Real differences

[elsaq]

Hello friends! After many searches on the web, I haven't found anything that clears up my doubts about graphics, so I turn to you who will surely help me well

I don't want to open another one of the millions of posts in this and other forums about the eternal war between ATI (now AMD) and Nvidia, and I know that each user will like one brand more than the other as in everything in life (Audi vs BMW, Kawasaki vs Honda, to name a few examples)

I'm going to present an example and thus explain myself better, and I take as an example 2 current graphics, one of each brand and from the same manufacturer, in this case, Asus, and of the same price range (indicative prices):

• Asus HD 6970 - http://www.asus.com/Graphics_Cards/AMD_Series/EAH6970_DCII2DI4S2GD5/

• 2 Gb

• GPU 890 Mhz

• Memory 5000 Mhz (1375 Mhz GDDR5)

• Bus 256-Bit

• Asus GTX 570 - http://www.asus.com/Graphics_Cards/NVIDIA_Series/ENGTX570_DCII2DIS1280MD5/

• 1.28 Gb

• GPU 742 Mhz

• Memory 3800 Mhz (950 Mhz GDDR5)

• Bus 320-Bit

Looking at those data, one could say that the AMD HD 6970 far surpasses (except for the BUS) the Nvidia GTX 570, but then in tests and in games both graphics perform similarly, even maybe the GTX 570 pulls a few FPS in some games.

What is this due to? That is, Nvidia has practically half the memory (0.72 Gb less), less memory speed (1.2 Ghz less), less GPU speed (148 Mhz less) and yet they perform similarly.

All this translates into when I want to buy a graphics card I don't understand what I'm buying, because I think I understand the technical specifications of a graphics card, but seeing these things I'm left blank, because by specifications AMD should perform much better than Nvidia, and that's not what happens.

What do you look at then to decide that one graphics card is better than another? Because in specifications I see that you can't :nono:

Sorry for making you read all this, I hope it serves to shed some light on my real doubt of AMD vs Nvidia.

Thanks! Regards!

[Bm4n]

Over time you will see that the performance of a system depends on many factors, data is just data, and that's what review websites are for, otherwise we would only need to look at the specifications and we would already know the result.

[Obione]

If you're going to be a while with that team I would get a 6950 or a 560 Ti for just over 200€.

[Nemo]

The architectures of the two brands are different and therefore use resources in different ways, AMD needs more Mhz in the memories and the chip to achieve the same performance, while Nvidia compensates for this "slowness" in memories by using more CPU.
As Obione says, the data is just that, data and the real performance is demonstrated in benchmarks and comparisons.
More than being guided by that data, you should be guided by issues such as consumption, noise, heat dissipation, price, PhysX or Eyefinity or personal quirks, because you have already seen that they are more or less equal.

Best regards

[Obione]

A trivial note, that's what Bm4n said

[CNCBCN]

my little contribution, between an Audi and a BMW I would choose either a Jaguar or the one you give me.
between a Kawa (I hear the gear shift) and a Honda (everyone has one) I choose a Suzuki (how I miss Super Kevin)
between an ATI and an Nvidia I prefer Nvidia, but... I will choose the one with the best results in tests, benchmarks and so on. As a second point to consider will be the watts of consumption and as a third and most important the price. If all three points are equal I will choose Nvidia. Why? For two reasons: 1st CUDA Physx 2nd, some time ago, a certain Nvidia boss hinted that they didn't have to make a better product than Ati, because with a little push from the game developers they had better performance on Nvidia than on Ati :D:D
for the rest (the data) it's like comparing an AMD 3,4 and an Intel 2500 :D:D they don't look alike at all and sadly the Intel is usually better :llorar:

[Nemo]

@Obione:

A minor point, that's what Bm4n said

Oops, true... but I'm sure you think so too :p.

Best regards

[Obione]

@Nemo:

Oops, true... but I'm sure you think so too :p.

Best regards

:grinning: I can't say I don't

[Bm4n]

That's why please don't take away my credit :risitas:

[kynes]

This is like a German working 4 hours, and an Italian working 6. Who is more productive? Well, it depends on how drunk each one is.

[Obione]

My God we are turning this thread into a bar :risitas:

[elsaq]

Thanks for the answers!

From what I see, AMD doesn't deliver what its data promises, and not just in graphics, but given what I've seen with the 8-core FX, I now understand why you say it.

The thread is not for a graphics card for my current system, but to know how to choose well (although I will ask you specifically when the time comes) for my future LGA 2011 system this holiday season.

My company's equipment is already 5 years old and I've had an ATI graphics card for those 5 years, I've never had an Nvidia, so perhaps it's a good time, now that I'm going to renew, to try Nvidia and see how it goes, because in the end, what matters are the experiences you live.

Well, from now on I will compare models directly in tests and benchmarks, and I will look more at the data, because in the end, as you rightly say, data is just data and real performance is something else.

Thanks for the help! Best regards!

[Bm4n]

AMD and ATI compensate for this with their prices, for example a 6950 has a better price/performance ratio than Nvidia, or in laptops where they always have better prices and better graphics. There is never a fixed rule for buying.

[Nemo]

@Bm4n:

AMD and ATI compensate for this with their prices, for example a 6950 has a better price/performance ratio than Nvidia's, or in laptops where they always have better prices and better graphics. There is never a fixed rule for buying.

In addition, it also depends on the results of the new products from both manufacturers, we all remember the fiasco that the initial Fermi from Nvidia represented, everyone was leaning towards AMD ATI, however now things are quite even perhaps with Nvidia pulling ahead slightly in very demanding games,…we will see when they release the HD7XXX series or the GTX6XX.
This is a race and whoever falls asleep is left without a prize, which is why it is very important not to "marry" any brand, to be objective looking at the performance tests, price and decide on preferences.

Best regards

[Sylver]

@Nemo:

Also it depends on the results of the new products from the two manufacturers, we all remember the fiasco that the early Fermi from Nvidia was, everyone was leaning towards AMD ATI, however now things are pretty even perhaps with Nvidia pulling ahead a bit in very demanding games,…to see when they release the HD7XXX series or the GTX6XX.
This is a race and whoever falls asleep is left without a prize that's why it's very important not to "marry" any brand, be objective looking at the performance tests, price and decide on preferences.

Best regards

+1 absolutely :sisi:

I was pro-nVidia to the bone, until I had to put a decent graphics card in the company's PC1 when it arrived as a surprise and I realized that I was missing a processor and power supply everywhere.

I did a small survey and in the end I ended up getting an HD 5850, unthinkable for me just a few months ago.

Indeed, one has to be objective with everything one looks at in view of investing.

Regards