Shall I swap from ATI to Nvidia?

[Calax]

I've had more problems with my Ati than I ever did with my Nvidia. The only reason I have my ATI is so that in Age of Mythology it doesn't look like water is land, my troops don't turn black when I give them bronze armor and about a dozen other things. But I keep my Nvidia around because it has pixel shader for Invisible War, Punisher, and Snowblind. (what can I say, I'll play anything...)

[EnderAndrew]

http://www.thetechlounge.com/review.php?di...6mb_pcie&page=4

 

Take a game developed around ATI and you will see the x800 XT stand toe-to-toe with the 6800 Ultra. Both cards will cost you around $400.

 

Now, check an OpenGL game like Doom 3 and the scores reverse. So both cards are pretty comparable.

 

The deciding factor for me between the two cards would be the superior drivers and stability NVidia is offering as of late.

[themacman]

the x800 got nothing new and that is why i went with Nvida and the 6800 because it's cheaper and faster.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No it's not...ATI's are cheaper and are at least neck-and-neck.

http://www.hothardware.com/viewarticle.cfm?articleid=517

 

Although ATI have screwed it lately with the R520 while nVidia managed to get their top card out.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

here in europe when i bought my 6800 it was just 150Euro's cheaper then the cheapest X800...

and as a developer of OpenGL software Ati never fixed their poor OpenGL performance.

 

and from the looks of it i wil walk around Windows vista because there is NO NATIVE OpenGL support whatsoever "which blows"

[EnderAndrew]

Windows XP doesn't have native support for OpenGL either. OpenGL support comes from your video driver, not Windows XP.

 

However, some feel that the Windows API will try and hinder OpenGL with Vista.

[themacman]

Windows XP doesn't have native support for OpenGL either.  OpenGL support comes from your video driver, not Windows XP.

 

However, some feel that the Windows API will try and hinder OpenGL with Vista.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

your stuck with OpenGL 1.4 and not only that it runs on top of aero which affects performance.

so: you can't update to OpenGL2.0 and you can't get rid of aero under it...

Windows XP OpenGL with Nvidia/Ati is fully native and doesn't run on any emulation layer like in vista.

 

again developers screwed over by Microsoft.

[EnderAndrew]

The only developers who are screwed are developers who want to develop a multi-platform game. DirectX works fine for a Windows title.

[Astatine]

Windows XP doesn't have native support for OpenGL either.  OpenGL support comes from your video driver, not Windows XP.

 

However, some feel that the Windows API will try and hinder OpenGL with Vista.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

your stuck with OpenGL 1.4 and not only that it runs on top of aero which affects performance.

so: you can't update to OpenGL2.0 and you can't get rid of aero under it...

Windows XP OpenGL with Nvidia/Ati is fully native and doesn't run on any emulation layer like in vista.

 

again developers screwed over by Microsoft.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Actually, this is disinformation spread by a reactionary press. To the best of my knowledge: It will be possible to do OpenGL natively in Vista, with no speed penalty, including OpenGL 2.0, so long as it's supported by the GPU manufacturer or someone else with direct access to the GPU hardware. I'm sure Nvidia will at any rate.

 

The only problem is the 3D rendered GUI of Vista will have to be turned off in order to do it, because that GUI hogs the GPU resources (which it needs to do its compositing and other effects) and prevents anything else (e.g. an OpenGL layer) from taking them over. In order to merge the "Aero" 3D rendered GUI with OpenGL-using programs the OpenGL-using programs must use an OpenGL implementation that converts into Direct3D that can merge into the rest of the "Aero" GUI, resulting in a performance hit.

 

Of course, airy-fairy eyecandy-loving management types will think having to switch off the "Aero" UI (which buys you nothing except for looking "new" and "trendy" and "Apple-like") is a bad thing and so professional OpenGL applications might migrate to Direct3D, with nasty consequences for cross-platform compatibility of those applications, etc, etc. Whilst it's almost certain that Microsoft are basically layering OpenGL over Direct3D when "Aero" 3D GUI rendering is enabled for technical reasons, knowing the attitude of their management folks they probably think the bit of extra collateral vendor lock-in is a happy coincidence.

 

OpenGL games run in full screen anyway and so switching off the "Aero" thingy while they run will be no big deal.

[metadigital]

When I think of Microsoft tech support employees I picture Lotus Assassin Acolytes from Jade Empire for some odd reason.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Because of the unofficial mantra at M$ that (referring to OS upgrades) "It's not done until it screws up Lotus?" (products, like the class-leading spreadsheet 1-2-3, which had huge problems with the OLE functionality, due

[themacman]

Windows XP doesn't have native support for OpenGL either.  OpenGL support comes from your video driver, not Windows XP.

 

However, some feel that the Windows API will try and hinder OpenGL with Vista.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

your stuck with OpenGL 1.4 and not only that it runs on top of aero which affects performance.

so: you can't update to OpenGL2.0 and you can't get rid of aero under it...

Windows XP OpenGL with Nvidia/Ati is fully native and doesn't run on any emulation layer like in vista.

 

again developers screwed over by Microsoft.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Actually, this is disinformation spread by a reactionary press. To the best of my knowledge: It will be possible to do OpenGL natively in Vista, with no speed penalty, including OpenGL 2.0, so long as it's supported by the GPU manufacturer or someone else with direct access to the GPU hardware. I'm sure Nvidia will at any rate.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

sorry not true...

http://www.opengl.org

 

as pointed out by many people it's simply not possible to run OpenGL windowed or fullscreen at Native speeds there will always be a performance hit.

 

and it's not possible to switch aero off it always translates OpenGL to DX.

[EnderAndrew]

You can disable most any service in 2000 or XP. I'd be outright shocked if Aero can't be disabled.

 

You can disable all the visual toys in Windows currently to improve performance, but you're saying we won't be able to in Vista?

 

I haven't seen anything that says that.