ATI VS. NVIDIA 2

[pdelnet]

We are currently looking at high end video cards, specifically the NVIDIA FX4500 and the ATI FIREGL V7350, (I have large assemblies - 5000+ parts and the system is very sluggish, drawings are almost impossible) does anyone have any experience or feedback on these two cards or others around the $2000 CDN price area.

SW 2007 SP 3.1
Dell Inc. Precision WorkStation 670
2048 Megabytes Installed Memory
NVIDIA Quadro FX 1400
Windows XP PRO SP 2

 

[JMirisola]

My experience has been that Nvidia performs better than ATI. When I had an ATI card, it left "ghost" images on my monitor and it refreshed slower. I don't remember which ATI card it was though. When people ask for recommendations regarding video cards, the vast majority of people seem to lean towards Nvidia.

Jeff Mirisola, CSWP
CAD Administrator
SW '07 SP2.0, Dell M90, Intel 2 Duo Core, 2GB RAM, nVidia 2500M

http://designsmarter.typepad.com/jeffs_blog

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Are you using the /3GB switch?
thread559-155411

Take note of the recommended system requirements at

http://www.solidworks.com/pages/services/SystemRequirements.html

Perhaps you should be looking at a x64 system so that you can increase the RAM.

 

[pdelnet]

yes I do have the /3gb switch set

and x64 is not an option, I have heard too many horror stories.

Maybe next year for that with vista.


SW 2007 SP 3.1
Dell Inc. Precision WorkStation 670
2048 Megabytes Installed Memory
NVIDIA Quadro FX 1400
Windows XP PRO SP 2

 

[StefanHamminga]

The Quadros are king of the hill when it comes to performance.

How's your video memory usage?

http://www.eng-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=158706&page=1

I'd also look in the SW2008 beta forums, to see how your next graphics card will suffice over a year.

Be aware that both the FGL V7350 and the FX 4500 are previous gen products. The current gen product is the Quadro FX 4600.
In my findings memory bandwith is very important for SW performance, the 4600 allmost doubles the 4500 bandwith, see:

http://www.nvidia.com/object/IO_11761.html

Stefan Hamminga
EngIT Solutions
CSWP/Mechanical designer

 

[Theophilus]

Wow--those 4600s chew up 134W of power and take two slots! Yow. (And I thought it was already hot in my office. ..)



Jeff Mowry

http://www.industrialdesignhaus.com

Reason trumps all. And awe transcends reason.

 

[pdelnet]

We decided to go with the Quadro FX 4600, thanks for the heads up on that one, it was only a few dolllars more than the 4500.

SW 2007 SP 3.1
Dell Inc. Precision WorkStation 670
2048 Megabytes Installed Memory
NVIDIA Quadro FX 1400
Windows XP PRO SP 2