Searching the web for info comparing these two cards for the last hour or so...lots of info out there, but unfortunately, I don't understand a gorram word of it. Here's hoping someone can just point & say "that one!"
I'm buying a new custom PC, and it includes a Nvidia GT220 with 1024 MB. I see on the STO FAQ that they recommend a minimum GEForce 7950. Since Nvidia is evidently opposed to a logical numeric progression of card identification, how can I tell if the card I selected is superior/equal/TRIBBLE? Am I TRIBBLE myself here?
If it matters, I'll also be running Windows 7 Home Premium w/6GB RAM and an Intel Core i5-650 (4MB cache & 3.2 GHz).
if you go to nvidia.com in the lower right hand corner you can click on shop or compare (one of those).. It gives you a way to drag their various cards and compare the specs
Don't get a GT220, it's not a gaming card. Go with something higher like a GTX260 or if you can afford it get a 275 or 285, you won't regret it. Especially now that the 400 cards are out we should see some of the higher 200's drop in price fairly soon.
Just to explain a bit about the Nvidia naming scheme:
With the old Nvidia cards the x800 were the high-powered gaming cards, while x600 were the average gaming cards. x400 and lower were the bottom-of-the-barrel cards not really suited for serious gaming. The first number just indicated the 'series' of the card, but newer series doesn't automatically mean it's a better card if the 2nd number is lower than that of an earlier series card.
Now with the newer 3-digit naming scheme the same basic rule still applies that the number at the end is the one to watch for and the first just indicates the card series.
With the 200 cards you want to get at least an x50 or above - anything below that is IMHO not worth the money because you could get an old 9800 series card (the previous generation high-end gaming card) for less money and it would perform better than a 240 or 220.
A GTX260 will give you good enough performance on STO, it's a decent card, but for longevity you might want a card one grade up as the 260 is still sort of a 'middle ground card'. A GTX275 or 285 would be best with the rest of what you're getting I think, it should be able to last for a while. GTX295 is nice, but IMHO very expensive and not worth the extra performance unless budget isn't an issue.
As you can see on the page Gnomenon linked the 9800 and the 250 are very close together, the 250 is barely superior to a 9800GT, there's quite a bit of a gap between those cards and the 9500GT which should perform quite a bit worse on STO - in my mind the 9600 would be just about playable and the 9500 is one step down from that.
A lot can depend on your settings though. Just last weekend I was again fiddling with the settings because I was still not happy with my performance (I have a 9800 GTX) and found some stuff under video effects that when turned off made quite a difference to my performance. I'll have a look in your other thread, see what I can recommend.
Don't get a GT220, it's not a gaming card. Go with something higher like a GTX260 or if you can afford it get a 275 or 285, you won't regret it. Especially now that the 400 cards are out we should see some of the higher 200's drop in price fairly soon.
Just to explain a bit about the Nvidia naming scheme:
With the old Nvidia cards the x800 were the high-powered gaming cards, while x600 were the average gaming cards. x400 and lower were the bottom-of-the-barrel cards not really suited for serious gaming. The first number just indicated the 'series' of the card, but newer series doesn't automatically mean it's a better card if the 2nd number is lower than that of an earlier series card.
Now with the newer 3-digit naming scheme the same basic rule still applies that the number at the end is the one to watch for and the first just indicates the card series.
With the 200 cards you want to get at least an x50 or above - anything below that is IMHO not worth the money because you could get an old 9800 series card (the previous generation high-end gaming card) for less money and it would perform better than a 240 or 220.
A GTX260 will give you good enough performance on STO, it's a decent card, but for longevity you might want a card one grade up as the 260 is still sort of a 'middle ground card'. A GTX275 or 285 would be best with the rest of what you're getting I think, it should be able to last for a while. GTX295 is nice, but IMHO very expensive and not worth the extra performance unless budget isn't an issue.
Again, THANK YOU! I seriously have been wondering what the new naming mechanic will be.
I don't see people really have trouble with NVidia cards but just an FYI...
I run the 7950 GT series 512mb myself and have a similar system to what you'll be getting and I get NO lag or lost FPS even when I am capturing video with FRAPS at the same time. Don't spend more money than you have to. But if you have the money to do better than go for it
Don't get a GT220, it's not a gaming card. Go with something higher like a GTX260 or if you can afford it get a 275 or 285, you won't regret it. Especially now that the 400 cards are out we should see some of the higher 200's drop in price fairly soon.
Figures I didn't see this until AFTER I'd already ordered my PC. Ahh, well...we'll see what happens. Thanks, everyone.
Comments
The Doctor Rules.. just wish i had his screwdriver right now.... see earlier topic "Please Help"
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-graphics-card-geforce-gtx-480,2598-6.html
It shows the hierarchy and a side-by-side tiered comparison of each manufacturer's cards. It's updated every month.
So, for example, your Nvidia GT220 is roughly comparable in performance to an ATI Radeon HD 3850.
Just to explain a bit about the Nvidia naming scheme:
With the old Nvidia cards the x800 were the high-powered gaming cards, while x600 were the average gaming cards. x400 and lower were the bottom-of-the-barrel cards not really suited for serious gaming. The first number just indicated the 'series' of the card, but newer series doesn't automatically mean it's a better card if the 2nd number is lower than that of an earlier series card.
Now with the newer 3-digit naming scheme the same basic rule still applies that the number at the end is the one to watch for and the first just indicates the card series.
With the 200 cards you want to get at least an x50 or above - anything below that is IMHO not worth the money because you could get an old 9800 series card (the previous generation high-end gaming card) for less money and it would perform better than a 240 or 220.
A GTX260 will give you good enough performance on STO, it's a decent card, but for longevity you might want a card one grade up as the 260 is still sort of a 'middle ground card'. A GTX275 or 285 would be best with the rest of what you're getting I think, it should be able to last for a while. GTX295 is nice, but IMHO very expensive and not worth the extra performance unless budget isn't an issue.
GTS 250
GT 9500
GT 9800
As you can see on the page Gnomenon linked the 9800 and the 250 are very close together, the 250 is barely superior to a 9800GT, there's quite a bit of a gap between those cards and the 9500GT which should perform quite a bit worse on STO - in my mind the 9600 would be just about playable and the 9500 is one step down from that.
A lot can depend on your settings though. Just last weekend I was again fiddling with the settings because I was still not happy with my performance (I have a 9800 GTX) and found some stuff under video effects that when turned off made quite a difference to my performance. I'll have a look in your other thread, see what I can recommend.
Again, THANK YOU! I seriously have been wondering what the new naming mechanic will be.
I run the 7950 GT series 512mb myself and have a similar system to what you'll be getting and I get NO lag or lost FPS even when I am capturing video with FRAPS at the same time. Don't spend more money than you have to. But if you have the money to do better than go for it
Figures I didn't see this until AFTER I'd already ordered my PC. Ahh, well...we'll see what happens. Thanks, everyone.