The ideal Graphics Card

[Rau]

Hey, I currently use an nVIDIA GeForce 8800GT. I can run most games, with the exception of Crysis, on full graphics settings.
I have seen people implying that NCSoft are updating the graphics of the game after beta tests. So.. my question is -
Will I be able to run Aion perfectly with my current card, or by the time it is released, would it be a good idea for me to invest in a new one?

I ask this because I have only just bought my current card, and am starting to wonder whether it would've been a good idea to get a better one which would last longer, as it were.

[Calindor]

aion will use crytek engine, its the first gen of the crysis engine...farcry uses it, and you can see it still takes some beast rigs to run that on high settings, plus a MMO will be slightly more demanding...I'd recommend getting the FarCry demo and seeing how you run it with your current rig.

My advice would be to buy another 8800gt and go SLI if your MOBO supports it, if not I would wait and get an ATI 4870 or GT260.

[Mark]

Whoa, whoa, Calindor, you've got your facts wrong.

Crysis uses CryENGINE 2, not CryENGINE 1. FarCry uses CryENGINE 1. Aion uses CryENGINE 1.

An 8800GT will handle the CryENGINE 1 just fine, no need for SLi.

[LethalGT]

If you WANT to upgrade to a card RIGHT now, I recommend the 9800GTX+ NOT THE REGULAR 9800GTX the 9800GTX+! It's got a shrunken die, better clock speeds and is a more powerful card. Going SLI with that would be golden but one card is still good.

[Calindor]

Originally Posted by Mark

Whoa, whoa, Calindor, you've got your facts wrong.

Crysis uses CryENGINE 2, not CryENGINE 1. FarCry uses CryENGINE 1. Aion uses CryENGINE 1.

An 8800GT will handle the CryENGINE 1 just fine, no need for SLi.

isnt that what I said? Aion uses the first gen engine, and crysis uses the second one.




and a 9800GTX will be $200, if you can SLI, another 8800gt will be less than a new 9800gtx, and having 2 8800's in SLI will be substantially better than 1 9800.

[Yakuzan]

Originally Posted by Calindor

isnt that what I said? Aion uses the first gen engine, and crysis uses the second one.




and a 9800GTX will be $200, if you can SLI, another 8800gt will be less than a new 9800gtx, and having 2 8800's in SLI will be substantially better than 1 9800.

I doubt you will need two graphic cards for maximum performance unless you play on high resolutions.

[Calindor]

Yeah I agree, although I think an 8800 will still have problems pulling 30fps on high settings during a mass pvp or something with hundreds of players...but the point I'm trying to convey is that simply buying another 8800gt for him and going SLI would be a lot more beneficial than swapping for any other single card.

[Howling]

I've never understood the logic of SLi'ing 2 low (yes, the 8800GT is now classed as low) end cards when a single high end gpu would perform the same tasks more efficienty with less load on the system, and less of the SLi issues with various games.

To Rau: You'll be fine running on that 8800GT for Aion, but if you're still not satisfied - you said you just bought it, right? Is it possible to return it? If it's a BFG / EVGA card, are you still within their 2 month stepup program? If you can return it, I recommend the ATi 4850, it's been getting cracking reviews - cheaper than the 9800+ (4850 is ~$200 and GTX+ ~$240) and slightly better performance. If you're stuck in a step up program, then the GTX+ is the obvious choice. If you have a little more cash then the GTX260 looks fairly promising.

If you can't return / step-up, then I'd just stick with the single 8800GT, if - when Aion comes out - you find you're lacking in performance you can always upgrade your card then.

Honestly I'd never recommend SLi to anyone who isn't going to be playing past 1900x1200 res.

[Zanaionic]

Will SLI do anything negative when playing on say 1440x900 res?

[Waterelfo]

Will a inter based graphic card hold Aion?

[Cyroth]

sli doesnt nessecarily do anything 'negative' on screen, it just strains your system a bit more and eats up another pci-e slot, the best cards out now that are remotely affordable for the real people are the 4850s and theres a good chance the 4870s drop a bit as well and those are some lethal cards, this is coming from someone who's been nvidia for the past 6 -7 years

oh and just to add ive always heard bad things about nvidias drivers when it comes to sli

[Draca]

Sli will always improve your preformace but under 1600x1000 res one card would be enouth to run even crysis on realy high settings.

I would be quite sure of that a GF 8800 card will be able to run Aion on very high settings unless they make a dx10 version.

[Shade]

Aion uses a highly modified version of CryENGINE 1, so even using Farcry as a benchmark isn't ideal. It depends what resolution you'll be playing at. I'll personally be playing with an 4870x2 at 1920x1200.

[Rizzo]

SLI? what is it, soudns like 2 cards 2 screens?

[Shade]

Originally Posted by Rizzo

SLI? what is it, soudns like 2 cards 2 screens?

When you hook up two Nvidia cards in a single machine. So it's kinda like twice the power.