Isn't buying a NV40 or R420 a dumb idea?

[kofman]

actually upgrading to PCIe this generation makes no sense. Especially for the intel-based motherboards.

If you upgrade to Alderwood, you get the high cost of DDR2 at performance <= DDR. DDR2 improvement won't be felt until the clock speed reach 667, 800mhz.

2nd, prescott performance isn't drastically better than northwood right now... plus it looks like intel will eventually ditch their netburst tech for something else.

Finally PCIe won't bring any huge improvements immediately, look what AGP 3.0 did (not much).

i'd wait until BTX before upgrading.

 

[anaqer]

BTX? Man havent even heard of it. Smaller or larger then ATX? I need a new case now too? Jeez.

Actually, BTX may even get skipped after all... there are already a few diagrams of CTX cases floating around. I kid you not.

 

[fallguy]

And a new PSU too I believe. However you can mod your current PSU to work.

 

[incurable]

BTX? Man havent even heard of it. Smaller or larger then ATX? I need a new case now too? Jeez.

Actually, BTX may even get skipped after all... there are already a few diagrams of CTX cases floating around. I kid you not.

CTX was www.hardtecs4u.de's April's Fools joke this year.

Anyway, @Cali3350, for information on BTX, have a look at http://www.formfactors.org/.

 

[anaqer]

CTX was www.hardtecs4u.de's April's Fools joke this year.

Are you sure? The date did seem a bit suspicious back then, but the case layout itself makes a whole lot more sense to me than BTX ever did... then again, I can't find anything on it elsewhere, so it probably WAS an AFJ after all...

 

[hstewarth]

I personally think that getting the NV40 is not a bad idea. I have multiple machines for rendering purposes ( and gaming ) and eventually I will have PCI-Express machine. Since these maybe the last AGP's, it would be nice to have the best one you can get. With PCI Express, I believe most people will be building a completely new machine.

 

[Maintank]

If I waited around long enough I could get the NV50. But then would it be worth it with the NV60 around the corner?

Ill be picking one of these puppies up on the Fall and looking damn forward to it. Getting 50FPS at 1600X1200 on this 5900 in Far cry is soooo 2003

 

[Megadrive1988]

I'll either get R420 or get NV45 in the fall

 

[PaulS]

Whilst I'd like to wait for BTX, it just looks like it isn't happening. It was originally looking to be going mainstream towards the end of the year (with availability from Q2), but AMD doesn't seem interested, and neither do many of the companies Intel is trying to strongarm into supporting it.

Any updates on what's happening there? Can't see Intel wanting to hang around (given that they apparently actually NEED it to move forward), but there doesn't appear to be any movement.

 

[MrGaribaldi]

I'll either get R420 or get NV45 in the fall

I think I'll get the NV45 or R460 (or whatever the refresh is called) as long as they come in an AGP version...


Was originally contemplating PEG version, but after doing a quick calculation on all I have to change to move to PCI-Express (and probably BTX) I found it would be too expensive. At least if I'm getting an LCD screen, which is planned for the summer.

So I've changed my mind when it comes to the topic question. No it isn't as stupid as it sounds at first... (At least not for those of us with a small wallet (or large debt))

 

[Maintank]

I am not terribly familiar with the BTX standard Intel is proposing. But chances are they will plough ahead with it and eventually the industry will follow(including AMD). It will take a couple of years before the transition is complete.

 

[noko]

I think I will be getting one of the two cards NV40 or R420. Just because AGP will be out in a couple of years doesn't mean I won't be able to use my computer with these killer cards. Plus I am waiting for the second or third round of PCI express mobo's and video cards to iron out any wrickles if any. My next major upgrade besides this new video card (medium upgrade) will most likely be a R500 or NV50 and a PCI express mobo, faster ram DDR2??, SATA hard drives in a Raid 0. My current system will then become my backup system years afterwards.

Now speaking of FarCry, WOW! what a game and it definitely crys for a better video card. My overclock Raddy is having a hard time giving me what I want, time to upgrade is the answer.

 

[Moose]

After thinking about it more, I think this may indeed be the last best time to do a final AGP video card upgrade. PCIe is coming but not until late in the year at the earliest and there are sure to be problems with the first wave of mobo's.

Damn, and I was really trying to convince myself not to upgrade this round.

heh, who am I kidding.


ah well, let the reviews begin!!!!