Current video cards and vista?

[Ikertxus]

I recently ordered a new comp from dell following some tips from computer magazines and forums such as this one, I decided upon a mid-high spec so it could take me through a couple of years of decent performance, but I was a little confused with the graphic/video card option for it as i read that current cards will not be performing so well with the Vista OS and most sites recommended to wait until the new generation came out for full reliability.

My question is, does this mean that current video cards will be outdated in 4-6 months time and will require an update for full Vista performance?

If so, is the video card the only thing that will need to be updated? or are there other components that i will need to change?

Sorry if this has been explained before in prior posts but I lost the hardware knowledge I magically absorbed in my youth once i turned 30, and current ordeals are a mystery to me...

thanks in advance

Edit: sorry i forgot specs: Intel® Core® 2 Duo® E6400 Processor (2.13GHz, 1066MHz, 2MB), Memoria bicanal 4096MB DDR2 533MHz (4x1024), 512MB nVidia™ GeForce 7900GTX graphics card, etc

[Zuuljin]

That card should last you a long time, but it wont run as well as the newer DX10 cards. Obviously newer cards will run better, but these are newer cards in addtion to DX10, so gains might be fairly significant. Or they might be marginal, noone really knows yet.

If I were you, (and I actually just bought a new computer, so this is what I did do) is buy like a 7900gt or 7600gt just to last until the DX10 cards come out. They are very good at the moment, and not that expensive. Then when the first batch of DX10 cards are released with Vista, snatch up one of those and you should be set.

[Vinen]

Originally Posted by Ikertxus

I recently ordered a new comp from dell following some tips from computer magazines and forums such as this one, I decided upon a mid-high spec so it could take me through a couple of years of decent performance, but I was a little confused with the graphic/video card option for it as i read that current cards will not be performing so well with the Vista OS and most sites recommended to wait until the new generation came out for full reliability.

My question is, does this mean that current video cards will be outdated in 4-6 months time and will require an update for full Vista performance?

If so, is the video card the only thing that will need to be updated? or are there other components that i will need to change?

Sorry if this has been explained before in prior posts but I lost the hardware knowledge I magically absorbed in my youth once i turned 30, and current ordeals are a mystery to me...

thanks in advance

Edit: sorry i forgot specs: Intel® Core® 2 Duo® E6400 Processor (2.13GHz, 1066MHz, 2MB), Memoria bicanal 4096MB DDR2 533MHz (4x1024), 512MB nVidia™ GeForce 7900GTX graphics card, etc

You need a new video card if you wish to Support DX10... that is all.

[Tripamang]

Originally Posted by Vinen

You need a new video card if you wish to Support DX10... that is all.

It'll work with DX10, you just wont' have all the fancy DX10 shit. Sorry had to clarify that.

[Ikertxus]

So I assume by your replies that the only thing that will need an upgrade for full performance with Vista is the graphics card, are there any other components that will become obsolete with the new OS and that I should look forward to change such as memory, motherboard, power source, etc?

[Kallian]

you'll probably wind up upgrading your power supply if you get a husky DX10 card. I read an article my coworker pointed me to that said that one of ATI's next gen cards will require 200 W.

[AngryGerbil]

A graphics card once raped my sister. <-- truth

[Blaezenfury]

Originally Posted by Kallian

you'll probably wind up upgrading your power supply if you get a husky DX10 card. I read an article my coworker pointed me to that said that one of ATI's next gen cards will require 200 W.

uh... i thought the higher end cards were already taking over 300watts? I thought that was the whole fucking huge piss off when the 6800 type series came out where they need a peripheral attachment?

[AngryGerbil]

I'm no computer nerd or anything, but I have a Geforce 6600 PCI-Express 256 card with only a 300w power supply and it runs every game I've thrown at it, and for hours on end.

*Edit*

Wait, you said 6800. Maybe the difference is huge and I don't know it.

[Phoenix]

Personally, I would of waited for the DX10 cards to hit the market. Although there is nothing wrong with that gtx.

[Slide]

Vista itself doesn't need a DX10 card, i'm currently running RC1 with an ATI x800 and it's perfectly fine. When it is on general release, some games will have the option to run in DX10 mode with extra bells and whistles, but I don't forsee anyone supporting DX10 only for a long time.

You'll be fine with what you have for a year or two.

[Drauk]

Originally Posted by Blaezenfury

uh... i thought the higher end cards were already taking over 300watts? I thought that was the whole fucking huge piss off when the 6800 type series came out where they need a peripheral attachment?

Modern top-end GFX cards (X1900 XTX, 7950 GX2) consume around 100-120 watts peak in heavy 3D mode. Mainstream cards (X1900 XT/GT, 7900 GTX) consume around 80 watts peak and sometimes even less (7900 GT consume only 50 watts peak). Nvidia cards generally consume a lot less power than ATI. The only exception here was 6800 series, they actually consume more than 7900 series.

Now, regarding that peripheal attachment. It is required since you cannot power GFX card via PCI-E slot because of safety limitations (big amperage on tiny connector=bad)

Also, the whole "power supply" issue for modern PC is kinda overrated. Most mainstream PC doesn't really need more than 360W PSU. Top-end requires 400-450W PSU (unless you running a big RAID array). Of course it has to be a quality PSU (and no, Zalman/Thermaltake doesn't really qualify as "quality") and built according to ATX v2.0 standart (meaning increased supply of 12v, and decreased of 5v)