Software New Build, but which Video card for Photoshop

I am putting together a new PC, based around Q6600 amd Asus P5K Deluxe.

Intending to fit following Video Card;
512MB Sapphire Radeon X1550 PCI-E (x16) 800MHz GDDR2 GPU 550MHz D-Sub/DVI/S-Video Retail
Scan code LN17478
Manufacturer code 11093-10-20R - £36.65 Inc VAT

Video Cards appear to be a mind field

But this one I beleive will do everything I need for Photoshop, Creative Suite, Video Editing etc . . . runing a VGA monitor and a DVI monitor. I don't play games on PC.

Any advice on whether to use this card or maybe something else, would be much appreciated.

Regards,
AK

 

Photoshop - probably; Video Editing - yes; but keep in mind some video editing programs like Premiere use the GPU for rendering so there can be benefit in getting something a little more powerful. Also make sure you get something with Dual Link DVI port in case you upgrade your monitor and need that type of connection.

 

As I really have no idea in this area . . . .

what sort of money is a sensible budget for the purposes I listed . . . for video editing it's likely Sony Vegas I'd be using.

alternatively what sort of chipsets . . . 7300GS, 7600GT, 7600GS, 1650 Pro, 7900GS, X1650 PRO, 8600 GT, 2600 XT . . . cover the £30 to £100 range . . . but I don't know what over or under kill.

My software list is likely;
Windows XP Pro - upgrade to Vista in 24 months
Office Pro 2007
Adobe Creative Suite 3 - Photoshop, InDesign, Acrobat, Illustrator, Dreamweaver, Flash
Sony Vegas Movie Studio Platinum 8
and then other third part apps; Breeze, ProShow, etc

 

Just did a google on Vegas and GPU and got
"Upto release version 7, Sony Vegas does not utilize GPU performance in any way."

So for your NLE package it does not matter. I think the best value is probably to be found with something like an ATI 2600 XT something similar to whats on the link below (look at technical specifications) might make a reasonable all round multimedia graphics card - shame its not passive (fanless)

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/ProductInfo.asp?WebProductID=619501

 

Looks aesthetically like a cool video card though . . . . minimal design for a cooling channel. Many Thanks cosmic.

Is their any disadvantage to using a DVI output for a VGA LCD Monitor (with converter) ???

And are the cards I'd described, and the one you pointed me to, similar in running Vista Aero in the future ???

 

I have never done a comparison so not best placed to answer that question - however suspect any problems have much to do with the particular graphics card/monitor combination.

No they are not, according to Microsoft, Vista Aero must have DirectX 10 support in the graphics card (so recent ATI 2000 series and Nvidia 8000 series), however many people get by quite happily with out it. Since your only looking for a modestly priced card with good 2D support, you might as well go for a recently released card that supports DirectX 10 - the more expensive cards are mainly rich in 3D features. Its worth making sure that whatever card you buy has OpenGL 2.0 support - seems to be the general direction for NLE support

 

Thanks cosmic, I will look for DirectX 10 and OpenL 2.0 support.

 

I looked more into DirectX 10, and it seems compulsory for games and optional for aero . . . . seems like DirectX 9 is fine for aero - but I'm interested if anyone thought different to this ?

 

DX9.0c is fine for aero, it runs on my 9600pro fine and my X800

 

DougEdey, thanks for response . . . . wondering if you were buying a new card in todays market, would you go for same x800, or would you feel any benefit in aero performance to be gained from spending more ???

 

Are you talking 2D or 3D?

There would be no difference in 2D

 

Aero performance? I don't know about most people but I barely EVER see my desktop or the affects because I'm working!

 

Just to clarify - am I right in thinking DX10 is only of benefit to vista games. Meaning Vista Aero is perfectly happy with DX9 ???

Have the following on my shorlist now . . . so wondered if any further thoughts.

One DVI and one VGA matches my current monitor setup - dual screen.

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/ProductInfo.asp?WebProductID=540208
512MB Sapphire Radeon X1550 PCI-E (x16) 800MHz GDDR2 GPU 550MHz D-Sub/DVI/S-Video Retail £36

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/ProductInfo.asp?WebProductID=397073
512Mb Asus 7600GS, PCI-E (x16), Mem 540 MHz, GPU 400 MHz, 12 Pipes, D-Sub/DVI-I/S-Video £50

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/ProductInfo.asp?WebProductID=470935
256MB Gigabyte 7600GS PCI-E(x16), Mem 800MHz, GPU 450MHz, 12Pipes, D-Sub/DVI-I/HDTV SLi Silent-Pipe £48

Does passive mean shorter life and more heat . . . or is the fan based video the one likely to be outlived ???

And does 512mb offer any advantage ???

 

Those cards are good, yet outdated by somewhat.

This is that those cards arent powerful anough to fill all 512megs of memory as Resoloutions needed to fall that 512meg cant be had by those cards.

Personally 256meg is enough, and the 7600GS is a fine and more than capaple card.

Passive dosent mean shorter life as a card with a fan on may die due to the fan craping out and not giving it ample cooling. Personally i prefer passive as it saves my ears, just make sure you have some airflow throughout the case.

And yes Aero can be had thru DX9.