (has Zalman cooler) - £143

 

how are ur noise concerns?

Ive heard that the stock cooler for the gfx card is perfectly fine and is one of the quietest on the market, i would go with the connect3D as they are a "no frills" brand and dont add games and that sorta crap on to the bundle and hikes up the cost.

 

I would go for the HIS card for the coolers sake. Noise levels and temps down noticably compared to the other.
The Sapphire Ultimate don't have the price to compete. A Connect3D+ a Zalman cooler is cheeper.

 

I have read from various user reviews that the cheaper 256 meg version Sapphire is a bit of a noisy beast.

 

It's actually not that bad, having used a pair myself. Much better than the whiner installed on a standard 7900 GS..

 

looks like I need to qualify every statement

in reference to the 5 cards listed I would expect it to be the loudest of the bunch, based upon user reviews

 

I believe the Connect3D card uses the same cooler as the one on the Sapphire so they should be similar from a noise pollution perspective. The other three are so-called 'silent' designs, and they're obviously going to be quieter. The only other thing to consider is that the HIS, Sapphire Ultimate and PowerColor all take up two slots though, so if a single slot card is a concern, you're limited to the Sapphire/Connect3D.

As mentioned, it's not as quiet as the 'silent' designs, but it's far from obtrusively noisy.

 

If you can wait till February because nVidia`s 8600Ultra comes out and it will cost around 180$. But if you really want AMD(ATI) you should buy Sapphire ATI Radeon X1950 Pro ULTIMATE SILENT 256MB cos there is no release date for ATI`s DX10 cards

 

I have a tendency to watch a lot of HD movies via a Shuttle to my Projector, so my definition of noisy is somewhat biased, both my 7900GTO and X1950XTX are just about quiet enough for the purpose, my 7900 gt certainly was noisier than my projector so it had to go.

So if the OP's purpose is for browsing and gaming and the fan used on the non "silent" models listed is quieter than a stock 7900gt, then arguably it may not be too obtrusive as you say.

 

Hey. I don't know what these forums are - but I randomly came to this thread from a google search on Dx10 cards.

I registered to tell you this:

DO NOT buy the Sapphire Card. I had a Sapphire Radeon x1600xt and it was TRASH. DO NOT buy Sapphire.

I replaced that card with the ASUS Radon x1950 Pro and it's amazing. I would check out the Asus version of the card. But DO NOT buy Sapphire. When I went to their site with my problems, they couldn't even help me in the least.

 

Please explain why Sapphire sucks. Did it had problems?

 

Looks like he doesn't feel like explaining himself.
I throw my pebble in for the HIS. I can verify their coolers kick ass - my card's never gotten above 52 degrees (though I'm sure the cooling geeks would tell me that's far, far too hot) and the fans are unnoticeable until you hit full speed, and in a closed case not even that intrusive then.

 

Sapphire is great, nothing wrong with them. As for the X1950 Pro, they are selling for around £100, not £120.

 

I created this thread nearly a year ago.

I bought the Sapphire x1950 Pro and it's great.

Wizzykin: Stop scaremongering just because you had one bad card.

 

Graphical problems all over the place. I had two sapphire cards, not one. I had artifacts all over the screen with both - couldn't play many games because of it.

It would constantly crash in Vista (although, I'm back to XP now).

And their technical help was of no help.

I'm not scare mongering - I was trying to help. Sorry I registered to try to help.

 

I've owned three different Sapphire cards in the past myself, and never had a problem with any of them.
One was sold onto a friend, who I haven't seen for a while... but the other two are still going strong in each of my two sons systems.

There are many others on here - and on other forums, who have also owned/still own Sapphire cards, and they've not experienced problems either?

I'd suggest therefore, that signing up to a new forum to condemn Sapphire cards as a whole, based solely on your experiences with two of their cards, was short-sighted, rather than helpful

 

He has a point, dealing directly with sapphire is very hard work. When they released their 939 ati chipset motherboards there was nil support in the uk for them (insanely buggy bios needed updating that didnt happen).

That said the saphire cards ive had ive not had a prob with them.