8600GT or HD3650 ?

[macgirl]

Which and Why?

[pmcnano]

It really depends on the model, dont you think? The most important thing in a video card should be the memory clock, pipelines and other stuff. I had seen a lot of 8600GT models, you could find them with ddr2 memory and ddr3 and different clocks.

 

On the other side, I did an extra-quick research on the HD3650 and it seems they all come with GDDR3 memory, 1.6ghz clock, so it is really up to which model of 8600GT you get, imo.

 

=P

[xbc]

The endless Nvidia vs ATI question. That question has so many answers.

 

For OSX I would personally go for NVIDIA, as support seems more solid for OSX than ATI.

 

If you are an open source zeelot a la "I love linux and all that" ATI, since NVIDIA said no open drivers for linux, not now not ever. (Still they have them and they are closed source) ATI (now AMD) has pledged support for linux churning drivers at the same time as windows releases. Yahhhh linux.

 

If you hate the noise, go for the fan less option. I personally have both a 8600 Gigabyte fanless and a ATI 3450 fanless. Make sure you have plenty of ventilation.

 

If you like dual screens, go for the dual DVI option, and get DVI-D monitors they so make the difference.

 

If you are into graphic design and use windows XP and require color management. Go for ATI, since you can calibrate each of the dual displays separately. Window XP looks at ATI cards dual DVI ports as two separate cards, NVIDIA dual dvi ports are looked as one so calibrating one messes the other up. Requires a seperate power toy to make it work. Vista fixes this problem, but introduces a new one which is that calibration data is lost in a sleep a resume cycle. (unacceptable) Man, once you color calibrate a display, there is no going back to un calibrated color.

 

If you play games again in windows, NVIDIA. Especially since newer drivers implement the PhysiX engine. Though they were hacked for ATI. So it can be a draw.

 

If you are planing a PVR o a media center. Again Fanless and I guess ATI plays back better and plays better with the HD content and HDMI outputs (you will need to have support for it ana a special adaptor)

 

CAD/CAM/autocad NVIDIA, since most can be hardware or software hacked into becoming a Quadro. (not so much for recent models)

 

If you worry of having outdated equipment, The ATI would be a newer card since the current ATI gen is the 4XXX. So an ATI 3650 would be a generation old. NVIDIA on the other hand current generation is the GTX 260 after the 9XXX series after that the 8XXX series. So a 8600 would be two generations old.

 

If you are into saving money, (see last paragraph) once the GTX 2XX series is out the 8XXX will have a bigger price drop SOON.

 

Overclocking, Watercooling fancy mods, NVIDIA. ATI gets the sparklies (screen artfacts) really fast if you overclock them a little or when using DVI-D screens. ( I have an x1650 with this problem)

 

Like buzz words the ATI is PCIx second generation complaint the NVIDIA isn't. But then again neither is your motherboard.

 

Okey if you are still with me here. Final consideration and tip. Besides the current Gen Number the second number is the most important to compare cards. This is how it goes. any ZX00 where Y is a 234 are low end cards. Any 567 is a medium end card, Any 89or X2 ending (dual cards) is a high end card. In order to make fair comparisons you should only compare similar GEN cards with similar second numbers. Meaning compare X200s X300s or X400s, or X500 X600 or X700s, or 800s 900s or X2s. Besides that see who is winning the current Gen crop. Last time that ATI was ahead was before the Radeon 9XXX series. Current gen as follows:

 

Nvidia ATI Winner

GTX 2x0 4x50HD NVIDIA

9x00 3x50HD NVIDIA

8x00 2x50HD NVIDIA

7x00 X1x00 NVIDIA

6x00 Xx00 NVIDIA

5x00 Radeon 9x00 ATI

 

Basically that is how it goes. Again this is only in synthetic tests, usually not realy world performance. And it also does not account for several implementation between OEM providers of both ATI and NVIDIA products. Nor OEM overclocked, watercooled products. How to compare different gen cards. Usually low end card suck, avoid them like the plague. A current Medium end card will be sort of equivalent in performance than a two gen old High End card using the same brand. A low end card would require a 3 gen spread. The winner of the current Gen gets a Gen point.

 

Lets see a system would be something like this.

 

Xbc's Graphic Card Compareratron Extravaganza System (patent pending)

 

A Low end card -3 Gen points

A medium end card -2 Gen points

Current Gen winner +1 Gen point (use following table)

 

Nvidia ATI Winner

GTX 2x0 4x50HD NVIDIA

9x00 3x50HD NVIDIA

8x00 2x50HD NVIDIA

7x00 X1x00 NVIDIA

6x00 Xx00 NVIDIA

5x00 Radeon 9x00 ATI

 

Using as a reference point the highest gen. So for your comparison a 8600 vs a 3650 the ATI would be the highest gen card. Both are mid end cards (becuase of the given 6 in the second position), Nvidia was the winner in the 8XXX series so it gets a +1 GEN point. So it works out to the 8600 and the 3650 are about the same Confused. I am too, but that is a rough system of how to compare ATI vs NVIDIA between generations and low high and medium end models. Dual cards get a 1.5 Multiplier. HAHAHAHA this is ridiculous but ATI and NVIDIA marketing departments make it impossible to know which is which and which is better.

 

Besides buy a card already since your card will be outdated before you even install it.

 

p.s. This is just the tip of the iceberg, if you really want to get serious on the Graphic Card debacle try the www.guru3D.com forums. This is were all the hardcore grx card enthusiasts gets there news and there info.